Political Science: Master of Arts (MA)

The Political Science MA is built around three completion routes -- thesis, project, or course-based -- each requiring the core course Scope and Methods of Political Science alongside a set number of additional graduate courses tailored to the student's interests. Thesis students complete four courses and a 12-credit-hour thesis with a defended proposal; project students take five courses and a 9-credit-hour project; and course-based students complete eight courses including a supervised major research paper. The program serves as both a pathway to PhD study and preparation for careers in government, the civil service, or the private sector, with individualized programs built around faculty expertise in areas like comparative federalism, gender and politics, and political philosophy. Admission is competitive, requiring a minimum 3.33 GPA and a four-year baccalaureate concentrated in political science.