Government Certificate

Department of Political Science, College of Arts and Sciences

Vision Statement

UNO's Department of Political Science offers an 18 credit hour graduate certificate in government for educators and other professionals who already have an advanced degree in another field and wish to expand their knowledge in political science.  This certificate is designed to help educators meet the new requirements set by the Higher Learning Commission to teach government-related courses in institutions of higher education or dual enrollment/concurrent enrollment courses in high schools.  This certificate can be earned completely online.  This certificate can be earned as a stand-alone program, or in conjunction with the MS in political science.

Program Contact Information

Angie S. Tucker, MS, Graduate Advisor
275 Arts & Sciences Hall (ASH)
402.554.4121
astucker@unomaha.edu

Ramazan Kilinc, PhD, Graduate Program Chair (GPC)
275 Arts & Sciences Hall (ASH)
402.554.2683
rkilinc@unomaha.edu

Program Website

Admissions

General Application Requirements and Admission Criteria

Program-Specific Requirements

Application Deadlines (Spring 2024, Summer 2024, and Fall 2024)

  • Fall: June 15
  • Spring: October 15
  • Summer: March 15

Other Requirements

For current students in good standing in UNO's Master of Science in Political Science Program:

  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Students must be accepted into this certificate program within their first 15 credit hours. Students starting this program after 15 credit hours may not be able to count previous completed coursework towards this certificate.

For students applying for this certificate as a stand-alone program:

  • Baccalaureate degree or previous master's degree with a minimum of 3.0 GPA. 
  • Nine credit hours in political science-related courses is preferred. The selection committee looks for previous coursework and/or professional experience in American government, political theory, international relations, comparative politics, and social science (quantitative) methodology.  Students without the noted background may be admitted on a provisional basis and be required to take prerequisite courses before starting graduate work. Students must earn a grade of B or above in each of these courses.
  • English Language Proficiency: Applicants are required to have a command of oral and written English. Those who do not hold a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from the United States, OR a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from a predetermined country on the waiver list, must meet the minimum language proficiency score requirement in order to be considered for admission. 
    • Internet-based TOEFL: 80 (with no sub-score under 15), IELTS: 6.5, PTE: 53, Duolingo: 110
    • Passing with a minimum score does not guarantee admission into the program.
  • Statement of Purpose: The personal statement (1-2 pages) should explain why the applicant is seeking admission into this program, how his/her academic/professional experiences will contribute to his/her success in this program, and how this program will contribute to his/her future academic/professional ambitions.  
  • Professional Resume
  • Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation from a former professor (preferred), supervisor, or individual that can speak to one's academic potential in a graduate program. If applicants have recently graduated from UNO, it is expected that one of the letters will be from a UNO political science faculty member. It is preferred that applicants use their references' institutional (.edu) or professional email.
  • GRE scores are not required for admission, however, candidates may include them.

Degree Requirements

Required: Two Subfield Seminars6
SEMINAR IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
SEMINAR IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
SEMINAR IN POLITICAL THEORY
SEMINAR IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS
Required: Four Electives (selected from remaining seminars or list below)12
SEMINAR IN THE RESEARCH METHODS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
URBAN POLITICS
THE PRESIDENCY
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF NEBRASKA
CONGRESS AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
STATE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
THE JUDICIAL PROCESS
SEMINAR IN POLITICAL ECONOMY
LGBT POLITICS
POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY
SEMINAR IN LEADERSHIP
PUBLIC OPINION AND POLLING
WOMEN AND POLITICS
LATINO/-A POLITICS
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: CIVIL RIGHTS
SEMINAR IN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
POLITICAL PARTIES
INTEREST GROUPS
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: FOUNDATIONS
CAMPAIGNS AND ELECTIONS
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: THE FEDERAL SYSTEM
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: CIVIL LIBERTIES
SEMINAR IN FOREIGN POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF EAST ASIA
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF THE MIDDLE EAST
SEMINAR ON INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY
DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING
GENDER AND GLOBAL POLITICS
THE POLITICS AND PRACTICE OF HUMAN RIGHTS
INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION
GLOBAL SECURITY ISSUES
INTELLIGENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY
UNITED STATES FOREIGN POLICY
INTERNATIONAL LAW
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF LATIN AMERICA
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT & SUSTAINABILITY
CLASSICAL POLITICAL THOUGHT
EARLY MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT
LATE MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT
AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT
CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL THOUGHT
DEMOCRACY
AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES
GENERALS AND POLITICIANS: CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS
EUROPEAN POLITICS
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF GREAT BRITAIN
POLITICS OF FRANCE
POLITICAL VIOLENCE, INSURGENCY, AND TERRORISM
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF RUSSIA AND THE POST-SOVIET STATES
ISLAM AND POLITICS
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF CHINA AND EAST ASIA
ASIAN POLITICS
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF JAPAN AND EAST ASIA
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF LATIN AMERICA
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF THE MIDDLE EAST
COMPARATIVE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION
POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY
POLITICS AND FILM
SEMINAR IN SPECIAL TOPICS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
Total Credits18

Note: Students who took undergraduate courses at UNO cannot take any dual-listed courses at the graduate level they took as an undergraduate. Students cannot have more than two courses ending in 8--5 counted towards their program. Other courses may be approved at the discretion of the graduate chair.

Courses may not be offered every term. Some courses may only be offered online or on-campus.

Exit Requirements:

Students must earn a 3.0 GPA or above to graduate with no more than one course graded as a C+ or below.

Academic Progress Policy

Students may be dismissed from the program after:

  1. Not enrolling and/or successfully completing a course after two consecutive years.
  2. Earning two or more W grades.
  3. Earning more than one grade of C+ or below, even if GPA is a 3.0 or above.

Under extenuating circumstances, students may apply for a waiver through the GPC. If a waiver is granted, students may be updated to the most recent catalog year.

Students who do not successfully complete a course during their admit term, or allowed deferment time, will be dismissed from the program. 

Students may reapply to the program if dismissed for inactivity.