Political Science
Director of Graduate Studies: Tracy Sulkin
240 Computing Applications Building
605 E. Springfield Ave.
Champaign, IL 61802
(217) 333-3881 voice
(217) 244-5712 fax
E-mail: gradpol@illinois.edu
Major: Political Science
Degrees Offered: M.A., Ph.D.
Graduate Concentrations: Civic Leadership (M.A. only), African American Studies (available to all)
Major: Public Administration
Degrees Offered: M.A.
Joint Degree Program: Political Science and Law
Degrees Offered: M.A. with Civic Leadership concentration and J.D.
Joint Degree Program: Political Science and Law
Degrees Offered: Ph.D. and J.D.
Medical Scholars Program: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Political Science and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) through the Medical Scholars Program
Graduate Degree Programs
The Department of Political Science offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. Students are not admitted to the master's degree program in Political Science, except for the Civic Leadership concentration. The department is not accepting applications to the Public Administration program.
Admission
Admission to the Ph.D. Program
The Graduate College admission requirements apply. The student should have a minimum of 20 hours of undergraduate work in political science and cognate disciplines such as economics, psychology, finance, sociology, or history. All applicants are required to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, a personal statement, and an example of written work. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit the TOEFL iBT score. The Ph.D. program typically admits students for the fall semester. Application deadline is January 1.
Admission to the Master of Arts with Concentration in Civic Leadership
Admission is restricted to students who were accepted to the Civic Leadership Program as undergraduates at the University of Illinois. Application deadline is September 30. Applicants who wish to obtain a joint MA-JD degree program must apply separately for admission to the Law School.
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the department's graduate handbook and the Graduate College Handbook.
Master of Arts, Political Science with concentration in Civic Leadership
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| Practicum in Civic Leadership | 4-8 |
| Total Hours | 32 |
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: |
12 |
| Other Requirements:*A concentration is not required. | |
| A master's paper is required | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
Students who have completed undergraduate coursework in the Civic Leadership Program and admitted into the Graduate College can usually earn a Master of Arts in Political Science, with a Concentration in Civic Leadership within one year. It entails the completion of 32 graduate hours and the achievement of a 3.0 GPA in all courses taken. A master's paper is required, which is fulfilled by the completion of a collaborative project undertaken as part of the Practicum in Civic Leadership.
Only UIUC students who have participated in the undergraduate portion of the Civic Leadership Program are eligible for admission in the graduate concentration in Civic Leadership. For information contact the Director, Civic Leadership Program, Department of Political Science.
Master of Arts, Political Science
| Required Courses: | Thesis option - Required Hours | Non-thesis option - Required Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Tools of Inquiry Coursework | 24-32 | 24-32 |
| Research/Project/Independent Study Hours (min/max applied toward degree): | 0-8 | |
| Thesis Hours Required – PS 599 (min/max applied toward degree): | 0-8 | |
| Total Hours | 32 | 32 |
Minimum Hours Required Within the Unit: |
24 | 24 |
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: |
24 | 24 |
| Other Requirements: *A concentration is not required. | A master's paper is required | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 | 3.0 |
Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program can usually earn a Master of Arts in Political Science within three semesters. It entails the completion of 32 graduate hours and the achievement of a 3.0 GPA in all courses taken. A master's paper is required.
Doctor of Philosophy
| Required Courses: | Required Hours - Entering with approved M.S./M.A. degree | Required Hours - Entering with B.S./B.A. degree* |
|---|---|---|
| Master's Equivalency: Hours of 500 level coursework in PS | 24-32 | |
| Tools of Inquiry: two-course sequence in statistical methods, two courses in formal theory or qualitative methods and a fifth course in any of the three areas (PS 523 may be taken in partial fulfillment of the Tools of Inquiry requirement, providing it is not also used to satisfy the Scope and Methods requirement). | 20 | 20 |
| PS 521 and PS 522 or 523 | 8 | 8 |
| Course work in one substantive area of political science | 20 | 20 |
| Course work in a minor area. | 8 | 8 |
| PS 598 | 0 | 0 |
| Thesis Hours Required– PS 599 (min/max applied toward degree): | 32 | 32-40 |
| Total Hours | 64 | 96 |
| Other Requirements:* | ||
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Qualifying Exam Required | Yes | Yes |
| Preliminary Exam Required | Yes | Yes |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required | Yes | Yes |
| Dissertation Deposit Required | Yes | Yes |
The course of study leading to a Ph.D. in Political Science requires a minimum of three years of full-time study, culminating in the successful defense of a doctoral dissertation. A minimum of 96 graduate hours of academic credit is required, 32 of which may be graduate hours of dissertation research. At least 64 of the 96 graduate hours must be taken in residence. A grade of B or better is required in all courses.
