Accelerated Master's in Political Psychology

The Accelerated Master's Program in Political Psychology is designed to enable highly qualified undergraduate students in the following online and on-ground majors to earn both a Bachelor of Arts/Science degree and a Master of Arts in Political Psychology degree in five years:

  • BA in Political Science
  • BS in Political Science

Students accepted into the Accelerated Master's program may apply up to 3 credits of 400-level coursework and 9 credits of 500-level coursework as “shared” courses, allowing the student to complete both degrees more quickly.

These degrees are designed to meet the needs of students pursuing careers in a variety of areas. Students completing the accelerated program are well-positioned for application into a PhD or law program or enter the work force in a variety of fields, including community organizing, voter mobilization, campaign strategy, political marketing, and others.

Learn more about the Political Psychology, MA

Grad programs overview

Eligibility

To be eligible for admission to the Political Psychology Accelerated Master's program, a student must:

  • be a declared, on-ground or online student in the Political Science BA or BS program
  • have earned at least 75 hours toward the undergraduate degree at the time of application; 90 hours are needed to begin taking graduate courses
  • have completed (or be in the process of completing at the time of application) a 3-credit, 400-level POS course. Internship credits, independent study, and Junior Fellow courses are not eligible.
  • have completed (or be in the process of completing at the time of application) POS 401 or SGS 401, Political Statistics
  • have a minimum 3.6 cumulative GPA at the time of application (cumulative GPA earned at ASU, excluding transfer credits.)
  • be on track to graduate with the undergraduate degree within two semesters after being accepted into the program (one calendar year after the acceptance date)
  • complete an application packet and submit all materials by the application deadline.

Students who do not meet these criteria may still apply to the regular M.A. in Political Psychology here, pending graduation with a BA or BS degree.

Application Process

Application Deadlines: 

  • October 15th (to begin taking graduate classes the following spring)
  • May 15th (to begin taking graduate classes the following fall)

Please contact the Graduate Coordinator at spgs@asu.edu with any questions.

Applicants will be notified by email of their admission status within one month. Admitted students must submit the online Graduate College application and pay the application fee when instructed to do so.

Electronic application packet should be sent in one email to spgs@asu.edu and include three attached documents:

  1. Cover page. Please include:
    1. Name
    2. Specify BA/BS degree and major/minor
    3. Cumulative GPA
    4. POS courses taken and grades for each course (please include table or bullets for this information)
    5. Anticipated date of graduation with Bachelor’s degree
    6. Name, title, and email address of faculty recommender.
  2. Copy of unofficial transcript
  3. Personal statement (2-3 pages) describing why you are interested in the Accelerated Master's program. 

In addition: The letter of recommendation form should be sent to spgs@asu.edu from a School of Politics and Global Studies faculty member by the application deadline. Recommender may also attach an separate letter, but it is not required. Please include applicant’s name and “Accelerated Master's LOR” in the subject line.