Political Science, MA
for the degree of Master of Arts in Political Science
Admission to the Ph.D. Program
The Graduate College admission requirements apply. The student should have a minimum of 20 hours of undergraduate work in political science and cognate disciplines such as economics, psychology, finance, sociology, or history. All applicants are required to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, a personal statement, and an example of written work. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit the TOEFL iBT or IELTS score. The Ph.D. program typically admits students for the fall semester. Application deadline is December 15th.
Admission to the Master of Arts with Concentration in Civic Leadership
Admission is restricted to students who were accepted to the Civic Leadership Program as undergraduates at the University of Illinois. Application deadline is December 15. Applicants who wish to obtain a joint MA-JD degree program must apply separately for admission to the Law School.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this program and is essential for students whose career goals include college teaching.
Financial Aid
Students accepted into the department's Ph.D. program are eligible to apply for financial aid. Most incoming students with good credentials and continuing students demonstrating satisfactory progress will receive some type of financial aid, but the type and amount will vary. The Department of Political Science provides, on a competitive basis, aid packages up to $22,000, plus waivers of tuition and some fees. Financial aid is usually a combination of fellowship money and assistantships. Limited amounts of aid are also available for dissertation field research, internships, and the presentation of papers at professional meetings.
for the degree of Master of Arts in Political Science
Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program can usually earn a Master of Arts in Political Science within three semesters. It entails the completion of 32 graduate hours and the achievement of a 3.0 GPA in all courses taken. A master's paper is required.
For additional details and requirements refer to the department's graduate handbook and the Graduate College Handbook.
Thesis Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Tools of Inquiry Coursework | 24-32 | |
| PS 599 | Thesis Research (min/max applied toward degree) | 0-8 |
| Total Hours | 32 | |
Other Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| A concentration is not required. | |
| Minimum Hours Required Within the Unit: | 24 |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: | 24 |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
Non-Thesis Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Tools of Inquiry Coursework | 24-32 | |
| Research/Project/Independent Study Hours (min/max applied toward degree): | 0-8 | |
| Total Hours | 32 | |
Other Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| A concentration is not required. | |
| A master's paper is required | |
| Minimum Hours Required Within the Unit: | 24 |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: | 24 |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
Graduate Degree Programs in Political Science
- Political Science, MA
- concentrations:
- Civic Leadership
- African American Studies
- Political Science, PhD
- concentration:
- African American Studies
- Joint Programs:
The Department of Political Science offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. Students are not admitted to the master's degree program in Political Science, except for the Civic Leadership concentration. The department is not accepting applications to the Public Administration program.
for the degree of Master of Arts in Political Science
Department of Political Science
Head of Department: Thomas Rudolph
Director of Graduate Studies: Matthew Winters
Department of Political Science website
420 David Kinley Hall, 1407 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-3881; fax: (217) 244-5712
Political Science email
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences website
Admissions
Graduate College Admissions & Requirements