Political Science, MA
Chairperson: Lowell Barrington, Ph.D.
Department of Political Science Graduate Program Overview website
Degree Offered
Master of Arts, Plan B only
Program Description
The Department of Political Science at Marquette University offers a master's program in political science, aimed at preparing students for political science doctoral study and careers in related fields. In addition, the department offers several dual degrees and accelerated degrees. The Political Science Department offers: an accelerated 5-year bachelor's and master's degree program in political science; a dual 4-year master of arts-juris doctor (M.A.-J.D.) program in political science in conjunction with the Law School; and dual degree programs in conjunction with the communication and the business administration graduate programs. Furthermore, Law School graduates can pursue an accelerated master of arts degree through awards of transfer credit for work completed as part of the juris doctor degree.
Dual Programs of Study
M.A.-J.D. Degree
The Department of Political Science, in conjunction with the Law School, offers a program of dual study leading to a master of arts degree in political science and a juris doctor degree.
Students seeking admission to the dual program must apply to both the Graduate School and the Law School and must meet the admission requirements for each, but their application to the Graduate School may include LSAT scores in lieu of GRE scores. Students start this dual program as a law student. Upon completion of the law program, students will be officially admitted to the political science program for completion of the remainder of the dual program.
Dual program students complete 81 credit hours in the Law School, 21 credit hours in political science, and 9 credit hours in dual program courses. In addition, applicants for the political science master of arts program who already hold a J.D. degree may request that a maximum of 9 credits from their previous law studies be counted toward the fulfillment of their master of arts degree requirements.
In general, dual program students will pay tuition at the full-time (flat tuition) Law School rate while a full-time law student, regardless of whether or not they are taking additional graduate courses. Upon receiving the juris doctor degree, dual program students will pay Graduate School tuition at the per credit rate for graduate courses. Part-time law students will pay the per credit Law School rate for all courses.
Additional details about the M.A.-J.D. program are available from the Political Science Department office or from the Law School Admissions office.
M.A.-M.B.A. Degree
The Department of Political Science, in conjunction with the Graduate School of Management, offers a program of dual study leading to a master of arts degree in political science and a master of business administration degree. The program is designed for students whose interests overlap business and politics. Dual degree students are able to complete both degree programs in less time than if both degrees were pursued separately.
Students seeking admission into the dual degree program must submit separate applications for admission to both the Graduate School and the Graduate School of Management, and must meet the admission requirements of each program. However, applicants may submit GMAT scores in lieu of GRE scores. Acceptance into one program does not guarantee acceptance into the other. If a student is accepted into one program and not the other, the student can still choose to accept the admission offer from the first program but would not be considered a dual degree student. Because students are officially admitted into only one Marquette University graduate program at a time, applicants must indicate which program they intend to pursue and complete first, although once accepted for admission to both programs, students may take courses from both schools. Upon completion of the first program, the student will be officially admitted to the second program for completion of the remainder of the dual program.
Dual degree students count 9 credits of course work in each program toward the required course work credits of the other program. Thus, 9 of the 40 credits required for the master of business administration degree beyond foundations, if required, will come from POSC courses, and 9 of the 30 credits required for the master of arts degree in political science will come from GSM courses.
M.A.-M.A. Degree
The Department of Political Science, in conjunction with the J. William and Mary Diederich College of Communication, offers a program of dual study leading to a master of arts degree in political science and a master of arts degree in communication. Dual degree students are able to complete both degree programs in less time than if both degrees were pursued separately.
Students seeking admission into the dual degree program must submit separate applications for admission to both programs to the Graduate School, and must meet the admission requirements of each program. Acceptance into one program does not guarantee acceptance into the other. If a student is accepted into one program and not the other, the student can still choose to accept the admission offer from the first program but would not be considered a dual degree student. Because students are officially admitted into only one Marquette University graduate program at a time, applicants must indicate which program they intend to pursue and complete first, although once accepted for admission to both programs, students may take courses from both departments. Upon completion of the first program, the student will be officially admitted to the second program for completion of the remainder of the dual program.
