Political Science (Graduate Program)

For information regarding the UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM, click here.  

Program Overview

Established in 1908, LSU’s Department of Political Science has a distinguished tradition. The faculty have included internationally recognized scholars, a president of the American Political Science Association, three presidents of the Southern Political Science Association, several Fulbright Scholars, editors of such academic journals as Journal of Politics and American Politics Quarterly, a program director of the National Science Foundation, and two members of the National Council on the Humanities. Many of these scholars are still on our faculty, and they and others serve on the editorial boards of leading political science journals. The faculty in the department have exhibited a high level of scholarly productivity. Recent professional surveys have placed the LSU Department of Political Science among the top 30 most productive departments nationwide in terms of faculty publication in the discipline’s leading journals over the recent decades.

The Department’s graduate program is comprehensive; hence, specialization is possible in many aspects of political science, including American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and political methodology. Specific programs of study, including minor fields, can be developed to meet the needs and interests of the individual student. Because graduate study involves both individual research and coursework, emphasis is placed on close consultation between faculty and students. The department’s graduate students have published their research in leading scholarly journals and presented their research at major political science conferences, both in collaboration with faculty and individually.

Administration

Political Science as a Minor

MA Requirements

A minor in political science consists of six hours of coursework with an average of 3.0 or better. Coursework should be limited to one field of political science.

PhD Requirements

A minor in political science consists of twelve hours of coursework, with an average grade of 3.0 or better. Coursework will normally be limited to a single field of political science. Permission may be granted to offer courses in more than one field if, in the opinion of the minor professor, it would serve the student’s particular needs.

Admission

Applications and supporting materials for all graduate study must be submitted through the online application site for the LSU Graduate School. Official transcripts, official test scores, and other materials that come from third-party sources must be mailed to: Graduate Admissions, 114 West David Boyd Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. These paper documents are stored electronically and departments have access to all materials submitted by and/or on behalf of a student applying to graduate study.

Applications for admission are received and evaluated by the department throughout the year, with a February 15 deadline for applicants seeking funding to begin study the following fall. Applicants must adhere to the application deadlines established by the Graduate School. Students seeking admission must submit satisfactory credentials from previous study, acceptable GRE scores, and three letters of recommendation from faculty who are familiar with their academic work. International students whose native language is not English must also submit an acceptable TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score. Students who have a less extensive background in Political Science (e.g., fewer than 18 undergraduate credit hours in Political Science) may be offered provisional admission and asked to complete several undergraduate courses, perhaps concurrently with introductory graduate courses, before full admission.

Financial Assistance

The department offers a number of graduate assistantships and fellowships. Department assistantships presently provide $14,000 per year and a waiver of tuition; students are responsible for paying required university fees. No separate application is necessary to be considered for a departmental assistantship. To ensure consideration for financial aid, all application materials should be submitted by February 15 and in accordance with deadlines established by the LSU Graduate School.

Graduate Faculty

(check current listings by department by clicking this link) 

Programs

• Political Science, Ph.D.

• Political Science, M.A.