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Master’s Program Sampler

Our Master’s in Political Management program provides a cutting-edge, hands-on curriculum focused on the “how” of politics, not the “what.” You will gain practical knowledge of the strategies, tactics, and mechanics essential for achieving impactful results in the political arena. This program equips you with a solid foundation for success and aligns your new skills with the demands of today’s most sought-after fields.

Career Growth Potential

Upon graduation, our students are ready to lead, create, and achieve. Our alumni are campaign managers for U.S. Presidential and Senatorial candidates, as well as national leaders and senior staff around the world. They lead advocacy organizations like EMILY’s List and associations like the National Association of Counties.

Master’s Program

Today’s politics demands professionals with knowledge of the most effective strategies and tactics to win elections, advance legislation, or impact public opinion. Whether at the ballot box or in the halls of government, adept political management separates winners from losers.

Our Political Management master’s program offers a cutting-edge, hands-on curriculum, that teaches the “how” and not the “what” of politics. You will learn the strategies, tactics, and mechanics that get results in politics.

GSPM provides a flexible learning experience that allows students to attend classes on-campus, online, or in a hybrid format on a term-by-term basis (Ex. a student can take their classes on-campus in their first fall term, then switch to online for the spring term).

Learning Outcomes

A Political Management degree prepares students to win campaigns for elective office and policy positions, and to do so in a manner that benefits democracy and society as well as their organizations and clients. In completing the degree, students will be able to:

• Assess a political environment, develop a strategy to achieve specific goals, and execute that strategy.
• Draw upon a repertoire of effective campaign communication skills.
• Collect, evaluate, and incorporate empirical evidence to shape and optimize the strategy.
• Find, engage, and motivate the right leaders, professionals, and citizens.
• Recognize and work through recurring political dilemmas in a manner that upholds ethical standards and professional conduct.

Meet the Program Director

Todd L. Belt is the director of the Political Management program at The Graduate School of Political Management. Before joining GSPM, Dr. Belt was the John W. Kluge Fellow in Digital Studies at the Library of Congress and Professor of Political Science at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. His research and writing focuses on the mass media, public opinion, the presidency, campaigns and elections. He is the co-author of four books: The Post-Heroic Presidency: Leveraged Leadership in an Age of Limits (Praeger, 2nd ed.), The Presidency and Domestic Policy: Comparing Leadership Styles, FDR to Obama (Paradigm, 2nd ed.), We Interrupt This Newscast: How to Improve Local News and Win Ratings, Too (Cambridge University Press), and Getting Involved: A Guide to Student Citizenship (Longman). He has published over a dozen chapters in edited scholarly books and over two dozen scholarly articles. Dr. Belt received his B.A. in Economics and Political Science and the University of California, Irvine, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Southern California. He is the recipient of two teaching awards.

Todd L. Belt
Program Director