MA Political Science Syllabus

Earning a master’s degree in the evergreen field of Political Science will help you enhance your knowledge as well as uplift your career. There are are a variety of Political Science courses available at masters levels such as MA Political Science, studying which you will get learn about the working of political structures, international politics, as well as its effects on masses at a larger scale. Are you sceptical about what MA Political Science entails? If yes, then here is a blog on the MA Political Science syllabus which will guide you through the course structure in depth. 

MA Political Science Syllabus: 1st Year 

The first year of the course consists of two semesters. You will study an array of subjects during these two semesters which will strengthen your knowledge of the field. Majorly, the subjects taught in the first year are Comparative Political Analysis, Theories of International Relations, Themes in World Politics, etc. However, this can vary from one university to another. Listed below is the semester wise MA Political Science syllabus of the 1st year.  

Semester 1 

In the first semester of MA Political Science, you will be familiarised with scores of theories and the relevance they hold in the latest political situation. Tabulated below are the subjects which you will find in the MA Political Science syllabus. 

Subjects	Topics
Debates in Political Theory	Political Context; Debates on Freedom; Debates on Justice; Debates on Equality; Debates on Democratic Political Community; Debates on Rights;
Political Development	Class, Caste, Tribe, and Gender; Approaches to Politics; Development Process; Political Parties; Religion, Region and Language; Elections; Social Movements, Objectives Methods, Impact, and Recent Trends
Comparative Political Analysis	Development; Comparative Methods and Approaches; Theories of State; Nationalism and Anti-Colonial Struggles; Comparative Party System; Social Movements and Revolutions
Theories of International Relations	Alternative Approaches in International Relations; Realism, its Variants and Complements; Introduction to International Relations;

Semester 2 

Giving a further edge of the domain, here are the subjects that form an essential part of the 2nd semester of MA Political Science syllabus. 

Subjects	Topics
Administrative Theory	Theories and Approaches to the Study of Public Administration; Contextual Public Administration; Contemporary Developments; Grassroots Governance Alternative Perspectives
Themes in World Politics and International Political Economy	International Political Economy; Global Challenges and Movements; International Political Economy; Themes in World Politics
Key Texts in Political Philosophy	What is Interpretation Theories of Interpretation Problems in Interpreting Data History of Ideas The Importance of Language
Texts of Philosophers	Plato, Aristotle, Locke, Rousseau, etc

Note: The subjects included in the MA Political Science syllabus will vary from one country and university to another. 

2nd Year Syllabus 

The final year of MA Political Science will be divided into two semesters with separate examinations for both. Moreover, apart from the core subjects, you will be required to study electives in both the semesters. The last term will also include an industrial training or dissertation course. However, the structure will vary from one university to another. Let us now explore the MA Political Science syllabus of the 2nd year.

Semester 3 

Subjects	Topics
Interpreting Modern World	The conception of the “Modern” Perspectives of Justice and Social Transformation; Development and its Critiques; The conception of Nationalism; Debates on Globalisation; Community; Civil Society; Public Sphere;
Political Sociology	Citizenship; Social Movements; Political Culture and Social Capital; Role of Media;
Electives	–

Semester 4 

When it comes to the last semester, apart from 1-2 generic or elective subjects, you will have to complete a dissertation course. 

Popular Electives

As discussed, in the 2nd year of your Master’s program, you will have to choose from a list of electives in order to major in a specific concentration. What is important to note is that the electives offered can vary from one country and university to another keeping in view the historical, cultural, and political significance. Here is a list of popular electives in MA Political Science:

• Public Law
• Democracy and Constitutional Design
• Global Governance
• Advocacy and Public Policy
• Jurisprudence in a Globalized World
• Role of Public Institutions
• Ethics and Politics
• Peace and Conflict Studies
• Understanding Foreign Policy
• Quantitative Research in Politics

MA Political Science Assessment Scheme in India

Category	Weightage
Theory Examination	70
Internal Assessment/Dissertation	30
Total Marks	100

DU MA Political Science Entrance Syllabus

The syllabus for DU MA Political Science covers the syllabus for BA Political Science. 

The syllabus for BA Hons Political Science is here. 
The syllabus for BA Programme Political Science is here. 

JNU MA Political Science Entrance Syllabus

Here is the syllabus for MA political Science Entrance exams: 

Unit I
a) Social and Political Thought of Modern India
b) Western Political Thought
c) Concepts and Approaches in Political Theory 

Unit II
d) Constitution and Political Institutions of India
e) State and Politics in India
f) Political Processes and Public Policies in India 

Unit III 
g) Comparative Government and Politics
h) International Relations

MA Political Science Books

• A History of Political Theory by George Holland Sabine
• The Globalization of World Politics by John Baylis, Patricia Owens, and Steve Smith
• A History of Political Thought by Subrata Mukherjee and Sushila Ramaswamy
• The Political System by David Easton
• Democracy and Discontent: India’s Growing Crisis of Governability by Atul Kholi
• Politics by Andrew Heywood
• Contemporary Political Philosophy by Will Kymlicka
• Theories of Comparative Politics by Ronald H Chilcote

Top Universities for Political Science 2022

Top Universities in the World	QS World Rankings 2022
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA	1
University of Oxford, UK	2
Stanford University, USA	=3
University of Cambridge, UK	=3
Harvard University, USA	5
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)	6
Imperial College London, UK	7
ETH Zurich- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology	=8
University College London, UK	=8
University of Chicago, USA	10

FAQs

Hence, the MA Political Science syllabus covers various facets of the domain which hold importance at an international level! If you want to pursue Political Science course but are stuck with the dilemma of which concentration to choose, then we, at Leverage Edu, will assist you in choosing the most suitable concentration and will also provide assistance in completing the admission formalities. Hurry up, book an e-meeting with our experts now!