The Department Political Science has been in the main curriculum in the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (formally known as Vidyodaya University) since its establishment in 1959. The Political Science program was part of the Department of Economics from 1959 until 2009: a separate Department has been established for Political Science in 2009. The Department offers B.A. (General) and (B.A. Special) programs in Political Science. Political Science Course Units are conducted both in Sinhala and English media.
Political Science is a Social Science concerned with the Theory and Practice of Politics and the description and analysis of Political Systems and Political behavior. Political Scientists see themselves engaged in revealing the relationships underlying political events and conditions.
The FHSS took a great effort in revising the existing curriculum in 2009 with the support of the IRQUE (Improving Relevance & Quality of Under Graduate Education ) Project. The Department of Political Science also, adhering to this policy, introduced a number of new course units which suit the existing requirements of the Labour Market. The undergraduates are provided with opportunities to follow a number of specialized areas in Political Science such as Political Theory, Comparative Politics, International Relation, Conflict Resolution and Public Policy.