Political Science

Degree Offered Master of Arts in Political Science

Program Overview

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 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.

Admission Requirements

Twenty-four (24) hours of undergraduate credit in the social or management sciences, including at least twelve hours in Political Science, are required for admission to the Program. If there is a deficiency, students will be required to make up the deficiency by taking the requisite number of courses without Graduate Program credit.

If the applicant is an international student, that student may be required to have an interview with the Departmental Graduate Coordinator to determine that student's level of knowledge and understanding of English. Upon the Coordinator's recommendation, a student will be required to take one or more English language courses without Graduate Program credit. This interview supplements, but does not replace, any Graduate College language requirements.

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.

Degree Requirements

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.

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-420 [as of Fall, 1998--PSCI-401] Classics of Political Science, preferably as a first course.

PSCI-421 [as of Fall, 1998-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.

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:

Dr. Leaman--Latin America
Dr. Varophas--Europe
Dr. Wang--East Asia; Canada

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 who have registered for thesis credit in PSCI-431 prior to the Fall, 1997 term, may the traditional "note" style of Kate Turabian, Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, latest edition. Both styles are explained and examples of usage are provided in the Sixth Edition of that reference. 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.

Advisor