Hi,
I am a Political Science & International Affairs graduate currently searching for American universities that would allow me to study in the graduate level with a 2.55 undergrad GPA. I am hoping to acheive an MA in Political Science. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
the Cal States have a minimum of 2.50, with a 3.0 in your major classes, just to apply. However, not sure how many of the minimums that they accept. The obvious question is, why a MA? (It won’t do much for US job opportunities.)
http://hss.fullerton.edu/paj/PoliticalScience/ps_admissions.aspx
I agree with @bluebayou. I don’t understand what you think you will get out of a master’s degree in political science from a US university. What are you intending to do after you get your master’s degree? Will this be useful to help you get a job in your home country?
Also, what is your budget? Are you going to be able to afford two years at a US university without taking on any debt?
How do your grades compare with others in your country? Your GPA looks low by US or Canadian standards, but I do not know what the grading curve tends to be like in your country.
thank you both for your reply. i want to obtain an MA degree in order to get a well paid job in the future and fo further my career prospects. I am actually planning on working in the US and possibly getting an entry level job in DC since I am a permanent US Resident. @bluebayou , could you please elaborate on why an MA would not do much for US job opportunities? Is there anything I can do to further my career prospects besides getting an MA?
Also, what are some other universities that you might recommend for an MA in International Relations/Affairs or MA in Public Policy/Administration?
Thank you!
Even entry level jobs in DC are extremely hard to obtain. They generally go to kids from the ‘prestigious’ schools. Poli Sci degrees are a dime-a-dozen as my dad used to say. There is a gazillion of them. A MA is not much of a differentiator.
An MPA might be of more help, but unfortunately, given your GPA, any school that you could be accepted into would not be prestigious.
Good luck.
Okay… I came across the University of New Haven for an MA in Public Policy and Old Dominion University for an MA in Public Administration. I’m kinda worried about the safety of the areas in which these two universities are located in. According to what I am reading, Norfolk and West Haven do not seem like particularly safe cities. i am open to other suggestions as well. Oh and what are my chances if getting into the University of Oregon or Portland State? Thanks!