DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

Course Descriptions

The graduate programs in Political Science and Public Administration are designed to expand students' knowledge and to develop their skills of analysis and professional communication. The programs are of value to both recent college graduates and those seeking to advance their careers. Among those it serves are students preparing for doctoral work or law school, school teachers seeking to improve their professional competence, promising scholars wanting to teach in community colleges, present and prospective public administrators, and those preparing for careers or advancement in nonprofit organizations, international organizations, the military, and private business. In addition to being public servants at the local, state, and national level, graduates have served in the state legislature, the White House, and the Pentagon; directed a state agency; and worked as professional lobbyists and campaign consultants.

The department offers both the Master of Arts (MA) in Political Science and the Master of Public Administration (MPA).

Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission to the graduate programs in Political Science must meet the following requirements:

  1. Submit a Graduate Studies Application for Admission with the application fee to Graduate Studies.
  2. Submit official transcripts of all college-level work, including the transcript that shows the date the undergraduate degree was conferred.
  3. Submit GRE scores.
  4. Submit two letters of recommendation that discuss the applicant's suitability for graduate study.
  5. Submit a writing sample of scholarly work.
  6. Optional: You may submit a two word-processed page statement explaining your background and/or potential that would make you a good choice for our program.

A holistic review of each student's application file will be completed on a competitive basis.

Degree Requirements: MA in Political Science

The department has several options that allow the tailoring of student programs to individual needs. For example, the program may involve writing a thesis or taking extra coursework. Those writing a thesis will take 24 hours of coursework and receive 6 hours of credit for the thesis (30 hours total). When counseling with the student indicates that the student's needs would be better served, the department may substitute 12 hours of additional coursework in lieu of the thesis (total of 36 hours).

Political Science students ordinarily take two core courses (Scope and Methods and Political Theory) and then focus on the areas of concentration appropriate to their needs. The department offers three areas of concentration: American politics, comparative politics and international relations, and public administration and public policy. With departmental approval, students may take a minor or special concentration in an appropriate area from one or more other departments, such as history, criminal justice, business, or health. For each degree, a comprehensive examination will be given over the core and major and minor areas of study. Students must be enrolled in the University the semester or summer session in which the comprehensive exam is administered.

Master of Arts, Plan I. The student will have a major of 18 hours within two areas of concentration in Political Science and a minor of 12 hours in a supporting field.

Master of Arts, Plan II. This degree plan is designed for prospective junior and senior college teachers, students planning to pursue a doctoral program, and those preparing for a career in government service. Under this plan, the student takes 30 hours in Political Science.

Master of Education, Plan II. This degree program is designed to provide additional study in Political Science for the professional secondary school teacher and is initiated in the College of Education. Interested students should consult the College of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Degree Requirements:
Master of Public Administration (MPA)

This program is designed for those seeking a career in public service and those wanting to enhance their current career. The program prepares professionals for work in government at the local, state, or national level; nonprofit organizations; and many areas of business.

The MPA degree requires a total of 42 semester credit hours: 24 hours of core courses taken by all students, a 12 hours concentration selected by the student in consultation with the graduate advisor, and 6 hours of internship. Students will be required to pass a comprehensive examination at the end of the course of study. Students must be enrolled in the University the semester or summer session in which the comprehensive exam is administered.

Core Courses: Twenty-four semester credit hours of required core courses:
PA 581 Dynamics of Public Administration (3 hours)
PA 583 Program Evaluation (3 hours)
PA 584 Organizational Theory and Behavior (3 hours)
PA 586 Leadership and Human Resource Management (3 hours)
PA 587 Government and Non-Profit Budgets and Financial Management (3 hours)
PA 588 Ethics in Government (3 hours)
POL 577 Scope and Methods of Political Science (3 hours)
POL 586* Grant Research and Writing (3 hours)

Internship: Students without relevant job experience will be required to take six semester credit hours of an internship of at least twelve months. Students currently employed in a relevant position may use this employment as their internship.

POL 578 Problems and Internships in Political Science (6 hours)
*POL 595 Internships and Work Experience in Public Services

Areas of Concentration: Students will select a concentration of 12 hours in one of the following areas: State and Local Government, Comparative and International Relations, Financial Management, Criminal Justice, or Human Service and Health Administration. The following courses are included for concentrations; however, substitutions will be allowed with the approval of the graduate advisor. When the topic is appropriate, POL 582, Seminar in Public Administration, may count in any of the concentrations.

