Study Political Science’s Major Subfields
In American Politics, faculty and students conduct research on voting behavior, political institutions, public opinion, urban politics and their intersection with race, gender, and income.
In Comparative Politics, faculty specialize in the politics of Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Special attention is given to authoritarian stabiliy and democratization, political economy, the development of the state, and political parties.
In International Relations, faculty and students study world politics, international security, international political economy, political violence and civil war, and international organizations.
Our program emphasizes political questions of social and economic inequality – globalization, identity politics and social movements – throughout the curriculum. Our courses in Political Theory examine democratic and normative political theories.
Program Overview
The terminal MA program gives you a broad education in the general field of political science. MA students also have the option to develop technical skills by completing the political science department’s graduate methods sequence. MA students typically apply their degree toward careers in the private or public sector, while other proceed to PhD programs to pursue their academic interests.
The PhD program prepares students for careers in both academic and non-academic positions. We train our students to become successful scholars and teachers. PhD students complete the MA program requirements, take additional courses that help them specialize in particular fields of study and complete a methods sequence. Many of our PhDs pursue a career in academia, but some of our graduates also successfully apply their political science training to non-academic careers. You can view a list of PhD placements.
Master of Public Policy (MPP)
Advance your career. Enhance your community. Develop the analytic skills needed to formulate and assess public policies and evaluate the effectiveness of government programs at the federal, state and local levels. Learn the “softer” skills of leadership and communicating your ideas in a political context. We train generalists who combine technical competency with a sophisticated understanding of the policy process. Temple’s graduate program in public policy is led by full-time faculty and working practitioners and is ideal for students interested in social and quality-of-life issues throughout Philadelphia and beyond.
Admissions Process
Admissions decisions for the MA and PhD program in political science are made in the spring semester and admitted students are expected to begin in the following fall term. Application Deadline is December 15th.
Admission decisions for the Master of Public Policy program vary by term. Please visit the Political Science PhD Admissions page, Political Science Master’s of Arts Admissions page or the Master of Public Policy Admissions page to learn more about graduate program requirements, dates and deadlines and instructions on how to apply.
Graduate Student Support Grants
Resources
Graduate Students
Our highly selected PhD students are an intricate part of the learning and teaching experience here in the Department of Political Science. Our graduate students conduct research, teach courses and work closely with various faculty members and students throughout the department. Visit our PhD Students page to learn more about our current students.
Graduate Students On the Market
Our recent PhD candidates are on the job market. Here is brief information about each:
