Graduate Program Information

The Department of Political Science at UNR offers a Master of Arts (MA), Master of Public Administration (MPA) and a Ph.D. program.  Please feel free to contract the Graduate Program Advisor, Prof. Leah Wilds for more information on our graduate programs.

Admission to the graduate program is competitive; a limited number of applicants are accepted each year.  The application deadline is March 31 for admission in the following fall semester. Admission decisions are made by a departmental selection committee, usually by the end of April. To be considered, all applications must be complete.  Please note that the Graduate School, which has to approve all applicants, has its own deadlines and regulations.  The Graduate School can be reached online at www.unr.edu/grad.

MA Program

The Master of Arts program has the following general goals:

  • To offer students an opportunity for advanced, specialized courses in the discipline of political science, leading to a graduate degree.
  • To prepare students for additional graduate work leading to a Ph.D. and a career as a political scientist.
  • To offer students the opportunity to prepare for a career in teaching, politics, public service and government, or to complement their present careers.

MA Admissions and Requirements Checklist

The courses in political science cover a full range of the discipline, both in terms of substance and methodology. Courses in research methods provide the skills necessary for sophisticated analysis of political processes, institutions and policies. More specialized interests are developed through independent research courses and projects tackled by students.

Click the following link for a complete guide to the MA Program.

MPA Program

The major focus in the MPA course of study is on a professional education that links academic inquiry with career training and development. The MPA program has three general goals:

  • To prepare people for careers in public administration and policy analysis.
  • To improve managerial competence of persons presently in public service through the advanced study of administrative processes and problems, and through an increased understanding of policy issues and research skills.
  • To support additional university-based research in public administration and policy analysis.

MPA Admissions and Requirements Checklist

The courses in public administration are designed to increase the student's understanding of the internal organizational environment, and to help the student develop needed managerial skills. Courses in public policy give the student an understanding of the social, political, and economic environment in which public programs develop and operate. Courses in research methods provide the skills necessary in today's complex government agencies and activities. A track of specialization provides the student with additional competence in an area linked to individual interests and/or career goals.

Click the following link for a complete guide to the MPA program.

Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. degree is conferred only for work of distinction in which the student displays decided contributions of original scholarship, and only in recognition of marked ability and achievement. The specific goals of the Ph.D. program include:

  • The development of the research analysis capabilities of students through the advanced study of political processes and problems, and through an increased understanding of policy issues and research skills.
  • The preparation of individuals for careers in teaching and research at institutions of higher education—or careers in public administration of public policy.
  • The support of university-based research involving issues of politics and public policy.

Ph.D. Admissions and Requirements Checklist (revised November 2007)

The strength of this Ph.D. program lies in the diversity of its faculty. Students accepted into the Ph.D. program are expected to have one field of Political Science as a major focus, and a second field of Political Science as a minor focus. The fields are: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, Public Administration, and Public Policy. Comprehensive exams (major and minor) are required in both of the fields selected by a student. Students should consult with the Graduate Director in selecting major and minor fields. All field combinations must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Click the following link for a complete guide to the Ph.D. Program.

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