Overview

The Political Science program of Virginia Tech covers all subfields of the discipline, and it prepares students for careers in academic life and government such as pursuing a doctoral degree in political science or entering a career in a public agency, non-profit organization or private research organization. Our graduates have taken professional positions in government agencies, and political organizations, and gone on to further study in the ASPECT program and other doctoral programs at Virginia Tech and elsewhere.

Why choose this program?

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Political Science was established in 1969. Currently the program enrolls 10 to 15 full-time students on campus each year, and approximately 60-70 off-campus in the online Master of Arts in Political Science Program (OLMA/PSCI).

The department's relatively small scale provides excellent opportunities for close student-faculty interaction in both the residential and online M.A. programs of study.

Our Blacksburg campus offers students the full services of the university, including an extensive library, technology support, and the Graduate Life Center for residential students.

Participants in the online Master of Arts program complete their course work over the Internet through asynchronously conducted online graduate courses.

Department faculty is drawn from outstanding universities around the United States and around the world, and the department has strong expertise in all major subfields of political science.

As active research scholars, members of the faculty regularly review research grants for major granting bodies in the U.S. and abroad, and serve as editors or on editorial boards of major peer-reviewed journals, including Administration & Society; Capitalism, Nature, Socialism; Critical Policy Studies; Congress and the Presidency; Fast Capitalism; International Political Sociology; the minnesota review; New Political Science; Peace Studies Journal; Presidential Studies Quarterly; Rhetoric & Public Affairs; and Telos.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Collaborative Governance and Civil Society

Contemporary Political Theory

Alternative Perspectives in Political Theory

Global Conflicts

Transnational Migration

Legislative Branch

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-05-27 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-05-01 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2026-07-08 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-06-01 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2026-08-26 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-01 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-01-21 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-01 00:00:00 , National
- Apply before 2026-09-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-05-27 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-07-08 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-02-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-08-26 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-04-01 00:00:00 , International

More details

For Online/Virtual Campus Only the deadlines are:

Spring: January 1
Summer I: May 1
Summer II: June 1
Fall: August 1

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

115

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TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

On Campus, Online

Campus Location

Blacksburg, United States

Disciplines

Political Science View 295 other Masters in Political Science in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

GRE^®

Required

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

115

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with minimum of 3.0 GPA

GRE Recommended

TOEFL/ IELTS (For all non-U.S. citizens or non-U.S. permanent residents)

Scanned copy of your college transcripts with your online application, then arrange for an official copy to be sent to us after you receive an offer of admission

Three letters of recommendation

A letter of interest (250-500 words) is required by the Department of Political Science along with your latest Curriculum Vitae

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

32622 USD / year

≈ 32622 USD / year
Out-of-State

32622 USD / year

≈ 32622 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

16232 USD / year

≈ 16232 USD / year

Living costs

Blacksburg

United States

1166 - 1906 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Political Science.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Why choose this program?

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Blacksburg

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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