In addition to meeting Graduate College requirements, the Department of Political Science requires that students complete a "scope and methods" sequence, acquire proficiency in analytic skills, and demonstrate expertise in several subfields within the discipline. The progress of doctoral candidates is monitored at various points in the program. In addition to an interim evaluation, students must pass a set of qualifying examinations and present a dissertation proposal. Once the doctoral dissertation is completed, the candidate must successfully complete an oral final defense.
Joint Degree Programs
The M.A./J.D. joint degree program is a track in the Civic Leadership Program that provides qualified students with the opportunity to complete both degrees in just three years of post-baccalaureate study. Illinois students who have been named Civic Leadership Fellows in the fall of their junior year of undergraduate study, and who have taken the LSAT by the time they are selected as a fellow, are eligible for early admission into the College of Law. Students must fulfill the requirements for the M.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Civic Leadership as detailed above. The College of Law will recognize up to 12 hours of credit taken in fulfillment of the Civic Leadership Program M.A. requirements. In addition, a minimum of 78 hours of Law courses will be required to meet the 90 hours required for the J.D. degree. For information contact the Director, Civic Leadership Program, Department of Political Science.
A joint J.D. and Ph.D. in International Relations is an option for students. Students must be admitted separately to each program as a joint degree candidate. To receive the joint J.D./Ph.D. in International Relations, students must satisfy all existing requirements for the Ph.D. in Political Science, including major and minor field course requirements, scope and methods sequence, tools, qualifying examinations, dissertation design seminar, and dissertation project. Joint degree students would be allowed to count 16 hours of law credit toward their Ph.D. Joint degree students would elect International Relations as their major area, and up to 8 hours of law school course credit would count toward this area. In addition, joint degree students will be permitted to select "Law" as their minor field, using 8 hours of law credit to satisfy minimum course requirements, provided such credit is from course outside the international law subfield (e.g., American constitutional law); this presents a new option for international relations students who otherwise would have to select American politics, comparative politics, or political theory as a minor field. This program allows an exception to the simultaneous conferral rule in that the J.D. may be conferred prior to completion of the Ph.D. degree.
Medical Scholars Program
The Medical Scholars Program permits highly qualified students to integrate the study of medicine with study for a graduate degree in a second discipline, including Political Science. Students may apply to the Medical Scholars Program prior to beginning graduate school or while in the graduate program. Applicants to the Medical Scholars Program must meet the admissions standards for and be accepted into both the doctoral graduate program and the College of Medicine. Students in the dual degree program must meet the specific requirements for both the medical and graduate degrees. On average, students take eight years to complete both degrees. Further information on this program is available by contacting the Medical Scholars Program, 125 Medical Sciences Building, (217) 333-8146 or at www.med.illinois.edu/msp.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this program and is essential for students whose career goals include college teaching.
Financial Aid
Students accepted into the department's Ph.D. program are eligible to apply for financial aid. Most incoming students with good credentials and continuing students demonstrating satisfactory progress will receive some type of financial aid, but the type and amount will vary. The Department of Political Science provides, on a competitive basis, aid packages up to $20,000, plus waivers of tuition and some fees. Financial aid is usually a combination of fellowship money and assistantships. Limited amounts of aid are also available for dissertation field research, internships, and the presentation of papers at professional meetings.