9 Best Political Science Programs for Middle School Students

Political science programs are a solid option for middle school students considering a career in politics and related fields. Such programs are a way to engage with advanced academics in a rigorous manner. You will also meet and interact with like-minded peers and professionals in the field, which opens up future opportunities and career pathways.

Programs for middle school students also tend to have a practical component to impart hands-on skills relevant to the field. In some cases, you will have completed projects to add to your portfolio. We have compiled a list of the best political science programs based on their intensive nature, project components, and networking opportunities. 

9 Best Political Science Programs for Middle School Students

1. Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial aid available

Dates: 8 weeks, start date varies according to cohort

Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort

Eligibility: Middle school students

Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program is a rigorous virtual program for middle school students. You will develop specialized knowledge by completing an independent research project. Guidance is provided by PhD mentors from top universities like Harvard, Columbia, and MIT. Your project, which you develop over 8 weeks, can be on any subject of your choice, including political science. This program enables you to build research skills and emerge with a complete research project that boosts your profile.

2. Stanford Middle School Scholars Program

Location: Online

Cost/Stipend: Fully funded

Dates: 3 weeks in July and fall semester from mid-August–December

Application Deadline: March 20

Eligibility: Low-income students in Grades 6–7 who reside in and attend school in the U.S., with a family income of less than $90,000

Stanford’s free Middle School Scholars Program is held over the summer and fall. You will attend interactive online classes in the summer that cover different topics. If you are interested in political science, you can opt for the Democracy and Dissent track. In this track, you will study the lives of some famous dissenters and how powerful ideas like democracy can shape society as a whole. The course is designed for you to develop critical thinking skills to become responsible citizens. In the fall semester, you will attend weekly meetings and discussions. The program prepares you to select and apply for other prestigious programs.

3. Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial aid available

Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort, and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort

Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines

Eligibility: Students in Grades 6–8

Ambitious middle schoolers can opt for Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers, an intensive program. This program teaches you the fundamentals of AI and machine learning. In this virtual classroom, you will learn Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. Beyond the academics, you will apply the concepts to a practical project. This is an interdisciplinary component where you can respond to a political issue with a technological solution. Past students have built a machine-learning model to classify music genres and a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.

4. Camp O’Connor USA

Location: Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

Cost/Stipend: None

Dates: To be announced

Application Deadline: To be announced

Eligibility: 7th and 8th grade students

Camp O’Connor is a free program delving into American democracy and politics. You prepare to become a future leader by learning about the legislative and judiciary branches of administration. Each day of the camp has a specific theme where you explore democracy, branches of government, and the duties and responsibilities of citizenship. You also participate in simulations, vote on bills, and hear from senators and supreme court judges. Through debates and the mock political convention, you build your leadership and communication skills.

5. Johns Hopkins CTY’s International Politics

Location: Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI, or Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA

Cost:

• Roger Williams University: $7,259 (residential) or $6,459 (commuter)

• Loyola Marymount University: $7,501 (residential) or $6,701 (commuter); financial aid available

Dates:

• Roger Williams University: June 22 – July 11 (Session 1) or July 13 – August 1

• Loyola Marymount University: June 22 – July 11

Application Deadline: May 15

Eligibility: Students in Grades 7–11 with advanced CTY-level verbal scores

This course on international politics looks at how nation states cooperate or disagree. You will study the history of complex international relations as well as pressing concerns in the modern world. The program also explores the role of globalization, need for sovereignty, and the power of global norms in promoting international development and human rights. Structured with a hands-on approach, you will partake in discussions and debates and examine case studies. You will apply scientific techniques and an interdisciplinary approach to understand and solve global challenges.

6. Middle School Junior Diplomat @ NYU

Location: New York University, New York, NY

Cost: $1,798

Dates:

• Session 1: June 22–26

• Session 2: June 29–July 3

• Session 3: July 6–10

• Session 4: July 13–17

• Session 5: July 20–24

Application Deadline: May 15

Eligibility: Students who have completed 6th grade by the program start date and have a minimum 3.0 GPA

The Middle School Junior Diplomat course allows you to delve into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their global impact. In simulations and discussions, you will engage with international challenges. You will also draft a new SDG proposal that aims to build a sustainable future for all nations. Group projects include developing community action plans to solve real-world issues. Visits to local organizations and interactions with changemakers provide a closer look at political policy and leadership. You can take this opportunity to hone skills in critical thinking, research, negotiation, and more.

7. The National Civics Bee

Location: Varies by competition; finals are held in Washington, D.C.

Cost: None

Dates: Regionals (late March – late May), State finals (early June – July), and National Championship (Fall)

Application Deadline: February 3

Eligibility: Students in Grades 6–8 from participating states

If you are looking for a competitive opportunity to learn about civics and citizenship, the National Civics Bee may meet your requirements. Take this opportunity to test out your knowledge against other students. The questions cover topics related to American democracy and institutions. The competition is structured with regionals, states, and the national championships. The top participants from the state competitions compete for prizes at the nationals in Washington D.C. The competition is also an opportunity to practice oral and written communication. 

8. NSLC’s Government & Law

Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Cost: $1,465; financial aid available

Dates:

• Session 1: June 23–27

• Session 2: July 7–11

• Session 4: July 21–25

Application Deadline:

• June 15 (Session 1)

• June 29 (Sessions 2, 3, and 4)

Eligibility: Rising 7th–9th graders

NSLC’s Government & Law course lasts 6 days and covers how policies and laws are developed. You will role play as a legislator or lawyer to debate real issues and draft proposals. The Congress 101 component introduces you to the process of drafting bills, and Federalism Simulation covers the division of powers between state governments and the federal government. You will also build your own government in a mock setup to learn about community districts and voter populations. The course also includes field trips to local landmarks and museums.

9. EXPLO 360°

Location: Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA

Cost: $6,295 (overnight) or $4,045 (day); financial aid may be available

Dates:

• Session 1: June 28 – July 11 (overnight) or June 29 – July 10 (day)

• Session 2: July 12 – July 25 (overnight) or July 13 – July 24 (day)

Application Deadline: To be announced

Eligibility: Rising 7th–9th graders

EXPLO 360° allows you to design your own curriculum based on your interests. For the political science track, you can opt for Government Simulation, International Law + Diplomacy, or Parliamentary Debate. You can choose two workshops and two electives, so a combination of these courses can provide a holistic understanding of political science. In government simulation, you build a nation by forming a government, economic system, resource allocation method, and so on. Through this program, you will gain specialized knowledge of political science as well as hands-on skills.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

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