Joint Bachelor/Master’s Program
Any political science major, pursuing either the BA or BS degree, with a GPA of 3.4 or better, who has accumulated at least 90 hours toward the undergraduate degree, or who is on the verge of doing so, and who has taken at least one 400-level political science course at ASU can be considered for admission into the joint program. The Division of Graduate Studies has approved a plan whereby undergraduates can "share" credits for both their undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students can count one 400-level course and two 500-level courses as credit hours for both degrees. Using this system of shared credits, we fully expect undergraduates to be able to complete both degrees in five years.
A student in her senior year, for example, can take nine (9) credit hours of approved coursework that will be shared between the bachelor's and master's degrees. Those courses will give the student nine credits toward her bachelor's and nine toward her master's. We imagine that a student might take the shared 400-level course and one shared 500-level seminar in the fall and two 500-level seminars, one of them shared, in the spring. Of course, the shared hours can be divided by the student in any way that is advantageous to him or her.
Having completed the BA or BS degree, the student is then admitted into our graduate program. At this point, students will have completed enough courses to be able to complete their master's degree in one academic year. Students are only eligible for research or teaching assistantships, health insurance, financial aid, or graduate awards once they have completed the undergraduate degree and are admitted into the graduate program.
To apply for the five-year program students complete the department's graduate application, available in our Graduate Office or online (see below), no later than the spring semester before their senior year. That application will include a statement of purpose, a transcript, a writing sample, and three letters of recommendation. At least two of those letters must be written by members of our political science faculty. In the statement of purpose students should identify a faculty member who will serve as an advisor for their work during their senior year. Applicants must also apply to the Division of Graduate Studies (DGS). For details on their application process, please visit the DGS website at http://www.asu.edu/graduate/admissions/index.html. Students applying for the five-year program do not need to take the Graduate Record Exam.
Because the number of places available in the fall will be limited, prospective applicants should consult with a faculty member or department advisor as early as possible to learn how to enhance their chances for acceptance.
Forms for applying to the BA/MA Program of the Department of Political Science.
- Application Form (.rtf)
- Letter of Recommendation Form (.rtf)
The Deadline for Submission of Applications is April 16, 2008