M.A. in Global Justice & Security Studies
The department offers an M.A. in political science only with an emphasis on global justice and security studies (GJSS). This terminal degree program is designed to provide students with a specialized qualification better suited for the pursuit of professional careers in federal, state, or local government. The GJSS program targets students intending to pursue largely non-academic, governmental careers as practitioners, whether it be in the field of homeland security, law enforcement, or as analysts within the U.S. intelligence or defense communities. The basic reality is that most practitioner jobs within the government—and this is especially true for analyst positions within the intelligence or defense communities—require applicants to have at least an M.A. degree to qualify for employment. The M.A. in global justice and security studies has the needs of such future practitioners in mind, providing specialized training in areas of global justice and security studies that can be tailored to fit a student's individual career goals. Admission into the GJSS M.A. program is limited to 5 students per year.
This program is also now a graduate certificate program recognized by the WSU Graduate School. This means that along with the M.A. degree, the student is able to receive a "Certificate in Global Justice and Security Studies" notation on their transcript.
Our graduates are of great interest to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Already, our expertise in political psychology, security, and leadership analysis has resulted in our department being one of a number of 'targeted' programs for recruitment of leader analysts by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), who send recruiters to scout our graduate students. Given that other targeted programs include programs at The Ohio State University, Northeastern, Syracuse, Arizona State, and Stanford, it is clear that Washington State University offers exceptional training! Our graduates have also been employed as analysts at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) or gone on to military intelligence jobs in the active duty U.S. military. We offer a unique blend of political science and criminal justice training, specific areas for specialization, and highly relevant training to prepare our students to pursue careers across the broad law enforcement and security community marketplace. Further, the GJSS program, with our unique strengths in both political science and criminal justice, offers a training combination most of the nation's general political science programs just can't match!
GJSS Faculty
Dr. Thomas Preston
Professor of Political Science
- U.S. Foreign and Defense Policy
- International Security
- Terrorism, Leadership Analysis, Political Psychology
- Crisis Management
- Nuclear and Biological Proliferation
Dr. Martha Cottam
Professor of Political Science
- U.S. Foreign Policy
- Political Psychology
- Conflict Resolution
- Homeland Security and Border Control
Dr. Steven Stehr
Associate Professor of Political Science
- Natural Disasters & Public Policy
- Hazards Research
- Homeland Security
- Crisis Management
- Criminal Justice Organizations
Dr. Claire Metelits
Assistant Professor of Political Science
- Insurgencies and Guerilla Movements
- Conflict Resolution
- International Relations and Comparative Politics
Dr. Otwin Marenin
Professor of Criminal Justice
- Crime Control Policies
- Police in Society
- Comparative Criminal Justice Systems & Policies
- Drug Policies
- Ethics in Criminal Justice
Dr. Faith Lutze
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
- Corrections
- Gender and Justice
- Drug Courts
Dr. Bryan Vila
Professor of Criminal Justice
- Criminology Theory
- Impact of Bio-physical, Social and Behavioral Factors on Police Performance and Discretionary Behavior
- Street Gangs
Curriculum
The master's in political science emphasizing global justice and security studies is geared towards providing students with a maximum of flexibility in constructing their specific areas of specialization, while at the same time providing the common elements needed for a coherent program of study. Faculty and staff in our department work closely with students to tailor the GJSS program of study in order to best fit their own individual professional needs. Given the eventual goal of many of our students is to become professional practitioners in a variety of governmental agencies and departments, the need for such flexibility in curriculum design is clear.
Graduate students seeking employment within the U.S. intelligence community (in the CIA or DIA, for example) are able to tailor their GJSS emphasis towards political psychology and defense policy, allowing them to develop the skills required to apply for jobs as leadership or political analysts. On the other hand, those seeking professional jobs in the law enforcement community (the FBI, Departments of Homeland Security or Treasury, Secret Service, etc.) might choose to tailor their GJSS emphasis towards criminal justice courses focusing on drug policy, policing, gangs, or our various offerings dealing with homeland security issues. Through careful selection of available electives, graduate students may construct additional specializations in comparative criminal justice and policing, international security, terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, leader analysis and generation of psychological profiles, defense analysis, etc.
