An online master’s in political science is a graduate degree in the analysis of government, political behavior, and public law. Most are titled MA in Political Science or MA in Political Science and Government; some departments offer a concentration in American politics, international relations, public law, or political methodology. It sits between two neighbors that are easy to confuse with it: the MPP, which trains policy analysis and evaluation, and the MPA, which trains public management. The MA is the academic one. Choose it when you want the discipline itself, not the applied professional degree.
This page explains how these programs are structured, who they are designed for, how the MA differs from professional alternatives, and what to compare across schools.
Quick answers
What is an online master’s in political science?
It is a graduate program that develops advanced knowledge of political institutions and behavior plus the research methods used to study them. Coursework typically combines subfield seminars with a required methods sequence, ending in a thesis or a capstone research project.
What is the difference between an MA, an MPP, and an MPA?
The MA in political science is the academic degree: theory, comparative institutions, and research methods. The MPP is a professional degree in policy analysis and program evaluation, heavier on economics and statistics. The MPA is a professional management degree covering budgeting, personnel, and public organizations. Hiring managers in agencies and consultancies read those three differently, so pick by the work you want.
Do I need a political science bachelor’s to be admitted?
Usually not. Most programs admit from any undergraduate field and look for evidence you can handle graduate reading and quantitative work. Applicants without prior statistics coursework are sometimes admitted with a prerequisite to complete first. Ask the department directly.
Is a master’s required to work as a political scientist?
For the occupation itself, effectively yes. The roles BLS counts as political scientists sit mostly in federal agencies, research organizations, and policy institutes, and they generally require a master’s or a doctorate. The occupation employed 6,500 people in 2024 and is projected to decline 3.1 percent through 2034, with about 500 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). It is a small, competitive market.
Is the MA a step toward a PhD?
It can be. A thesis-track MA with strong methods coursework is a credible bridge into a doctoral program, particularly for applicants whose undergraduate record is uneven. If the PhD is the plan, choose a thesis option and work with faculty who publish in your subfield. A terminal, non-thesis MA is a weaker signal for doctoral admissions.
How long does a master’s take?
Calendars vary by school and by enrollment intensity. Confirm total credits, whether a thesis adds terms, and whether the methods sequence has prerequisites, rather than assuming a single national timeline.
At a Glance
- Degree type: MA in Political Science or Political Science and Government; concentrations by subfield
- Typical duration: Varies by school, thesis option, and enrollment intensity – confirm the catalog
- Admissions: Bachelor’s degree in any field; statistics coursework helps and is sometimes required
- Capstone: Thesis, comprehensive examination, or applied research project depending on the track
- Accreditation: No programmatic accreditor for political science; verify institutional accreditation
Schools to compare
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most
recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS).
To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the
U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked
against schools at the same credential level:
BOCSCORE
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$124,080
Avg net price
$13,807/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 100
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
11%
Graduation rate
93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$92,446
Avg net price
$13,481/yr
TuitionIn‑state$16,347
Out‑of‑state$50,547
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 127
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$71,588
Avg net price
$6,541/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 172
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
98%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$110,066
Avg net price
$6,128/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 47
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
7%
Graduation rate
95%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$82,735
Avg net price
$14,398/yr
TuitionIn‑state$67,832
Out‑of‑state$67,832
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 40
Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher Education · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$88,665
Avg net price
$17,716/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 38
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 28
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$143,372
Avg net price
$20,111/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 99%
- Programs offered: 53
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Typical topics in a master’s program
| Course Topic |
What You Learn |
| Advanced Research Design |
Causal inference, case selection, measurement validity, and what a given design can and cannot show |
| Quantitative Methods |
Regression, categorical models, and analysis of political and survey data in statistical software |
| American Political Institutions |
Congressional behavior, executive power, bureaucratic politics, and judicial decision making |
| Comparative Politics Seminar |
Regime change, institutional design, and cross-national explanation |
| International Relations Theory |
Security, cooperation, international political economy, and international law |
| Political Theory Seminar |
Close reading of canonical and contemporary normative arguments |
| Public Law and Administrative Process |
Constitutional doctrine, rulemaking, and judicial review of agency action |
| Thesis or capstone research |
An original study carried from question to defensible finding under a faculty advisor |
MA vs professional degrees, in practice
Choose the MA if you want the discipline: theory, comparative institutions, and the methods to test claims about them. It suits people heading toward doctoral study, research roles, teaching at the community-college level, intelligence and defense analysis, and analytic work where the employer values general research capability over a specific management toolkit.
