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MA Political Science
THE GRADUATE
PROGRAM
MASTER
OF ARTS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
The Political Science
Department offers a comprehensive program leading to the M.A. in Political
Science. Many of our students are working adults who cannot attend classes in
the mornings or early afternoons during the week. For that reason, the vast
majority of courses are available for the graduate program are scheduled in the
late afternoon and evening hours, or on Saturday. In addition, other activities
within the Department, such as those sponsored by the Political Science Club,
the Asian Affairs Club and the National Honor Society for Political Science (Pi
Sigma Alpha), are often held in evening. Graduate students are invited to take
advantage of these opportunities to expand their educational and personal
experiences within the Department by joining in these activities and becoming
members of these groups.
The Graduate College
also maintains evening hours for the convenience of working students.
Admission to the Program
The Graduate College
initially processes applications for admission into graduate programs at the
University. After reviewing the student's application and transcripts, the Graduate College
sends the credentials of those applicants who meet the Graduate College
admission requirements to the Department for the Department's admissions
decision.
The
Departmental Program
Students have two
options to choose from to fulfill the master's degree program requirements:
1. Thirty credit hours
of course work, a thesis for six credit hours, and an oral examination, or See
materials, below, for further information regarding the thesis option.
2. Thirty-six credit
hours of course work, a written comprehensive examination, and an oral
examination. See materials, below, for further information regarding the
written comprehensive examination option.
A student interested in
the thirty credit plus thesis option must secure approval of the Department.
Only students who have demonstrated high proficiency in various aspects of
graduate studies (writing, discussion, analysis, creativity, etc.) Will be
permitted to write a thesis.
Departmental Degree Requirements: [For Additional University Requirements, see the
University Catalogue]
Students must fulfill
the requirements for admission to the Graduate College.
(These are set out in the Academic Catalogue in the section "The Graduate College." Applications may be
secured from the Graduate
College, located in Cls
4029.
Students must select one
area of emphasis from the following:
American Politics and Public Affairs
International and Comparative Politics
Political Theory
Students are required to
take:
PSCI-401 Classics of
Political Science, preferably as a first course.
PSCI-402 Research
Methods in Political Science, if possible, before graduate seminar courses.
Five courses in the areas of
emphasis, including a 400-level seminar or a thesis seminar.
Three courses selected from a
second area.
Two elective courses from
any area of emphasis.
Student must maintain a
"B" average in the Masters Program. General requirements of the Graduate College
concerning grades may be found in the Academic Catalogue or at the Graduate College Office.
For Students Beginning
Their Graduate Program Prior to Fall, 1997:
The majority of courses
taken to complete the master's program must be at the 400-level. Students are
urged strongly to choose courses, where possible, at the 400-level.
For Students Beginning
Their Graduate Program During or After Fall, 1997:
Typically, all courses
offered for graduate credit will be at the 400 level. The Department may
permit graduate students to apply to their program up to three 300-level
courses, or 10 credit hours, from a list of 300-level courses designated by the
Department and approved by the Graduate
College Advisory
Committee and the Faculty Council on Academic Affairs. (See the Academic
Catalogue and Department Handouts for listings of those designated courses.)
For further details
concerning the above requirements, contact the Graduate Coordinator or the
Department Chair.
Transfer
Credits:
Up to nine (9) credit
hours in Political Science taken at other institutions may be
accepted as transfer credits towards fulfilling the degree requirements. Please
consult the Graduate
College for the policies
and procedures for transfer credits. Discussion of these transfer hours with
the Graduate Coordinator of the Department is necessary and should be
undertaken as early as possible.
Independent and Tutored Study:
One independent/tutored
study course will be accepted as part of the graduate program without
special permission assuming the student has presented a reasonably well
worked out proposal, there is no regular course available on the topic, a
faculty member has agreed to supervise the course, and other relevant
considerations. Additional independent/tutored study courses will be approved only
upon petition to the Graduate Coordinator.
Advising:
Students admitted to the
M.A. program in political science by the Graduate College
must see the Graduate Coordinator immediately. They then may be referred to a
departmental advisor from their major area of concentration.
The Graduate Coordinator
will advise students on the overall program requirements and develop with them
a course of study. The advisor in the major area of concentration will give
specific advice in that area.
It is imperative that
students communicate with the Graduate Coordinator each term before
registering for courses, to review and, if necessary, to revise their program
of study.
