Master of Arts in Political Science | M.A.

Welcome to the Political Science graduate program at Texas State! 

A Texas State Masters Degree in Political Science provides students essential job skills for modern public or private sector jobs, including critical thinking, communication, writing, and research, as well as a broad perspective on national and global trends impacting political and economic developments. 

About the Program

The Master of Arts in Political Science provides an exceptional graduate experience to students interested in pursuing careers in state and federal government, post-secondary teaching, non-governmental organizations, international businesses, or the further pursuit of a Juris Doctor or PhD program. With a large full-time faculty, students have the opportunity for a close intellectual exchange with professors and close mentoring. The program curriculum provides  exposure to a variety of courses in various subfields of political science, including American politics, international relations, political theory, and comparative politics. Seminars are limited to approximately 15 students with an average enrollment of 12 students. Students may also take Directed Readings courses that permit students to investigate specialized research topics on a one-to-one basis. 

Program Faculty

The 16 full-time graduate faculty members provide students with a wide range of expertise in areas such as the American founding and political thought, human rights policy, American foreign policy and grand strategy, authoritarianism and international law, African politics, religion and politics, the American presidency, international political economy, nuclear weapons and international security, Texas politics, and constitutional theory among others.  Faculty members’ research has been published in top-tier journals including American Political Science Review, Political Science Quarterly, International Journal of Human Rights, and Foreign Affairs. 

Ionut Popescu

Graduate Advisor

Dr. Ionut Popescu        
icp11@txstate.edu    
512.245.6075        
Trauth-Huffman Hall (THH), Room 323

Dodie Weidner

Advisor Support

Dodie Weidner   
dw29@txstate.edu    
512.245.7815   
Trauth-Huffman Hall (THH), Room 355

Careers and Alumni

Our graduates are well prepared to pursue careers in a variety of fields, including teaching postsecondary social studies and American government, working in local and federal government institutions in Austin, San Antonio and Washington, DC, the nongovernmental sector, national and international business, as well as to continue their graduate studies in Law School or PhD institutions. 

The fully-online Social Science Teacher Emphasis option provides the opportunity to teach high school and dual credit courses at secondary institutions and community colleges across the state.

Our recent graduates are working at places such as:

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Federal Agencies

U.S. Department of State
U.S. House of Representatives
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

student and teacher

State and Local Agencies

Texas Health & Human Services
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Texas State UniversityUT Austin
UT San Antonio
Austin ISD
Bastrop County Development Services
Metro San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

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Private Sector

Tesla
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

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Nonprofit Agencies

The Cicero Institute
Texas Public Policy Foundation

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Connect with us!

Program Structure

The program courses are organized into four major fields: American politics, comparative politics, political theory and international relations. 

While not required, the M.A. in political science offers four optional degree concentrations.

DegreeHoursThesis OptionMinor OptionLocation
M.A.36Non-ThesisNo MinorSan Marcos
M.A.33Non-ThesisNo MinorSan Marcos
M.A.36Non-Thesis (Social Studies Emphasis)No MinorOnline

Both thesis and non-thesis students may take nine hours of their program hours in a related field with the approval of the graduate director, and thus pursue certificates in specific areas or broaden their experience. 

If you are a Texas State sophomore/junior thinking about the MA program, you should consider the 3+2 Option

Application Deadlines

*Please note that many of our deadlines are flexible, so reach out to us about applying after the deadline passes.

DeadlinesU.S. CitizenInternational
Fall - PriorityFebruary 1February 1
Fall - StandardJune 15 (*Flexible)June 1
SpringOctober 15 (*Flexible)October 1
Summer IApril 15 (*Flexible)March 15
Summer IIJune 1 (*Flexible)No Admission

**Application fee is mandatory for international students

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