<p>I was wondering if anyone has thoughts on the likelihood of getting an online MA in political science from a school like Un. Nebraska Omaha or Un. Illinois Springfield and then from there an acceptance to the University of Florida Phd program. </p>
<p>This is a very specific question. Are you already in the online MA program or are you considering it?</p>
<p>If you are considering it along with other MA options, I would say that an on-the-ground MA is better than an online one in terms of preparing for PhD programs. You’ll need to continue scholarship in an MA program and foster close relationships with at least 1-2 graduate professors who can write you recommendations, and those are difficult to do in a distance program. Sometimes the online professors are actually different from the professors in the regular residence MA and PhD programs. If you’re worried about cost, then you should check out a public institution in your home state; if you’re worried about the time, an online MA should theoretically take just as much time as an MA in residence, just at different hours.</p>
<p>If you are already in the online MA, the chances of acceptance have more to do with what else you’ve been doing. If you took the online MA because you’re a research associate at the IMF and you want to study political economy, then you have better chances, of course. But if you took it just because of cost but in the last year or so that you’ve been in the program you haven’t really done any research, then you’re not as competitive.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply. I’m actually finishing my undergrad degree this coming May. I was leaning towards the online masters for many reasons, mostly because I lack mobility at present to move but will be able to move in 3 years if I save. That is why a masters program online is so attractive to me; I can get the masters, while saving by living at home, then will be able to move on to a grad program.</p>
<p>I don’t think recommendation letters will be difficult to acquire in the online program because direct contact with professors is necessary. I was hoping I would write a knock-out master’s thesis and use that to increase my chances at acceptance to a PhD program. Lack of research assistantship is the main drawback for the online program.</p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>Most online programs do allow you to contact professors; I was talking about the lack of face-to-face contact you’ll get with them. Face time is very different from being able to contact online professors if you have questions or anything.</p>
<p>You don’t need an MA to get a PhD in political science in most cases, so instead of the MA, why don’t you work for a few years? A research associate position doing research in the social sciences would probably be a better bet than doing an MA, although poli sci is not my field. Then you could do the PhD when you are ready to move.</p>
<p>Otherwise I’d look into some MA in poli sci programs that are commuting distance from home.</p>