Majors in Political Science are prepared for further study at the graduate level or for a variety of careers. Our alumni include teachers, lawyers, reporters, lobbyists, campaign managers and elected officials. Others work for large corporations as public affairs officers or for federal, state, or local governments in numerous capacities.
Completing a Master of Arts degree in Political Science allows students to deepen their knowledge of comparative and international politics, improve their analytic writing skills, and expand their familiarity with advanced quantitative methods. After taking eight graduate courses, students will complete a Master’s thesis or professional project based on research begun during their graduate coursework.
Theses/Dissertations from 2025
A Democracy in Question: Policy Failures, Institutional Weakness, and Bangladesh’s Evolving Global Standing, Omme Habiba
Lowering Barriers to Voting for Individuals with Disabilities: Mail in Ballots and No Excuse Absentee Ballots, Cynthia Weyerman
Theses/Dissertations from 2023
Voter ID Laws and Gendered Impacts on Voter Turnout, Jacqueline D. Franolich
Authoritarian Tendencies in the American Presidency, Erica Serros
Theses/Dissertations from 2022
Evaluating IMF Structural Conditionality and Good Governance: Has Streamlining Worked to Reduce Corruption?, Yila Ataman
Climate Shocks and Violent Conflict Incentives: Evidence from the Indian Sub-Continent, Thomas Campbell
Political, Cultural, and Legal Factors that Triggered Article 7 in Hungary and Poland, Nicolas Hernandez
Arguing for the Philosophy of Political Science, Robert Herold
Votes and Voices: Minority Languages and Electoral Substate Nationalism in Spain and the United Kingdom, Valeryn Shepherd
Theses/Dissertations from 2020
Globalization: A Blessing or a Curse for Women in Developing Countries, Magaly Denisse Carrillo Terriquez
Girl’s Education in Africa: The importance of Culture and State Capacity, Hadley Olivia Hobbs
Organized Crime and Development in Low and Middle-Income Countries, Katie Kelshaw
Ethnic Fractionalization, Corruption, and Trust in the Courts, Sinan Nadarevic
Diplomatic Intervention and the Effects of Third-Party State Power on Intrastate War Outcome, Alexann Sandberg
Theses/Dissertations from 2019
Decolonizing Urban Indian Institutions: Indigenous Authority in Boise, Idaho, Melanie Lee Fillmore
Stability Through Economic Growth in Afghanistan, Abdul Qadir Khan
The Relevance of the Constitution in Today's Society, Matthew Reiber
Globalization and the Diffusion of Military Capabilities, Eddie Stokes
Theses/Dissertations from 2018
Explaining Destination Countries of Human Trafficking with Factors Relevant to Traffickers, Gabrielle Denae Boliou
A Matter of Experience and Perception: Examining Corruption in Latin America, Nicolás Adrián Diaz
The Effects of Military Experience on Gubernatorial Approval, Taylor Korrin Kaserman
Primary Challengers: Examining Competition in U.S. House Primary Elections with Female Candidates, Savannah Nicole Renslow
Opposing Perspectives: Examining Terrorist Organization Demands After Leadership Decapitation, Nachelle Ann Ronquillo
Gender Balance from Civil Strife, Wyndi Shaffner
Theses/Dissertations from 2017
Corporate Citizens - Public Participation in Corporate Governance, Alexander Michael Belisle
The Impact of American Sign Language Interpreter Licensure Laws on d/Deaf Defendants in Criminal Cases, Kymberly Marie Couch
Top-Two Primary Reform and State Legislature Ideology, Devon Downey
Education: Ancient and Modern, Kyle Edward Eidson
Modeling the Drivers of Land Use Change in Ada County and Canyon County, Idaho, Using a Regression Discontinuity Design, Christopher Hans Felt
Personal Economics and Political Ideology, Derrick Hill
Particularism vs. Entrepreneurialism: President Obama and Race to the Top, Jodi A. Hoalst
Racial Bias in Jury Decision Making, Patrick Thomas Hughes
Monarchical Stability in the Gulf Coast States, Sean Miner
Housing the Homeless: A Regional Analysis of the Impact of Available Beds on Rates of Homelessness, Cassandra Nicole Solmonsen
Theses/Dissertations from 2016
Navigating the Arab Spring: The Power of Food Prices and the Stability of Monarchies, Evan Andrew Buck
The Impact of Presidential Visits on Midterm Gubernatorial Elections, Tyler James Holden
Personal Security and Immigration in the European Union, Anna Kristi Muzzy
Analysis of Cyber Incidents Between Dyadic Rivals, Barry Edwin Newell
Sustainable Development: The Contribution of Bolsa Família to High School Education Performance in Brazil, 2004-2014, Sally Sargeant-Hu