Political Science, MA

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Admission Standards and Procedures

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1. Admission to the program will be based on selections from a pool of applicants who meet the University’s Graduate School admission requirements.
2. Significant weight is given to the following factors in determining admissions to the MA program:
   • An undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from an accredited college or university.
   • Letters of recommendation from two persons (at least one academic) familiar with the applicant’s academic background or experience, specifying in detail the applicant’s capabilities for graduate study.
   • A statement of approximately 1000 words indicating the applicant’s present interests and career goals, including why the applicant wants the MA degree.

Meeting the minimum department standards does not entitle an applicant to admission. Meeting such standards only insures consideration of the application.

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Program Requirements

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1. Students will select two area subfields: American Government & Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory.
2. Students must successfuly complete 33 - 36 hours of graduate coursework.
   • Students who elect to complete a MA Thesis must complete 33 hours, 3-6 hours of which must be in POLS 7996, Thesis. Students electing to write a thesis should familiarize themselves with the Thesis/Dissertation Preparation Guide before beginning to write.
   • Students who do not write a thesis must complete 36 hours of graduate courses.
3. All students must complete:
   • POLS 7100, Seminar in Scope and Methods of Political Science Research
   • POLS 7101, Political Statistics
   • POLS 7401, Seminar in Political Theory
     • Students must earn grades of "B" or better in each course.
4. At least 27 semester hours of (30 hours for the non-thesis option) must be taken at the 7000-level, 21 hours (24 for the non-thesis option) of which must be in Political Science.
   • No more than 6 semester hours of internship courses may be counted toward the 33 or 36 semester hour requirement.
   • Without the approval of the graduate coordinator and chair, no more than 6 semester hours outside the department of Political Science may be counted toward the 33 or 36 semester-hour requirement.

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