Political Science has proven to be an ever-relevant and ever-changing field, built off of aspects of many disciplines and culminating in providing a critical lens in examining the world. Students who pursue a Master's degree in Political Science may come from a variety of different academic backgrounds, but they all have the same goal.
Political Science graduate students are not only passionate about the real-life, aspects of the field, but eager to go in-depth on the theory, empirical methods, and research tools behind it. This can lead to exciting careers in public policy, international relations, education, law, and more. Many students elect to continue onto Doctor of Philosophy programs and then remain in academia or advanced research.
Options for Master of Arts degree in Political Science are plentiful, as the field has been a necessary form of analysis for the last few centuries. Universities have designed their Political Science graduate programs to prepare students with knowledge covering the entire breadth of the field, but with room for specialization. Graduates are also equipped with an understanding of research methods and the skills necessary to become leaders in the field.
As many MA programs are explicitly designed as Ph.D. preparation, it's important to take note of those programs who do not admit students for terminal masters (there are a few listed in our ranking). Regardless of whether or not students opt for doctoral programs, earning a Master's degree in Political Science is an important and bold step towards understanding the world with the knowledge and tools to influence it.
Selection Criteria
Best Value Schools publishes college degree rankings with the belief of how one's higher education should be, both, affordable and an investment of continued value for the students who pursue them. The staff of BVS collects data from reputable sources in order to calculate Net Price and the short and long-term value of every ranked degree. Collected data is simplified into weighted categories before scoring and then scaled through a BVS Score up to 100. The weighted categories are:
Degree Investment Return (25%)
Student & Alumni Evaluation (25%)
Cost Value (25%)
Matriculation (10%)
Academic Success (15%)
No matter what degree you decide on, we hope our research and support has made the selection process easier. There are numerous resources BVS utilizes to collect information on degrees, and we encourage you to check them out for yourself!
Here are the 35 Best Master's Degrees in Political Science!
Featured Online Programs
Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.
