EIU Department of Master of Arts in Political Science

Online: M.A. in Political Science with an Option in Public Administration & Public Policy

Our online program offers an MA in Political Science with an Option in Public Administration and Public Policy. We provide a flexible program for students seeking employment in the following types of careers:

• State, local, and regional government agencies
• Non-profit and civic management/leadership
• City/urban planning and economic development
• Public policy research
• Private sector governmental relations
• Protective services administration
• Budget analysis
• Human resource management

We offer a full range of courses so that students can complete their M.A. in two semesters and one summer. Students who require a different pace can take just one course per semester--the choice is up to the student! You can start in fall, spring, or summer terms.

Interested in completing the program in one year? More information and a degree plan can be found here.

Our online courses are taught by Political Science faculty at EIU. We are accessible on campus, via email/video-chat, and via phone. We offer the same mentoring and opportunities to online students as our face-to-face students. Internships and independent studies are encouraged.

Students in the online option who live near EIU's campus can also mix and match their study plan, taking electives that are face-to-face, or taking international relations classes to add a global dimension to their study plans. Online students who can visit campus daily are also eligible for graduate assistantships.

Our students represent a wide variety of backgrounds. Many students have undergraduate degrees in Political Science, but we also have students with degrees such as History, Sociology, Psychology, Economics, English, Communications, Journalism, and General Studies. Our students are diverse in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, ideology, and class.

Learn more about course requirements here.