Political Science Major, MA

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus

Options Available

• Thesis
• Course Only with Comprehensive Exam

Admissions Standards/Procedures

• Three recommendation forms must be submitted, at least two of which must be completed by instructors at the institution most recently attended. In addition, scores on the general portion of the Graduate Record Examination must be submitted.
• A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent is required for admission.
• Normally an overall average of 3.00 is also required together with an average of 3.20 in the last two years of political science or social science.
• In addition, a composite score of at least 302 on the verbal and quantitative parts of the GRE is normally required.

Thesis Option

Course work, plus preparation of a thesis, and an oral examination on all work offered for the degree.

Course Only with Comprehensive Exams Option

Course work, plus a written comprehensive examination on all work offered for the degree.

Five-Year BA/MA Program – Political Science Major, MA

The Department of Political Science offers a program in which qualified students may earn both a BA and MA in political science in five years. This is accomplished by applying 9 hours of approved graduate courses to both the BA and MA.

Interested students typically apply for conditional admission to the program during their third year of undergraduate study. A student will be conditionally admitted to the program only if they:

• are a declared Political Science major or minor;
• have completed at least 90 hours overall with a minimum GPA of 3.25; and
• have completed at least 15 hours in Political Science with a minimum GPA of 3.5.

Applicants must also provide three letters of recommendation and meet with the Director of Graduate Studies to discuss participation in the program. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to have completed POLS 301 (Research Methods) and at least one 400-level Political Science course. The Department may consider other relevant factors, such as an applicant’s work experience and potential for academic success in deciding whether to conditionally admit students to the BA/MA program. Both the Department of Political Science and the Graduate School must approve all conditional admissions into the BA/MA program. The Department will inform applicants of its decisions by the beginning of their fourth and final year of undergraduate study.

Both the Department Head (or designee) and the Graduate School must approve any course taken for graduate credit before the student satisfies all requirements for the BA. Students must complete and submit the Senior Requesting Graduate Credit Form to the Graduate School. If courses are to be taken during different semesters, the student will need to submit this form before the start of each relevant semester. A student conditionally admitted to the BA/MA program may complete up to 9 hours of graduate credit to count toward both the BA and MA requirements. Only graduate courses taken after conditional admission into the BA/MA program may be used to satisfy the requirements of both degrees.

Conditional admission to the BA/MA program does not guarantee acceptance into either the Graduate School or the MA program in Political Science. Students conditionally admitted into the BA/MA program at the start of their fourth year must apply that year for admission to both the MA program and the Graduate School. Such applicants must follow standard application procedures, excepting that the GRE is not required. If the student is accepted by both the MA program and the Graduate School, they will be fully admitted to the BA/MA program; they must then complete the standard curriculum for the MA program.