Master of Arts
Accelerated Degree Program

The Accelerated Master’s Degree Program allows highly motivated students to advance their academic careers by taking graduate course work toward the traditional Master of Arts degree simultaneously with undergraduate course work. By taking up to 12 credit hours of political science graduate course work (500 and 600 level courses) during the senior year, a student need only complete sufficient additional course work to meet the requirements for the MA degree.

Students are encouraged to view the Graduate Bulletin  or the College of Graduate Studies website for details of their admission standards. Additionally, students interested in the program may pick up information and application guidelines from the Political Science Department office, Anspach Hall 247.  
 

• Accelerated Program Information

• Accelerated Application Form

• MA Accelerated Program Brochure

Eligibility Standards

Students who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply to the accelerated program:

• Signed major in political science.

• Enrolled in last semester of junior status.

• Completion of at least 15 political science credits, not including internship and CR/NC courses.

• Completion of PSC 280 Introduction to Empirical Methods of Political Science with a grade of B+ or higher.

Admission Requirements

• Students must apply for admission to the College of Graduate Studies during the last semester of their junior undergraduate year.

• Students must meet the requirements for admission to the Master of Arts in Political Science and the College of Graduate Studies.

• In addition, students should also have completed university competency requirements.

• If admitted, graduate status is conferred in the senior year after the student has completed at least 86 undergraduate credit hours with a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.25 or a grade point average of 3.25 in political science course work.

Standards for Admission to the Masters Program in Political Science:

• An undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.8 (on a 4.0 point scale).

• A minimum of 18 undergraduate hours in the social sciences of which at least 6 hours are in political science.

• An essay (two or three pages, double-spaced) including a discussion of the applicant’s professional and/or educational goals and how completion of the program will facilitate his or her achievement of those goals. This essay replaces the written statement requested as part of the application to the College of Graduate Studies.

• Two letters of recommendation from college faculty or other professionals who are familiar with the applicant's abilities and can attest to the applicant’s potential to succeed in the program. 

• Evidence of successful completion of an undergraduate statistics or research methods course.

• If the applicant is an international student for whom English is not the first language, a score of 213 on the computer-based (or 550 on the written-based) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

•  Per university policy, conditional admission may be considered for applicants with backgrounds or grade point averages that do not meet these requirements. Courses taken to meet these requirements may not be counted toward graduate degree requirements. Regular admission status should be requested upon completion of all conditional requirements.

• Up to 9 semester hours of graduate credit may be transferred from another institution with approval of the Advisor and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.