Politics and Global Affairs Frequently Asked Questions

No, although our degree includes many online and hybrid course options it is not set up for fully online students. Students will most likely need to take some in-person courses over the course of the degree completion. However, the minors in Political Science and International & Global Studies could be completed fully online with careful planning.

The following courses will transfer towards PSU requirements within PGA Majors. 

Notes and Benchmarks 
1. PS 101 or PS 102 is required, but not both
2. An additional 4 credits of lower-division Political Science electives are allowed for the major. 
3. Students interested in transferring to PSU can also take courses at their community colleges to satisfy the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science requirements (see Transfer and Returning Students Resources for more information).

The International & Global Studies - International Development track (52 credits) prepares students to understand the challenges that developing nations face to achieve improved living conditions for their inhabitants by focusing on intersections of politics, economy, social and political power, and culture at global, national, and regional levels. The Political Science - International Development track ( 56 credits) involves questions of global governance, international and development economics, foreign aid and humanitarian assistance, poverty reduction and human development, sustainable development, and international and intergenerational justice. Both majors involve a set of core courses and a wide range of electives. The International & Global Studies major is slightly more interdisciplinary, while the Political Science major draws a bit more from the field of political science and requires a 4 credit research project or professional internship in addition to coursework. 

While there is not one defined career path, graduates from our Political Science and International & Global Studies programs have a wide range of job prospects both locally and across the world. Completing an internship or obtaining a relevant part-time job can only boost your job prospects after graduation, and we offer a top-notch internship program that helps students find placements that fit their academic and career interests. 
International & Global Studies alumni have gotten jobs with:

• Private-sector employers, including multi-national businesses,
• Aid organizations such as the International Red Cross,
• Nonprofits and NGOs focused on issues ranging from health to education, environment, food systems, gender rights, sustainability, and more,
• Business incubators and trade organizations,
• Government agencies and grassroots organizations, with a focus on international affairs,
• Journalism and media organizations. 

Political Science graduates have found employment in: 

• Business, 
• All levels of government, 
• Political campaigns, 
• Nonprofits, 
• Social services, 
• The legal field, 
• Educational institutions.  

Many of our alumni also go on to graduate programs in various fields including Political Science, International Affairs, Business, Law, Urban Studies, Public Health, etc. To read more about PGA Career Paths, please visit the Political Science, International and Global Studies and Law and Legal Studies Careers Pages. 

Prospective students are welcome to contact our Academic Advisors with questions about the programs offered by Politics and Global Affairs, PSU degree requirements, and transfer courses. PSU Admissions counsellors can answer questions about the application and admission process to Portland State University and the various resources available to students on campus. PSU Financial Aid counsellors can help you understand the cost and financial aid options for your degree. Our department staff can be reached at pga@pdx.edu and can help you find more information. 

Current students who have questions about their coursework and degree completion should meet with their assigned Academic Advisor, and those who want to learn more about career and graduate school pathways are welcome to meet with a faculty member of their choosing. Questions about course waivers, substitutions, and exceptions are handled jointly by the Academic Advisors and the Department Chair. 

A limited number of scholarships are available to undergraduate students. Explore Scholarship Opportunities here. 

No. Our program is structured as a cohort model, so we admit students to start their Master's in Political Science degree in Fall quarter only. Our priority consideration date is February 15th and the final application deadline is April 15th for the Fall term of that calendar year. Late applications may be possible on a case-by-case basis (contact the Graduate Director for more information).

You should receive an email notification from the Office of Graduate Studies within 3 to 5 weeks of the application deadlines (either February 15th for priority consideration or April 15th for final deadline). The final decision to admit, however, is contingent on the receipt and verification of application materials by PSU's Office of Admissions and the Office of Graduate Studies.

Yes. If you are admitted to the Master's in Political Science graduate program but cannot attend during the term of admission, you may defer your admission for up to one calendar year. It is critical, however, that you contact the Department to request that your admission be updated to another term. If you do not request a deferral, PSU will cancel your admission and you will have to reapply the following year.

A limited number of previous graduate course credits can be considered for transfer. "Pre-admission credits" are those received for coursework taken prior to admission to the Master's in Political Science, including courses taken at PSU or another institution. "Transfer credits" are those received for course work taken at any institution at any time. The limit on pre-admission credits and transfer credits is 16, which is normally four courses. Students who would like to transfer credits from other programs are encouraged to meet with the Department’s Graduate Director prior to June 15th of the year of their admission into the program.

