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The primary aim of our program is to foster an understanding of government and politics in general and also to promote the development of analytic and other scholarly skills. Our view of the discipline is broad and, in some respects traditional. We encourage students first to acquire a good foundation in basic course work and the tradition of political discourse along with some exposure to the many subfields of political science before pursuing more specialized interests. Those interested in more specialized programs should consult the Master's in Public Policy and Administration, the Master's in Business Administration, and the International Affairs degree programs. At the same time, we try to keep our program flexible enough to meet individual student needs. Our students come from a great variety of backgrounds (undergraduate majors have ranged from government to chemistry, ages from 21 to 65, occupations from lawyer to gardener). They have a variety of interests and a variety of goals. Our program is of special value to teachers of government in the public schools, to persons who contemplate public service or politics as a career, and to persons planning additional graduate study leading to the doctorate. To the extent we can, we try to tailor each program to each student. So while we encourage breadth, our structure is loose enough to allow room for specialization. In addition, we allow a student the opportunity partially to "create" his/her own program by taking up to six units of special study (Government 299), by taking up to six units in related disciplines (such as economics, history, business or psychology), and, of course, by doing his/her own research project in the form of a Master's Thesis. Another option we offer is the practical application of an internship work experience–-in the state capital!
Admission as a classified graduate student in Government requires:
Applicants who have deficiencies on admission requirements, whose qualifications are otherwise acceptable, may be granted conditional or deferred status while they take coursework to remove these deficiencies. All such courses are treated as prerequisites and cannot be counted towards the degree requirement.
Applications are accepted as long as room for new students exists. However, students are strongly urged to apply by April 1 for the following fall or November 1 for the following spring in order to allow time for admission before the registration deadline. All prospective graduate students, including CSUS graduates, must file the following with the CSUS Admissions Office:
Applicants are urged to contact the Graduate Coordinator to introduce themselves and discuss admission and the program. Approximately six weeks after receipt of all items listed above, a decision regarding admission will be mailed to the applicant from the graduate studies department.
The Master of Arts in Government requires completion of 30 units of course work with a minimum 3.0 grade point average and no grade below a C (not a C-). An outline of degree requirements follows. Required Courses (15 units)
Other Course Requirements (12 units) Four additional courses which may be completed from graduate seminars in the Department, from 200-level courses in related fields (6 units allowed with Graduate Coordinator's prior approval), from Government 295 (3 units allowed) and/or from Government 299 (6 units allowed). However, a maximum of 6 units of Government 295 and/or 299 may be applied to the M.A. Students must be advanced to candidacy before they can enroll in Government 295 and Government 299. Of these twelve units, up to six units may be in 100-level courses within the Government Department, chosen from a pre-approved list compiled by the Graduate Coordinator. Up to 6 units of coursework from the graduate fellows programs (Assembly Fellow, Executive Fellow or Senate Associates Program) can be counted towards the degree. Each student must choose to emphasize two of the following four fields: Political Theory
American Government/Public Law/Public Policy
International Relations/Comparative Government
California State and Local Government
Upper division undergraduate courses (100-level courses) which may be used toward the M.A. program must be individually approved by the Graduate Coordinator and will involve an additional work component over-and-above what is required for undergraduate students. A list of approved 100-level courses will be available semester-by-semester.
By the time of Advancement to Candidacy, students must enroll in Government 500 and choose either of the following options:
Students are not permitted to enroll in the culminating requirement until they have Advanced to Candidacy, obtained a sponsor for their thesis or exams, and received the approval of the Graduate Coordinator. Because many graduate students work during the day, most graduate courses are offered in the late afternoon and evening hours.
The CSUS Government M.A. does not require a foreign language. Students who plan to seek admission to a Ph.D. program are advised, however, that many still impose a foreign language requirement on all students and most Ph.D. programs now impose a quantitative techniques requirement as well. Thus, the recommendation students take a course in statistics.
Each student must file an application for Advancement to Candidacy, indicating a proposed program of graduate study. This procedure should begin as soon as the classified graduate student has:
The Graduate Coordinator advises all prospective and incoming students. Once a student is established in the program, his/her adviser is his/her major professor (that is, the professor he/she works most closely with and who supervises his/her thesis or comprehensive exams).
The Department of Government is unable to provide financial assistance to its graduate students. Graduate students are eligible, however, to apply for the Douglas McDaniel Memorial Scholarhsip, the Livingston Fellowship, and the Donald R. Gerth Scholarship in Political Science which are available to be awarded each year. Students seeking assistance should contact the CSUS Financial Aid Office.
All graduate degree programs are subject to general University requirements for graduate degrees, explained in the "Graduate Studies" section of the CSUS Catalog. The Office of Research and Graduate Studies also has published the Guide to Graduate Studies: The Official CSUS Guide to Policies, Procedures and Format. This is available at the Hornet Bookstore. For more information on the graduate degree program contact: California
State University, Sacramento Jim Cox Carolann Forseth
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