Choose the MPP if the work is analyzing options and evaluating programs, and choose the MPA if the work is running the organization. Both are professional degrees and both can be accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration. That accreditation does not extend to the political science MA, and its absence is not a defect in an MA – it simply is not the same kind of degree.
Be realistic about the academic path. Political science teachers, postsecondary, earned a median annual wage of $98,070 – the 10th percentile was $56,450 and the 90th was $174,660 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). The occupation employed 21,800 people in 2024 and is projected to grow 2.0 percent through 2034, with about 1,600 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Tenure-track positions generally require a PhD, so an MA alone points toward adjunct and community-college teaching rather than a faculty career.
Skills and outcomes to compare
Outcomes vary by program, but you can compare:
- Whether the methods sequence is required and how far it goes past introductory statistics
- Which software the program teaches, and whether you will produce analysis you can show
- Whether a thesis option exists and how advisors are assigned
- Which subfields have enough faculty to supervise research, not only to teach a survey
- Whether a comprehensive examination replaces the thesis, and what that means for doctoral applications
- Whether the program supports federal or agency employment, including any security-clearance pathways
- Whether faculty publish in the subfield they teach
For pacing and delivery comparisons, see: How Online Political Science Degrees Work
How to compare online master’s programs
- Identify the degree type: MA in political science, or a professional MPP or MPA that happens to share faculty.
- Read the required core and confirm the methods sequence is substantive rather than a single overview course.
- Match the subfield to faculty who are actually supervising research in it.
- Decide between thesis, capstone, and comprehensive-examination tracks based on where you are going next.
- Ask how seminars run online: live discussion, structured asynchronous debate, or recorded lectures with a discussion board.
- Confirm whether any residency or in-person examination is required before treating the program as fully remote.
- Verify recognized institutional accreditation through the U.S. Department of Education database.
No accreditor evaluates political science master’s programs specifically. Institutional accreditation is the check that matters. A master’s does not confer a federal job, a research post, or a faculty position, and the occupation that carries the political scientist title is small and projected to shrink.
Admissions requirements
Requirements vary by school, but most programs require a completed bachelor’s degree in any field. Common elements include transcripts, a statement of purpose, a resume or curriculum vitae, and letters of recommendation. Many programs also want a writing sample, which for this field means an analytic paper with citations and an argument, not a personal essay. Standardized test scores are increasingly optional; ask admissions what they actually weigh.
Two field-specific notes. First, quantitative preparation matters more than applicants expect. If you have no statistics on your transcript, say how you plan to handle the methods sequence. Second, if you intend to apply to doctoral programs later, tell the department now, because thesis supervision and faculty recommendations are the parts of the MA that carry weight in that application.
Master’s vs a bachelor’s pathway
A bachelor’s in political science is a broad analytic credential that reaches analyst, coordinator, communications, compliance, and government administration roles. A master’s is for people who need advanced methods, subfield depth, a research credential for federal or institute work, or a bridge to a doctorate. It is not a general employability upgrade. Management analysts, one of the largest destinations for graduates at either level, earned a median annual wage of $101,860 with 98,100 openings a year and 8.8 percent projected growth (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS; BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034), and many of those roles hire on experience rather than on the graduate degree.
Compare degree options:
For a value and fit discussion, see: Is an Online Political Science Degree Worth It. If the work you want is policy analysis or public management rather than the discipline itself, see the Public Policy Program Guide and the Public Administration Program Guide instead.
Data verified: September 5, 2026.
Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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