2022-2023 Graduate & Professional Studies Catalog [Archived Catalog]
Department of Political Science
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Return to: Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
Overview of Department
The Department of Political Science offers the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. However, the MA degree functions primarily as a stepping-stone to the PhD. The department does not have a distinct MA program, and does not, except under very unusual circumstances, admit students for graduate study who seek a terminal Master of Arts degree. However, PhD students who, for various reasons, choose to discontinue their training after two years are eligible for a terminal MA, contingent upon the successful completion of the requirements outlined below.
Contact Information
Department Chair: Jae-Jae Spoon
Main Office: 4600 Wesley W. Posvar Hall
412-648-7250
Fax: 412-648-7277
E-mail: polisci@pitt.edu
http://www.polisci.pitt.edu
Graduate Program
The Department of Political Science offers the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. However, the MA degree functions as a stepping-stone to the PhD. The department does not have a terminal MA program, and does not admit students for graduate study who seek a terminal Master of Arts degree. However, PhD students who, for various reasons, choose to discontinue their training after two years are eligible for a terminal MA, contingent upon the successful completion of the requirements outlined below.
The graduate program in political science incorporates five fields:
- American Politics
- Comparative Politics
- Mass Political Behavior
- Political Research Methodology
- World Politics (International Relations)
Students choose two of these fields as areas of specialization. Students may combine work for the MA and PhD degrees with a program of regional or global specialization leading to a certificate in Global Studies, Latin American studies, Asian studies, West European studies, or Russian and East European studies.
Admissions
Applicants for admission must submit transcripts of all college-level work, three letters of recommendation, a career statement, and scores on the verbal, quantitative, and writing assessment-analytical sections of the Graduate Record Examination. International applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit either the TOEFL administered by the Educational Testing or the IELTS administered by the University. For fall term admission and awards consideration, complete applications must be submitted by early January (see deadlines) 1. The department admits students only for the fall term.
Financial Assistance
Graduate students entering the program with a fellowship or teaching assistantship/teaching fellowship who have demonstrated high-quality graduate work and are maintaining good academic progress can expect to have financial aid renewed for up to five years. A graduate student who has not passed the PhD comprehensive examination in September of the fourth year of graduate work ordinarily is not eligible for additional financial assistance until these examinations are passed.
Faculty
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Faculty
ProgramsDoctoralMaster’s
CoursesPolitical Science
Return to: Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
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