Masters Degree in Political Science
The Department of Political Science offers a Masters degree in Political Science. The Masters degree prepares students to work in the public and private international sectors, as well as in non-governmental organizations, think-tanks, foundations, and media companies focusing on regional, national and global issues.
Rutgers Newark is an exciting setting for pursuing graduate work. The university was ranked 12th in the nation for quality among small research universities by the 2005 Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index, which is a metric that was designed to create a benchmark standard for the measurement of the degree of academic and scholarly quality. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education has also classified Rutgers University–Newark as a Research University with a High Research Activity rating (RU/HRA). Our location just 15 minutes away from Manhattan and on the Amtrak corridor offers easy access to key destinations on the Eastern Seaboard such as Washington DC and Boston.
With Rutgers Newark the most diverse university campus in the nation, our student body hails from far and near and from all sorts of backgrounds. Rutgers Newark is proud of its historical mission to be an institution that makes a quality education available to a diverse student body, in every sense of the word.
Master of Arts in Political Science (30 credits)
Students may attain the MA by completing the requirements for a Specialization in 1) The American Political System or 2) International Relations. A Specialization in The American Political System focuses on American politics and public policy and U.S. urban politics and public administration. A Specialization in International Relations focuses on global and international politics, international political economy, and comparative politics. Courses are also regularly offered in political theory, constitutional law, comparative politics, and research methodology. Students may complete the Concentration in Women and Gender Studies in conjunction with the Master’s degree.
The Masters degree requires 30 credits of coursework and is composed of the following requirements: Students will need to complete three core courses: the introductory Approaches to Political Science, a research methodology course and the Capstone course in Political Science. In order to fulfill the requirements for the specialization, students will need to take three courses in their specialization, either in American or Global Politics. The remaining four courses can be taken from the general course offerings.
Juris Doctor/Master of Arts
Students in the School of Law-Newark may take a concurrent Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in political science that allows up to 12 credits in relevant law courses to be applied toward the 30 credits required for the master's degree.
Specialization in The American Political System
Requirements:
Core Courses (9 credits)
26:790:501. Policy Making in the American Political System
26:790:608. American Political Thought
26:790:510. Public Policy Analysis OR 26:790:512. Ethical Issues in Public Policy and Administration
Methodology (3 credits)
26:790:533. Research Methods in Political Science OR 26:790:536. Advanced Research Methods in Political Science
Concentration (12 credits from the list below)
26:790:502. Problems of American Government (courses include Race, Ethnicity & U.S. Politics, Social Movements in American Politics)
26:790:504. Comparative Public Policy
26:790:505,506. Contemporary Constitutional Issues
26:790:509. Introduction to Public Administration
26:790:510. Public Policy Analysis
26:790:511. Contemporary Political Theory
(courses include Comparative Social Movements, Becoming American: Identity & Assimilation, Democracy and Citizenship in a Global Era)
26:790:512. Ethical Issues in Public Policy and Administration
26:790:515. Urban Government and Politics
26:790:516. Urban Public Policy
26:790:518. Topics in Political Theory (courses include Modern Political Terrorism, Politics, History, and the Arts, Liberalism, Religion, and Toleration)
26:790:529. Science, Technology, and Public Policy
26:790:530. Environmental Politics and Policy
26:790:539. Gender, Politics, and Policy in the United States
26:790:569. American Foreign Policy
26:790:570. Problems of Public Policy
26:790:571. U.S. Politics & Policy
26:790:574: Internship in Political Science
Additional Electives (6 credits)
Two additional courses in Politics and International Studies. Courses may also taken from related disciplines (such as History, Global Affairs, and others), subject to the graduate program director’s approval.
Specialization in International Relations
Requirements:
Core Courses (9 credits)
26:790:521. Theories of Global Politics
26:790:541. International Political Economy
26:790:569. American Foreign Policy OR 26:790:510. Public Policy Analysis
Methodology (3 credits)
26:790:533. Research Methods in Political Science OR 26:790:536. Advanced Research Methods in Political Science
Concentration (12 credits from the list below)
26:790:504. Comparative Public Policy
26:790:510. Public Policy Analysis
26:790:511. Contemporary Political Theory (courses include Democracy and Citizenship in a Global Era)
26:790:513. Ethics and Global Politics
26:790:518. Topics in Political Theory (courses include Modern Political Terrorism; Politics, History and the Arts; Peace and War Since 1900; Liberalism, Religion, and Toleration)
26:790:537. Global Governance
26:790:538. Global Environmental Issues
26:790:540. Gender and Global Politics
26:790:542. Topics in Recent International Relations (courses include Evolution of the Global System; Strategic Nonviolent Conflict; US Security Interests in Sub-Saharan Africa)
26:790:543, 544. Problems of Comparative Politics (courses include Social Movements and Globalization; Comparative Social Movements)
26:790:569. American Foreign Policy
26:790:574: Internship in Political Science
Additional electives (6 credits)
Two additional courses in Politics and International Studies. Courses may also taken from related disciplines (such as History, Global Affairs, and others), subject to the graduate program director’s approval.
Comprehensive Examination or Master’s Thesis
The Comprehensive Exam is a take-home essay exam taken in the student’s final semester. The Master’s Thesis option consists of two consecutive semesters of thesis credits (3 credits each semester), which count toward the 30 credits required for the degree.
Graduate Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies (12 credits)
Students in either specialization may also complete the Graduate Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies. Developing analytical skills regarding gender relations at the graduate level helps students to address intellectual questions that are central to many areas of inquiry in political science and international studies. Students with interests in women and gender may focus their graduate work in this area through the Concentration.
Requirements:
Core courses (6 credits)
26: 988: 532 History and Theory of Women’s/Gender Studies (Fall semester)
26: 988: 570 Feminist Research and Methods (Spring semester)
Politics and International Studies electives (6 credits)
Two courses cross-listed with Women’s and Gender Studies
These could include courses such as: Gender and Global Politics; Gender, Politics, and Policy in the United States; Feminist Political Thought