GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
Graduate students may choose to complement their master's degrees with certificates covering a wide range of disciplines within Political Science or in partnership with other graduate programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Depending on your career ambitions, we can help design a course of study to set you on the path to success! Students who do not wish to pursue a master's degree may earn standalone graduate certificates in American Politics or International Politics.
CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
Students have the option of earning a Certificate in American Politics by completing five courses from those listed below. The Certificate in American Politics can be earning in conjunction with the master's degree or as a standalone certificate.
American Politics Courses
- PSC 8110: U.S. Congress
- PSC 8120: U.S. Presidency
- PSC 8130: Constitutional Interpretation
- PSC 8140: Race and Ethnicity
- PSC 8150: Campaigns and Elections
- PSC 8170: Public Opinion and Political Behavior
- PSC 8180: National Security Policy
- PSC 8185: U.S. Intelligence
- PSC 8190: American Party Politics
Students have the option of earning a Certificate in International Politics by completing five courses from those listed below. The Certificate in International Politics may be earned in conjunction with the master's degree or as a standalone certificate.
International Politics Courses
- PSC 8220: International Law
- PSC 8230: International Organizations
- PSC 8240: Politics of the Past
- PSC 8250: Politics of Pandemics
- PSC 8255: Genocide and Mass Killing
- PSC 8260: International Security
- PSC 8270: International Political Economy
- PSC 8305: Democratization
- PSC 8310: Comparative Political Economy
- PSC 8320: Russian Politics
- PSC 8330: African Politics
- PSC 8340: Middle East Politics
- PSC 8350: Modern Chinese Politics
- PSC 8360: Politics of Divided Societies
- PSC 8370: Third World Politics
- PSC 8380: European Politics
- PSC 8390: Global Politics of Gender
This certificate is designed for current and prospective secondary school social studies teachers. With the increased popularity of Advanced Placement and Honors courses at the high school level, a growing number of secondary school teachers find themselves teaching courses that the College Board deems comparable to college level courses. This certificate aims to help such teachers to deepen their substantive content knowledge and enriches their expertise with effective pedagogical methods and theories. It tries to capitalize on the fact that many teachers oftentimes teach paired AP in history and political science, but that there are few interdisciplinary programs that permit teachers to take courses in such cognate fields. This graduate certificate allows Villanova students to combine studies in History and Political Science, and integrate them with relevant pedagogy courses in Education.
The Graduate Certificate in Teaching Advanced History and Government requires students to complete 15 credits in a combination of history, education and political science courses. In order to maximize flexibility, students can choose how to distribute these 15 credits among curricula in American History/Government; European History/Comparative Politics or International Relations; or World History/Comparative Politics or International Relations. Given the variation among secondary school curricula, this flexibility allows teachers to tailor their certificate program to best fit their professional needs.
The certificate requires students to complete five courses in total; one to two each in History, Political Science and Education. The History courses would be selected from among courses in US, European and World history in line with the curriculum in advanced high school courses. The Political Science courses would complement the History courses and focus on American government, comparative politics or international relations. The Education courses could include Philosophy of Education, Methods of Teaching Social Studies, Multiculturalism and Gender in Schools, Policy Analysis, and three workshop options. The graduate certificate could be pursued as a post-baccalaureate certificate, a post-master’s certificate, or a certificate pursued in conjunction with study for a master’s degree.
AP US History and AP US Government and Politics
- HIS 8021 Early American Republic
- PSC 8110: U.S. Congress
- PSC 8120: U.S. Presidency
- PSC 8130: Constitutional Interpretation
- PSC 8140: Race and Ethnicity
- PSC 8150: Campaigns and Elections
- PSC 8170: Public Opinion and Political Behavior
- PSC 8180: National Security Policy
- PSC 8185: U.S. Intelligence
- PSC 8190: American Party Politics
- EDU 8673 Philosophy of Education
- EDU 8550 Methods of Teaching English and Social Studies
- HIS 8016 Revolutionary America
- HIS 8026 US Civil War
- EDU 8673 Philosophy of Education
- EDU 8550 Methods of Teaching English and Social Studies
AP European History and AP Comparative Government and Politics
- HIS 8231 French Revolution and Napoleonic Era
- HIS 8241 European Nationalism 1815-1870 or HIS 8274 Twentieth Century Europe
- PSC 8255 Genocide and Mass Killing
- PSC 8305: Democratization
- PSC 8310: Comparative Political Economy
- PSC 8320 Russian Politics
- PSC 8330: African Politics
- PSC 8340: Middle East Politics
- PSC 8350: Modern Chinese Politics
- PSC 8360: Politics of Divided Societies
- PSC 8370: Third World Politics
- PSC 8380 European Politics
- PSC 8390: Global Politics of Gender
- EDU 8673 Philosophy of Education
AP World History and AP Comparative Government and Politics
- HIS 8426 Modern China
- HIS 8433 Imperialism and Nationalism in the Middle East
- PSC 7375 Chinese Politics
- PSC 7375 Global Politics of Gender
- PSC 8220: International Law
- PSC 8230: International Organizations
- PSC 8240: Politics of the Past
- PSC 8250: Politics of Pandemics
- PSC 8255 Genocide and Mass Killing
- PSC 8260: International Security
- PSC 8270: International Political Economy
- PSC 8305: Democratization
- PSC 8310: Comparative Political Economy
- PSC 8320 Russian Politics
- PSC 8330 African Politics
- PSC 8340: Middle East Politics
- PSC 8350: Modern Chinese Politics
- PSC 8360: Politics of Divided Societies
- PSC 8370: Third World Politics
- PSC 8380 European Politics
- PSC 8390: Global Politics of Gender
- EDU 8550 Methods of Teaching English and Social Studies
- EDU 8678 Multiculturalism and Gender in Schools
The Graduate Program in Political Science and the Graduate Program in Applied Statistics and Data Science offer a combined MA in Political Science with a Certificate in Applied Statistics and Data Science.
