Whether you're preparing to apply to a top-ranked Ph.D. program or aiming to kickstart a career in government, law, or the non-profit sector, our Master's Degree program in Political Science (MS) is designed to help you advance your future goals in the world of politics.
The program has been intentionally and thoughtfully designed to be a safe place for students to explore graduate level political science scholarship and is customizable to meet individual interests and needs. For those pursuing the PSMS as a terminal degree, or for students who simply want to add real-world political experience to their graduate education, we have a top-notch internship program that has long-standing relationships with city, regional, state, and federal offices, as well as many local, national, and international NGOs. Our graduate students have the option of doing internships for credit during their second year-professional opportunities that often lead to full-time jobs after graduation.
For students who aspire to earn their doctorate and become political science professors, our program excels and specializes in preparing students to be admitted to and succeed in a top-ranked Ph.D. program. From day one, you will receive instruction in the discipline's key theories and research methods, learn the realities of the academic profession, and begin developing expertise in one or several political science subdisciplines: American Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Political Theory. Because the program is relatively small, our top-notch faculty are able to give personalized attention to each graduate student, offering advice and lending insight as needed.
We are proud to have alumni of our MS in Political Science accepted with full funding at numerous prestigious doctoral programs, including Northwestern University, University of Michigan, Emory, Cornell, and the University of Washington. In addition, our alumni have gone on to thrive in full-time jobs at Mercy Corps, the Portland City Council, the U.S. State Department, and Senator Jeff Merkley's office, just to name a few.
Even if you don't have a perfect academic record, Portland State University's political science master's program is a place where you can explore, grow, and learn from top-notch faculty in a welcoming environment. Simultaneously, it's a place for real scholarship and academic rigor. Make no mistake, this program will challenge you and hold you to a high standard, but we'll be with you every step of the way.