As a part of our series on How to Fully Fund Your Master’s Degree, here is a list of universities that offer fully funded master’s programs in Political Science. A master’s in political science can lead to a wide variety of options for your career, from becoming a lobbyist or political analyst, working for the media, aiding NGOs, dealing with international relations, and the opportunity to work in the private or public sector. In addition, graduating students can enter the workforce or continue their education by pursuing a PhD in Political Science.
Fully funded master’s programs in Political Science can be challenging to find as most universities allocate full funding for PhD students. However, there are universities that offer a variety of options to fully fund their students.
“Full funding” is a financial aid package for full-time students that includes full tuition remission and an annual stipend or salary for the duration of the student’s master’s studies, which is between 1-2 years. Funding is typically provided through competitive internal scholarships, teaching assistantships, and other salaried positions at the university. Students also have the option to apply for additional scholarships. Not all universities provide full funding to their master’s students, which is why we recommend researching the financial aid offerings of all the potential master’s programs in Political Science, including small and lesser-known schools both in the U.S. and abroad.
In addition to the programs listed in this article, the free ProFellow funding database includes 2,500+ funding opportunities including external fellowships that provide funding for graduate school, dissertation research, fieldwork, language study, and summer work experiences.
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Concordia University Fully Funded Master’s in Political Science
Based in Canada, Concordia University offers a fully funded Master’s in Political Science. The MA in Political Science allows you to address some of the most pressing questions in contemporary politics. Your research will apply to academia, public administration, private industry, and NGOs, and you will have access to inter-institutional research centers and networks. Funding packages are generally available for students in thesis-based programs. They come in the form of awards, teaching, and research assistantships offered at admission to allow students to focus on their research and studies. A separate application for the award is not required.
Mississippi State University Fully Funded Master’s in Political Science
Mississippi State University offers a fully funded Master’s in Political Science. The degree prepares students for academic careers in research and teaching, and professional careers in public service or the private sector. The Department of Political Science offers teaching, research, and service graduate assistantships. The assistantship stipend amounts range from $9,250 to $16,000. Graduate assistantship positions cover most university fees and all out-of-state fees. Students must be enrolled full-time in a master’s program to be eligible.
Northern Illinois University Fully Funded Master’s in Political Science
Northern Illinois University, based in DeKalb, IL, offers a fully funded Master’s in Political Science. An advanced degree in political science will help create a foundation for success in a wide range of fields, such as American government, public law, comparative politics, and international relations. Funding is available to all applicants on a competitive basis and requires students to be in good academic standing with the department. Master’s Degree Students can expect to receive two years of support from a graduate assistantship, which provides a stipend for fall and spring semesters and a tuition waiver that covers most, but not all, tuition-related costs.
Simon Fraser University Fully Funded Master’s in Political Science
Simon Fraser University, based in Canada, offers a fully funded Master’s in Political Science. SFU political science master’s programs provide rigorous training across the various political science subfields. The Department of Political Science is committed to funding the majority of the MA students. The primary funding sources are teaching assistantships, paid $4,689, research assistantships, and/or graduate fellowships with varied funding. Most MA students receive at least one semester of funding, and approximately half of them receive two semesters, with a completion time averaging 16 months.
Would you like to receive the full list of more than 1000+ fully funded programs in 60 disciplines? Download the FREE Directory of Fully Funded Graduate Programs and Full Funding Awards!
University of Alberta Fully Funded Master’s in Political Science
The University of Alberta, based in Canada, offers a fully funded Master’s in Political Science. The MA in Political Science thesis-based program requires 18 graduate-level courses and a thesis. Full-time students in the MA in Political Science thesis-based program will normally complete the program within 24 months. The department normally offers a first year of funding to full-time MA in Political Science students but also may make offers of admission without funding. All eligible MA students must apply for SSHRC funding, internal funding offered by the university, in the fall of their first year in order to remain eligible for departmental funding.
University of Calgary Fully Funded Master’s in Political Science
The University of Calgary, based in Canada, offers a fully funded Master’s in Political Science. The two-year, thesis-based MA program is for students who want to develop and deepen their skills as independent researchers by devoting a year beyond coursework to researching and writing a Master’s thesis. The program covers the traditional fields of political science and offers unparalleled strengths in Canadian politics, elections, voting behavior, international law, political violence, history of political thought, gender and politics, and indigenous politics. All MA (Thesis-based) students may receive some guaranteed funding over the two years of their program.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Fully Funded Master’s in Political Science
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln offers a fully funded Master’s in Political Science. Graduate study in Political Science is offered in the following areas of specialization: American Politics, Political Psychology and Biopolitics, International Relations, and Public Policy. Funding is provided competitively through graduate assistantships with tuition waivers. Students can work as research assistants, aiding faculty in their research or in teaching courses. Once funded, MA students who remain in good standing can anticipate continued support for four semesters.
University of Waterloo Fully Funded Master’s in Political Science
The University of Waterloo, based in Canada, offers a fully funded Master’s in Political Science. The MA in Political Science is an innovative and research-focused program geared towards preparing students for a wide variety of career paths across the public and private sectors. Students will have the opportunity to work with internationally and nationally-renowned scholars in the discipline of Political Science. Typical base funding packages for Political Science master’s students are a combination of paid teaching or research assistantship, and Graduate Scholarships, totaling $18,000 (as of Fall 2022). Funding is contingent on academic standing in the program.
Western University Fully Funded Master’s in Political Science
Western University, based in Canada, offers a fully funded Master’s in Political Science. The Master of Arts in Political Science is a one-year program that emphasizes developing strong research skills. Classes in Canadian and Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Urban Politics and Local Governance introduce students to the latest debates and theories in political science. The basic funding package for MA students usually combines a Graduate Teaching Assistant salary and the supplementary Western Graduate Research Scholarship (WGRS), which is automatically applied toward tuition. The funding package is set out in the admissions letter.
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