phd political science admission requirements

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PhD in Political Science

The Ph.D. in Political Science program  prepares students  to be outstanding researchers and scholars at top universities, policy think tanks, consulting firms, and U.S. and international institutions. Working in small classes and with experienced faculty mentors, doctoral students construct a program around a major and minor field of study.

Recent dissertation topics have spanned women's organizations and the partisan gender gap, judicial politics in the Middle East, media freedom in Turkey, social justice in the corporate world, and coercive kidnappings in violent political organizations. Our students present their research at conferences around the country, earn awards and prestigious research grants for their scholarship, and publish articles in major journals, such as International Security, American Political Science Review, International Organization, Perspectives on Politics, and Journal of Politics.

Funding is guaranteed for five years, conditional on adequate progress.

Admissions & Requirements

Policies and Resources

PhD Job Placement Data

The deadline for our MA program is April 1, 2025, for Fall 2025 admission. Our next PhD application deadline is Dec. 15, 2024, for Fall 2025 admission. If you have questions, please contact the Department Administrator by email: [email protected] .

Major and Minor Fields

Doctoral students choose both a major and minor field of study. Any of the major fields is also an option for a minor.

Major Fields

• American Politics
• International Relations
• Comparative Politics

Minor Fields

• Political Theory
• Public Policy
• Research Methods

Learn About Research by Field

Course Requirements 

Additional requirements

In addition to required coursework, program requirements consists of two comprehensive examinations covering a primary and supporting field, an original research paper, and a dissertation demonstrating the capacity to undertake original and significant research. The research paper, to be completed by the second year in the program, must reflect the student's ability to conduct original research. Students prepare for the comprehensive exams by taking at least five courses in their primary field and at least four courses in their supporting field, selected according to departmental guidelines. Three primary fields are available: American politics, international relations, and comparative politics. In addition, political theory, public policy, and research methodology are available as supporting fields. Petitions for a self-designed minor field (e.g., political communications) composed primarily of courses not offered by the established fields can be jointly proposed by students and faculty. All students must complete a sequence of courses in research methodology comprising PSC 8101 , PSC 8108 , and PSC 8109 . 

A recommendation to the Dean for Admissions to candidacy, or the dissertation research stage, will be considered upon satisfactory completion of all coursework, research paper, field examinations, and successful defense of the dissertation prospectus. Students must pass their primary field examination with a satisfactory pass or above and must pass their supporting field examination with a bare pass or above in order to be considered eligible for promotion to candidacy. Admission to candidacy is permitted only if the student’s performance on the examinations and in the coursework gives a good indication of success in the second unit. Passing the field examinations does not in itself ensure admission to candidacy.

The dissertation prospectus must outline the central research question(s), relate the proposed research to the existing literature, detail a research methodology, and explain the nature of the original contribution that the completed project will provide. The prospectus must be presented and defended in an open forum, which all faculty and doctoral students are invited to attend. The full dissertation must be similarly defended. A dual degree program enables students to earn the master of public policy along with the PhD in the field of political science.

Political Science, PhD

Zanvyl krieger school of arts and sciences.

The Johns Hopkins University Department of Political Science is known for its strength in theory and in innovative and trans-disciplinary approaches to uncovering new knowledge, and the program of doctoral study draws on these strengths to provide rigorous training. Our program is designed for highly qualified, intellectually curious, and creative graduate students who can benefit by learning from and contributing to this community of scholars.

Doctoral students develop in-depth knowledge of a major field and a minor field (or two major fields), chosen from American politics, comparative politics, international relations, law and politics, and political theory. In addition, doctoral students may complete a certificate in comparative racial politics.

Students have opportunities to work closely with faculty and to pursue independent research, and faculty and doctoral students benefit from strong connections with colleagues in other social science and humanities disciplines and opportunities to collaborate with them.

The preparation of the next generation of scholars in the field of political science is a key part of the Johns Hopkins political science department faculty's commitment to research and advancing the understanding of politics. The doctoral program reflects the distinctive strengths of the department's cross-cutting intellectual orientations (encompassing the themes of power and inequality, identities and allegiances, agency and structure, and borders and flows), realized in faculty and PhD student research and teaching.

The department and Krieger School of Arts and Sciences provide opportunities for developing teaching and other career-related skills.

Financial Support

The department ordinarily provides financial aid to all students admitted to the graduate program unless they hold fellowships from sources outside the university. Departmental fellowships cover full tuition and an annual stipend. Assuming satisfactory progress toward the PhD, students can normally expect to receive funding for five years. Teaching experience is regarded as an important part of the graduate program, and graduate students are required to teach during their program. More details are available in the handbook.

Admission Requirements

The Department of Political Science admits approximately 7-9 new graduate students each year, selected from approximately 200 applications. 

The deadline for application for admission to graduate study and the award of financial assistance is December 15 (most years). Decisions are made exclusively in late February or early March and announced by March 15.

A bachelor's degree (or equivalent) is required for application.  Inclusion of a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score is optional.  Each applicant must have three letters of recommendation.  Students whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL examinations or provide other evidence of fluency in English (such as a degree from an institution in which the language of instruction is English).  A broad background in the liberal arts and sciences is preferred.

More information on applying can be found at  http://grad.jhu.edu/apply/application-process/ .

All applications should be submitted online.

We recognize that it can be financially burdensome to relocate to a new city to attend a Ph.D. program.  Students who are accepted to Ph.D. programs at JHU can apply to receive a $1,500 need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to JHU.  These grants provide funding to a portion of incoming students who, without this money, may otherwise not be able to relocate to JHU for their Ph.D. program.  This is not a merit-based grant.  Applications will be evaluated solely based on financial need.

Program Requirements  

The requirements for the PhD in political science are divided between those that must be satisfied by all candidates for that degree and those particular to the student's major and minor fields.

Department-wide Requirements

All candidates for the PhD must satisfy the following requirements:

Course Requirements

• To fulfill the requirements for the PhD in Political Science students must complete 12 courses at the 600-level with a grade of B or better.
• Of these 12 courses, eight must be graduate-level (600-level) courses taken in the Political Science Department.
• No more than two of these eight courses (600-level) may be Independent Studies.
• If a graduate student is interested in taking an undergraduate-level course, the student must make arrangements to take a graduate-level Independent Study with the professor teaching that course. (NB: As noted above, a student may take no more than two Independent Studies for credit toward fulfilling the requirements of the PhD).
• A graduate student may take no more than one graduate-level course at another division of Johns Hopkins University (i.e. SAIS, Public Health, etc.) for credit toward fulfilling the requirements of the PhD in Political Science.
• Students may make a formal request to the DGS to have up to two graduate-level courses taken at another institution count for credit toward fulfilling the requirements of the PhD in Political Science at JHU.