Any changes concerning
registration for courses, major area of concentration, minor area of
concentration, or program revision must receive prior approval of the Graduate
Coordinator.
Examinations and Theses:
WRITTEN EXAMINATION
Students should inform
the Graduate Coordinator, at completion of course work, or in their final term,
that they wish to take the written comprehensive examination. The Coordinator
will then set a date, select the committee in consultation with the student,
and collect questions from the committee members.
Note: The student is
responsible for being aware of impending graduation deadlines. Arrangements for
written comprehensive examinations take time. Students should not expect
to be able to take written exams during summer terms, when many faculty are not
on campus.
Rules and Regulations
for the Written Examination
Questions on the
examination will be based on issues and topics drawn from courses taken by the
students from one faculty member as part of their major field of graduate
study, from courses taken from another faculty member as part of the minor
field, and questions from a third faculty member selected by the Graduate
Coordinator in consultation with the student to be examined.
The number of questions,
and whether they will be open book/notes or closed book/notes, will be
determined by the members of the examining committee.
The examination will
take approximately five hours-two and one-half hours; a one-half hour break;
and two additional hours. The first two and one-half hours will be devoted to
questions from the student's major field of graduate study.
Grading for this
examination is on a Pass-Fail system in which the student must achieve a "High Pass"
in the major area of their graduate course concentration and a "Pass"
in subsidiary areas. In cases in which the student fails to meet those
standards, the student will be allowed to retake the examinations, or any
necessary part of it, no more than twice. There will be an interval of at least
one month between the first and second examination, and at least two months
between the second and third examinations.
The Graduate Committee
of the Department shall review the case of any student who has failed to pass
the written comprehensive examination three times. It may recommend further
study, termination, or another course of action.
A student may request
the use of a personal computer at this examination.
Note: Only after a
student has successfully completed this examination will that student be
allowed to sit for the Oral Examination.
THESES:
Students interested in
writing a thesis may first approach a faculty member to see if that individual
is interested in supervising a thesis. Typically, that faculty member would be
familiar with the subject area of interest to the student and would have
had the student in two or more courses.
The thesis must be
typewritten for all drafts, including the final draft. At least two to four
weeks should be allowed for faculty readers to review and return each draft or
revision to the student.
Note: Students who
plan to write their theses in the area of International and Comparative
Politics should work under the supervision of the appropriate faculty member
for that area. Exceptions to this policy will be made only by special
arrangement among the student, faculty member, and Graduate Coordinator.
The students must see
the graduate advisor to begin formal thesis application procedures. These
procedures include a formal petition to write a thesis, that petition to include:
- A prospectus of two to three pages,
outlining the research question or topic the student will address, and how
the student intends to address it. Any background information on the
relevance and importance of the thesis topic would be included, here;
- A preliminary list of primary and
secondary sources the applicant believes to be appropriate to the thesis
question or topic;
- A letter from the potential advisor
indicating that the advisor has reviewed the proposal and is willing to
supervise it;
- A sample of the applicant's writing,
such as a previous exam or course paper;
The
proposal shall then be given to the graduate committee for review.
After approval of the
petition to write a thesis, a completed typed first draft of the thesis shall be
given to the thesis advisor. Individual typed copies of subsequent drafts and
revisions shall be provided to each of the members of the thesis committee. At
least two to four weeks should be allowed for the readers to revise and return
each draft to the student. Longer periods may be necessary when summers, term
breaks, holidays, or faculty leaves or sabbaticals are involved.
Two copies of the thesis
in its final form will be submitted to the graduate Coordinator prior to
the Department notifying the Graduate
College of the completion
of the requirements for the degree.
Beginning in the Fall,
1997 term, the style of the thesis shall follow the APA (American Psychological
Association) format [also called "parenthetical references"].
Failure to conform to this style standard will be sufficient grounds for
refusal to consider the paper. Students writing a thesis should obtain
a copy of the "Manual of Thesis Procedures" from the Graduate College for additional information about
format.
The length of each thesis
depends on the subject matter, purpose, sources and other factors determined by
the student and the members of the Thesis Committee.
The final draft of the
thesis must be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator at least one month before
the deadline for completion of work for any specific graduation date.
Dates of deadlines for completion of work can be found in the Schedule of
Classes, or are available from the Graduate College.
ORAL
EXAMINATIONS
An oral examination will
be administered to all students at the completion of their work in their
graduate program.
