Political Science - MA

Master of Arts in Political Science

Political Science – MA4201

Department of Political Science
Bentley Annex, Second Floor
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
polsba@ohio.edu

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Terms of Entry: Fall

Program Overview

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Political Science seeks to instill a lifelong commitment to learning, to advance diversity and human understanding, and empower students to meet their responsibilities as citizens, leaders, and professional political analysts in a democratic society and interdependent world. Students are trained in the theories and methodologies needed to evaluate and conduct research that is fundamental, theoretical, and applied.

The M.A. in political science offers students of a variety of goals and backgrounds a rigorous and flexible course of study, an accessible faculty with diverse interests and experiences, and excellent facilities for research and study. The department offers a variety of courses at the graduate level including seminars in the scope and theory of political science, research methods in the discipline, and seminars in five areas of concentration: American Government, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Politics and Law. This breadth allows graduate students, in consultation with an advisor, to construct a program that fits their particular needs and provides students the opportunity to explore various post-graduate career options while strengthening their analytical, research, and writing skills. Through this combination of rigorous academic training, the flexibility to specialize and develop expertise in their areas of interest, and the opportunity to work closely with faculty known for the research and teaching excellence, the M.A. program in political science prepares students for entry to law schools and doctoral programs in political science; for working for political campaigns, interest groups, non-profits, and policy think tanks; and for entry-level local, state, and federal legislative and bureaucratic positions.

This is a full-time program. Normal time to completion is four semesters (two academic years).

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will:

explain how a variety of political systems operate
identify honest and ethical research practices
identify, apply and interpret appropriate research methods and theories to investigate a variety of political and social phenomena
identify an area of concentration for in-depth study, and analyze a variety of political and social phenomena in their selected area
evaluate, critique, and synthesize scholarship in their selected area of concentration
conduct original research that investigates political or social phenomena in their area of concentration using appropriate methodologies and theories
communicate their original research effectively to the scholarly community

Opportunities for Graduates

The M.A. program prepares students for entry to law schools and doctoral programs in political science; for working with political campaigns, interest groups, non-profit organizations and policy think tanks; and for positions in local, state, and federal legislative and bureaucratic offices. A number of our graduates have gone on to attend leading law schools and graduate programs in political science, and others have secured professional positions in government public affairs, and the private sector.

Further Information

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/cas/political-science/graduate/master

Admission Requirements

Program applicants must submit three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and a resume or curriculum vita, and are strongly encouraged to submit a writing sample. Applicants are expected to have some academic training in Political Science. Generally, a minimum of 18 semester hours of undergraduate work in political science (approximately six courses) or the equivalent is expected, although exceptions can be made for those with coursework in closely related fields or with practical political or administrative experience. The GRE is required for students with below a 3.0 undergraduate GPA.

International Students

This program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.

Graduation Requirements

Complete a minimum of 58 credit hours as follows:

Required Courses

Complete the following courses:

Seminar Requirements

Complete at least three of the following courses:

Electives

Complete an additional 32 hours of POLS courses at the 5000-level or higher. Graduate courses from related departments may be substituted with the permission of the Graduate Director. Up to 16 hours of Independent Study, Internship, Thesis, or Research hours may count toward the hour requirements for the degree.

Culminating Experience

Students can choose one of two options to complete their degrees, the M.A. thesis option or the comprehensive exam and significant research paper option. For the thesis option, students work with faculty members to complete an original thesis, which is then discussed and evaluated during an oral defense before a committee made up of tenured and tenure track faculty chosen by the student. For the exam and paper option, students must pass a written comprehensive exam in one selected subfield in the department (American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Law and Politics, or Political Theory) and work with faculty to develop and revise a significant research paper, which is then approved by the student’s exam committee. Both options provide students the opportunity to evaluate and synthesize literature in an area of political science, conduct original research that investigates and analyses political phenomena using appropriate methods and theories, and communicate their work to the scholarly or policy community.