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Title
Government, Master of Arts
Category
courses
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6c7fa7516c2a4605b7bc118a8dcc5e73
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https://e-catalogue.jhu.edu/arts-sciences/advanced-academic-programs/programs/ce...
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https://e-catalogue.jhu.edu/programs/
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2026-03-10T04:36:42+00:00
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Government, Master of Arts

Source: https://e-catalogue.jhu.edu/arts-sciences/advanced-academic-programs/programs/center-advanced-governmental-studies/government-master-arts/ Parent: https://e-catalogue.jhu.edu/programs/

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MA in Government

The curriculum of the Master of Arts in Government program is designed for working adult students who have specialized skills in a particular field and desire the broader perspective necessary for leadership in politics and administration. The courses are based on the latest scholarly and scientific knowledge but emphasize the application of such knowledge to the practical governmental, political, and policymaking problems of today.

Admissions Criteria for All Advanced Academic Programs

PROGRAM-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the materials and credentials required for all programs, the MA in Government program requires:

If the applicant does not have an existing research-focused writing sample that they wish to submit, the applicant may write a five-page paper responding to the following:

"If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: You must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” — James Madison, Federalist 51

In this well-known quote, Madison points toward the age-old problem of reconciling democracy and political power. Discuss this problem in reference to some recent policy issues or political events, citing at least three references.

Program Requirements

Students pursuing the MA in Government program must complete:

Course List

Code Title Credits
Core Courses - Required: 9
Government & Politics
Research and Thesis I: MA in Government
Thesis and Applications of Research
Core Courses - Customizable for Applications of Research
Select two of the following: 6
Bureaucratic Politics
The Courts and Public Policy
Race, Politics, and Policy
Perspectives on the US Administrative State: Origins, Development, and Controversies
Models of Democratic Leadership in America
Democracy and Its Modern Critics
Separation of Powers and Democratic Governance
Corruption and Democratic Governance
Religion and American Political Culture
Political Debates and the US Constitution
Legislative Language and Policymaking
Political Institutions and the Policy Process
Comparative Democracies
Congress: Why the First Branch Matters
Hate Groups and Domestic Terrorism
Comparative Federalism: The United States and the European Union
Western Political and Constitutional Thought
The FBI and Information Sharing in the Post 9-11 World
American Political Development
Nationalism in the Democratic Age
Core Courses - Customizable for Thesis
Select one of the following: 3
Probability and Statistics,Introduction to Data Analytics and Policy
Research and Thesis II: MA in Government
Fundamentals of Quantitative Methods
Electives (7 or 8 to reach 12 courses) 21 -24

Concentration: Political Communication

Course List

Code Title Credits
Select four of the following: 12
Social Media and The American Presidency
Leadership Skills in the 21st Century
Speechwriting: Theory and Practice
Political Ideas, Strategy, and Policy Implementation
Money and Politics
Negotiating as a Leadership Skill
Introduction to Advocacy and Lobbying
Social Media and Politics: Elections, Strategy and Mobilizing Voters in the Digital Age
Communications and Congress
Politics and the Media
The FBI and Information Sharing in the Post 9-11 World
Campaigns and Running for Office
Data-Driven Campaigns and Elections
Communicating Public Policy
Total Credits 12

Concentration: Security Studies

Course List

Code Title Credits
Select four of the following: 12
Global Political Economy
U.S. Security in a Disordered World
Intelligence Ethics
Global Terrorist Organizations
Congress and the Making of Foreign Policy
Challenges of Transnational Security
Security Issues in South Asia
Democracy and Its Modern Critics
Russian National Security Policy
Energy, Security, and Defense
Economics of National Defense
Radicalization and Deradicalization in Terror Networks
Military Strategy & National Policy
Terrorist Financing Analysis and Counterterrorist Finance Techniques
China's Impact on Global Security
Politics and Security in the Middle East
Understanding Modern War
Defense Policy
Technology and Terrorism
Technology of Weapons of Mass Destruction
Total Credits 12

Concentration: Democracy Studies and Governance

Course List

Code Title Credits
Select four of the following: 12
Government & Politics
The Courts and Public Policy
Race, Politics, and Policy
Perspectives on the US Administrative State: Origins, Development, and Controversies
Models of Democratic Leadership in America
Leadership Skills in the 21st Century
Lobbying and Influence
Negotiating as a Leadership Skill
Democracy and Its Modern Critics
Separation of Powers and Democratic Governance
Corruption and Democratic Governance
Presidential Power and Politics
Religion and American Political Culture
Political Debates and the US Constitution
Legislative Language and Policymaking
Political Institutions and the Policy Process
Comparative Democracies
Congress: Why the First Branch Matters
Hate Groups and Domestic Terrorism
Comparative Federalism: The United States and the European Union
Western Political and Constitutional Thought
American Political Development
Nationalism in the Democratic Age
Fixing American Politics
State Politics: A Year in the Life
Total Credits 12