Overview

Why Choose Political Science at WIU?

The graduate program in Political Science at Western Illinois University provides educational and career opportunities in at least four broad fields: (1) government employment, (2) legal training, (3) teaching, and (4) international relations.

Government Employment – Roughly one-sixth of the labor force in the United States works for the government, either at the local, state, or federal levels. The Political Science graduate program can prepare students for many governmental positions, including administrative officer, budget analyst, city manager, city planner, environmental management specialist, and criminal investigator. In addition, the MA degree in Political Science provides preparation for persons seeking positions with interest groups that represent diverse issues before the government.
Careers in Law – A degree in Political Science is a typical career path component in preparation for law school. Many Political Science undergraduate and graduate students attend law school upon completion of their degrees. Indeed, as a curriculum, students in law schools have long ranked Political Science as the number one most popular major.
Careers in Teaching – Political science is an integral part of the curriculum of high schools, colleges, and universities. Moreover, in most states, courses in American government and civics are mandated in all public and private schools within their respective jurisdictions. It is not surprising that many of our graduates are teaching at the secondary level, while others, after completing graduate degrees, teach in colleges and universities.
Careers in International Relations – For students interested in careers in international and comparative politics and business, opportunities are expanding as countries become increasingly interdependent. Our graduates have been successful in securing positions with the U.S. State Department, the Department of Defense, international organizations, and multinational corporations.

Possible Careers

Budget analyst
Campaign consultant
City manager
City planner
Community college instructor
Elected official
Federal executive
Foreign service officer
International aid worker
Legislative or Congressional staffer
Policy analyst

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Seminar in Organization Theory and Behavior

Public Administration

Seminar in American Politics

Seminar in American Political Thought

Scope and Methods of Political Science

Comparative Government and Politics

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-13 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-08-25 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-04-01 00:00:00 , International

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

105

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Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Macomb, United States

Disciplines

Political Science View 296 other Masters in Political Science in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

2.7

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

105

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

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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.

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98 accuracy using real exam data
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Other requirements

General requirements

Applicants for admission to the School of Graduate Studies must hold a bachelor's degree from an institution that is accredited by the appropriate U.S. Department of Education regional institutional accrediting agency.
Applicants usually apply for admission to a degree program simultaneously with admission to the School of Graduate Studies.
If the applicant meets the minimum admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies, a copy of the application materials is forwarded to the program of interest for consideration.

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

23640 USD / year

≈ 23640 USD / year
Out-of-State

11820 USD / year

≈ 11820 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

11820 USD / year

≈ 11820 USD / year

Living costs

Macomb

United States

1100 - 1500 USD / month

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

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

Possible Careers

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

Macomb

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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