This combined program provides a unique opportunity to graduate students in Political Science who are interested in enhancing their quantitative methodological skills.
The joint certificate requires taking 15 credits from the course list below or courses approved by the Director of the Applied Statistics and Data Science program. In order to complete their graduate degree, students enhancing their studies through a joint certificate are required to enroll in an additional six credits for a total of 36 credits for the graduate degree.
Certificate in Applied Statistics and Data Science
The specific learning objectives for the Certificate in Applied Statistics and Data Science are:
- Develop testable hypothesis from theories.
- Evaluate the theoretical implications of test results.
- Learn how and when to apply standard statistical methods such as hypothesis tests, confidence intervals, linear regression, and logistic regression.
- Learn more advanced statistical methods in elective courses such as Sampling Methods, Time Series Methods, Bayesian Statistics and Data Mining.
Admission and Completion Requirements
Applicants must be evaluated and accepted by both the Political Science Department for its master’s program and the Applied Statistics and Data Science program for the relevant certificate. Students also should have completed undergraduate mathematics courses that are required for the Masters in Applied Statistics and Data Science program. These include: Calculus through Multivariate calculus (typically Calculus III) and Linear Algebra.
Required Courses (9 credits)
- MAT 7404 Statistical Methods
- MAT 8406 Regression Methods
- PSC 7000 Research Concepts and Approaches
Elective Courses
Two electives from the MS in Applied Statistics and Data Science program. Courses that can be used as electives include:
- Statistical Theory I and II
- Statistical Programming
- Linear Models
- Sampling Methods
- Design of Experiments
- Time Series Methods
- Nonparametric Statistics
- Bayesian Statistics
- Data Mining
The master's degree in Political Science with a graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management is offered in partnership with the Department of Public Administration at Villanova. This joint program allows our students to combine their substantive interests in politics with training in management and administration to enhance their employment prospects.
Students in this joint certificate program are required to enroll in an additional six credits for a total of 36 credits for the graduate degree.
The Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management was designed based on best practices in nonprofit education as well as through consultations with students, alumni and nonprofit professionals and is a 15-credit (five courses) program.
Required courses (3 courses)
- MPA 8003 Financial Management
- MPA 8600 Effective Non-Profit Management
- MPA 8700 Fundraising for Non-Profit Organizations
Elective courses (2 courses)
Students choose six credits of electives from the following courses:
- MPA 8550 Urban Politics and Government
- MPA 8800 Managing Public Networks
- MPA 8900 Public Policy
The master's degree in Political Science with a graduate Certificate in City Management is offered in partnership with the Department of Public Administration at Villanova. This joint program allows our students to combine their substantive interests in politics with training in management and administration to enhance their employment prospects as they pursue careers in federal, state and/or local government.
Students in this joint certificate program are required to enroll in an additional six credits for a total of 36 credits for the graduate degree.
The Graduate Certificate in City Management is based on the International City/County Management Association's inventory of practices for effective local government management and is a 15-credit (5 courses) program.
Required courses (3 courses)
- MPA 8500: Effective City Management
- MPA 8550: Urban Politics and Government
- MPA 8031: Financial Management
Elective courses (2 courses)
Students choose six credits of electives from the following courses:
Three-Credit Courses
- MPA 8400: Strategic Planning
- MPA 8800: Managing Public Networks
- MPA 8900: Public Policy
- MPA 8199: Special Topics: Health Planning Services and Equity, Emergency Management, and Advanced Statistical Analysis
- PSC 8140: Race and Ethnicity
- PSC 8170: Public Opinion
- PSC 8270: International Political Economy
- PSC 8310: Comparative Political Economy
- PSC 8180: National Security Policy
- PSC 8185: U.S. Intelligence
One-Credit Courses
- MPA 8299: Land-Use and Zoning
- MPA 8299: Program Evaluation
- MPA 8299: Economic Development Strategy
- MPA 8299: Budgeting for Government and Nonprofit Organizations
- MPA 8299: Labor Relations
- MPA 8299: Effective Public Affairs
Ready for the Next Step?
DEADLINES
For information about application deadlines, please visit the Program Details page.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Suzie Staherski ’23 MA Puts Policy into Action
Staherski is a senior fiscal policy analyst for the City of Philadelphia’s budget office, where she develops the city’s five-year financial plan and acts as a liaison between administrative departments and City Council as part of the annual budget process. Fueled by purpose and opportunity, she’s turning classroom lessons into citywide impact. READ MORE