On the oral examination,
students should be prepared to respond to questions on all aspects of their
course work and their thesis or the topics covered by their written
comprehensive examination. Oral examination questions may also cover a
student's second area of concentration.
Rules and Regulations
for the Oral Examination
Only students whose
theses or written comprehensive exams are approved will be allowed to take the
oral examination.
The examination usually
will last approximately one hour.
The Oral Examination
Committee will determine success or failure on the part of the student being
examined. In cases in which the student fails, that student will be
allowed to retake the oral examination no more than twice. There will be
an interval of at least one month between the first and second examinations and
at least two months between the second and third examinations.
The Graduate Committee
of the Department shall review the case of any student who has failed to pass
the oral examination three times. It may recommend further study, termination,
or another course of action.
Petitions:
If, for whatever
reasons, students desire exemption from any requirements of the program, they
may present a petition, with explanation, through the Graduate College
for action by the Department Graduate Committee.
Students whose courses
have become dated as a result of passage of time in excess of University
regulations may petition the Graduate
College for an extension
of time allowed for the completion of the degree requirements.
Merit Tuition Waivers:
Every semester,
including summer terms, the Department will award a small number of Merit
Tuition Waivers. Interested students should apply to the Graduate Coordinator
of the Department at the start of the term preceding the term for
which a Waiver is sought.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR
GRADUATE STUDENTS!!!
Read
your mail. Respond promptly, when requested to do so.
If you change your
address or phone number, let the Graduate
College and the
Department know.
When you complete 12
hours of course work applicable to your degree requirements, apply to the Graduate College for candidacy. This
application is required to initiate the formation of your M.A.
Committee.
Make sure that you take
PSCI 401 and 402 early in your M.A. career. These courses are offered only once
each year, and are required.
Before you propose any
PSCI 405, 406 or 407 Independent Study, you must have a clear idea of your
project. Present the idea to a professor under whom you wish to work well
before the beginning of the term in which you wish to do the project.
You must have the
approval of the Department before attempting to register for PSCI 404 Thesis
Research. You may register for that course only after having applied for
candidacy (see above).
Be sure to keep apprised
of the deadlines for application for graduation. Deadlines are well in advanced
of actual graduation dates.
The first draft of a
thesis will almost never be the final draft. Since the time period of revision
is uncertain, be sure to allow more than adequate time for the thesis
completion.
Stay in touch with the
Graduate Coordinator at all important junctures. This is vital for your success
in completing Graduate program requirements.
The faculty and staff of
the Department are here to help you in your work toward completion of your
Graduate Program. Please feel free to stop by or call whenever you have
anything with which we may be of help.
M.A. Program in Political Science
Student Information Quick-Check Sheet
Grad Advising:
- see your advisor each semester to double check and
confirm your plans (courses available, what you’re registered for,
requirements needed, etc.)
- talk with each other about ideas; talk with your advisor about the program
- after the first semester, always bring a copy of your
unofficial transcript to advising sessions (transcripts are available in
the Graduate
College)
- please study the requirements of the Graduate College
and of the Department of Political Science carefully (see the NEIU
Catalog)
- the department’s expectation is that you take 400-level
courses specifically designed for graduate students and only use
pre-approved 300-level courses occasionally or as a last resort (limit of
three for the M.A.)
- if taking a 300-level course for graduate credit, you
must identify
yourself, so the course’s
instructor can give you additional assignments
The following
300-Level courses are pre-approved for graduate credit by the Department, Graduate College and University:
American Politics and Public Affairs
PSCI 310: Congress and the Legislative Branch
PSCI 311: The American Judiciary and the Judicial Process
PSCI 320: Constitutional Law
PSCI 344: Public Organization Theory
PSCI 345: Government Budgeting
PSCI 346: Public Personnel
Administration
International Relations and Comparative Politics
PSCI 351:
Government and Politics of Japan
PSCI 353: Government and Politics of China
PSCI 354: Islamic Civilization:
Government and Politics
PSCI 358: Modern European Government
PSCI 363: Politics of the Middle East
PSCI 365: Politics and Government of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean
PSCI 366:
Politics and Government of South America
PSCI 368: Politics of the Soviet and
Post-Soviet World
PSCI 376:
Principles of International Relations
PSCI 380: International Law
Political Theory
PSCI 390:
Classical Political Theory
PSCI 391: Modern Political Theory
(updated 10/06)
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