Political Science Accelerated Master's Program (4+1)
Earn the undergraduate and master's degrees in 5 years instead of 6.
Accelerated Master's Program
The Department of Political Science offers students with excellent academic records the opportunity to apply for admission to an accelerated five-year B.A./M.A. degree program. This program requires that students apply in the spring of their junior year. Admitted students then take graduate-level POL courses in their senior year working toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees in an expedited, five-year program. The Graduate School labels this program: GradSHARK Launch PAAD (Program for Accelerated Advanced Degrees)
Why a Master’s degree?
A master’s degree makes you more competitive in the job market, helps you more easily gain promotions into management and leadership, and earn a higher salary. It dramatically reinforces the benefits of being a life-long learner with improved core skills of research, analysis, and communication, allowing you to more easily tackle complex projects in all areas of your life.
Earnings and Unemployment Rates by Educational Attainment, 2023
For many, earning a master’s degree is a decision about the return on investment for the time and money to earn a graduate degree. With our accelerated program, we shave a year off tuition and time from the typical path towards the master’s degree, making it a great return on investment!
| Type of Degree | Median Weekly Earnings ($) | Unemployment rate (%) |
| Doctoral | 2,109 | 1.6 |
| Professional | 2,206 | 1.2 |
| Master's | 1,737 | 2.0 |
| Bachelor's | 1,493 | 2.2 |
| Associate's | 1,058 | 2.7 |
| Some College | 992 | 3.3 |
| High School diploma | 899 | 3.9 |
| Less Than High School | 708 | 5.6 |
Meet a Political Science 4+1 Alumna
Madison earned her BA degree in May 2021 in both Political Science and Spanish, and completed her MA degree in Political Science in 2022. “As a freshman I already knew I wanted to pursue a master’s degree because my mother has her master’s and I knew the value of that degree. The program made it easy to plug in the right courses and achieve the accelerated master’s degree.”
Madison Hamilton
Senior Data Analyst, Triangulum Insights
Explore Everything the Political Science 4+1 Has to Offer
Requirements
- Political Science major
- At least 90 undergraduate credit hours earned before enrollment in the Accelerated Master's Program
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
Students must be accepted into the Launch PAAD and complete the requisite GradSHARK Launch PAAD Course Enrollment Form for this degree. The form must be received by the Graduate School prior to the start of the spring semester of junior year.
The form requires approval from your Undergraduate Advisor and the Graduate Program Coordinator for Political Science. Accepted students should notify the Graduate School (via the Graduate Program Coordinator) and the Course Instructor to ensure that they are assigned graduate-level work in the 500-level courses to earn graduate-level credit.
During each subsequent term, students must submit a new enrollment form for this program if they wish to take courses that can count towards a graduate degree.
Master's level students select a major field of study and a minor field of study, chosen from American, Comparative, or International Relations.
500-Level Courses Offered
- POL 550 Research in Politics
- POL 551 Empirical Political Analysis
- POL 552 Applied Political Research
- POL 500 Seminar in American Politics
- POL 523 Theories of Comparative Political Analysis
- POL 531 Seminar in International Relations
- POL 598 Special Topics in Political Science
Program Timeline
| Year & Semester | Tasks & Courses |
|---|---|
| Junior Year | Spring Semester:
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| Year 1 (Senior Year) | Fall Semester:
Spring Semester:
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| Year 2 (MA Degree) | Fall Semester:
Spring Semester:
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Enrollment Form
Students must be accepted into the Launch PAAD and complete the requisite GradSHARK Launch PAAD Course Enrollment Form for this degree. The form must be received by the Graduate School prior to the start of the spring semester of junior year.
GradSHARK Launch PAAD Enrollment Form
Meet Your Academic Advisor
Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about the Political Science Program for Accelerated Advanced Degrees.
Rachael Jones
Academic Counselor
Meet the Program Directors
Sue Skipworth
- Instructional Associate Professor of Political Science and Assistant Chair
Benjamin Jones
- Associate Professor of Political Science and Graduate Program Coordinator