Foreign Language Requirement

All students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language. This requirement can be fulfilled as follows:

• Demonstrate fluency in a foreign language (granted automatically for students whose first language is not English).
• Complete four semesters of college-level foreign language instruction.
• Pass a translation exam.
• Earn a degree from a University where instruction is not in English.
• With a degree from an institution in which the language of instruction is a language other than English.
• Place into a third-year foreign language course through online placement tests (see GRLL website).

Comprehensive Examination Requirement

Students are required, at a minimum, to take comprehensive exams in one major field and one minor field. Students may also elect to take two major exams or a major exam and two minor exams (one of which may be outside the Department of Political Science).

Faculty members in the field write and evaluate the exams and determine the format. Major field comprehensive exams take place over two days (8 hours per day); minor field exams take place over one day. The fields within the department are: American Politics, Law and Politics, Political Theory, Comparative Politics and International Relations.

Students choosing a second minor outside the Political Science Department must devise a coherent program of study in that discipline, in consultation with their Political Science faculty advisor and with faculty from the other department. Students choosing an external minor must complete a minimum of three courses at the 600 level in the external minor's discipline, earning a grade of B or better. They must also pass a comprehensive examination prepared and evaluated in consultation with faculty of the Department of Political Science by the instructors in those courses.

Dissertation

The dissertation is the capstone of doctoral education, and it must be a substantial work of independent scholarship that contributes to knowledge in the student's field of study. Students must identify a tenure-track or tenured member of the Political Science faculty who is willing to supervise the preparation of their dissertation. A dissertation prospectus must be submitted to two professors (one of whom must be the dissertation advisor) and that prospectus must be accepted by them both.

Students must pass a final examination that takes the form of a defense of the doctoral dissertation that is conducted under the rules of the Graduate Board of Johns Hopkins University.

Note: Exceptions may be made to some of these requirements but only with the approval of the graduate student's advisor and the Political Science Department's Director of Graduate Studies.

Field-specific Requirements

Field-specific basic expectations, procedures, and requirements are stated below. These are implemented, interpreted, and adjusted in the light of the intellectual orientations and objectives of individual students. It is important that students work closely with their advisors and with the faculty in their major and minor fields in constructing and pursuing their programs of study.

American Politics

Students majoring and minoring in American Politics will work with at least two faculty members to develop a plan of study that includes recommended course work and other preparation needed to pass a comprehensive exam. Students completing a major are expected to demonstrate a breadth of knowledge sufficient for framing a dissertation in the relevant disciplinary literature and teaching undergraduate courses in the field; students who pursue a minor may focus more narrowly on an area of study in which they demonstrate fluency. These may include, but are not limited to, the following areas of faculty interest:

• American Political Institutions (Congress, Courts, and the Executive)
• Urban Politics
• American Political Development
• Race and Politics
• Political Behavior and Public Opinion
• Public Policy
• American Political Thought
• Political Parties and Elections

In addition, students majoring in the field are strongly encouraged to take AS.190.602 Introduction to Quantitative Political Science as part of their course of study.

Comparative Politics

All students majoring and minoring in this Comparative Politics will become conversant with major substantive and methodological debates in the field, and be able to comment on the key theoretical literature in several of those debates. They will normally also develop knowledge of at least one world region. Students majoring or minoring in Comparative Politics are required to take AS.190.625 Theories of Comparative Politics and at least one seminar in quantitative or qualitative methods. Students are expected to master the material covered in these courses, as well as others with more specialized topics.

Students will take a comprehensive exam that will test their ability to engage with several areas of theoretical debate in Comparative Politics, and their ability to use comparative examples to support their arguments. Students may focus on (but are not limited to):

• Civil Society
• Institutional Theories
• Transnational Relations, Social Movements, and Contentious Politics
• Political Parties, Interest Groups, Representation, and Political Behavior
• Comparative Political Economy
• Comparative Racial Politics, Nationalism, and Migration and Citizenship
• The Political Economy of Development
• Economic and Political Transitions
• Ideas and Politics

Within the spirit of this division of the overall field, students may propose alternative delineations of thematic subfields.

Students working in specific thematic and substantive subfields within Comparative Politics will be required to demonstrate competence in methodologies and bodies of theory judged by the faculty to be necessary for quality research and teaching in those subfields.

Requirements for the Major Exam

Student taking the major exam are expected to compile a reading list that includes at least six fields, including a general "Theories of Comparative Politics" field. The reading list must be approved by the student's advisor at least six weeks before the exam. We strongly advise students to submit their reading lists to all of the CP faculty for feedback at least a few months before the exam. A minimum of three CP faculty members will read each major exam.

Requirements for the Minor Exam

Students taking the minor exam should seek two readers among the CP faculty for their exams. Students are expected to compile a reading lists that includes at least four fields, including a general “Theories of Comparative Politics” field. The reading list must be approved by the two readers at least six weeks before the exam. We strongly advise students to submit their reading lists to all of the CP faculty for feedback at least a few months before the exam.

International Relations

All students majoring or minoring in International Relations will be required to have deep knowledge of the scholarship relevant to their area of research and to be conversant with the major theoretical, substantive, and methodological themes and debates of the field.  It is strongly recommended that students take AS.190.676 Field Survey of International Relations (or a similar course) and a methods/epistemology course chosen in consultation with their faculty advisers.

Students majoring in International Relations will take an examination covering two subfields. The first subfield must be International Politics. The other subfield is to be determined in consultation with faculty teaching International Relations. Choices include but are not restricted to:

• International Law and Diplomacy
• International Relations Theory
• International Security Studies
• Science, Technology, and Art and International Relations

Global Political Economy

Students minoring in International Relations will take a comprehensive examination in International Politics.

Political Theory

Students majoring in Political Theory will take a comprehensive examination covering the following two subfields:

• Contemporary Political Theory
• History of Political Thought

Each student preparing for a major comprehensive exam will propose six or seven thinkers in the history of thought, six or seven recent or contemporary thinkers, and three or four issue areas. Examination questions are composed in light of the theorists and issues articulated in the exam prospectus.

The minor comprehensive exam in political theory asks the student to select half the number of thinkers required for the major exam and three issue areas.

Preparation for these examinations will be arranged in consultation with relevant faculty.

Students majoring in political theory will also take at least one minor field from American Politics, Law and Politics, Comparative Politics, or International Relations.

