POLSC-MA - Political Science (MA)
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Program Overview
The Political Science department does not offer a terminal MA degree. An MA degree may only be pursued with a doctoral degree from another department within Stanford University or with an advanced degree from one of Stanford University’s professional schools (Schools of Law, Medicine, Business). Students interested in pursuing the MA should discuss the application requirements with the Student Services Manager in Political Science.
The department does not offer a coterminal master’s degree.
Admissions Information
While formal application to the MA program is not required, applicants from outside of the Political Science department must:
Complete the MA Course Plan and submit it to the Political Science Student Services Manager via email or in person in Room 100, Ground Floor of Encina Hall West. Please note that a SUNet ID is required to access this form.
Submit the Graduate Authorization Petition through Axess.
After all the requirements for the master’s have been completed: submit the Master’s Program Proposal to the Political Science Student Services Manager via email or in person in Room 100, Ground Floor of Encina Hall West.
Apply to graduate (in Axess, before the quarterly deadline) in the quarter they wish to confer the degree. The degree is not granted automatically.
Students may visit the Political Science office in Encina Hall West Room 100 or phone (650) 723-1318 for additional information.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
All MA candidates must complete at least two graduate seminars for five units each in two fields and at least one graduate seminar for five units in a third field. These 25 units must be taken in graduate seminars (300 or 400 level) taught by regular Political Science faculty. The Political Science fields that students may choose from are International Relations, Comparative Politics, American Politics, Political Theory, and Political Methodology.
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Other Program Requirements
A grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 (B-) must be maintained for all classes used to fulfill master’s degree requirements. All courses must be taken for a letter grade.
Cross-listed classes taught by non-Political Science department faculty, workshops, and directed readings do not count towards this requirement except with prior approval from the Director of Graduate Studies.
Not more than 25 units of the 45-unit requirement may be taken in a single field.
A maximum of ten units of directed reading coursework may count towards the Additional Units requirement with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.
No thesis is required.
The remaining 20 units must come from courses numbered above 100. Of those 20 units, a maximum of 10 units may be taken from classes outside the Political Science department and count towards the master’s degree. Classes taken outside the Political Science department must be highly relevant to the discipline and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies on the MA Course Plan.