Graduate Program (Political Studies)

Graduate students in PSPA are required to complete at least 24 credit hours in PSPA courses numbered 300 and above plus a thesis.

Students majoring in political studies are required to take core courses, which must include PSPA 300, PSPA 301, PSPA 310, and PSPA 320.  Students are encouraged to complete all core courses by the end of their fourth semester in the program. Two additional graduate courses are required from the chosen sub-discipline of specialization.  The sub-disciplines include political theory: PSPA 301, PSPA 302, PSPA 303, PSPA 304, PSPA 305, and PSPA 306; international politics: PSPA 310, PSPA 311, PSPA 312, PSPA 313, PSPA 315, PSPA 316, PSPA 317, and PSPA 318; and comparative politics: PSPA 320, PSPA 321, PSPA 322, PSPA 323, PSPA 324, and PSPA 325.

An introductory course in statistics (or its equivalent) is a prerequisite for graduate work in the department.  Students admitted to graduate work who have not completed this prerequisite will be required to take the course in addition to the normal program.  Majors are expected to choose, in consultation with their adviser, no more than two electives from the humanities and social sciences.