本系招收了数量有限的优秀学生参加41个计划，该计划旨在让范德比尔特大学的本科生在四年的本科学习和一年的研究生学习中完成学士和硕士学位。有关整个41程序的更多信息，请参见此处。41名MA候选人必须完成30个小时的300级课程工作，并提交论文或完成现场考试。在这30个小时中，预计学生将在一年开始的前一周参加数学训练营，完成两种方法的课程顺序（PSCI 355：研究方法和PSCI 356：统计I），并且在一个主要领域中至少完成6个小时研究（美国政治，比较政治，国际关系或政治​​理论）。论文由两人组成的委员会指导
Our department will help you to understand how and why people use and misuse power within and outside of political institutions and systems throughout the world. Our curriculum provides our students with strong theoretical foundations in all subfields of political science, as well as opportunities to cultivate robust quantitative and analytical skills to help them enhance their understandings of contemporary developments in politics, governance, political and military conflicts, representation, and public policy. Whether you are drawn to a career in law, government, education, private industry, or the non-profit sector, a degree in political science will provide you with the insights and tools you need to achieve your goals.