Political Science

MA-Political Science (MA-PSCI)
MS-Political Science  (MS-PSCI)

Track available (MS degree only):

History

The Political Science Department MA/MS program is designed to allow students to examine the key issues in domestic and international politics from both a substantive/policy perspective and a scholarly/theoretical perspective. The MA/MS program is also designed to prepare students for careers in a variety of public and private settings and to prepare students for graduate work at the doctoral level.  Students enrolled in the graduate program will complete a 30 semester hour program that includes a 3-6 semester hour thesis (PSCI 518) (Option I) or complete a 36 semester hour program that includes a 3 semester hour non-thesis research project (PSCI 595) and a comprehensive oral exam (Option II).  All students must complete PSCI 502, Research, Concepts, and Approaches in Political Science and two courses from each of the three broad concentrations: American Government, International Relations and Comparative Politics, Political Philosophy & Methodology.  Students pursuing the MA must demonstrate language proficiency. Students pursuing the MS must demonstrate quantitative proficiency.
 

Required Documents for Admission

Admission Consideration Requirements for All Students

  • Apply Texas Application
  • Application fee:  $50 domestic student 
  • All official transcripts - Bachelor's degree, including all transcripts used towards bachelor's degree.  Any master's degree transcript or transcripts with graduate coursework (if applicable).

  • At least one of the following:

    • Official General Test GRE scores or
    • A completed master's degree from a regionally accredited university with at least a 3.00 overall GPA or
    • An awarded bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university with:
      • at least a 3.00 GPA on the last 60 hours of the degree or
      • an overall GPA of at least a 3.00 of the degree

Additional Admission Consideration Requirements for International Students Only

  • Application fee, $75.00, US dollars (this may be paid online when you apply)
  • Bank Statement from the sponsor, must reflect a balance of at least $26,024.82 USD (must be less than 1 year old)
  • Official sponsor statement

  • Official transcripts (with a copy of the provisional certificate or diploma)
    For more information on official transcripts, please click here and read FAQ question:  What transcripts do I submit for my admission?

  • English Proficiency:

    • Official TOEFL (IBT at least 79, or CBT at least 213, or PBT at least 550), scores must be less than 2 years old, or
    • IELTS (at least overall 6.00 band), scores must be less than 2 years old, or
    • Completion (all years) of a bachelor's degree or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited university, or

Application Packet Submission Deadline:

Domestic student applications are accepted throughout the year.

International student applications (including all required documents and for programs that are not fully online) have the following deadlines:

Fall admission consideration:          June 1

Spring admission consideration:     October 15

Summer admission consideration:  March 15