The Department of Political Science offers graduate study leading to the doctor of philosophy in political science. The department does not admit for master's degrees, accepting students for the Ph.D. program only. Once admitted to the Ph.D. program, it is possible to obtain a master's degree through work en route to the Ph.D.
The department has a national and international reputation for the high quality of its faculty and for the diversity of their approaches and interests. It has long been known for its acceptance of a broad range of approaches to the study of politics and for its collegiality. The subfields of political science found in the department are American politics, comparative politics, political theory and philosophy, international relations, and political methodology. Political science shares faculty with the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, the Law School, and the Department of Gender and Women's Studies. The presence of programs and centers such as the African Studies Program, the Center for European Studies, the Center for Jewish Studies, the Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia (CREECA), Integrated Liberal Studies, the International Studies major (B.A. and B.S.), Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies, and others is also beneficial to graduate students, providing opportunities for the advancement of interdisciplinary approaches in student research.
Students may not apply directly for the master’s, and should instead see the admissions information for the Ph.D. This master’s program is offered for work done en route to the Ph.D.
Graduate School Resources
Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and processes related to funding.
Program Resources
The department funding guarantee applies to all students admitted to the Ph.D. program. Support may be in the form of fellowships, teaching assistantships, or as an assistant to a faculty research project.
The department does not admit for a master’s degree in political science. Please see admissions information for the Ph.D.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
MODE OF INSTRUCTION
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Evening/Weekend: These programs are offered in an evening and/or weekend format to accommodate working schedules. Enjoy the advantages of on-campus courses and personal connections, while keeping your day job. For more information about the meeting schedule of a specific program, contact the program. Online: These programs are offered primarily online. Many available online programs can be completed almost entirely online with all online programs offering at least 50 percent or more of the program work online. Some online programs have an on-campus component that is often designed to accommodate working schedules. Take advantage of the convenience of online learning while participating in a rich, interactive learning environment. For more information about the online nature of a specific program, contact the program. Hybrid: These programs have innovative curricula that combine on-campus and online formats. Most hybrid programs are completed on-campus with a partial or completely online semester. For more information about the hybrid schedule of a specific program, contact the program. Accelerated: These on-campus programs are offered in an accelerated format that allows you to complete your program in a condensed time-frame. Enjoy the advantages of on-campus courses with minimal disruption to your career. For more information about the accelerated nature of a specific program, contact the program. |
CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 30 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 30 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | Half of degree coursework (15 credits out of 30 total credits) must be completed graduate-level coursework; courses with the Graduate Level Coursework attribute are identified and searchable in the university's Course Guide (https://registrar.wisc.edu/course-guide/). |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. |
| Other Grade Requirements | No other grade requirements. |
| Assessments and Examinations | No formal examination required. |
| Language Requirements | No language requirements. |
Required COURSES
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Structure of the Program | ||
| POLI SCI 800 | Political Science as a Discipline and Profession | 1 |
| POLI SCI 817 | Empirical Methods of Political Inquiry | 3 |
| Statistical Methodology Coursework-Graduate Level | 3 | |
| At least 18 of the 30 credits must be earned in graduate courses in Political Science at the 800 level or above. | 18 | |
| No more than 3 credits of POLI SCI 999 may count toward the degree. | ||
| Meet the minimum graduate credit requirement. | 5 | |
| Maintain minimum of B average in coursework. | ||
| Courses taken outside the department must be chosen in consultation with a student’s advisor and must be at a level (300 or above ) for which graduate credit is available. | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Major-Specific Policies
Graduate Program Handbook
The Graduate Program Handbook is the repository for all of the program's policies and requirements.
Prior Coursework
Graduate Work from Other Institutions
No credits from graduate work from other institutions may count toward the degree.
UW–Madison Undergraduate
No credits from a UW–Madison undergraduate degree are allowed to count toward the degree.
UW–Madison University Special
No credits from a UW–Madison University Special student career may count toward the degree.
ProbatioN
The Graduate School regularly reviews the record of any student who earned grades of BC, C, D, F, or Incomplete in a graduate course (300 or above), or grade of U in research credits. This review could result in academic probation with a hold on future enrollment or in being suspended from the Graduate School.
- Good standing (progressing according to standards; any funding guarantee remains in place).
- Probation (not progressing according to standards but permitted to enroll; loss of funding guarantee; specific plan with dates and deadlines in place in regard to removal of probationary status).
- Unsatisfactory progress (not progressing according to standards; not permitted to enroll, dismissal, leave of absence or change of advisor or program).
ADVISOR / COMMITTEE
All students are required to meet with their advisor to discuss the first year review.
CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED
15 credits
Time Constraints
Master’s degree students who have been absent for five or more consecutive years lose all credits that they have earned before their absence. Individual programs may count the coursework students completed prior to their absence for meeting program requirements; that coursework may not count toward Graduate School credit requirements.
Other
The department currently guarantees at least five years of financial support to all students admitted to the doctoral program, assuming they are making satisfactory progress toward their degrees. This funding may be in the form of fellowships, teaching assistantships, or project assistantships. All appointments receive valuable fringe benefits such as excellent health insurance and tuition remission.
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
- Develop an appreciation of the diverse subfields of political science.
- Learn to articulate questions of importance to the field that can be answered using the methods of political science.
- Learn to select and utilize methods of political inquiry appropriate to particular research questions.
- Learn to constructively critique existing work in political science.
- Develop an understanding of political science from an historical context.
- Recognize and apply principles of ethical and professional conduct in research, teaching, and service.
Faculty: Professors Burden, Canon, Cramer, Gehlbach, Hendley, Herrera, Kydd, Marquez, Martin, Mayer, Owens, Pevehouse, Ringe, Schweber, Straus, Tripp, Weimer, Yackee, Zumbrunnen (chair); Associate Professors Avramenko, Bhavnani, Copelovitch, Kapust, Powell, Renshon, Shelef, Simmons, Weeks; Assistant Professors Lindsay, Schwarze, Tahk