Political Science
Program Mission: The program provides a flexible curriculum for students interested in American government, comparative politics, international relations, public administration and public policy. Students will receive training in the advanced analytical, methodological, and theoretical approaches used in political science. The curriculum prepares students for work in public affairs, including employment in local, state and national government. Other graduates from the program have found employment in journalism, international business, community college teaching and administrative positions in higher education. The program also prepares students for future Ph.D. or legal studies. Internships related to government, politics and the legal system are available.
Admission Requirements: To be eligible for degree candidacy, applicants must meet all of the requirements for admission to the Graduate School (see "Admission to Graduate Degree and Certificate Programs"). Submission of GRE general scores is recommended for students whose GPA is below 3.00 or who have not majored in Political Science.
Study Plan Approval: The study plan shall be approved by the department and filed with the departmental graduate coordinator.Degree Requirements
Degree requirements include those outlined for the master's degree by the Graduate School (see "Requirements for the Master's Degree"). Additional requirements include a total of 30 semester hours with the thesis, or 32 semester hours with the comprehensive examination option, and a GPA of 3.00. All students will complete 12 hours of course work for a major concentration and six hours for a minor concentration. Students are required to take core courses in their major field.
- PLS 5053 is required of all graduate students
Students Majoring in American Government and Politics Must Take Two of the Following Courses:
Students Majoring in Comparative Politics/International Relations Must Take Both:
Students Majoring in Public Administration/Public Policy Must Take:
Concentrations Available
Hours earned in independent study (5990), thesis (5950), internship (5980) and special courses (4980-4999) will not count toward completion of major and minor requirements. Consult with the graduate coordinator in advance to determine which concentration requirements will be met by PLS 5843. There will be no substitutions for any of the major and minor area courses. In addition, a course used to meet the requirements of one area cannot be counted for another area.
American Government and Politics
Comparative Politics/International Relations
Public Administration/Public Policy
Graduate Assistantships
Information on graduate assistantships may be obtained by contacting the Coordinator of Graduate Studies or Chair, Department of Political Science, 2135 Coleman Hall, EIU.
Information sourced from the 2003-2005 EIU Graduate Catalog.