Graduate Assistants (GAs) perform academic duties such as research assistance which could include literature review, data collection, data analysis, or other clerical and administrative tasks. Some GAs serve as teaching assistants or mentors to undergraduate students. A GA appointment is some fraction of an FTE (full-time employee), which determines the hours of work required per week and the amount of money offered through a tuition remission and stipend. For example, .30 FTE appointments equals 12 hours of work per week.

Yes. Students holding graduate assistantships may also be employed elsewhere within the university, provided the total number of hours worked do not exceed 20 hours per week (.49 FTE). For those working outside the university, the Department recommends that this same limit be observed. Being a full-time graduate student (9 credit hours) combined with a GA position is a commitment in both time and energy. Students are encouraged to seriously consider the time constraints of taking on too much when considering additional work.

Yes. GA positions are contingent on satisfactory progress toward the degree as well as satisfactory job performance. Because GAs must be registered for, and satisfactorily complete, at least 9 credits of coursework during each term of their appointment, incomplete coursework or low grades may jeopardize the student's eligibility for an assistantship. The loss of a GA appointment does not, in itself, affect the student's standing in the degree program though poor academic standing can also affect a student’s ability to continue in the program.

No, but this does not mean you will go without an introduction to PSU and our program! We view the orientation as critically important to student success; so important, in fact, that we made the orientation into an entire class: PS 590 Introduction to Graduate School. This required class offered in fall quarter is essentially an extended orientation. We've found that by spreading it out (rather than having it on a single day), students are both better able to absorb the information and it's a great way to build community among the incoming cohort.

If students maintain full-time enrollment, taking 9 or more credit hours per term, the Master's degree can be comfortably completed in two years. If you attend part-time, it is important to enroll in and pay for at least one credit hour per academic year (three-terms) in order to maintain your enrollment status. Students should also keep in mind that after seven years, credits are considered out-of-date and cannot be applied toward the Master's degree unless they are revalidated, a process that involves paying a fee and passing an exam.

The Department’s Graduate Director and our faculty advisors will help steer you to courses that fit your interests, meet the degree requirements, and provide a good understanding of the discipline. Portland State University provides an online tool called DARS to assist you in tracking your progress toward the degree.

To maintain full-time status, graduate students should enroll in 9 or more credit hours per term. Most graduate classes in the Political Science master's program are 4 credits. Therefore, students should plan to take between 3 and 4 courses per term. Students must enroll in at least 1 credit hour in the term that they defend their thesis, field project, or portfolio.

Graduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and a term GPA of at least 2.7 in order to remain in good academic standing. A student failing to meet these GPA requirements is placed on “academic probation” and must meet the minimum requirements after the next 9 credits of coursework taken. Students on academic probation may not hold graduate assistantships. Disqualification happens when a student on academic probation fails to achieve a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher once they have completed the next 9 graduate credits after beginning probation status; or when a student becomes subject to academic probation for a second time.

The final requirement for the degree is to complete a Master’s Thesis—an investigation demonstrating mastery of a topic in political science and the capacity to formulate an original argument, effectively communicated to an audience of one's peers. The thesis topic is chosen during the Spring term of the first year in consultation with the student's thesis advisor, who supervises the drafting of a thesis prospectus. The completed thesis is defended during the Spring term of the second year in an oral presentation laying out the purpose, implementation, and findings of the project, and making a case for its contribution to political science scholarship.

The Graduate Director initially advises all new students, in the academic year 2024-25 this position is held by Professor Melody Valdini. Students are assigned a faculty advisor after the completion of their first quarter in the program. Faculty advisors normally serve as the main source of information about the requirements of the program, how best to achieve your educational goals, and will serve as advisor for their thesis project. New students receive additional guidance from other faculty as well as they proceed through the program. Our staff in Politics and Global Affairs are a great source of information regarding administrative questions and can be reached at pga@pdx.edu.

Prospective students who have additional questions about our Political Science Master's program can contact our department at pga@pdx.edu, or contact our Graduate Director Dr. Melody Valdini. Our Graduate School Admissions office is also ready to answer your questions about the admissions process. Current Political Science Master's students should contact their assigned faculty advisor or our Graduate Director Dr. Melody Valdini with questions. Our staff in Politics and Global Affairs are a great source of information regarding administrative questions and can be reached at pga@pdx.edu.