The Master of Arts program is designed to help students become thoroughly grounded in the knowledge base and research methods of political science. The department offers study in four areas of the discipline:

• American government,
• comparative government,
• international relations, and
• political theory.

Requirements for admission are:

• a bachelor’s degree from an accredited educational institution,
• acceptable scores on the GRE General Test, and
• three letters of recommendation from those in a position to judge the academic qualifications of the applicant.

Official results should be sent to the College of Graduate Studies. While the College of Graduate Studies allows a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.7, those near this threshold should have demonstrated significant improvement in the last two years of their undergraduate work.

Those admitted to the M.A. program normally begin their study during the fall semester. Applications for admission and financial aid should be submitted by March 15, although applications for admission alone are welcome at any time.

Early Admission to M.A. in Political Science and Master of Public Administration Programs

Description

The Early Admission option allows advanced undergraduates with a major or minor in political science or public administration to enroll for graduate level credit in up to 9 hours of 4/5000 level classes. Students accepted in the Early Admission option receive both graduate and undergraduate credit for these classes; undergraduate instructional fees will apply to these three courses.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Early Admission program, students must:

• have a major or minor in political science or public administration,
• be within one year of graduation,
• have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher, and
• submit an application no earlier than three semesters prior to expected completion of the B.A. program.

Application Process

To apply for the Early Admission program, students should complete an Application for Early Admission (available from the Department of Political Science and Public Administration), submit three letters of recommendation (from an undergraduate advisor and two undergraduate course instructors), a one page biographical sketch, and a regular graduate application form to:

Chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration
MS 40
The University of Toledo
Toledo, OH 43606

Students accepted into this option will initially be granted provisional graduate admission to allow them to enroll in 5000-level courses in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. To receive dual (undergraduate and graduate credit), the following conditions apply:

• Courses must be taken at The University of Toledo after acceptance into the Early Admission option
• Only 5000-level courses in Political Science and Public Administration may be included
• Must complete all graduate level requirements in the course and be evaluated by the same criteria as graduate students
• Must complete graduate plan of study indicating courses that will receive graduate and undergraduate credit

There are two options:

1. Thesis option
   1. 30 semester credit hours;
   2. Three seminars or lecture courses open only to graduate students: several 5000-level courses (3 hours) and any 6000-level course (3 hours each);
   3. A required master’s thesis: PSC 6960 (6 hours); and
   4. Two courses (6 hours) may be taken outside of the department.
2. Non-thesis option
   1. Complete 33 semester credit hours.
   2. Create and submit a portfolio to the MA Committee for assessment. At a minimum this will include two seminar papers completed through their coursework. It will also include other work as decided by the student and her or his advisor.
   3. Complete and pass a comprehensive examination focused on the appropriate subfield of political science. The portfolio will be used by the committee to develop comprehensive examination questions.

The student may do an independent readings for credit toward their 33 credit hours as they prepare for the comprehensive examination. All planning for this alternative path must begin at the latest during the student’s third semester or equivalent thereof.

Up to 12 hours of credit may be taken outside of the department. It may also include up to six hours of internship credit. These must be approved by the program adviser or by the adviser of the individual student.

Academic Standards

M.A. students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 overall and in their political science courses. Only those classes with a grade of C or higher may be counted toward the degree. A student receiving two grades below a B (i.e., of 2.67 or less) may be removed from the program.