Political Science, MA
Political Science, MA
Admission Requirements
Admission is open to students who have completed a four-year undergraduate degree with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and who fulfill the admission requirements of the Graduate School. Three letters of recommendation (at least two from a faculty member who has worked with the student in the past two years, if applicable) and a personal statement outlining the expected fit between the student’s skills and objectives and the department’s programs and resources are required.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
The Master of Arts in Political Science allows students to focus their study in one of four concentrations: American Politics, Criminal Justice, Security Studies, or International Politics.
Students may also work toward certificates in Applied Politics in conjunction with their graduate studies in Political Science.
Political Science - Intelligence and National Security Studies Track
Admission Requirements
Admission is open to students who have completed a four-year undergraduate degree with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and who fulfill the admission requirements of the Graduate School. Three letters of recommendation (at least two from a faculty member who has worked with the student in the past two years, if applicable) and a personal statement outlining the expected fit between the student’s skills and objectives and the department’s programs and resources are required.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Students may also work toward certificates in Applied Politics in conjunction with their graduate studies in Political Science.
Degree Requirements
Complete 30 credits of graduate work, including 24 credits at the 600 level, as follows
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
POLIT:600 | Scope & Theories of Political Science | 3 |
POLIT:601 | Research Methods in Political Science | 3 |
POLIT:603 | Scholarly Writing & Professional Development in Political Science | 3 |
Select two additional departmental seminars (neither Independent Study nor Internship credit counts as a graduate seminar) | 6 | |
Select two track-required seminars depending on the track chosen | 6 | |
Select nine additional graduate Political Science credits (500 or 600 level) | 9 | |
Total Hours | 30 |
Pass a comprehensive written examination covering one concentration: American Politics, Criminal Justice, or International Politics.
Complete the following writing requirement:
- An Essay of Distinction is a single, article-length, scholarly research paper. This writing requirement will encourage our students to learn how to participate in the debates central to our discipline and complete the program with a superb writing sample that can serve as a foundation for continued graduate work, a conference presentation, a published article, or a deliverable policy analysis.
To complete an Essay of Distinction, students are also required to orally defend their paper to their Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC). All FAC members must approve the topic and pass the paper and oral defense.
Political Science - Intelligence and National Security Studies Track
Degree Requirements
Complete 30 credits of graduate work as follows
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Department Required Courses | ||
POLIT:600 | Scope & Theories of Political Science | 3 |
POLIT:601 | Research Methods in Political Science | 3 |
POLIT:603 | Scholarly Writing & Professional Development in Political Science | 3 |
Track Required Seminars | ||
POLIT:610 | Seminar in International Politics | 3 |
POLIT:612 | Seminar in Security Studies | 3 |
Electives | ||
Select 15 credits of the following: | 15 | |
GEOG:505 | Geographic Information Systems | |
POLIT:500 | Political Extremism & Violence | |
POLIT:510 | International Security Policy | |
POLIT:513 | Global Public Health Threats | |
POLIT:514 | Wealth and Power Among Nations | |
POLIT:517 | Environmental Security and Climate Politics | |
POLIT:518 | Weapons of Mass Destruction | |
POLIT:519 | Homeland Security Policy and Process | |
POLIT:545 | Al Qaeda and ISIS | |
POLIT:546 | National Security Intelligence | |
POLIT:547 | Counterterrorism | |
POLIT:548 | Intelligence Analysis | |
POLIT:563 | Human Rights in World Politics | |
POLIT:611 | Seminar in War and Insurgency | |
POLIT:620 | Seminar in Comparative Politics | |
POLIT:622 | Seminar in Alternatives to Violence at Home and Abroad | |
POLIT:695 | Internship in Government & Politics | |
Total Hours | 30 |
Additionally, the following non-credit Milestones need to be completed by the end of the program:
Capstone Intelligence Assessment
Capstone Intelligence Assessment Defense