Overview

Key features

Through the master's degree in the field of government you:

Build an understanding of government’s role in relation to economics, education, ethics, history, law, philosophy, and sociology.
Gain crucial theoretical and practical insights into governance and other challenges of governmental and nongovernmental administration.
Explore political practice and theory, and analyze political behavior, cultures, and systems.f

The degree includes 12 courses, three of which are taken on campus.

Get started. You begin by completing three stipulated degree courses as outlined on the degree requirements page. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your commitment and ability to perform well as a Harvard student.

Apply to the program. While you are completing your third degree course, you submit the admission application. We have application cycles in the fall, spring, and summer.

Continue your studies, online and on campus. As you progress through the program, you choose from courses offered on campus or online, year round in the fall, spring, or summer. To fully experience Harvard, you take at least three courses on campus.

Thesis option. If you choose this option, you'll work one-on-one with a thesis director to conduct in-depth research on a topic relevant to your work experience or academic interests, producing publishable quality results. You’ll emerge with a solid understanding of how scholarly research is executed and communicated.

Capstone option. For the capstone option, you work with a capstone instructor and in community with fellow candidates to craft a policy, historical, or community-based analysis on a topic of your choice. The final paper will represent the caliber of writing and research evident in peer-reviewed academic journals.

Graduate with your Harvard degree. You participate in the annual Harvard Commencement, receiving your Harvard University degree: Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, field: Government.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Comparative Politics
American Government—A New Perspective
International Conflict and Cooperation
Political Science Research Methods
Cyberpolitics
The Politics of Citizenship and Naturalization
Preventive Measures: International Peace and Security Challenges.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00
Starting 2028-01-27 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-04-15 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

125

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TOEFL^® IBT

100

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

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Credits

48 SCH

Delivered

On Campus, Online

Campus Location

Cambridge, United States

Disciplines

Public Policy Political Science View 295 other Masters in Political Science in United States

This information is based on LinkedIn alumni data for graduates from 2018 to 2024 and may not fully represent all career outcomes

Total alumni

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Academic requirements

GPA

3 _{(recommended)}

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

125

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

100

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

To begin the admission process, you complete:

Proseminar: Research Methods and Scholarly Writing in the Social Sciences
To register, you must pass the critical reading and writing skills test or earn a B or higher in the relevant expository writing course.

You need to earn the minimum grade of B in a maximum of two registration attempts. The proseminar cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.
One government course

One government course or elective.

While the three courses don't need to be taken in a particular order or in the same semester, we highly recommend that you start with the proseminar. All three courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher, without letting your overall Harvard cumulative GPA dip below 3.0.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

3440 USD / module

≈ 3440 USD / module
Out-of-State

3440 USD / module

≈ 3440 USD / module
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

3440 USD / module

≈ 3440 USD / module

Living costs

Cambridge

United States

1814 - 3756 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

Interested in financing your studies? Find a student loan that works for you.

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Free visa & career support through our Path2Success program

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Government.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Key features

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying Political Science

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Cambridge

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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