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What does it cost?

Check out our cost calculator or visit student financial services for information on estimated costs.

How long will it take?

The M.A. in Political Science, Educator concentration, requires 30 course hours and can generally be completed in 3 to 4 semesters.

Where will I take classes?
Atlanta Campus, Online

All required classes to earn a degree can be completed online.

Application Deadlines View Admissions Requirements

  • Fall: Rolling Admissions. Final Deadline is July 1.
  • Spring: November 15
  • Summer: Does Not Normally Admit. Contact Program Director to See if Exceptions are Available.

Political Science, M.A. - Concentration in Political Science for Educators

Political Science

Talk to a faculty member
Louis-Alexandre Berg M.A. Program Director
[email protected]
404-413-6169

The Political Science Department at Georgia State offers an M.A. concentration in Political Science for Educators which can be completed fully online, fully in-person, or as a mix of the two.

  • Offered entirely online for elementary, middle and high school social studies teachers.
  • Degree can be completed during six seven-week minimesters, extending just 15 months with the majority of the work in the summers.
  • Exposes K-12 educators to cutting-edge research in political science.
  • Provides educators with the tools to engage their students in evidence-based conversations about democracy, citizenship and public policy.
  • All courses are taught by full-time faculty and emphasize interaction among students and professors.

This program is geared towards current teachers who want to advance in their profession rather than to pursue a doctorate. Also, it may be of interest to students contemplating a career in teaching or to current or former teachers seeking the qualifications to be an adjunct at the university level.

Taking the Next Steps

After completing the degree, current Georgia teachers working in districts using the traditional pay scale may be eligible to upgrade their certification status and receive a raise (see the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for more details). The degree also may help lead to an Advanced Professional Certificate. Teachers from other states also may be eligible for an upgrade after completing the degree and should check the professional standards in your home state.

VIEW CATALOG INFORMATION

Program Highlights

Why should you join us at Georgia State?

  • Mentorship and professional socialization. Our faculty members are active scholars and researchers who frequently coauthor with students on papers and participate in numerous events and colloquia.
  • Strong placement record. Our graduates go on to work at places like the Georgia Legislature and the Carter Center while our new Ph.D.s routinely secure tenure-track or high-level analyst positions.
  • Diversity. Our 29 full-time faculty members cover every region of the globe and every subfield in political science.
  • Methodological diversity. Students are trained in a broad mix of methods, from qualitative interviewing to experimental survey designs to hierarchical modeling.
  • Geographically diverse student population. Our students hail from across the U.S. and the globe.
  • Location in the heart of Atlanta. Numerous opportunities are available nearby to enrich your studies. Georgia State's downtown campus is within blocks of the Georgia Legislature, every level of state and federal courts in addition to the U.S. Supreme Court, numerous state and federal agencies, and the city is home to the headquarters of international organizations including CARE, Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center.

Atlanta Skyline

The Political Science Department In The News:

  • Dr. Chipo Dendere, a 2016 Political Science PhD graduate of GSU, has been appointed as an Assistant Professor at Wellesley College. Chipo was also elected… more »
  • Dr. Andrew Wedeman offered his testimony to the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) on Xi Jinping’s battle with corruption… more »
  • Georgia State Political Science 4+1 alumna, Martha Revelo, was among the team that led to a presidential electoral victory ending almost three decades of two-party rule… more »
  • Georgia State PhD Candidate in Political Science, Claudio Sandoval, has been appointed as the Ambassador of the Venezuelan Government in exile to Honduras. The appointment was… more »
  • Dr. Jennifer McCoy has been making several recent media appearances on national and international media outlets to analyze the Venezuelan ongoing crisis.… more »
  • Dr. Lakeyta M. Bonnette-Bailey finds a significant positive impact for the exposure to political rap on the agreement with Black feminist attitudes in a… more »
  • Amelia Hawkins, a former Political Science intern and ’16 alum at Georgia State University, has been named as Gov.-elect Brian Kemp’s Director of Executive Operations.… more »
Program Details

Applicants need to have received a B.A. or B.S. degree. The Department of Political Science asks applicants to submit the following:

  • Complete Online Graduate Application
  • Two letters of recommendation from persons who can authoritatively comment on your academic abilities
  • Transcripts from all graduate and/or undergraduate institutions attended
  • Statement of your research interests and how Georgia State University’s Political Science Department will help you meet your career and educational goals
  • Writing sample

The department seeks applicants with a history of strong academic achievement, clear interests and potential for excellence at the graduate level.

The degree program requires 30 credit hours.  To fulfill these, most students will take six 3-credit-hour courses in the substance of political science, one course in research methods, two courses in political science pedagogy (taught by faculty from Georgia State's College of Education), and will complete a capstone project.

Generally, the degree can be completed in three semesters, including summer, and it can be done either fully online or as a mix of online, hybrid, and in-person courses.  More details are available here: https://politicalscience.gsu.edu/home/graduate/degree-requirements/online-ma-in-political-science-for-k-12-educators/.

The goal of the program is to prepare students for careers in education. To that end, the program provides advanced training in American, Comparative, and International Politics, as well as opportunities to build skills in cutting-edge pedagogy.

Description

Careers

The educator concentration is designed for current or future social studies teachers at the high school or middle school levels.  After completing the degree, current Georgia teachers working in districts using the traditional pay scale may be eligible to upgrade their certification status and receive a raise (see the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for more details). The degree also may help lead to an Advanced Professional Certificate. Teachers from other states also may be eligible for an upgrade after completing the degree and should check the professional standards in your home state.

A list of some of our recent M.A. graduates can be found here: https://politicalscience.gsu.edu/home/graduate/placement-history/recent-m-graduates/  Profiles are some of our B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. graduates are available here:https://politicalscience.gsu.edu/connections/political-science-alumni-success-stories/

Contacts

Online Programs

404-413-4393
[email protected]

VISIT GEORGIA STATE ONLINE

Admissions and Curriculum Inquiries

Associate Graduate Director
Louis-Alexandre Berg
[email protected]
404-413-6602

Dr. Michael Fix
Graduate Director
[email protected]
404-413-6190

College of Arts & Sciences Lockup25 Park Pl NE #2500
Atlanta, GA 30303

The information shared here provides an overview of Georgia State’s offerings. For official details on admissions requirements, tuition, courses and more, refer to the university catalogs.