Law and Politics

Law and politics focuses on American constitutional thought, judicial politics, law and society, and philosophy of law. Students learn not only about the history and context of American constitutional developments, but also about the operation of the judicial branch of government in the past and the present. Studying how courts and judges do their work, students also consider how that work has changed over time. Students explore how legislation, as well as court decisions, reflect and influence a society’s policies, politics, and moral commitments. In addition, they examine how social movements, interest groups, and professional networks help to shape law’s content and implementation.

Students may major or minor in law and politics. In either case, students work closely with at least two members of the faculty to develop a plan of study regarding coursework and additional reading to prepare them for comprehensive exams. Majors are expected to demonstrate a breadth of knowledge in the field sufficient for framing a dissertation and for teaching undergraduate courses; minors may focus more narrowly on a particular area of study.

Progress Toward the PhD

The time necessary to obtain a PhD in the department varies according to the preparation individual students bring to the program, the scope and complexity of their dissertation topics, and other factors. Students are required to make satisfactory progress, meaning that they must work toward fulfilling the requirements in a timely manner. Students are encouraged to satisfy the department's foreign language requirement by the time of their first comprehensive exam. Most students take their comprehensive examinations in the third year in the program. Students who have completed all requirements except the dissertation must work to complete their dissertations as quickly as is reasonable given the unique circumstances of their course of study, and they must periodically demonstrate progress on the dissertation.

The Master of Arts degree is offered only to students who have been admitted into the PhD program. For the M.A., the student must complete at least seven (7) 600-level courses in the department, all with a grade of B or better.

Graduate Program

Application requirements.

All directions and requirements for applying to the PhD in Political Science can now be found in the Graduate Division Online Application . Please choose Political Science PhD from the list of available programs to proceed to the application and specific instructions for applying to the Political Science PhD. If you have trouble with the online application, please contact the Graduate Division at [email protected].

If you have questions about admission to our program, please contact us directly at [email protected], or check out our FAQ page.

An outdated application checklist for Admissions 2024 is available here . The only change to the checklist for Fall 2025 is that the GRE will now be required, with few exceptions. To see if you qualify for GRE exception email [email protected]

Thank you for taking the time to consider our graduate program. Applications for Fall 2025 will open on September 10th, 2024 and close on December 2nd 2024.

Graduate Diversity Admissions Fair:  October 2022  PhD Program Presentation Deck  and recording.

Note: Virtual advising is available by appointment. If you would like to schedule a zoom appointment, please contact us directly at [email protected] .  

Graduate Program

Pushing the Scholarly Frontier

PhD in Political Science

Our doctoral students are advancing political science as a discipline. They explore the empirical phenomena that produce new scholarly insights—insights that improve the way governments and societies function. As a result, MIT Political Science graduates are sought after for top teaching and research positions in the U.S. and abroad. Read where program alumni are working around the world.

How the PhD program works

The MIT PhD in Political Science requires preparation in two of these major fields:

• American Politics
• Comparative Politics
• International Relations
• Models and Methods
• Political Economy
• Security Studies

We recommend that you take a broad array of courses across your two major fields. In some cases, a single course may overlap across the subject matter of both fields. You may not use more than one such course to "double count" for the course distribution requirement. Keep in mind that specific fields may have additional requirements.

You are free to take subjects in other departments across the Institute. Cross-registration arrangements also permit enrollment in subjects taught in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University and in some of Harvard's other graduate schools.

Requirements

1. number of subjects.

You will need two full academic years of work to prepare for the general examinations and to meet other pre-dissertation requirements. Typically, a minimum of eight graduate subjects are required for a PhD.

2. Scope and Methods

This required one-semester seminar for first-year students introduces principles of empirical and theoretical analysis in political science.

3. Statistics

You must successfully complete at least one class in statistics.

You must successfully complete at least one class in empirical research methods.

5. Philosophy

You must successfully complete at least one class in political philosophy.

6. Foreign language or advanced statistics

You must demonstrate reading proficiency in one language other than English by successfully completing two semesters of intermediate-level coursework or an exam in that language, or you must demonstrate your knowledge of advanced statistics by successfully completing three semesters of coursework in advanced statistics. International students whose native language is not English are not subject to the language requirement.

7. Field research

We encourage you to conduct field research and to develop close working ties with faculty members engaged in major research activities.

8. Second Year Paper/workshop

You must complete an article-length research paper and related workshop in the spring semester of the second year. The second-year paper often develops into a dissertation project.

9. Two examinations

In each of your two elected fields, you must take a general written and oral examination. To prepare for these examinations, you should take at least three courses in each of the two fields, including the field seminar.

10. Doctoral thesis

As a rule, the doctoral thesis requires at least one year of original research and data collection. Writing the dissertation usually takes a substantially longer time. The thesis process includes a first and second colloquium and an oral defense. Be sure to consult the MIT Specifications for Thesis Preparation as well as the MIT Political Science Thesis Guidelines . Consult the MIT academic calendar to learn the due date for final submission of your defended, signed thesis.

Questions? Consult the MIT Political Science Departmental Handbook or a member of the staff in the MIT Political Science Graduate Office .

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The Department of Government at Harvard is a world leader in the study of political science, and the department’s faculty covers a wide range of fields and methodologies. The department’s breadth and depth allows you to pursue groundbreaking research on a variety of topics. The doctoral program’s diversity and flexibility enables scholars from all backgrounds and interests to thrive.

In the Department of Government, you will study and do research with the faculty of the department and leading scholars in other Harvard departments and schools, including Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School. You have access to unparalleled resources, ranging from the largest university library in the world to the Harvard research computing cluster to a wide array of centers and institutes associated with the department.

Graduates of the department write dissertations on topics ranging from ancient political theory to the politics of cybersecurity. They go on to jobs at leading academic institutions, companies, government agencies, and nonprofits.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Government and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies . 

Areas of Study

American Government | Comparative Politics | International Relations | Political Thought and Its History | Quantitative Methods/Formal Theory

Admissions Requirements

Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Government .

Writing Sample

A writing sample is required as part of the application and should be a recent scholarly or critical paper, 15 to 25 pages in length.

For the coordinated JD/PhD  in law and political science, applicants must apply separately to each program and indicate in the application to the PhD program that a concurrent application has been submitted to the Harvard Law School.

Personal Statement

Standardized tests.

