The Master of Arts in Political Science program prepares students to enter positions in government and the private sector, advance their professional careers in a variety of fields including consultation, defense, environment, and philanthropy, and pursue more advanced graduate degrees such as a PhD in which the analytical ability to comprehend, influence, and respond to policies and initiatives is critical . The program also provides a well-rounded substantive curriculum for secondary school teachers seeking higher degrees and for teachers in community colleges. As such, the Master of Arts in Political Science program is designed to accommodate a range of professional and intellectual needs.
A Program of Study in the Master of Arts in Political Science consists of the following coursework. Students have the option of completing a thesis with 27 hours of coursework or choosing the nonthesis option with 33 hours of coursework.
Total Credit Hours Required: 33 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Degree Requirements
Required Core Courses
12 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- POS6736 - Conduct of Political Inquiry (3)
- POS6746 - Quantitative Methods in Political Research (3)
- Complete at least 2 of the following:
- CPO6091 - Seminar in Comparative Politics (3)
- INR6007 - Seminar in International Politics (3)
- POS6045 - Seminar in American National Politics (3)
- POT6007 - Seminar in Political Theory (3)
Elective Courses
15 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Students will complete 15 hours of coursework at the 5000 or 6000 level. All 5000 or 6000 level courses offered by the SPSIA can be used to meet this requirement, with the exception of those courses used to complete core course requirements. Up to 6 credit hours of 5000 and 6000 level courses coursework from other departments/schools may also be used as electives with the prior approval of the MA program coordinator. Students may use up to 6 hours of independent study and up to 6 hours of internship credit for the elective credits requirement, but no more than 6 hours total can be from coursework outside the SPSIA, independent study, or internship credit.
- Complete at least 5 of the following:
- CPO6038 - Political Development (3)
- CPO6058 - Revolution and Political Violence (3)
- CPO6206 - Comparative Politics of Africa (3)
- CPO6307 - Issues in Latin American Politics (3)
- CPO6407 - Comparative Politics of the Middle East (3)
- CPO6729 - Global Security in the Age of Migration (3)
- INR6039 - International Political Economy (3)
- INR6062 - Peace Studies (3)
- INR6065 - Seminar on War (3)
- INR6067 - Human Rights and Security (3)
- INR6068 - Politics of Civil Wars (3)
- INR6108 - Seminar in American Foreign Policy (3)
- INR6136 - Seminar in American Security Policy (3)
- INR6137 - Terrorism and Politics (3)
- INR6257 - International Relations of Africa (3)
- INR6275 - International Politics of the Middle East (3)
- INR6339 - Strategic Warning Analysis (3)
- INR6346 - Politics of International Terrorism (3)
- INR6352 - Global Environmental Politics (3)
- INR6356 - Environmental Security (3)
- INR6365 - Seminar on Intelligence (3)
- INR6366 - The Intelligence Community (3)
- INR6726 - Political Behavior in International Conflict (3)
- POS6207 - Political Behavior (3)
- POS6415 - The American Presidency (3)
- POS6427 - Congress and the Legislative Process (3)
- POS6686 - National Security Law (3)
- POS6729 - Political Network Analysis (3)
- POS6743 - Geographic Tools for Political Science Research (3)
- POS6747 - Advanced Topics in Quantitative Political Analysis (3)
- POS6757 - Survey Design for Political Science Research (3)
- PUP6208 - Environmental Politics (3)
- PUP6247 - Contemporary Issues in Environmental Politics (3)
- PUP6607 - Politics of Health (3)
ThesisNonthesis Option
6 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: All MA students are automatically placed in the nonthesis option. Students wishing to write a thesis must get approval to do so. POS 6971 Thesis After completion of the required coursework and the passing of comprehensive exams, the student must have a thesis committee approved by the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs (SPSIA)and Graduate Studies. The thesis committee consists of a chair and two other faculty members from the SPSIA who are members of the Graduate Faculty. On the approval of the thesis chair and Graduate Program Director, one of the committee members (but not the chair) may come from outside the SPSIA. When a thesis topic has been selected, students, in conjunction with their thesis committee, will develop a thesis proposal. Copies of the proposal will be sent to members of their thesis committee and a proposal hearing scheduled in the first semester the student enrolls for thesis hours. All students must pass a proposal hearing as well as a final oral defense of their thesis. Once enrolled in thesis hours, students should maintain continuous enrollment (3 credit hours) each semester up to and including the semester in which they defend the thesis. In addition to SPSIA guidelines for the thesis, students should also become familiar with the UCF's requirements and deadlines for organizing and submitting the thesis.
Nonthesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: The student must complete 6 additional credit hours of course electives in their respective areas. Thesis hours, if already taken, will not count for course credit for the 6 additional credit hours of coursework. Electives 6 Credit Hours Complete an independent research project/paper During the final semester of coursework, the student must have a nonthesis committee approved by the SPSIA and Graduate Studies. The nonthesis committee consists of a chair and one other faculty member from the SPSIA. On the approval of the thesis chair and Graduate Program Director, the committee member (but not the chair) may come from outside the SPSIA. The student must complete an approved article-length independent research paper. The project/paper must have a component of original, independent research; it cannot be a literature review or research design only. The project/paper can be a product of a graduate research seminar and/or independent study paper. The student will present their research publicly at a SPSIA or UCF research colloquium or another public academic forum such as an academic conference. The project/paper must be evaluated by the nonthesis committee and receive formal confirmation of completion from the committee, and the MA program coordinator. If the paper is to be presented at a SPSIA research colloquium, the student is responsible for scheduling the presentation in consultation with the nonthesis committee.
Comprehensive Examination
0 Total Credits
- All candidates for the MA degree must take a comprehensive written examination. The examination will be administered after satisfactory completion of the required course work and must be taken prior to enrollment in thesis hours. The exam is designed to demonstrate proficiency in research methods and will consist of two parts. Part I will involve the critique of an article from a political science journal. The article will be assigned by the SPSIA's Graduate Methods Committee in consultation with the student and where possible will be based on the student's substantive areas of interest. Part II will involve questions based on data analysis using either SPSS or STATA. The examination will be offered once semester. Dates will be set by the SPSIA. Students must register to take the exam at least six weeks prior to its scheduled date and take the exam within six months after they complete POS 6736 and POS 6746. Students not passing any part of the examination may take this part a second time within nine months on the dates that comprehensive exams are regularly scheduled. However, no student will be allowed to take the examination more than twice.
Equipment Fee
0 Total Credits
- Full-time students in the Political Science MA program pay a $39 equipment fee each semester that they are enrolled. Part-time students pay $19.50 per semester.
Grand Total Credits: 33
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
