Master of Arts In Political Science

Overview

The 36-credit-hour program is designed to meet the needs of students with or without previous experience in the degree. Featuring award-winning, dynamic faculty, our program will provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to be competitive in a changing world.

About The Program

Our program prepares future leaders and public servants for careers across a broad range of sectors, from the government to business to nonprofits. Graduates of the program will learn from experts in their field and will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge to real-world situations. Here is just a sample of the courses:

• Legislative Organization and Procedure
• Public Opinion
• Government in Urban America
• Social Policy
• The Presidency and Domestic Policy
• Identity and Politics in the Middle East
• State Politics

Career Opportunities

• Policy Analyst
• Lobbyist
• City Administrator
• Legislative Assistant
• Campaign Director
• Political Consultant
• Higher Education Lecturer
• Attorney
• Lawyer

Why Choose Us?

• Award-winning faculty
• Experts with international reputations
• A network of supportive and caring professionals dedicated to students' success
• A broad alumni network

Buro Millennial / pexels

Degree Plan

The non-thesis degree plan requires 36 hours of coursework, including three hours of POLS 5310 Analyzing Politics: Research Design And Methods, and a minimum of two courses in each of the first two area concentrations: American Politics and Policymaking, and International Studies.

The thesis degree plan requires 24 hours of coursework, including three hours of POLS 5310 Analyzing Politics: Research Design And Methods. Of the remaining 21 hours, a minimum of one course must be taken in each of the first two area concentrations: American Politics and Policymaking, and International Studies.

American Politics and Policymaking

• POLS 5300 --- American Government and Politics --- 3
• POLS 5301 --- Judicial Politics and the U.S. Supreme Court --- 3
• POLS 5302 --- Bureaucratic Leadership: Trends in Public Administration and Policy Management --- 3
• POLS 5311 --- Campaigns and Elections --- 3
• POLS 5312 --- Agendas, Information, And Decision-Making in Public Policy --- 3
• POLS 5315 --- Public Opinion --- 3
• POLS 5316 --- Public Leadership: Race, Ethnicity, & Gender --- 3
• POLS 5317 --- Race and Ethnicity In American Politics --- 3
• POLS 5318 --- Women In The Political Process --- 3
• POLS 5319 --- Congressional Behavior --- 3
• POLS 5320 --- The American Presidency --- 3
• POLS 5321 --- The Presidency And Domestic Policy --- 3
• POLS 5322 --- Separation Of Powers In American Political Development --- 3
• POLS 5323 --- State Court Systems --- 3
• POLS 5324 --- Public Policy: Issues And Analysis --- 3
• POLS 5325 --- State Politics --- 3
• POLS 5326 --- State/Local Government Policymaking --- 3
• POLS 5327 --- Urban Policymaking And Administration --- 3
• POLS 5328 --- Public Policy And Mexican American Communities --- 3
• POLS 5329 --- Public Budgeting --- 3
• POLS 5330 --- Energy And The Environment --- 3
• POLS 5368 --- Health Politics And Policy --- 3
• POLS 5369 --- Social Policy --- 3
• POLS 5380 --- Topics In U.S. Politics --- 3
• POLS 5382 --- Topics In Public Law And Jurisprudence --- 3
• POLS 5383 --- Topics In Public Administration And Policy Making --- 3

International Studies

• POLS 5303 --- Comparative Political Systems --- 3
• POLS 5331 --- Political Systems Of East Asia --- 3
• POLS 5332 --- Paradigms And Problems In International Relations --- 3
• POLS 5333 --- Identity And Politics In The Middle East --- 3
• POLS 5334 --- Violence And Deprivation In World Politics --- 3
• POLS 5335 --- Latin American Politics --- 3
• POLS 5336 --- Repression And Revolution In Latin American --- 3
• POLS 5337 --- The Political System Of The Russian Federation --- 3
• POLS 5338 --- American Foreign Policy --- 3
• POLS 5339 --- Israeli Identity And The Arab-Israeli Conflict --- 3
• POLS 5341 --- Cognition, Emotion, And Evolution In International Relations --- 3
• POLS 5342 --- International Organizations --- 3
• POLS 5381 --- Topics In Comparative Politics --- 3
• POLS 5384 --- Topics In International Relations --- 3

Data Analysis

• POLS 5305 --- Topics In Political Theory --- 3
• POLS 5310 --- Analyzing Politics: Research Design And Methods --- 3

Students should consult the Political Science Graduate Student Handbook for regulations on transfer courses, undergraduate courses, conferences, internships, and special courses. It is recommended that students complete at least one general field seminar (POLS 5300, POLS 5301, POLS 5302, POLS 5303, POLS 5332) prior to taking the topics courses. See the Graduate Advisor for more detail.

All candidates for the degree of Master of Arts with a major in political science must pass a final examination, written, oral, or both written and oral. See the Department of Political Science Graduate Student Handbook or the Graduate Adviser for more details. In the event of failure of the final examination, the student may petition the Committee on Graduate Studies to retake the examination on a date no sooner than 60 days after the first examination. Students will not be permitted more than one reexamination after the failure of the initial examination.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the MA program in political science is based upon the completion of the general admission requirements of the Graduate School. Applicants are required to submit all official transcripts, a personal statement, and three (3) letters of recommendation. The department will review the application package in its entirety. The package is evaluated to determine if a student has achieved a 3.00-grade point average (GPA) in the last 60 hours of their undergraduate work as calculated by the Graduate School, and meets other admission requirements. If a student has already earned an advanced degree, the department will evaluate the student’s academic performance in obtaining that degree equally with the undergraduate performance. International students must meet or exceed the minimum university standard on the TOEFL (550 for paper examination, 213 for computer examination), TOEFL iBT (total score of 79 with sectional scores that meet or exceed 22 for the writing section, 21 for the speaking section, 20 for the reading section, and 16 for the listening section), TSE (40), or the IELTS (6.5).