Master of Arts in Political Science

This program emphasizes general preparation in political science and research. It is designed to:

  1. Provide the first phase of graduate study for students seeking terminal degrees such as the Ph.D. or D.A. and who plan to complete their studies at Idaho State University or at another institution.
  2. Train individuals who plan to seek employment upon completion of the M.A. degree in non-teaching governmental positions.
  3. Provide in-service opportunities for enhancing the conceptual and research capabilities of persons who are employed in teaching or public positions.

Thesis and non-thesis options are available.

Areas of emphasis in the M.A. program are limited, because of the research nature of the degree, to American governmental institutions and political behavior, public law, political theory, public administration and comparative/international politics.

Requirements

M.A. candidates are required to present themselves for comprehensive examination on their thesis and/or in three of the five areas of emphasis mentioned above.

In addition to meeting the general requirements of the Graduate School, a student must have achieved an accumulated grade point average of 3.00 during the last two years of undergraduate study and an average score in the 35th percentile or above on the aptitude section of the GRE to be eligible for admission to the graduate program and to candidacy for the M.A. degree in political science. At the time of application, the candidate must submit to the Department of Political Science three letters of recommendation and a statement of his/her personal goals.

A thesis (six credits), 24 additional credits approved by the Department of Political Science and the Graduate School, and a reading knowledge of one foreign language are the basic requirements of the graduate program in political science. Subject to department approval, a non-thesis program is available. Subsequent to the approval of the Department of Political Science, the student may elect to satisfy the language requirement by satisfactory completion of a course in methodology, demonstrating a comprehensive theoretical and practical understanding of a relevant research method.

Thesis Program

Required courses are POLS 512, Modern Political Analysis, 3 credits, and POLS 650, Thesis, 6 credits. Other requirements include a total of 30 credit hours in graduate level courses approved by the Department of Political Science and the Graduate School; a minimum of 15 credit hours taken at the 600 level and a comprehensive oral examination in government covering the student's graduate course work, the literature of the field, and the M.A. thesis.

Non-thesis Program

Required courses are the same as the thesis program with the exception of deleting POLS 650, Thesis, 6 credits. Other requirements include a total of 36 credit hours in graduate level courses approved by the Department of Political Science and the Graduate School; a minimum of 15 credit hours taken at the 600 level; a comprehensive written examination in political science covering the student's graduate course work and the department's graduate bibliography; and a final oral examination which, like the final written exam, may be taken no more than twice.