Academics
AREA STUDIES
Faculty within the department of political science are involved in a number of area studies program in the university. Advising for area studies majors is handled through those programs and not by department of political science advisers. Students wishing to combine a political science major or minor with another program should consult the information provided on the program page.
Graduate Degree Programs
MASTER OF ARTS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
The M.A. degree in Political Science is designed to give students further training in selected areas of concentration within the discipline and to prepare them for careers in academe or public service. Courses are offered in three areas of study: American politics, comparative politics and international relations, and public administration and policy.
MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Public administration, and especially the Masters of Public Administration (M.P.A.), prepares people who pursue public service careers. These degree programs develop the skills and techniques used by leaders and managers to implement policies, projects, and programs that resolve important societal problems while addressing organizational, human resource, and budgetary challenges. Graduates work in a wide variety of public service fields and in all levels of government (federal, state, local, and regional), in nonprofits, as well as in the international arena, and in the private sector.
JD/MA Dual Degree Program
The School of Law and the department of political science provide a dual J.D. and M.A. in international law and politics. Graduates from the program are likely to find employment in occupational areas such as: International trade at the corporate level and International economic development and promotion at the state and local levels.
JD/MPA Dual Degree Program
The J.D./M.P.A. dual degree program permits students to gain both degrees concurrently in a shorter amount of time that if the degrees were earned independently. The dual degree can be valuable for persons seeking careers as municipal managers, administrators of judicial and quasi-judicial organizations, staff members in governmental agencies, and legislative researchers, among others.