The MA program is designed to provide all students with advanced training in political science and political science research methods. Students take at least five courses in the Department of Political Science and become proficient in one of the research tools used in the discipline. At the same time, students can develop their curriculum around a specific area of interest or subfield.The department is organized into four major subfields: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory. The subfield of American politics focuses on party politics, elections, the branches of government, state and local government, public policy, social movements, and other political and governmental issues in the United States. The subfield of comparative politics looks at similar issues in countries outside the United States, and tries to find out how differences in culture, levels of development, social structures, and forms of government influence the ways in which politics are conducted around the world. The subfield of international relations studies the relationships among states in the international system, and also looks at international institutions, transnational organizations, and the role of norms and law in international affairs. The subfield of political theory focuses on normative issues such as justice and legitimacy in politics, both through the study of the history of political thought and by seeking to make original contributions to thinking on classic problems.