Dual degree students count 9 credits of course work in each program toward the required course work credits of the other program. Thus, 9 of the 36 credits required for the master of arts degree in communication will come from POSC courses, and 9 of the 30 credits required for the master of arts degree in political science will come from COMM courses.
Political Science Master of Arts
Program Requirements
The program in political science requires 30 credit hours of course work, which includes the 3-credit course POSC 6101 Contemporary Political Research and 27 credits of electives chosen by the student with their adviser. The 27 credit hours of course work are selected from graduate-level POSC courses or a combination of graduate-level POSC courses and graduate-level cognate courses. With the approval of the department director of graduate studies, a student may receive up to 9 credit hours toward the master of arts degree in graduate-level cognate courses taken outside the Political Science Department. Examples of cognate courses include, but are not limited to, graduate courses in Communication (COMM), Communication Studies (CMST), Economics (ECON), History (HIST), Philosophy (PHIL), and Public Service (PUBS).
At least 18 credits of the 30 credit hour requirement must be fulfilled in strictly graduate-level course work (courses numbered 6000 or above). Up to 12 credit hours of 5000-level courses may be approved for graduate credit.
SEMINAR PAPER REQUIREMENT
In addition to the 30 credit hours of course work, each student must complete a seminar paper requirement by the end of both their first and second years in the program. While the specific topics and details of the papers are determined by the faculty in consultation with each student, the papers serve two overarching purposes. The first-year paper requirement emphasizes students learning the relevant academic literature and the principles of research design in the social sciences. With the second-year paper requirement, students are expected to engage with original data analysis (qualitative or quantitative data collection and/or use of an existing data source). The instructors in whose courses the papers are written must certify that the student has fulfilled this requirement.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Required course | ||
POSC 6101 | Contemporary Political Research | 3 |
Electives | 27 | |
American Political Parties | ||
Elections, Parties, and Political Opinion | ||
Public Policy Analysis | ||
Governing Data: The Politics and Policy of Official Statistics | ||
Interest Group Politics | ||
American Constitutional Law and Development | ||
The Politics of Civil Rights and Liberties | ||
Courts and Public Policy | ||
Urban Public Policy | ||
State and Local Politics | ||
Topics in American Politics | ||
Politics of American Capitalism | ||
Environmental Politics and Policy | ||
Technology, Politics and Policy | ||
Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender | ||
Media and Politics in the U.S. | ||
American National Security Policy | ||
Politics of U.S. Health Care | ||
Comparative Public Policy | ||
Politics, Economics, and Democracy | ||
Politics of Inequality | ||
Comparative Health Politics and Policy | ||
Topics in Comparative Politics | ||
European Politics | ||
Russian and Post-Soviet Politics | ||
Chinese Politics | ||
Latin American Politics | ||
Politics of the Indian Subcontinent | ||
International Law | ||
International Organizations | ||
Politics of the World Economy | ||
World Conflict and Security | ||
Human Security | ||
Cyber Security | ||
Terrorism | ||
Politics of the Illicit Global Economy | ||
Politics of Drug Control | ||
Human Trafficking | ||
Politics of Migration | ||
The Political Economy of Development | ||
Topics in International Politics | ||
United States Foreign Policy | ||
International Politics of Asia | ||
The Best Constitution | ||
Democracy and Its Problems | ||
The Political Philosophy of Capitalism | ||
Politics and Literature | ||
Topics in Political Theory | ||
Topics in Political Science | ||
Advanced Research Methods | ||
American Politics | ||
Congress and the Presidency | ||
Urban Public Policy | ||
Women and Public Policy | ||
Comparative Politics | ||
Comparative Political Economy of Advanced Industrial Societies | ||
Comparative Nationalism | ||
Democratization and Democratic Breakdown | ||
Politics of Development | ||
European Politics | ||
Chinese Politics | ||
International Politics | ||
International Security | ||
International Human Rights | ||
United States Foreign Policy | ||
International Politics of Asia | ||
Political Philosophy | ||
Topics in Political Science | ||
Research Seminar in American Politics | ||
Research Seminar in Comparative Politics | ||
Research Seminar in International Politics | ||
Research Seminar in Political Philosophy: | ||
Internship in Political Science | ||
Independent Study in Political Science | ||
Professional Project in Political Science | ||
Total Credit Hours: | 30 |
Accelerated Bachelor's-Master's Degree Programs
The political science master's program has two accelerated (bachelor's-master's) degree options.
