2024-25 Academic Catalog

Political Science and Public Administration

Department Head: Dr. Brian Shoup
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Dragan Stanisevski

105 Bowen Hall
Box PC
Mississippi State, MS  39762
Telephone: 662-325-2711
E-mail: dstanisevski@pspa.msstate.edu
Website: http://www.pspa.msstate.edu

The Department of Political Science and Public Administration offers graduate study leading to the following degrees:

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Public Policy and Administration
  • Master of Public Policy and Administration (M.P.P.A.)
  • Master of Arts (M.A.) in Political Science

The department awards a limited number of graduate assistantships.

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Administration

Admission Criteria

A student admitted to the Ph.D. program must have earned a graduate degree from an accredited university with a master’s level grade point average of at least 3.35. ; three letters of recommendation; a current résumé, two samples of previously written research (e.g., graduate thesis or capstone analysis) or analytic work completed in their professional career; and a statement of professional intent. The Ph.D. committee interviews most applicants.

Any international applicant whose native language is not English must submit scores that are not more than two years old from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Language Testing Systems (IELTS). These applicants must achieve a score of 600 PBT (100 iBT) or better on the TOEFL or 7.5 on the IELTS.  

Academic Probation

A student whose GPA fall below 3.00 will be placed on academic probation the following semester. See the complete Academic Probation policy in this catalog.

Unsatisfactory Performance

A student in the Ph.D. program will be dismissed if he or she receives a second grade of C or lower or fails the preliminary exams a second time.

Master of Public Policy and Administration

The 42-hour Master of Public Policy and Administration (M.P.P.A.) program strives to professionalize and diversify public service. The program prepares persons to serve effectively as public administrators at the national, state, and local levels of government.

Admission Criteria

A competitive applicant for the M.P.P.A. program must have completed the last two years of undergraduate work with a grade point average of 3.00; applicants with previous graduate work must have a grade point average of 3.00 on such coursework. Moreover, the applicant must submit three letters of recommendation, official transcript(s), and a Statement of Purpose. An applicant with a lower grade point average may be admitted provisionally if she or he has appropriate work experience.

Any international applicant whose native language is not English must submit scores that are not more than two years old from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS).  These applicants must have a score of 600 PBT (100 iBT) or better on the TOEFL or 7.5 on the IELTS.

A student who has not been enrolled for one regular semester (fall or spring) is required to submit a readmission form and a new statement of purpose. The readmission must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator. If a student has not been enrolled for one calendar year, the applicant must submit a new application and statement of purpose to be considered for readmission. The M.P.P.A. program accepts applications for Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.

Provisional Admission

An applicant who has not fully met the GPA requirement stipulated by the University may be admitted on a provisional basis. The provisionally-admitted student is eligible for a change to regular status after receiving a 3.00 GPA on the first 9 hours of graduate courses at Mississippi State University (with no grade lower than a B). The first 9 hours of graduate courses must be within the student's program of study. Courses with an S grade, transfer credits, or credits earned while in Unclassified status cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. If a 3.00 is not attained, the provisional student shall be dismissed from the graduate program. Academic departments may set higher standards for students to fulfill provisional requirements; a student admitted with provisional status should contact the graduate coordinator for the program’s specific requirements. While in the provisional status, a student is not eligible to hold a graduate assistantship.

Academic Probation

A student whose GPA fall below 3.00 will be placed on academic probation the following semester. See the complete Academic Probation policy in this catalog.

Unsatisfactory Performance

A student in the M.P.P.A. program will be dismissed if they receive a second grade of C or lower. The student will also be dismissed if found responsible for violating the Student Honor Code for a second time. See the complete Graduate School policy on Academic Dismissal in this catalog.

Master of Arts in Political Science

Admission Criteria

A competitive applicant for the Master of Arts in Political Science program must have completed the last two years of undergraduate work with a grade point average of 3.00; an applicant with previous graduate work must have a grade point average of 3.00 on such coursework. While the GRE is not required for admission, an applicant with a lower grade point average may be admitted if they have a competitive score on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing portions of the GRE.

Any international applicant whose native language is not English must submit scores that are not more than two years old from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS). These applicants must achieve a score of 600 PBT (100 iBT) on the TOEFL or 7.5 on the IELTS. 

Readmission

A student not enrolled for one regular semester (fall or spring) is required to submit a readmission form and a new statement of purpose. The readmission must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator. If a student has not been enrolled for one calendar year, the applicant must submit a new application and statement of purpose to be considered for readmission into their program of study.

Provisional Admission

An applicant who has not fully met the GPA requirement stipulated by the University may be admitted on a provisional basis. The provisionally-admitted student is eligible for a change to regular status after receiving a 3.00 GPA on the first 9 hours of graduate courses at Mississippi State University (with no grade lower than a B). The first 9 hours of graduate courses must be within the student's program of study. Courses with an S grade, transfer credits, or credits earned while in Unclassified status cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. If a 3.00 is not attained, the provisional student shall be dismissed from the graduate program. Academic departments may set higher standards for students to fulfill provisional requirements; a student admitted with provisional status should contact the graduate coordinator for the program’s specific requirements. While in the provisional status, a student is not eligible to hold a graduate assistantship.

Academic Probation

A student whose GPA fall below 3.00 will be placed on academic probation the following semester. See the complete Academic Probation policy in this catalog.

Unsatisfactory Performance

A student in the Master of Arts program will be dismissed if he or she:

  • receives a second grade of C or lower, or
  • fails the comprehensive examination a second time, or
  • receives unsatisfactory grades for two semesters in PS 9000 (thesis only), or
  • is found to be responsible for violating the Student Honor Code for a second time.

See the complete Graduate School policy on Academic Dismissal in this catalog.

Accelerated Program

Highly qualified PSPA undergraduates (3.50 GPA and above) are encouraged to apply to the Accelerated Program. This program permits students to earn up to 15 hours of graduate level coursework during their final year of undergraduate studies. Students can take graduate level courses and earn both undergraduate and graduate credit simultaneously. Students need to consult with a potential graduate advisor to ensure graduate credit could be applied to a Program of Study for the graduate degree. Application to this program may be made as early as the end of the junior year (i.e., after completion of 90 or more hours of graded undergraduate courses). Students interested in applying to the Accelerated Program should see Accelerated Programs for complete information and contact the Department's Accelerated Program Director, Dr. Leslie Baker.