Students are generally not admitted into this program. It is available only for students originally enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Political Science who opt not to complete the Ph.D. or doctoral students who have completed comprehensive examinations for the Ph.D. degree. The Master of Arts in Political Science is specifically designed to provide a knowledge of political science and the professional skills necessary to pursue successful careers in governmental, quasi-public, private and political organizations, and technical and two-year college level teaching.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate their acquired skills in quantitative analysis.
2. Students will demonstrate their research design skills in a research proposal or paper.
3. Students will demonstrate career-relevant knowledge of politics.

Degree Requirements (30-36 Hours)

Normally, the master’s candidate will follow the non-thesis track, which involves completing 30 hours of substantive course work and six additional hours of substantive course work to replace the thesis requirement. Alternatively, master’s candidates may pursue a thesis track option, which involves completing 24 hours of substantive course work plus six hours of thesis credit for a total of 30 hours. The program may require more hours in the event of deficiencies. An oral defense is required of master’s candidates who chose the thesis option. Non-thesis track/additional course-work master’s candidates may fulfill the comprehensive examination requirement in one of two ways:

1. successful completion of the Ph.D. comprehensive examination process fulfills the MA comprehensive examination process;
2. completion of a comprehensive examination in one subfield of Political Science to the satisfaction of a committee of the subfield selected in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies.

Competency in one foreign language or political research methodology is required for the M.A. degree. Students must complete two graduate courses in statistics to demonstrate competency in research methodology.