GRE General: Required Writing Sample: Required (15-25 pages) iBT TOEFL preferred minimum score: 105 IELTS preferred minimum score: 7.5

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Government

See list of Government faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Doctoral Program Requirements

Programs of study leading to the Ph.D. degree in Political Science are designed by the student, in consultation with advisors and the Director of Graduate Studies, to serve his or her particular interests as well as to achieve the program requirements. The most current and complete information about degree requirements can be found in the  Ph.D. Program Guide . Students should also familiarize themselves with University requirements outlined in the  Graduate Degrees section of the Stanford Bulletin.

Knowledge of Two Fields

Each student chooses two fields from American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Political Methodology. In the primary field, students must demonstrate comprehensive knowledge by passing a written field examination. Field Examinations are offered in the Fall and Spring. In order to prepare for the field exam, each field offers a series of courses designed to familiarize the student with the literature of that field. In the secondary field, students must demonstrate comprehensive knowledge by satisfactory grades in the required classes.

Exposure to a Third Field

Since students will often be exposed to work in other fields of Political Science, the Stanford program asks that students become familiar with a third field. To do this, students take at least two courses for at least three units each from among the formal graduate-level courses in the five divisions of the department. Students may also self-design a third field with approval from two members of the Political Science faculty. The third concentration cannot be satisfied by courses taken as a requirement for a first or second concentration. A third concentration in theory requires two courses in addition to the five units necessary to fulfill the program requirement. A third concentration in methodology requires PS 450C and PS 450D in addition to the classes necessary to fulfill the methodology program requirement.

Political Theory

All students must complete one course of graduate instruction in political theory. The Political Theory Field Statement lists the courses that count toward the requirements in a particular year.

Quantitative Skills

All students are required to take, at a minimum, PS 450A and PS 450B, which cover basic probability and statistics and the linear regression model.

Field Paper

In the second year each student produces a scholarly research paper aimed at exposing the Ph.D. candidate to the research techniques used by political scientists. Second year research papers are assessed by two readers from among the regular Department faculty. These readers are usually in one of the student's major fields.

Research Design

All students are required to take a research design class. 

Teaching Experience

Since teaching is an important component of the political science profession, all students will serve as teaching assistants in undergraduate courses in order to hone their teaching skills. A candidate for the Ph.D. in Political Science is required to serve as a teaching assistant (TA) in the department for a minimum of three quarters, but should expect to TA for five quarters between years 2-5.

All applicants should upload unofficial transcripts from all academic institutions into the Application for Graduate Admission.  Department of Political Science is currently not accepting hard copies as staff are working remotely.  Graduate Students who are admitted into the program will be asked to submit official hard copy transcripts after admissions decisions are released.

Note: The application and all supporting documents must be submitted by December 1st, 2024. No extensions will be granted. Please read the instructions prior to contacting the graduate office.

Application Instructions

To apply for admission to the UCLA Political Science Department’s Ph.D. program, you must use the form on the Graduate Division website ( http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/admissions/applicat.htm ). That online form will guide you through the process. Be sure to select “Political Science” as your academic program in the “Plans for Graduate Study” section in the online admissions form. Note that the department does not have a separate  master’s degree  program, so if you’re interested in doing graduate work in our department you must apply for admission to the Ph.D. program.

As part of the application process, we are going to need three  letters of recommendation . You should not ask your recommenders to send their letters directly to the department. Instead, you will provide names and contact information online for three people who have agreed to write letters for you. The letter writers will be contacted directly via email, and will also submit their letters electronically. This procedure is described in more detail on the application form website. For this purpose, you will not use the application form but will instead click into the link for “Recommendations” on the lower left-hand side of the online application form.

You must submit a statement of purpose and a writing sample. The section on  “Statement of Purpose”  in the application form will give you a good sense for what the Statement should be. It should be about three to five pages, double-spaced, in length.

Your  writing sample  is another requirement that will be taken into account when your application is assessed. We are not interested simply in seeing how well you write English, although that of course is important. We are also interested in getting some sense for your analytical abilities. Normally, the writing sample would be a paper you did in college or in a master’s program that you are particularly proud of, but one that is not purely descriptive in nature. An applicant will sometimes send in a copy of his or her senior thesis or master’s thesis. The sample should be at least five pages and at most 25 pages long (double-spaced).

You are also required to send in your official transcripts from previous academic work you have done. Upload transcripts onto the application form and mail official hard copy transcripts to the department. The one exception has to do with applicants who have gotten their undergraduate degree from UCLA. Those applicants do not have to provide an official transcript, but they will still need to submit an unofficial copy of their final transcript after they graduate, which they can get from the registrar’s office, to prove they have actually gotten their degree. If your undergraduate transcript does not show explicitly that you have been awarded a bachelor’s degree, at some point before you actually enroll you will need to send us a copy of your  diploma , as officially issued by your university registrar. If that diploma is in a foreign language, you should also submit, in hard copy, an official English language translation of the diploma which you would get from the registrar (or equivalent office) at the institution that awarded it.

Finally, an international student who has been admitted and has decided to enroll in our program will have to send us a copy of his or her  passport  by April 11, so that the visa-issuance process will have enough time to run its course. All hard-copy material should be sent to:

Graduate Students who are admitted into the program will be asked to submit official hard copy transcripts after admissions decisions are released.  Please send them to this address below.

ATTN: Graduate Advisor, UCLA UCLA Political Science Department BOX 951472, 4289 Bunche Los Angeles, CA 90095-1472

You will also have to take the  General Graduate Record Examination  and have the results sent directly to the department. You should take the GRE’s no later than November 1 so that we receive the test results before your application is processed. UCLA’s institution code for this exam in 4837 and the department code is 1902. The Educational Testing Service, which administers the exam, should be provided with this information so it knows where to send the results of the test.

Applicants from abroad whose native language is not English must take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam and have the results reported directly to the department. UCLA’s institution code is 4837 and the department code is 89. More details can be found at  https://grad.ucla.edu/admissions/english-requirements/ . The minimum scores you would need to get are described on that webpage. We recommend that you take your TOEFL or IELTS exam by November 1st so that we can receive the results by the time applications are reviewed. Since it is very important that we know that your English is good enough to do graduate work in our department, we may at some point arrange for a Skype interview. Please note that in order to work as a teaching assistant, non-native speakers will also need to get a passing score on the University’s Test of Oral Proficiency examination.

When your application is complete you will be automatically prompted to pay the application fee. The fee is to be paid via credit card. If you think you’ve completed the form but are not prompted to pay the fee, click the link for “Check Your Application” on the lower left-hand side of the online application form to see what is missing. As you’ll see on the “Fee Waiver” section of the application form, certain applicants are eligible to have that fee waived. More information on fee waivers is available on the Graduate Division website at  http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/admissions/admisinfo.html#Fees .

