Texas Woman's University

What you'll study

The certificate centers on one required course plus seven elective courses (totaling 18 hours). The required course is:

• Research Methods in Political Science — introduces the questions political scientists ask and the basic methods used to answer them.

Elective coursework is chosen across five topical areas; students take one course in each area and one additional political science elective:

• Global and Comparative Politics — options include comparative politics or international relations courses.
• Public Policy — examples include national defense policy or presidential policymaking.
• Political Theory — courses that examine political ideas and theory.
• U.S. Politics, Law, and Government — examples include constitutional law, legislative process, or courses on women in American politics.
• Elective — any graduate political science course offered by the department (for example, Political Theory; Law, Gender, and Sexuality; Women as Citizens, among others).

To complete the certificate students must submit a portfolio containing at least one research project from their coursework and a personal statement explaining how the coursework relates to their career, then defend that portfolio in a formal conversation with a faculty committee.

Entry requirements

Admission uses rolling review. Minimum requirements stated by the program are:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum 3.25 GPA on the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate work.
• Submit a writing sample (a prior college paper in any subject or a 2–3 page personal statement describing goals), a curriculum vitae, and email addresses for three individuals who can provide letters of recommendation through the application system.
• Official transcripts for every college or university attended (domestic applicants) or a NACES/AICE evaluation for international transcripts.
• Application fee (with limited fee‑waiver options noted by the university).

Applicants seeking Graduate Assistantships must meet the university’s general criteria for appointment of graduate assistants. For applicants without an existing MA who intend to teach in community college or dual‑credit settings, the program page directs them to the MA in Political Science program.

Career prospects

The certificate is explicitly aimed at preparing teachers to meet Texas state requirements for dual‑credit and community college political science instruction by providing the 18 graduate credit hours in the subject. It also serves as a way for prospective graduate students to gain exposure to graduate‑level political science before committing to a master’s program.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The program notes TWU’s relatively low public university costs in Texas and positions the certificate as an affordable path that can enhance eligibility for dual‑credit or community‑college teaching (and the potential income that can accompany those roles). Prospective applicants should consult TWU for details on Graduate Assistantship eligibility and any fee‑waiver opportunities referenced in the application instructions.