Master of Professional Studies in the Field of Political Management

PMGT 1000. Dean's Seminar. 3 Credits.

PMGT 4101. Electoral and Legislative Processes. 3,4 Credits.

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PMGT 4102. Washington, DC, and the Past, Present, and Future of American Democracy. 3-4 Credits.

Introduction to the U.S. capital's culture, history, and politics, exploring how it has been depicted in literature, art, and film and why many people see it either as a corrupt swamp or a place of idealism, hope, and public service.

PMGT 4107. Research Practicum. 3,4 Credits.

Students conduct original research in the study of the political system of the United States on a subject of their choosing. Restricted to students in the Semester in Washington program.

PMGT 4109. Special Topics. 3-4 Credits.

This course will examine the national campaigns unfolding in real-time in the summer of 2024 through several lenses: the rise of misinformation; the toxic tone of social media; campaign funding; conspiracy theories; and the January 6 insurrection.

PMGT 4187. Professional Internship. 3-4 Credits.

Faculty-led career advancement opportunity in which students learn to apply theoretical knowledge in an authentic work environment.

PMGT 4192. Tutorial in American Electoral and Political Movements. 3-4 Credits.

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PMGT 4200. Civics and Presidential Leadership. 3-4 Credits.

Students engage in a targeted study of civics, democracy, the presidency, and U.S. history. By examining the nation’s history and engaging its leaders, students are empowered to become models of informed citizenship in local and national communities.

PMGT 6401. Fundamentals of Political Management. 3 Credits.

The main concepts, arenas, developments, roles, and practices in the field of political management. This course should be taken in the first semester of program.

PMGT 6402. Applied Political Communications. 3 Credits.

Models and methods by which professionals plan, produce, and adjust strategic communication messages in democratic politics.

PMGT 6403. Political Data and Analytics. 3 Credits.

Introduction to the uses of quantitative data and statistics in politics.

PMGT 6404. Principled Political Leadership. 3 Credits.

Designed to sharpen students’ understanding of principled political leadership and familiarize students with dilemmas they may confront as they make their careers.

PMGT 6410. Grassroots Engagement. 3 Credits.

How grassroots movements impact political outcomes and how to engage the public in order to make political change.

PMGT 6414. Lobbying. 3 Credits.

Survey of and training for lobbying in the U.S. federal system. Students design a detailed lobbying plan for implementation and practice a variety of influence techniques.

PMGT 6416. International Lobbying. 3 Credits.

Examination of lobbying in the international context. Analysis of the role of political culture, norms, and global currents in developing advocacy strategies in the international context.

PMGT 6420. Corporate Public Affairs. 3 Credits.

Provides real-world, hands-on learning to prepare students for a potential career in corporate public affairs.

PMGT 6424. Comparative Politics. 3 Credits.

Students gain a conceptual and practical understanding of the politics and the operation of political institutions in a variety of countries. Restricted to graduate students.

PMGT 6428. Cultural Aspects of Global Engagement. 3 Credits.

Understanding multicultural communities and diverse institutions, customs, and practices; effective and ethical public engagement on behalf of global organizations; communicating issues and commitments to diverse audiences and the general market; engagement strategies and techniques. Restricted to graduate Students.

PMGT 6430. Campaign Strategy. 3 Credits.

Study of the various elements of a political campaign and organizing the work of a campaign to place a candidate in a position to win.

PMGT 6438. State and Local Campaigns. 3 Credits.

Application of campaign strategy and management principles to electoral races at the state and local levels.

PMGT 6440. Targeting and Voter Contact. 3 Credits.

Finding voters for electoral and advocacy campaigns and tailoring communications to them, including via database analytics, list building and management, questionnaire design, target weighting, and more.

PMGT 6442. Campaigns Around the World. 3 Credits.

Conceptual and practical understanding of the political and electoral systems and the practices of electoral campaigns in a variety of countries.

PMGT 6450. Rules, Laws, and Strategy. 3 Credits.

A comprehensive overview of the rules and other structural parameters that govern campaign activity and the electoral process. The impact these rules have on candidates’ strategies and election outcomes.

PMGT 6452. Digital Strategy. 3 Credits.

Introduction to digital strategy. Evaluating, creating, implementing, and managing successful digital strategies that call audiences to action and achieve organizational goals.

PMGT 6454. Fundraising and Budgeting. 3 Credits.

The basics of campaign and nonprofit fundraising and budgeting, including candidate call time, campaign finance law, direct mail fundraising, and the budgeting process.

PMGT 6456. Speechcraft. 3 Credits.

The methods used in speechwriting for political candidates and public officials and the techniques and practices that apply to most speechwriting, in various contexts and on various topics.

PMGT 6458. Crisis Management. 3 Credits.

