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Public Service

This sequence is designed for Master’s degree candidates in Political Science who wish to prepare themselves for employment in the public sector, particularly at the state and local level. The Public Service Concentration includes course work relevant to the goal of working in governmental and not-for-profit agencies. This sequence differs in several ways from the typical Public Administration program offered by other Illinois universities.  First, it is grounded in a comprehensive program of Political Science as a whole, rather than being a narrow, vocationally-oriented course of study.  Second, it includes a focus on the relationships between different levels and sectors of government.

Required Courses for the Public Service Sequence

  • POL 421 Seminar in State and Local Politics (3)
  • POL 431 Seminar in Public Administration (3)
  • 12 hours must be selected from among the following courses: 313, 318, 323, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 411, 412, 422, 432, 433, and 498
  • Students must also fulfill the general requirements of the Master’s degree in Political Science including at least 15 credit hours in departmental 400 level seminars including POL 497 or POL 461.

This sequence may be completed by either the thesis or comprehensive examination option, both of which require 32 hours.