Political Science

Master's and Doctoral Programs

Graduate opportunities

Excellent faculty, high-profile research opportunities and the flexibility to explore special topics of interest are the reasons you should pursue a graduate degree administered by the political science department at the University of North Texas.

We offer course work leading to a Master of Arts, Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degree in Political Science.

You will learn from faculty members who are outstanding teachers as well as distinguished researchers. They have:

• Earned recognition from the American Political Science Association, the Fulbright Scholar Program and the International Studies Association, among others
• Published numerous books
• Written articles in peer-reviewed journals such as the American Political Science Review and Political Research Quarterly

Our course work and research focus on American government and public law, comparative government and politics, international politics, political theory, teaching methodology, and public administration. You may pursue individual study with faculty members to explore unique topics of interest.

We have housed the International Studies Quarterly, one of the world’s top international studies journals, and are currently the home of the Journal of Political Science Education, which publishes high quality scholarship on teaching and pedagogical issues in political science. This partnership reflects our academic strength and also creates research and internship possibilities for you.

Bright career outlook

A political science degree prepares you for a variety of careers. In addition to teaching and research positions in academic settings, you will be prepared to work in:

• All levels of government
• Journalism
• International business
• International risk analysis
• Political campaign organization

You also may develop special expertise in survey research and statistical analysis. These skills are in high demand in the public and private sectors.

Research opportunities

Our department has participated in high-profile research regarding school choice, political campaigns and elections, American public law, democratization in the Third World, and international peace. Faculty members also have won numerous research grants, including several from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense and others.

Because of our close student-faculty research collaboration, students get involved in research at an early stage of their graduate education. You may participate in grant-funded research as a paid assistant and aid faculty members on publications. We will work with you, involving you in academic research and providing advice and counseling.

As a result of these efforts, our students have an impressive publication record on their own and by collaborating with faculty members in some of the discipline’s leading academic journals.

We encourage students to attend and present research papers at national and regional political science conferences. Funding is available to attend the conferences.

UNT belongs to the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research, which is the world’s repository of social science research data, and also to the European Consortium for Political Research. Our library system also has a large collection of U.S. government, United Nations and related international agency documents.

Attending UNT

Admission requirements

No single criterion determines your admission to the master’s or doctoral program. You must complete all admission requirements for the Toulouse Graduate School. These requirements are outlined at www.unt. edu/catalog or gradschool.unt.edu. In addition, you must meet the following program requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum of 24 hours of undergraduate or graduate work in political science
• Acceptable GPA on the last 60 hours of undergraduate or graduate study
• Acceptable GRE scores
• Three letters of recommendation from individuals qualified to evaluate your academic potential (Letters from professors are expected, but letters from employers or others may be submitted if faculty references are not available.)
• 500-word statement of purpose stating your primary area of interest within political science and your career objectives
• Academic writing sample

Degree requirements

M.A. and M.S. degrees

The master’s degrees require a minimum of 30 semester hours. At least 24 semester hours must be within the department. Completion of a thesis and an oral exam are also required. A minor outside the department is optional.

Candidates for the M.A. degree must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language. Candidates for the M.S. degree must show they have achieved competence in a nonlanguage research tool. Additional information on the program is at www.psci.unt.edu.

Ph.D. degree

This degree requires a minimum of 72 semester hours beyond the bachelor’s degree or 60 semester hours beyond the master’s degree. You will choose three areas of study in political science and take qualifying examinations in two. The three areas include a major area and two supporting areas.

You will plan a program of study with an advisory committee, which includes a major professor. The committee advises you on the program, assists in administering the departmental examinations, approves the dissertation topic and judges the completed dissertation.

You must present evidence that you have a reading knowledge of a foreign language or a nonlanguage research tool. Additional information on the doctoral program is at www.psci.unt.edu.

Financial assistance

Our department awards several teaching fellowships and assistantships to help you pay for your graduate education. The application deadline for these positions is Jan. 31 each year. Research assistantships are available for students to work with faculty holding research grants. University-wide competitive scholarships also are offered. Information about other financial assistance programs is at financialaid.unt.edu or gradschool.unt.edu.