Admission

To be admitted to the Master of Science program, a student must have:

1. a bachelor’s degree awarded by an accredited college or university;
2. a minimum of 24 hours of undergraduate or graduate work in political science;
3. an acceptable grade point average on the last 60 hours and acceptable GRE scores; for standardized admission test requirements, contact the department or the Toulouse Graduate School ;
4. three letters of recommendation, preferably from professors;
5. a 500-word statement of purpose; and
6. an academic writing sample.

Degree requirements

The master’s degree with a major in political science requires a minimum of 30 semester hours, at least 24 of which must be taken in the Department of Political Science, including:

• PSCI 5340 - Seminar in Political Science Scope and Methods  
   
• PSCI 5300 - Practical Research Methods  or
• PSCI 5320 - Quantitative Political Research Methods  

A minor of 6 hours outside the department is optional. If an outside minor is chosen, the master’s degree will include two fields in political science and the outside minor. If an outside minor is not chosen, the program must include two fields in political science.

The fields of political science available for inclusion are American government and politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and research methodology.

Students pursuing the Master of Science degree must demonstrate proficiency in research methods by completing at least 6 hours of course work beyond the required sequence of PSCI 5340  and PSCI 5320  in a first or second field of political methodology with a grade of B or better in each of those courses.

Thesis or non-thesis option

Students have a choice in completing their degree requirements:

1. 6 of the 30 hours will go toward the successful completion and oral defense of a thesis; or
2. all 30 hours will go toward course work. Students taking the non-thesis option must take and pass a written Field Exam in their major field.

Additional program information is contained under the link “Degree Program Requirements” posted on the department’s graduate program web site (politicalscience.unt.edu). The student is responsible for knowing the program requirements.