Creighton University

Department of Political Science

Political Science majors have the opportunity to complete a BA in political science (PLS) or international relations (INS) in the normal four-year time frame followed by an additional 18 months of work culminating in the award of an MA in international relations (INR).
Six hours of credit toward the MA in INR are awarded upon completion of the BA in political science or international relations.  (Three hours are awarded on the basis of the completion of PLS591, Senior Research Seminar, in lieu of INR790, Seminar in International Relations Research Methods.  An additional three hours of graduate elective credit are awarded on the basis of course work completed in comparative politics and international politics as part of the political science or international relations sequence.)

Students in the five-year program also have the option to take up to nine hours of graduate course work in INR during their senior year.  This normally entails three hours of INR538, International Trade and Finance, completed in the fall semester of the senior year and six hours of INR credits at the 600-level in spring.  Under this scenario, upon completion of the BA in political science and international relations, students would have completed 15 hours of work toward the 33-hour graduate degree in INR.  This would leave 18 hours toward receiving the MA in INR.

Students wising to be admitted to the five-year MA program in INR must apply with the Graduate School at the end of the junior year or any time during the senior year.  All materials required by the Graduate School must be submitted, with the exception of GRE scores.  Upon receipt of these materials, students will be admitted “conditionally” to the graduate program in international relations.  “Conditional” status will permit students to enroll in 600-level INR courses in spring of the senior year.  Registration in these courses will also require an over-ride form signed by the Graduate School and the College of Arts and Sciences.  (An over-ride form is not required for 500-level courses.)  Students will remain in “conditional” status until they 1) complete the undergraduate degree at Creighton and 2) submit GRE scores.

SENIOR YEAR (PLS or INS)

FALL

*PLS591 is taken in lieu of INR790, Seminar in International Relations Research Methods.

**INR537, International Law, may also be taken.  INR537 is offered as PLS537 in spring.  Students in the five-year MA/BA program in INR must register for INR537, not PLS537.

(Upon receiving the BA in political science or international relations, students in the five-year MA/BA program in INR will be awarded three hours of credit toward the 33 hour MA in INR.)

FIRST YEAR (INR)

SUMMER

FALL

***It is anticipated that the first comprehensive exam will be presented in either international economics, international politics, comparative politics, or American diplomatic history in fall.  The second, in any one of the three remaining fields, should be presented in spring.

SUMMER

Thesis defense and award of the MA in INR.