College of Graduate Studies & Research: Georgia Southern University

POLITICAL SCIENCE M.A. 33 HOURS

Advising: College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences,
Department of Political Science,
M.A. Director, Professor Barry Balleck,

Mailing Address: GSU, P.O. Box 8101,
Statesboro, GA 30460,
(912)871-1398,
bballeck@gasou.edu
FAX: (912) 681-5348

Admission Requirements

Regular

For unqualified admission to the College of Graduate Studies to pursue graduate work leading to the Master of Arts degree with a major in Political Science, the applicant must have:

I . Completed requirements for the bachelor's degree in a college accredited by the proper regional accrediting associations.

2. A 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) cumulative grade point average or higher on all undergraduate work.

3. A score of no less than 550 on the Verbal section and 450 on the Quantitative section or 450 on the Analytical section of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).

4. An undergraduate major of the equivalent in the proposed field of study.

Provisional

Provisional admission may be granted with a minimum score of 450 on the Verbal Section and 400 on the Quantitative section or 400 on the Analytical section of the GRE accompanied by a better than 2.75 (4.0 scale) cumulative grade point average on undergraduate college work.

Program of Study

The requirements for the M.A. degree in Political Science include satisfactory completion of a minimum of 33 graduate credit hours. Students may select a track in either International Politics and Policy or American Politics and Policy. Either track may select a thesis or service/non-thesis (internship) option. In their program of studies, all students must take nine common core hours: POLS 7630, Seminar in American Politics; PBAD/POLS 7631, Empirical Political Theory; and PBAD/POLS 7532, Public Policy. Students in either track may choose from qualitative or quantitative research methods. Students in conjunction with their faculty advisors will select a cognate field consisting of at least one course outside the department that supports their particular area of investigation. At least fifteen credit hours must be completed at the 7000 level or above. No more than six credit hours of POLS 7999, Thesis, and no more than six credit hours of POLS 7890, Directed readings in Political Science may apply to the M.A. degree. In addition, each student must write and successfully defend a thesis OR complete an acceptable internship. All students must pass a proficiency examination in a foreign language of their choice.

General Requirements

Completion of graduate course work, written thesis and oral defense, OR service option (including internship).

Specific Requirements 9 Hours

POLS 7630 - Seminar in American Politics (3)

PBAD/POLS 7631 - Empirical Political Theory (3)

PBAD/POLS 7532 - Public Policy (3)

International Politics and Policy Program 15 Hours

POLS 5633G - Seminar in International Politics or POLS 7633 International Politics (3)

POLS/INTS 5634G - Seminar in Comparative Politics or POLS 7632 Comparative Politics (3)

POLS/INTS 5635G - Seminar in International Organizations (3)

POLS 7234 - International Political Economy (3)

POLS 7320 - Community Organization and Development (2) plus one hour reading on topic (Service Option)

POLS 7530 - Research Methods for Government (Thesis or Service Option) (3)

POLS 7533 - Qualitative Research Methods (Thesis or Service Option) (3)

POLS 7636 - International Law and Diplomacy (3)

PBAD 7334 - Rural Development or PBAD 7331 - Small Cities (Service Option) (3)

POLS 7890 - Directed Readings

American Politics and Policy Program 15 Hours

POLS 5632G - Seminar in Urban Politics (3)

POLS/PBAD 7130 - Ethics and Government (3)

PBAD/POLS 7131 - Constitutional Law (3)

POLS 7320 - Community Organization and Development (2) plus one hour reading on topic (Service Option)

POLS 7530 - Research Methods for Government (Thesis or Service Option) (3)

PBAD/POLS 7532 - Public Policy (3)

POLS 7533 - Qualitative Research Methods (Thesis or Service Option) (3)

POLS 7531 - Public Program Evaluation (3)

POLS 7890 - Directed Readings

Cognate Field 3 Hours

Students, in consultation with their advisor, must select a cognate field. At least three graduate credit hours of courses outside of political science and public administration must be taken.

Thesis 6 Hours

POLS 7999 - Thesis

Internship (Service) 6 Hours

POLITICAL SCIENCE M.A.36 HOURS

Advising: College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Department of Political Science, M.A. Director, Professor

Barry Balleck, Mailing Address: Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8101, Statesboro, GA 30460, (912)871-1398, bballeck@gasou.edu FAX: (912) 681-5348

Admission Requirements

Regular

For unqualified admission to the College of Graduate Studies to pursue graduate work leading to the Master of Arts degree with a major in Political Science, the applicant must have:

Completed requirements for the Bachelor's degree in a college accredited by the proper regional accrediting associations.
A 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) cumulative grade point average or higher on all undergraduate work.
A score of no less than 550 on the Verbal section and 450 on the Quantitative section or 450 on the Analytical section of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).
An undergraduate major of the equivalent in the proposed field of study.

Provisional

Program of Study

The requirements for the M.A. degree in Political Science include satisfactory completion of a minimum of 36 graduate credit hours. In their program of studies, all students must take POLS 7631, Empirical Political Theory. In addition, students must select at least two courses from the Institutions area, one course from the Analysis Techniques area, and one course from the Public Policy area. Students in conjunction with their faculty Advisors will select a cognate field consisting of courses outside the department that support their particular area of investigation. At least fifteen credit hours must be completed at the 7000 level or above. No more than six credit hours of POLS 7999, Thesis, and no more than six credit hours of POLS 7890, Directed Readings in Political Science may apply to the M.A. degree. In addition, each student must write and successfully defend a thesis and pass a proficiency examination in a foreign language of their choice.

General Requirements

Completion of graduate course work, written thesis, and oral defense

Specific Requirements 3 Hours

POLS 7631 - Empirical Political Theory (3)

Select One American Political Institutions Course 3 Hours

POLS 5630G - Seminar in American Politics (3)

POLS 7330 - Intergovernmental Relations (3)

POLS 7331 - Local Government (3)

POLS 7332 - State Government (3)

POLS/PBAD 7630 - Seminar in American Government (3)

Select One Comparative Political Institutions Course 3 Hours

POLS 5633G - Seminar in International Politics orPOLS 7633 International Politics (3)

POLS 5634G - Seminar in Comparative Politics orPOLS 7632 Comparative Politics (3)

POLS 5635G - Seminar in International Organizations (3)

POLS 7336 - Comparative Public Management (3)

POLS 7636 - International Law and Diplomacy (3)

Select One Analysis Technique course 3 Hours

POLS 7530 - Research Methods for Government (3)

POLS 7531 - Public Program Evaluation (3)

POLS 7533 - Qualitative Research Methods (3)

Select One Public Policy course 3 Hours

POLS 7231 - United States Foreign Policy (3)

POLS 7232 - Comparative Foreign Policy (3)

POLS 7234 - International Political Economy (3)

POLS 7337 - Environmental Management and Policy (3)

POLS 7532 - Public Policy (3)

POLS 7637 - Social Welfare Management (3)

Cognate Field 6 Hours

Students, in consultation with their Advisor, must select a cognate field. At least six graduate credit hours of courses outside of political science and public administration must be taken.

Electives 9 Hours

Thesis 6 Hours

POLS 7999 - Thesis