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The M.A. in Political Science

The department offers three MA degrees: political science, international affairs, and public policy. A Plan I (thesis) degree requires 31 credit hours of graduate work including at least 24 credit hours at the 7000 level of above and a minimum of four but no more than six thesis hours. (Six of the 24 credit hours may be completed at the 3000 or 4000 level.) The specialized international affairs and public policy degree programs have additional requirements. A Plan II (non-thesis) degree may be earned by those students enrolled in the PhD program. All students receiving a teaching assistantship are required to take Teaching Political Science I (PSCI 7008) and Teaching Political Science II (PSCI 7018).

MA students will concentrate in one of six fields and participate in at least three credit hours of work in regularly scheduled political science seminars in each of three areas defined as follows: American, including American government and politics and public policy; international political science, including comparative politics and international relations; and theory, including political theory and empirical theory and research methods.

All Political Science M.A. students are required to complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit comprised of (a) a minimum of 26 course hours (seminars plus independent study credits) and (b) a minimum of 4 thesis hours. Specifically these course requirements are:

• At least 21 semester hours at the 7000 level or above, including a minimum of 15 semester hours in regularly scheduled Political Science Seminars.
• At least six semester hours in at least two seminars in the student's major field.
• Four semester hours for the M.A. thesis.
• A maximum of 6 hours of independent study* (Topics in Political Science: 7901 through 7908 and; 6902-6908). These hours may not be substituted for required seminars.
• A student must take courses from at least four different members of the faculty.
• During the first semester of residence all M.A. students will be required to take (1) Introduction to Professional Political Science and (2) Introduction to Political Data Analysis.

The M.A. in International Affairs (M.A.I.A.)

The Department also offers a specialized M.A. in International Affairs, which is aimed at those students seeking a well-rounded education in international affairs for future careers of international service. In addition to fulfilling the requirements of the M.A. degree in Political Science outlined above, M.A.I.A. students must also:

• Complete 12 semester hours in the International/Comparative area, nine of which must be in the field of International Relations.
• Take the core seminar in International Relations PSCI 7013
• Demonstrate advanced proficiency in (1) a foreign language appropriate for their career plans and approved by the student's advisor or (2) advanced proficiency in statistics or comparable methodology.

The M.A. in Political Science (Public Policy)

The Department also offers a two-year program leading to an M.A. in Public Policy. The goal of this program is to train students to conduct original research as policy analysts for public or private sector careers. The Public Policy M.A. requirements comprise 33 credit hours:

• 13 hours of required core curriculum course work
• 14 hours of elective course work
• 2 internship credit hours
• 4 thesis hours