Option 1: This option is for undergraduate students majoring in political science or international affairs. This option allows Marquette University students to earn both a bachelor of arts degree with a major in political science or in international affairs and a master of arts degree in political science in five years.
Students complete 9-12 hours of graduate credit in political science (POSC) courses during their undergraduate senior year. These graduate courses count for both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. Should a student be denied admission to the master's program, the courses are counted toward the undergraduate degree. Upon completion of the first term as a master's candidate, the student must petition the Graduate School to transfer the courses taken as an undergraduate to the master's degree. All remaining master's degree requirements may be completed during the subsequent summer, fall and spring terms.
Candidates for admission should have undergraduate junior status, have completed at least three upper-division political science (POSC) courses and should have a political science (POSC) course GPA of at least 3.500. Candidates for admission to this program should notify the department director of graduate studies of their intentions.
Option 2: This option is for undergraduate students who are not majoring in political science or international affairs. This option allows Marquette University students to earn both a bachelor of arts degree (with any undergraduate major) and a master of arts degree in political science in five years.
Students complete 9-12 hours of graduate credit in political science (POSC) courses during their senior undergraduate year. These graduate courses count for both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. Should a student be denied admission to the master's program, the courses are counted toward the undergraduate degree. Upon completion of the first term as a master's candidate, the student must petition the Graduate School to transfer the courses taken as an undergraduate to the master's degree. All remaining master's degree requirements may be completed during the subsequent summer, fall and spring terms.
Candidates for admission should have undergraduate junior status, have completed two 2000-level and two upper-division political science (POSC) courses by the end of the first term of their junior year, and should have a political science (POSC) course GPA of at least 3.500. Candidates for admission to this program should notify the department director of graduate studies of their intentions.
University Policies
- Academic Censure - Graduate School
- Academic Integrity
- Academic Misconduct
- Academic Program Definitions
- Accelerated Degree Programs
- Attendance - Graduate School
- Awarding Diplomas and Certificates
- Background Checks, Drug Testing
- Class Rank
- Commencement
- Course Levels
- Credit Hour
- Credit Load - Graduate School
- Faculty Grading
- Family Education Rights and Privacy Act-FERPA
- Grade Appeals
- Grading System - Graduate School and Graduate School of Management
- Graduation - Graduate School
- Immunization and Tuberculosis Screening Requirements
- Last Date of Attendance/Activity
- Military Call to Active Duty or Training
- Registration - Graduate School
- Repeated Courses - Graduate School
- Student Data Use and Privacy
- Transcripts-Official
- Transfer Course Credit - Graduate School
- Withdrawal - Graduate School
Graduate School Policies
- Academic Performance
- Advising
- Certificate Concurrent Enrollment
- Conduct
- Confidentiality of Proprietary Information
- Continuous Enrollment
- Courses and Prerequisites
- Cross-listed Courses
- Deadlines
- Doctoral Degree Academic Program Overview
- Graduate Credit
- Graduate School Policies
- Independent Study
- Intellectual Property
- Master's Degree Academic Program Overview
- Merit-Based Aid Registration Requirements
- Research Involving Humans, Animals, Radioisotopes or Recombinant DNA/Transgenic Organisms
- Temporary Withdrawal from Graduate Program
- Time Limitations
- Working with Minors