The application for students planning to enter in the fall of a given year will be available by mid September of the previous year. (Our department accepts applications only for students planning to enter the Ph.D. program in the fall). The application is due on December 1st, 2024. Note that the application has to be complete in order to be submitted, so please plan accordingly. The applications will be reviewed by the faculty in December and January, and for those students who are admitted, acceptance letters will generally go out in early February. Those letters will also include information about the financial package an applicant is being offered. Students who are offered admission will normally have until early April to let us know whether or not they are going to come.

If you have additional questions about our program, please first read the section on the graduate program on the department website here and also the department’s graduate handbook, which is available  here  (new hyperlink should be:  http://www.polisci.ucla.edu/content/graduate-handbooks ). If after reading this material you still have questions about the program or about the application process, please feel free to contact the graduate advisors in the department’s graduate office  [email protected] .

Financial Aid Information

The department tries to provide whatever financial support is needed to enable a student who is accepted into the program to make satisfactory progress toward the Ph.D. But this is just a goal, and, if you are offered admission, what we will actually be able to promise you will be outlined in the offer letter.

You will need, of course, to find some way—generally with the department’s help—of covering both your living costs and tuition and fees, if those costs exceed what you were promised in the offer letter. Here are some basic facts that relate to this problem. What you would have to pay, in theory, for tuition and fees depends on whether you have California residency. California residents pay only in-state tuition (formerly called the “Educational Fee”). U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are not California residents must in addition pay “Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition” (NRST) in the first year in the program. They can, however, be reclassified as California residents for tuition purposes after the first year, and, if approved, will no longer be charged for NRST. For more information about this, go to  http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/Fees-Residence/Residence-Requirements .

International students cannot become California residents for tuition purposes and must continue to pay non-resident tuition until they advance to Ph.D. candidacy (i.e., until they have completed all course and program requirements except the dissertation). Thereafter, there will be a 100% reduction of NRST (but not of basic Tuition) for a total of three years after they advance to candidacy.

Thus for the academic year 2024-2025, California residents paid a total of about $18,136 in tuition and fees. The corresponding figure for non-residents (both from out-of-state and abroad) was about $33,238. Students, however—and this applies to both California residents and non-residents, including international students—who work as teaching assistants, research assistants, and in many cases as readers (i.e., graders) receive substantial fee remissions. For more information, including current figures, see the “Graduate Student Fees and Fee Remissions” page on the Graduate Division website ( http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gss/library/feesintro.htm ).

Living costs will be covered by a stipend you receive from the department, by the salary you receive by being a teaching assistant, or in other ways (e.g., by various fellowships or mentorships you are awarded after you are enrolled).

Note that you do not have to apply separately to be considered for financial aid. If you are accepted into the program, you will automatically be considered for a fellowship and the offer you receive will include provisions relating to financial support. If, however, for one reason or another you might not need any, or much, financial support from the department, you should let the graduate advisors ( [email protected] ) in our graduate office know about this as soon as you apply. If, for example, you are getting funding, or have a good chance of getting funding, from some source outside of UCLA (like a foundation or a government agency), we would need to know about this so we can take it into account in the admission process. This also applies to students who are prepared to pay for their own education. If you are an international student with external funding that will cover NSRT, you should make this clear in your application.

If you’re interested in being considered from one of the special Graduate Division fellowships listed on the application form, you will simply need to fill out the corresponding section on that form. But please don’t check the box for any of the fellowships listed there that you don’t really feel you’re qualified for.

The most important of the Graduate Division fellowships is the Cota-Robles fellowship, which “is intended to help ensure access to graduate study for students who have experienced significant socioeconomic disadvantages or overcome other major educational or physical disadvantages in their pursuit of higher education.” More information about this program is available on the Graduate Division website at  https://grad.ucla.edu/ . As noted above, you apply for it directly on the application form.

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For Prospective Graduate Students

The Department of Government. Calling all researchers, leaders, and changemakers.  

When you join Harvard University’s Department of Government, you become part of a highly-recognized intellectual community of scholars, researchers, visionaries, leaders, and changemakers. Our strength in teaching and research in all fields of political science is reflected in both our faculty and our curriculum. 

Harvard University’s Department of Government is a world leader in the study and scholarship in political science. Our programs of study include:

• American Government
• Comparative Politics
• International Relations
• Political Methodology/Formal Theory
• Political Philosophy and Its History

Our innovative curriculum reflects a diverse range of fields and methodologies. The vibrant graduate student body receives hands-on training by conducting supervised dissertation research and working with our faculty in research projects and undergraduate teaching. 

Here, scholars have access to unparalleled resources.  They have the opportunity to define and formulate their own research questions and to apply a variety of research methodologies. 

• Graduate students research is greatly facilitated by the exceptional resources offered by the Department of Government and the University.
• Harvard has the  largest university library in the world .
• Harvard expansive network of research centers and top international studies centers bring together scholars and researchers from around the globe.

Scholars can also take advantage of Harvard’s generous financial aid program.  In addition, there is just no match to the energy and excitement that accompanies student life in the Cambridge/Boston area.  

Harvard University does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classificiation.

PhD Requirements

Candidates for the PhD in Government are expected to complete the required coursework during their first two years of graduate study and take the General Examination at the end of the second year. A typical schedule consists of these two years, followed by three or four years of work on a dissertation, combined with supervised teaching.

Admissions 

The graduate program of the Department of Government is designed to train students for careers in university teaching and advanced research in political science. The department does not offer an independent master’s program, the master of arts in political science being reserved for PhD candidates on the way to their final degrees.  Click here  to visit the Graduate School of Arts and Science’s page on admission to the Government Department to learn more about the application process. 

Application for Admission

The application for admissions is available at  http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/apply .

The application fee is $105. Applicants can determine eligibility for a fee waiver by completing a series of questions in the Application Fee section of the application. Once these questions have been answered, the application system will provide an immediate response regarding fee waiver eligibility.

Application information and instructions are available at  www.gsas.harvard.edu . Applicants with admissions questions should call 617-496-6100 from 2-5pm EST or email  [email protected] .  Applicants with financial aid questions should call 617-495-5396 or email  [email protected] .

