M.A. IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
The Department of Political Science offers a M.A. degree focusing on state and local politics, which consists of 33 hours of coursework, made up of the following:
Core Courses (12 hours). Courses that are offered regularly and that all student enrolled in the MA must take:
POLS Y570 - Introduction to the Study of Politics
POLS Y580 - Research Methods in Political Science
POLS Y620 - State Politics
POLS Y622 - Urban Politics
Electives (9-12 hours). Elective courses from a wide variety of
topics in Political Science, Sociology, and Public and
Environmental Management. Courses currently approved include the following:
POLS Y575 – Political Data Analysis
POLS Y630 – State Executive Politics
POLS Y640 – State Parties and Interest Groups
POLS Y661 – American Politics
POLS Y680 – Readings in Political Science
SOC S612 – Political Sociology
SPEA V564 - Urban Management
SPEA V597 - Land Use Planning
SPEA V622 - Seminar in Urban Economic Development
SPEA P540 - Community and Neighborhood Development Planning
SPEA V571 - State and Local Environmental Management
An internship (3-6 hours) with a state, local, or urban government
institution, or with a body having operational ties with such an
institution. Students need to enroll in POLS Y881 - Internship in Political Science.
A thesis (6 hours) exploring some aspect of state, local or urban
politics. Students need to enroll in POLS Y880 - M.A. thesis.
Admissions
Applications for admission to the program (without financial support) will be reviewed throughout the year, but applications received after May (for the fall) or November (for the spring) may result in delay.
Applications (including GRE scores) for IUPUI Fellowships must be submitted by February 1.
Priority for other forms of financial aid (internships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships) will be given to those applying by May 1.
Minimum admissions requirements are a BA from an accredited institution, a GPA of at least 3.0, and average GRE scores of 500 with at least one score of 550 or better. You can sign up to take the GRE at http://www.gre.org. It is recommended that you sign up at least two weeks in advance of the date on which you want to take the exam to ensure that you get a reservation for that day.
For full details on the admissions process, please visit the Graduate School web site. You can also file an application there. The application includes a personal statement and letters of recommendation. In addition, you will need to submit your undergraduate transcript and GRE scores.
Undergraduate transcripts and paper letters of recommendation should be sent to:
Dr. Margaret Ferguson
Department of Political Science
425 University Blvd IUPUI
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
For any further information, please contact Director of Graduate Studies, Margaret Ferguson or Department Chair, John McCormick.
