The On-Line Masters Of Arts program in Political Science is an innovative, new experiment in graduate education based at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia.

The On-Line Masters of Arts (OLMA) in Political Science is identical in course content, requirement, and work load to the widely respected and high-quality residential MA degree program that has been offered in Blacksburg since 1969. The faculty are among the nation's most professionally active political scientists, who are well-known for their research publications, editorial board service, research grants, and classroom teaching. The OLMA program features a broad array of methodologically sophisticated, theoretically grounded, and empirically oriented graduate courses, to graduate students in the Commonwealth, across the nation, and anywhere in the world.

Building upon the experience and expertise of Virginia Tech Faculty in teaching on-line undergraduate courses through the Virginia Tech CyberSchool since 1995, this new on-line learning site is aimed at place-bound students, who want to earn their first graduate degree, but who find themselves unable to begin a residential degree program at Virginia Tech's main campus in Blacksburg. Participants in this On-Line Master of Arts program complete their course work over the Internet through asynchronously conducted on-line graduate courses.

Launched during 1998-1999, our first OLMA student graduated in 2000. Since that first graduate, over 20 students have successfully completed their MA degrees through the On-Line Master of Arts Program, and many more have completed graduate certificates. Most continue their careers in government, higher education, secondary education, or the non-profit sector. Some have continued their studies in doctoral programs at Virginia Tech and elsewhere in the United States.

In addition, VTOnline, Virginia Tech's virtual campus, provides access to the university's many administrative, financial aid, library, and student support services.