Financial Aid and Fellowship Opportunities 

Financial aid is administered under the direction of the  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) .  The department intends that all graduate students should have support adequate to enable them to complete their studies while enrolled full-time. Prospective students apply for financial aid at the same time they apply for admission and are also required to submit a Statement of Financial Resources.  The financial aid package for government students typically includes tuition and fees plus a stipend and a summer research grant for the first two years; tuition and fees plus guaranteed teaching fellowships and a summer research grant for years three and four; tuition and fees in year five; and tuition and fees plus a stipend for the completion year.

In addition to  funding from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences , graduate students are encouraged to apply for outside fellowships and grants. Please visit the  website of the GSAS Fellowships Office  for more information.  

Graduate Programs

Political science.

Our faculty and students profit from the many outstanding institutes, centers and programs at Brown that relate to the study of politics.

The Department of Political Science covers the four main subfields in the discipline:

• American politics focuses on the behavior of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government; state and local politics; the influence of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties on decision-making; and issues of race and gender.
• Comparative politics focuses on the comparative study of the behavior of governments and political institutions, non-governmental actors across the world, and on the relationships between political and economic factors in different cultures and societies.
• International politics considers how political decisions are made in a world without a central authority above the nation-state. Recent emphases include a significant role for international law, norms, and organizations.
• Political theory seeks to analyze both historically and philosophically the origins and underpinnings of political values.

Additional Resources

Our faculty and students profit from the many outstanding institutes, centers, and programs at Brown that relate to the study of politics. These include the  Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions , the  Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs , the  Master of Public Affairs program , the  Urban Studies Program , the  Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia , the  Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies , the  Center for Philosophy, Politics and Economics , the  Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America ,  Middle East Studies ,  Development Studies , the  Population Studies and Training Center , and  Africana Studies .

Application Information

In addition to the GRE and writing sample, applicants are required to submit a personal statement, three letters of recommendation, transcript(s), and, if applicable, proof of language proficiency. For further application information, please also see the  Political Science admission guidance  and the  Graduate School's admission guidance .

Application Requirements

Gre subject:.

Not required

GRE General:

Official transcripts:, letters of recommendations:.

Required (3)

Writing Sample:

Personal statement:, dates/deadlines, application deadline, completion requirements.

The Ph.D. requires passing thirteen graduate-level courses with a minimum grade of B or better, though A grades are expected, including methods, field proseminars, course(s) in political theory, and Prospectus Writing. Students must also pass a written and oral preliminary examination in their primary field; a written and oral presentation of a dissertation proposal; and a written and oral presentation of a dissertation. A minimum of two semesters as a teaching assistant is also required.

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A Commitment to Excellence

The Ph.D. program in Politics seeks to train students to assume faculty positions at a range of institutions of higher education and supports students pursuing a range of substantive research in the discipline. If you ask graduate students to identify the program’s strengths, they will mention:

• An across-the-board commitment to excellence in research and teaching.
• Respect for a variety of methods and approaches to political research.
• A strong sense of community among both faculty and graduate students.
• Unparalleled institutional support for research, ranging from one of the finest university libraries in the world to abundant resources for data collection, field work and conference travel.

The Department of Political Science

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The Department of Political Science admits approximately 7-9 new graduate students each year, selected from approximately 200 applications.

The deadline for application for admission to graduate study and the award of financial assistance is December 15 (most years). Decisions are made in late February or early March and announced by March 15.

A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) is required for application. Inclusion of a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score is optional. Each applicant must have three letters of recommendation. Students whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL examinations or provide other evidence of fluency in English (such as a degree from an institution in which the language of instruction is English). A broad background in the liberal arts and sciences is preferred.

More information on applying can be found on the Krieger Graduate Admissions and Enrollment site .

All applications should be submitted online.

We recognize that it can be financially burdensome to relocate to a new city to attend a Ph.D. program. Students who are accepted to Ph.D. programs at JHU can apply to receive a $1,500 need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to JHU. These grants provide funding to a portion of incoming students who, without this money, may otherwise not be able to afford to relocate to JHU for their Ph.D. program. This is not a merit-based grant. Applications will be evaluated solely based on financial need.

Financial Support

The department ordinarily provides financial aid to all students admitted to the graduate program unless they hold fellowships from sources outside the university. Departmental fellowships cover full tuition and an annual stipend. Assuming satisfactory progress toward the PhD, students can normally expect to receive funding for five years. All students receiving financial aid are expected to serve as teaching assistants for one semester of each academic year beginning their second year at the university.

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PhD in Political Science

Doctor of philosophy in political science.

Our program maintains the traditional concentrations of the field. Students must select one major and one minor concentration in either

• political philosophy/political theory
• American politics/constitutional law; or
• comparative politics/international relations.

Each of these three traditional areas of concentration, however, will be informed by a set of questions and themes, grounded in the training and research of our faculty, which make this program unique. We focus on the foundations and operation of constitutional government, the character and cultivation of political leadership, and the relation of both to civil society and to the task of educating citizens for the exercise of liberty. Civic education involves learning the mechanics of government, but it also involves the formation of citizens through involvement with civil society and service to the community. Proper civic institutions do not merely buttress individuals from the abuse of political power; they also shape the habits of mind and heart necessary for responsible citizenship and political leadership.

Our program also allows doctoral students to work in an interdisciplinary concentration , such as "Religion and Politics" or "Politics and Literature." This concentration allows students to draw on programs throughout the university, such as Church-State Studies, English, history, philosophy and sociology.

Most importantly, our doctoral program takes as its calling not simply the education of future scholars but also the education of teachers. Teaching apprenticeships -with a one-on-one relationship between an apprentice and a teacher-is another distinguishing feature of our program. Graduate students serve as apprentices for undergraduate courses, and are then given the opportunity to teach them. Doctoral students also have the opportunity to work in Baylor's long-established program in Philanthropy and Public Service.

Political Philosophy/Political Theory

We offer courses in the history of political thought, from the Greeks to the present, as well as in contemporary debates in political theory and in the social sciences as a whole. Related to our program themes of the philosophic origins and development of constitutional government and the character of statecraft and citizenship, are questions about the future and evolution of liberalism; the nature and function of civil society; the condition of its complex web of intermediate institutions such as family, church, and civic organizations; the nature and preconditions of justice; the virtues demanded by good citizenship; and the challenges of politics in a global society.

Our graduate seminars in the history of political thought - Classical Political Thought, Medieval Political Thought, and Modern Political Thought - provide students with an exceptional foundation in the history of Western political thought. "Contemporary Political Thought" explores such thinkers as Oakeshott, Voegelin, and Strauss, or a theme such as just war theory. "Contemporary Democratic Theory" explores recent debates concerning a properly "deliberative democracy" and assesses the special challenges for citizenship and public culture posed by a radically multicultural and pluralistic political setting. Our course in "Politics and Literature" may focus on such topics as "Shakespeare as a Political Thinker," "The American Political Novel," and "Greek Drama and Political Theory." Finally, "Advanced Study in Political Phlosophy" allows professors and students to explore a particular thinker or theme in great depth, and prepares students for their own dissertation research.