Concentration in State and Local Government: Students will choose 12 semester credit hours from the following graduate courses. None of these courses require stem work.
POL 586* Grant Research and Writing (3 hours)
POL 530 American Political Institutions (3 hours)
POL 531 American Political Behavior (3 hours)
POL 560 Seminar in American National Politics (3 hours)
POL 562 Seminar in Political Theory (3 hours)
POL 585 Public Policy Formulation and Implementation (3 hours)
SOC 576 Sociology of Community (3 hours)
GBA 562 Managerial Law (3 hours)

Concentration in Comparative and International Relations: Students will choose 12 semester credit hours from the following lists. None of these courses require stem work.

Nine semester credit hours from the following courses:
POL 567 Seminar in International Relations (3 hours)
POL 571 Comparative Political Analysis (3 hours)
POL 572 Seminar in Comparative Politics (3 hours)
POL 573 Theory and Method of International Relations (3 hours)

And 3 semester credit hours from the following courses:
GEO 472 Ethnic Texas: A Multicultural Geography (3 hours)
HIST 583 United States Diplomatic History (3 hours)
HIST 593 European Diplomatic History (3 hours)
HIST 585 Latin American History (3 hours)
HIST 589 Great Britain and the British Empire (3 hours)
HIST 591 Asian History (3 hours)
POL 586 Grant Research and Writing (3 hours)
SOC 574 Sociology of Religion (3 hours)
SOC 589 Seminar in Social Change and Development (3 hours)

Concentration in Financial Management: Students will choose 12 semester credit hours from the following courses. Some courses may require stem work.
ACC 468 Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting (3 hours)
ACC 535 Financial Reporting and Business Decisions (3 hours)
ACC 564 Accounting for Management (3 hours)
ECO 570 Economic Theory (3 hours)
FIN 531 Introduction to Institutions, Investments, and Managerial Finance (3 hours)
FIN 537 Problems in Administrative Finance (3 hours)
FIN 569 Seminar in Investments (3 hours)
*POL 586 Grant Research and Writing (3 hours)

Concentration in Criminal Justice: Students will choose 12 semester credit hours from the following:
CJ 530 Critical Analysis of Justice Administration (3 hours)
CJ 534 Courts as Organizations (3 hours)
CJ 632 Resource Development in the Organizational Context (3 hours)
CJ 633 Seminar in Organization and Administration (3 hours)
CJ 635 Seminar in Leadership and Management (3 hours)
CJ 687 The Ethics of Criminal Justice (3 hours)
*POL 586 Grant Research and Writing (3 hours)

Concentration in Human Service and Health Administration: Students will choose 12 semester credit hours from the following graduate courses:
CJ 668 Seminar on Drugs, Society and Policy Issues (3 hours)
HED 470 Study of AIDS (3 hours)
HED 531 Foundation of Community Health (3 hours)
HED 533 Colloquium in Human Sexuality (3 hours)
HED 534 Colloquium in the Use and Abuse of Drugs (3 hours)
HED 565 Aging and Health Promotion (3 hours)
PSY 530 Psychopathology (3 hours)
SOC 565 Seminar in Race and Ethnic Studies (3 hours)
SOC 572 Sociology of the Family (3 hours)
SOC 587 Gender and Society (3 hours)
ECO 579 Seminar in Labor Economics (3 hours)

Senior Courses Open to Graduate Students

Courses in Political Science (POL) at the 400-level may be taken in limited numbers for graduate credit. They are listed below, but see the undergraduate catalog for the course descriptions. Those courses listed as "General Courses" will generally fit one of the concentrations, depending on the topics covered.

AMERICAN POLITICS
POL 433 Constitutional Law. Credit 3.
POL 472 Political Attitudes and Behavior. Credit 3.

COMPARATIVE POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
POL 482 International Conflict and Terrorism. Credit 3.

GENERAL COURSES
POL 481 Problems in Political Science. Credit 3.
POL 495 Directed Studies and Internships in Political Science. Credit 1-3.

Course Descriptions: