Program Overview
The fall semester is based on campus, with students taking four regularly offered graduate-level courses. Students must take GOVT-501 (Analysis of Political Data), GOVT-520 (Approaches & Topics in US Politics), and two additional graduate-level courses in American Politics.
In the spring semester, students take three additional American politics graduate courses, as well as the integrated MA Capstone seminar (GOVT-521). Students also work in their internship assignment in Washington, and begin to plan their major Practicum paper.
In the summer, the Practicum becomes the primary experience of the students, as they work 30 hours per week in their internship, continuing their MA Capstone Seminar (intersession semester) and taking a Practicum Paper Writing Seminar (first summer semester), which culminates in the submission of their Practicum papers in Mid-July. Students sit for a comprehensive exam in Mid-June.
Mission Statement
The goal of the MA Program in American Government is to prepare students to be effective leaders in careers in the government sector broadly defined, including federal and state governments, non-profits, political organizations, the media, education, academia, think tanks and government-related private industry.
Students who complete the program will be able to
• Understand and explain historical context of U.S. politics including the Constitution, the development of government and political institutions and contemporary political developments.
• Understand and critique theoretical approaches to major facets of American politics including the presidency, Congress, the judicial branch, federalism, bureaucracy, race, gender, public opinion and political behavior
• Analyze data effectively up to the level of regression analysis
• Write clearly
• Discuss complex ideas in both theoretical and professional context
Learning Goals
In coursework and work experiences students will
• Identify theories with scholars and schools of thought as appropriate graduate study
• Apply theories to varied situations, including contemporary politics and work experiences
• Use experience in government sector to apply, refine and critique general theories
• Use data in an appropriate manner
• Critique data analysis in academic and policy realms
• Be familiar with foundational information sources in American politics including
- Data on Presidency: presidential archives
- Data on Congress: Contemporary voting, legislation and votes, historical voting data, campaign finance data
- Data on the Supreme Court: Cases and votes
- Data on public opinion: American National Election Studies, General Social Survey
• Be able to write a scholarly paper that develops and defends a clearly articulated thesis
• Be able to write a policy brief that distills complex ideas into short memo appropriate for a busy policy maker