Graduate Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

Departmental requirements for M.A. (Option A and Option B) and Ph.D. degrees are listed below. Please also see requirements listed in the general and departmental portions of the Graduate & Professional Catalog and the Office of Graduate Studies Master's Degree Steps to Completion and Doctoral Degree Steps to Completion information. Current students can access the POLS Graduate Studies Manual through the Graduate Student SharePoint site.

M.A. Option A (Thesis) Degree Requirements

Thesis required; 36 credit hours (30 credit hours of course work, plus 6 hours for thesis)

Option A is most appropriate for students who are preparing for careers in research and scholarly work or additional academic pursuits beyond the master's degree.

Course Requirements:

Students are required to take the following courses their first year:

POLS 800 (Research Methods) with a grade of B or better
POLS 801 (Scope and Methods) with a grade of B or better.

The following course requirements must be satisfied in a student's first three semesters of graduate studies or as soon thereafter as feasible.

Three core seminars with a grade of B or better from among the following: American Politics; Political Psychology and Biopolitics; International Relations; Public Policy; Comparative Politics; Political Theory (Note: core seminars need to be completed in the 2 areas in which the student takes comprehensive exams)

Completion of two research seminars (one from each area in which the student takes comprehensive examinations) with a grade of B- or better.

Not more than three (3) graduate credits in tutorials in Political Science (891 Individual Readings, or 991 Minor Research Problems) shall count towards the degree.

Additional Requirements:

Passing comprehensive examinations in two areas of specialization.

Preparation of an acceptable thesis (6 credit hours).

No 400/800 level courses in political science shall count toward the degree. (This does not apply to courses being applied to the PhD research tool requirement, or to courses taught outside the department that are cross-listed in political science.)

At least one-half of the credit hours required for the degree, including thesis, must be in the major.

May include a minor of at least 9 credit hours selected from and approved by the minor department.

M.A. Option B (Terminal) Degree Requirements

thesis not required; 36 credit hours

Option B is most appropriate for students pursuing practice-based or professional careers in which the master's degree provides suitable training.

Course Requirements:

It is required that students take the following courses their first year:

POLS 800 (Research Methods) with a grade of B or better
POLS 801 (Scope and Methods) with a grade of B or better.

The following course requirements must be satisfied in a student's first three semesters of graduate studies or as soon thereafter as feasible.

Two core seminars with a grade of B or better from among the following: American Politics; Political Psychology and Biopolitics; International Relations; Public Policy; Comparative Politics; Political Theory (Note: core seminars need to be completed in the 2 areas in which the student takes comprehensive exams)

Completion of two research seminars (one from each area in which the student takes comprehensive examinations) with a grade of B- or better.

Not more than three (3) graduate credits in tutorials in Political Science (891 Individual Readings, or 991 Minor Research Problems) shall count towards the degree.

Additional Requirements:

Passing comprehensive examinations in two areas of specialization.

At least one-half of the credit hours required for the degree must be in the major.

May include a minor off at least 9 credit hours selected from and approved by the minor department.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

A Bachelor's degree in political science (or closely related field).
A minimum of 90 credit hours, with no more than 21 credits for dissertation research.
Course Requirements – The requirements listed under M.A. Option A.
Not more than a total of three (3) graduate credits in tutorials in Political Science (891 Individual Readings, 991 Minor Research Problems) taken at this university, including those taken at the M.A. level, shall count towards the degree.
Passing comprehensive examinations in two areas of specialization.
Passing POLS 901 in which the student will prepare and defend a dissertation prospectus immediately following the semester they pass their comprehensive exams.
Passing POLS 802, Professional Development in Political Science.
No 400/800 level courses in political science shall count toward the degree. This does not apply to courses being applied to the PhD research tool requirement, or to courses taught outside the department that are corss-listed in political science.
A student with a masters degree from another institution may pass a proficiency examination in or substitute courses taken for any core seminar, POLS 800 (Research Methods) and POLS 801 (Scope and Methods). Proficiency examinations and substitutions shall require the approval of faculty responsible for the course and should be taken as soon as possible, preferably in the student's first year.
Students working toward the Ph.D. can apply no more than six (6) hours of work beyond a masters degree completed at a non-Ph.D. granting academic unit/department to the Ph.D. This requirement does not apply to the Ph.D. tool requirement.
The Department requires candidates for the Ph.D. to teach during their period of residency. This requirement may be waived upon the recommendation of a student's committee or the Graduate Committee.

Graduate Specializations

The Department of Political Science also participates in a number of cross-departmental specializations on campus, including those listed below. Students have the option to add one of these to their MA or PhD program, but this is not a requirement. Please see program websites (links below) for more information on specialization requirements.