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Head:

Joseph A. Aistrup

Directors of graduate studies:

Jeff Pickering, MA

Krishna Tummala, MPA

Graduate Faculty:

Joseph A. Aistrup, Ph.D., Indiana University.
Laurie M. Bagby, Ph.D., Northern Illinois University.
John Fliter, Ph.D., The University of Maryland.
James L. Franke, Ph.D., Northern Illinois University.
Dale Herspring, Ph.D., University of Southern California.
Emizet Kisangani, Ph.D., University of Iowa.
Stephen Long, Ph.D., University of North Carolina.
Aruna Michie, Ph.D., Michigan State University.
Jeffrey Pickering, Ph.D., Indiana University.
Craig Stapley, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma.
Michael W. Suleiman, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin.
Krishna K. Tummala, Ph.D., University of Missouri, Columbia.
Joseph K. Unekis, Ph.D., Indiana University.

Financial assistance

The Department of Political Science provides financial aid for assistance with teaching, or research, or both. Specific assignments to teaching or research depend on the needs and abilities of the graduate assistant, and the needs of the department.

Selection criteria

Awards reflect the following criteria:

a. Academic performance, promise, and intellectual ability.
b. Past performance as a departmental assistant, if applicable.
c. Teaching and research needs of the departmental faculty.
d. Financial need.
e. Minimum 6 hour enrollment during term of assistance, under ordinary circumstances.
f. Reasonable progress toward master’s degree.

Amount of assistance

Graduate assistantships are measured in “tenths” time, ranging from one-tenth to four-tenths, each tenth corresponding to a dollar amount which changes annually with university and department appropriations. In addition, graduate assistants are eligible for waivers and reductions of tuition fees, depending on legal residence and amount of assistance.

Duties

Each tenth of assistance corresponds to an average of four hours of work each week, or 16 hours of work for a full four-tenths assistantship. Faculty supervisors are responsible for arranging an equitable correspondence of tenths’ assistance and duties, and each graduate assistant is responsible for keeping his or her principal faculty supervisor informed on how this obligation is met.

Supervision

Each assistant is assigned to one or two faculty members, depending on the department’s needs and the student’s preference. Graduate assistants may be asked to help any member of the department faculty, subject to clearance with the student’s principal advisors.

Conditions of assistance

All teaching assistants are expected to maintain a 3.0 GPA during the period of appointment with the department, and to perform their duties satisfactorily. The department reserves the right to withdraw support if academic performance falls below the 3.0 GPA or if the job performance is not satisfactory.

Application procedure

Applicants should submit the following to the head of the Department of Political Science not later than November 1 for the spring term, or April 1 for the fall term or for the nine-month academic year:

1. One copy of an application form available from the department secretary.
2. A formal covering letter of application. This letter may also be used to expand on items in the application form, and to document financial need.

All applicants will be notified of the department’s decisions, and award recipients will be asked formally to acknowledge acceptance.

Selection committee

The department’s Admissions and Assistance Committee consists of three faculty members.

Announcement dates.

Awards are announced on or about April 15, and November 15. Ordinarily, there are no summer term graduate assistantships.

Career

The degree prepares students for employment in a variety of public sector administrative positions with state, federal, and local governments; not-for-profit corporations; public interest groups; international agencies; and private corporations that provide public services under government contract or franchise. Recent graduates of this program include those employed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management; U.S. Department of Justice; the Kansas Departments of Commerce, Administration, and Transportation; the Legislative Auditor; and several Kansas cities and communities.

Admissions

To be eligible for admission, a student must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 3.0 GPA (on a four point scale). Others with at least a 2.7 GPA may be admitted on probation, or on special student category. Application materials for admission to either the M.A. program or the MPA program must be returned to the department and should include a completed application form including application fee, two official transcripts from all colleges previously attended, three letters of recommendation (on official letterhead), and a statement of the candidate’s personal objectives. Graduate Record Exams (GRE) are also recommended for all students applying to be Graduate Teaching Assistants. Foreign students, in addition to the above materials, need to submit a TOEFL score (a minimum of 550) and a financial support form.

Admission to the MPA and MA programs and financial assistance are based on academic accomplishment and promise. Admission applications are welcome at any time. A processing fee of $30 for domestic applicants and $55 for foreign graduate student applicants can be paid online during the application process using a credit card. Foreign students applicants can pay the fee online by credit card or mail in a money order or cashiers check; no personal checks accepted.

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