Political Science MA

The Department of Political Science is home to a dynamic faculty, devoted to studying political phenomena at all levels of interest to our graduate students, including local, state, national, and international issues. Our program is oriented to the scientific study of politics of all types. Whether our graduate students seek to study international relations, American politics, public law or foreign political systems, UB’s Department of Political Science is committed to satisfying student interests in each of these areas.

Required Core (6 credits)

Select 2 from:

PSC 500SEM - Introduction to Political Inquiry Credits: 3
PSC 508SEM - Basic Statistics for Social Sciences Credits: 3
PSC 531SEM - Intermed Stats for Soc Sc Credits: 3
PSC 533SEM - Formal Political Theory Credits: 3

Field Core (6 credits)

Select 2 from:

PSC 503SEM - Comparative Politics Credits: 3
PSC 504SEM - International Politics Credits: 3
PSC 505SEM - American Politics Credits: 3
PSC 561SEM - Constitutional Law Credits: 3

Electives & Culminating Experience (18 credits)

Electives (12-18 credits)

Number of elective credits may vary depending on choice made to complete the culminating experience. Be sure to complete enough elective credit to reach 30 minimum total credit hours.

Select from:

Any Political Science (PSC) 500, 600 or 700-level course
up to 9 cr of coursework from outside departments, with DGS approval.
Limit of up to 6 credits of PSC 670 TUT: Independent Study.

Culminating Experience: Exam, Project, Portfolio or Thesis (0-6 credits)

PSC 700TUT - MA Culminating Experience Credits: 1 - 6

Total Credit Hours: 30

3.0 Degree GPA required

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

1) Demonstrate knowledge of the academic research in at least two of the following four fields: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and public law.

• Be able to identify, discuss, and apply key concepts and major theories.

• Develop expert knowledge of the literature on at least one important research question.

2) Be able to intellectually communicate their perspectives, critical assessments, empirical findings, and conclusions about political topics.

• Be able to explain and defend theoretical arguments and research findings clearly and effectively in writing.

• Develop the ability to communicate ideas clearly and persuasively in oral presentations.

• Be able to write a paper presenting a clear thesis supported by relevant research.

3) Demonstrate the analytical skills necessary to think critically about political, social, and economic behavior.

• Be able to identify and critically evaluate the theoretical arguments of scholarly research in political science.

• Demonstrate the ability to think theoretically about political phenomena and to analyze political ideas conceptually.

• Develop the ability to draw logical inferences from qualitative and quantitative data and to correctly interpret statistical analyses of political behavior and outcomes.

4) Develop the ability to conduct independent scientific research in political science.

• Develop the ability to build theoretical models of political processes and decision-making.

• Develop the ability to propose and test hypotheses about causal relationships in political science.

• Develop the ability to design and execute a scientific investigation of the validity of an original theoretical argument.

SED Statement

This program is officially registered with the New York State Education Department (SED).