Given our department's unique strengths in both political science and criminal justice, graduate students have the wide choice of most of our overall course offerings with which to build their own individual specializations for this master's degree. Whether you are a recent graduate wanting to pursue a career in government, a public or private sector professional seeking an advanced degree, or a member of the military looking for additional specialization, the GJSS emphasis within our M.A. in political science may very well suit your needs.
Application Procedure
We consider an application only after all of the relevant information is on hand. Be sure to complete your online application for admission from the Graduate School also. Please complete the following to facilitate our admission process:
- A form, "Reviewer Comments to Supplement Application for Admission," from 3 professors or others who are qualified to speak to your academic activities and potential.
- A brief (1- or 2-page) statement, outlining your career objectives and areas of interest in political science or criminal justice, and how you believe a master's degree in political science emphasizing global justice and security studies will help facilitate these goals.
- Complete college transcripts.
To be eligible for admission to regular student status, the student must:- have at least a B (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) grade point average in the last 60 hours of the student's graded undergraduate work, from a recognized college or university, OR
- at least 12 semester hours of approved course work from recognized graduate schools with at least a B grade point average.
In order for your application to be considered for admission, all application materials, including recommendation forms, must be sent to the Department of Political Science by JANUARY 10 for fall admission. While applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for fall admission only, we are willing to consider applicants with special circumstances on a case-by-case basis. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.
Requirements
The M.A. in political science with a global justice and security studies (GJSS) emphasis is a non-thesis master's degree that requires:
- 30 hours minimum of total credit
- 26 hours minimum of graded course work
- 17 hours minimum of graded course work at the 500-level
- 9 hours maximum of non-graduate (400-level) graded course work credit
This is a non-thesis M.A. program, with students focusing upon in-depth study across courses approved by the GJSS director that fit with future career interests and needs. A final oral exam is required at the end of the program of study.
Students are required to file an M.A. program of study with the department's graduate secretary no later than the semester before graduation.
Core and Methods
Criminal Justice Courses (6 hours)
- Crm J 505: Comparative Criminal Justice Systems
- Crm J 572: Seminar in Comparative Policing
Political Science Courses (6 hours)
- Pol S 424: U.S. National Security Policy
- Pol S 531: International Security
Electives (15 hours from any of the following)
- Crm J 530: Criminal Justice Process & Institutions
- Crm J 555: Seminar in the Nature of Crime
- Crm J 570: The Police and Society
- Crm J 591: Seminar in Administration of Criminal Justice
- Crm J 592: Pro-seminar in Administration, Justice, and Applied Policy Studies
- Crm J 600: Independent Studies
- Pol S 402: Civil Liberties
- Pol S 427: American Foreign Policy
- Pol S 428: Introduction to Political Psychology
- Pol S 429: Current Topics in U.S. Foreign & Defense Policy (repeatable course)
a) "Developing the Critical Thinking Skills of the Professional Policy Analyst" (Preston)
b) "U.S. Homeland Security" (Cottam) - Pol S 435: Politics of Developing Nations
- Pol S 514: Seminar in Public Policy
- Pol S 530: Seminar in American Foreign Policy
- Pol S 533: Seminars in Political Psychology (repeatable course)
a) Seminar in Political Psychology (Cottam)
b) Seminar in the Psychology of Political Leadership & Decision Making (Preston) - Pol S 536: Seminar on War and Political Development (Metelits)
- Pol S 540: Seminar in Public Administration
- Pol S 600: Independent Studies (topics available: international terrorism; nuclear/biological proliferation and bio-terrorism; advanced psychological profile training)
Program head may also allow student to take one seminar in history or other field if subject matter is appropriate to the individual student's focus of study.
Contact Us
Department of Political Science
Washington State University
Johnson Tower 801
P.O. Box 644880
Pullman, WA 99164-4880
Ph: 509-335-2545
Fax: 509-335-7990
Graduate and Student Records Coordinator:
Sisouvanh Keopanapay
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