American Politics/Constitutional Law

In addition to our courses in institutions, policy, administration, and behavior, our doctoral program in American politics emphasizes the study of constitutional government, especially constitutional law. Our "Seminar in Public Law," which can be taken up to three times for credit, covers a broad range of questions concerning the American judicial system, including judicial politics, constitutional and judicial theory, and jurisprudence. "The American Founding" studies the politics and principles that played a role in the American Founding, utilizing the debates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention, the First Congress, and early fundamental decisions of the Supreme Court that were seminal in its future interpretation. "American Political Development" examines the interaction between institutional structures created by the Constitution and the practice of American politics from the founding period to the present. At issue in both these courses is the relation between political ideas and practical politics, including the institutional, economic, and social constraints both in which statecraft operates and which are in turn shaped by political ideas and actions. We also offer "Presidential Rhetoric," which surveys theories of the rhetorical presidency and genres of presidential discourse in selected eras of American history, from the early republic through the present.

"Comparative Constitutional Law" enables students to study constitutional and legal issues in a comparative perspective. However important the American contribution to the theory and practice of constitutional government, constitutionalism is today a global phenomenon. Through this course students explore the problems and prospects of the fastest growing form of government in the world today. Moreover, this course not only helps to complete their education in American politics and constitutional law, but also serves as a bridge to our third subfield: comparative politics/international relations.

Comparative Politics/International Relations

In addition to our basic seminars in "International Relations" and "Comparative Politics," which offer graduate students introductions to these fields, and "Comparative Constitutional Law," mentioned above, we offer a range of graduate seminars. "American Foreign Policy" examines the intellectual background of American diplomacy, the interaction of constitutional, legal, and informal institutions that shape official actions, and the dilemmas confronting the United States at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Students with interests in both international relations and political theory will enjoy "The Development of International Relations Thought," which studies the realist, rationalist, and revolutionary traditions, as articulated by such thinkers as Hobbes, Grotius, and Kant, and the relation of these traditions to contemporary international relations thought. So, too, "The Development of Strategic Thought" examines the ideas of strategic thinkers who lived in a variety of historical periods, including Thucydides, Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, and Clausewitz.

We also offer senior-level courses for graduate credit (as in the other subfields) in courses in "Grand Strategy," "Terrorism," "Intelligence and Covert Action," "Diplomacy," "International Law," "International Organizations," "International Political Economy," and "Power, Morality, and International Relations." In the area of comparative politics, we offer courses in the governments and politics of such countries or areas as Britain, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, Mexico, and Russia.

Course work in other departments

Having elected a major and minor field of study in political science, graduate students may take approved courses in other departments that supplement their overall plan of study in political science. In the past, graduate students who have wished to study politics and literature, for example, or religion and politics, have supplemented Political Science offerings in these areas with courses in other departments, such as English, Philosophy, History, Communication Studies, Religion, and Great Texts. We think that such courses can deepen a student’s understanding of the contributions of theology, philosophy and literature (epic poetry, comedies and tragedies, novels, etc.) to fundamental questions of political philosophy and to the formation of a nation’s or an individual’s spiritual and political self-understanding. Such courses can also deepen a student’s grasp of constitutional and political issues, such as religious freedom and its place in liberal government, or the role of civil society in linking the individual to the broader political community and in fostering a responsible and engaged citizenry.

Methodology Requirement

"Seminar in Research Design and Research Methods" provides an introduction to the discipline of political science, introduces the logic of research design as well as specific research strategies and techniques, whether quantitative or qualitative, and discusses questions related to the philosophy of science.

In addition, students are required either to demonstrate competence in one foreign language (Classical or Modern), as defined by the Graduate School, or to take an advanced methodology course, such as SOC 5312, Social Science Data Analysis (cross-listed as PSC 5312).

Teaching Apprenticeship Requirements

In their second and third years of the program, students have the opportunity to serve in an apprenticeship with a faculty member each semester. Apprenticeships will be arranged on an individual basis by the student in consultation with the graduate director. The apprenticeship will ordinarily involve full participation in planning and executing an undergraduate course. Apprentices will attend the classes of their faculty mentor, and help with student evaluation.

While apprentices, students may take a section of the 5000-level course, "Teaching Political Science," a directed readings course with a faculty member for whose course they serve as apprentice. The readings will involve the subject matter of the undergraduate course, and the requirements might involve a graduate level paper on those materials, or an annotated bibliography of materials that might be used in the undergraduate course. One section of 5396 is required of all graduate students, but no more than two are permitted to count toward the PhD requirements. "Teaching Political Science" courses count toward the major and minor.

During the third or fourth year of their program, students will have responsibility for at least one course, in most cases a course of the same kind in which they served their apprenticeship. For example, an apprentice for "Government and Politics of Latin America" or for "Government and Politics of the Middle East" might then teach a section of "Comparative Politics," depending on student preference and departmental need. "American Constitutional Development" has proven particularly useful for apprenticeships, which have prepared many of our doctoral students to teach sections of their own of this course. Student evaluations administered by the University will be given and become part of a student's placement file, along with the faculty member's evaluation.

In addition to the department's teaching apprenticeships, Baylor graduate students have the opportunity to participate in Seminars for Excellence in Teaching .

Department of Political Science

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PhD Admissions

How to Apply

Applicants to the graduate program should use the online application , which is available on the Graduate School site.

The department accepts applications for September admission only . Applications for Fall 2025 open on  September 1, 2024 . The deadline for all Fall 2025 applications is December 15, 2024 .

In keeping with the policy of BU’s Graduate School of Arts & Sciences , the Department of Political Science practices holistic admission, considering all components of a Ph.D. application for every applicant. We are aware that the COVID-19 pandemic may have negatively affected some applicants’ Spring 2020 grades, and others may have opted for a modified grading option (e.g., pass/fail). We will evaluate applications with these circumstances in mind. Applicants are encouraged to explain any unusual personal circumstances either in their personal statement or in a separate document uploaded with the application.

Applicants are expected to hold a B.A., preferably in political science or in a related discipline such as economics, philosophy, sociology, international relations or history. Depending on their qualifications, applicants from other disciplines will also be considered.