The management of crisis situations, turning points, and defining moments in contemporary electoral, legislative, and public policy campaigns, in governmental decision making, and in corporate affairs.

PMGT 6460. Audience Research. 3 Credits.

The research processes by which citizens consume political information and how it affects decisions in politics, including methods used by researchers and campaign stakeholders to inform strategy during political campaigns.

PMGT 6462. Opposition Research. 3 Credits.

Practices and techniques associated with investigative opposition research. Public document and website searches, candidate tracking, and methods for information dissemination. Changes in practice as a result of technological innovations and a changing media environment. Professional responsibilities and ethics expected from opposition researchers.

PMGT 6466. Political Advertising. 3 Credits.

The history, strategy, and craft of paid political advertising, with a focus on television, cable and digital video advertising.

PMGT 6468. Digital Advertising and Action. 3 Credits.

Digital targeting, audience building, advertising, and mobilization. Students are prepared to run successful digital ad campaigns to educate and activate constituents.

PMGT 6470. Digital Content Creation. 3 Credits.

The practical skills needed to conceptualize and create digital content, including basic theory about digital storytelling, using various modalities/platforms, and designing content that makes an impact.

PMGT 6472. Maximizing Social Media. 3 Credits.

Creating and integrating content for owned digital platforms and social media assets for the purpose of political persuasion and action.

PMGT 6477. Political Risk Assessment. 3 Credits.

Instruction in the tools of risk assessment needed to better forecast, analyze, and react to political volatility.

PMGT 6479. Using Humor Strategically. 3 Credits.

The role of humor in politics and how it can be employed to make campaigns more effective. Analysis of different types, techniques, styles, topics, cultural contexts, and modes of delivery of humor in politics for differential political impact. Restricted to graduate students.

PMGT 6480. Washington Residency. 3 Credits.

Combines the student's master’s capstone project with a one-week immersion residency in Washington, DC. Students are encouraged to enroll during their final or penultimate term. Restricted to PMGT online students in their penultimate or final term or with permission of the instructor.

PMGT 6490. Special Topics. 3 Credits.

Topic to be announced in the Schedule of Classes.

PMGT 6495. Political Power and Practice. 3 Credits.

This capstone seminar develops and integrates knowledge of political strategies, tactics, and situational considerations, and applies that knowledge to advanced political problems.

PMGT 6496. Independent Study. 3 Credits.

Independent research with a Political Management faculty member. Registration must be approved in advance by the supervising faculty member and the director of the political management program.

PMGT 6497. Graduate Internship. 0 Credits.

Experience at an organization focused on applied politics. Restricted to students in the MPS in political management program.

PMGT 6501. Politics and Public Policy. 3 Credits.

Examination of political processes that influence policy formulation, policy implementation, and the uses of policy analysis. Topics include political and policy decision making, actors, and process.

PMGT 6502. Managing Confrontations and Alliance Building. 3 Credits.

Tools, techniques and approaches necessary to navigate conflict and create a compelling narrative. How to transmit messages and evaluate the role they play in the governing process.

PMGT 6503. Communication Strategy. 3 Credits.

Formulation of political communications strategies. Elements necessary to create, introduce, and maintain an effective political profile in issue advocacy campaigns, candidate elections, and legislative advocacy campaigns. Application of principles of research, advertising, and marketing to the political landscape.

PMGT 6504. Political Management and Strategic Governance. 3 Credits.

How to govern in a democracy, taking into consideration the role of nongovernmental actors.

PMGT 6505. Grassroots Politics. 3 Credits.

Techniques, including microtargeting, to mobilize volunteers for political campaigns, lobbying efforts, and community advocacy and to help corporations, unions, civic and nonprofit organizations, and special interest groups achieve strategic goals.

PMGT 6510. Managing Political Campaigns. 3 Credits.

Organizational choices facing campaign management teams in Latin America as they attempt to combine the resources and activities of a modern campaign into a winning effort.

PMGT 6511. Social Media and Political Advertising. 3 Credits.

Role of political advertising in a campaign, including radio, direct mail, print and television, but with specific emphasis on social media.

PMGT 6512. Media and Politics. 3 Credits.

The role of the media in the politics of Latin America. Who the media are, how they make their decisions, and how they influence outcomes in campaigns and other political situations.

PMGT 6513. Capstone. 3 Credits.

Capstone seminar that develops and integrates knowledge of political strategies, tactics, governance, and situational considerations, and applies that knowledge to advanced political problems.

PMGT 6515. Democracy and Crisis. 3 Credits.

The role of crisis management in democracies, specifically in Latin America.

PMGT 6516. Strategy and Polling. 3 Credits.

Polling and survey research uses in electoral campaigns and issue advocacy.