Application Requirements

We require applicants to submit the following:

• Online Application Form
• All relevant transcripts – unofficial copies (official transcripts are only needed for students who have accepted an admission offer)
• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement outlining plans for graduate study
• Academic writing sample
• A $95 application fee must be paid in order for your application to be considered complete. This fee is non-refundable. Information on fee waivers for MA and PhD applicants is available on the Graduate School website. Please do not submit the application until you have received a decision regarding your fee waiver application.

GRE scores are optional for admission into the program. (our ETS code is 3087; we do not have a minimum GRE score for admission)

International students whose native language is not English should refer to the   English Proficiency Requirement instituted by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Because English-language proficiency is crucial for success in our program, we do require a minimum TOEFL score of 100 (600 for the paper-based test) or an IELTS score of 8. The English-language proficiency requirement is waived only if the applicant has received or expects to receive an undergraduate or graduate degree from a college or university in any of the following countries prior to enrollment in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences: the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, or Ireland.

Applicants should apply online and all supplementary materials should be uploaded with the application.  Please do not direct materials to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences or to the Department of Political Science.

We recommend all applicant submit their transcripts, recommendations, and test scores prior to submitting the online application to ensure all documents are received before the deadline.

It is your responsibility to contact the Department of Political Science to determine if your application is complete. 

Financial Assistance

All applicants accepted for the PhD program will receive full funding for 5 years. This includes tuition and University related fees. Aid is restricted to students in the PhD program. The department strives to support every student in good standing as fully as possible. PhD students entering in Fall 2023 will receive summer stipends in addition to service or non-service fellowships in the academic year. Students in their fifth year with an approved Dissertation Prospectus qualify for a non-service fellowship to support full-time work towards their dissertation.

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Further Information

Admissions faqs.

Graduate Program

Ph.D. Funding

Ph.D. Placements

Graduate Program Contacts

Rosella Cappella Zielinski

Associate Professor of Political Science; Director of Graduate Studies

Lincoln Alex MacVeagh

Program Coordinator

Political Science

Graduate admission.

• Graduate Program

Learn about about admission to the Doctoral program in Political Science at Brown University.

Degree and Financial Support

The department accepts applications only for full time study for the Ph.D. in Political Science. All admitted students receive five years of funding, including tuition, health insurance, and a generous stipend. Those in their sixth year and in good standing will receive similar financial support. 

Ph.D. Program Requirements

Application Materials

The admissions application deadline is December 16th each year for admission the following fall. Late applications are not accepted. 

All applicants for the Ph.D. in Political Science are required to submit GRE General Exam test scores, a writing sample, a personal statement, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. We do not rank applicants by GRE scores, and no minimum score is required to apply. We use a holistic admission process in which we review the entirety of each applicant's application, looking for evidence that the applicant is a good fit for our program. We strongly encourage you to review our website, our faculty, and their research areas before applying.

Personal Statement

We ask that prospective students provide us with a personal statement of 1000-1500 words which includes the following: reasons for deciding to do graduate work in the major field you have chosen (i.e., American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, or Political Theory); a statement concerning your past work (study and research) in your chosen field; your plans for study at Brown including issues and problems you want to address; and the faculty member(s) with whom you are interested in working. 

Writing Sample

We also ask that prospective students provide us with a sample of written work, in English. This is usually a thesis chapter and/or a longer essay. We strongly recommend that students select one piece of work that best represents their writing style. Your sample should be no more than 30 pages. It is strongly encouraged (but not obligatory) to choose work roughly in the subject area in which you plan to do research.

TOEFL/IELTS

Additionally, the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Test System)   is required of all applicants whose native language is not English. For specific details, please see consult the  Graduate School website .

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Political Science

Supported Degree Objectives

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Master of Arts (MA)
• Environmental Policy Graduate Certificate
• Social Policy Graduate Certificate

Required Supporting Documents

• Transcripts
• Recommendation Letters
• Academic Statement of Purpose
• Personal History Statement
• The writing sample should be an academic paper or research report that displays the applicant's writing and analytical skills.

English Proficiency Requirements

• The following English proficiency minimum scores are required by this program for the tests listed below. To view additional English proficiency options accepted by this program and the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars , visit the English Proficiency Requirements page.

Duolingo: Minimum Overall Required Score: 130 Minimum section requirements:

• Comprehension: 120
• Conversation: 120
• Literacy: 120
• Production: 120

TOEFL: Internet-Based Test (IBT): Minimum Overall Required Score: 100 Minimum section requirements:

• Reading: 22
• Listening: 22
• Speaking: 27
• Writing: 22

TOEFL: Essentials: Minimum Overall Required Score: 11 Minimum section requirements:

• Reading: 11
• Listening: 11
• Speaking: 11
• Writing: 11

IELTS: Minimum Overall Required Score: 7.0 Minimum section requirements:

• Reading 7.0
• Listening 6.5
• Speaking 8.0
• Writing 6.0 

Doctoral and Master's Degree Program Requirements

• 3.0 or equivalent (A=4.0)

Application Deadlines

Program Contact Information

Additional Information

• Current master’s students wishing to move to a doctoral degree program in this same graduate program will not be required to submit a new application.

The following English proficiency minimum scores are required by this program for the tests listed below. To view additional English proficiency options accepted by this program and the Graduate School, visit the English Proficiency Requirements page.

MA, PhD and Accelerated MA applications should be submitted through the  Graduate School  using their  online application .

The deadline for fall PhD and MA applications is December 15th . There is no spring admissions process for the PhD or MA programs. If you are interested in the Accelerated MA, you must apply by November 1st or April 1st.

A complete graduate application will include:

• Graduate School application
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official transcript(s)
• Personal Statement of Interest
• Writing sample
• Short Essay 
• GRE requirement is waived for fall 2025 admissions. 

Applicants to the Accelerated Master's program must have a minimum of 3.5 overall GPA from one of the Five Colleges. Hampshire College students are exempt from the GPA requirement since the College does not issue GPAs.

For other admissions questions and issues, please see the  UMass Amherst Graduate School FAQ .

Yes. We offer a limited number of teaching assistantships which come with a stipend, tuition waiver and waiver of most fees. Foreign students are eligible for TA appointments. Funding is only available for PhD students.

No. You also do not need to apply for the MA program before pursuing the PhD program. The Department admits the vast majority of students directly to the PhD program without an MA. The MA is not a prerequisite for the PhD. Funding is only offered to PhD students. 

Please specify in your application letter if you would like to be considered for both programs.

We expect personal statements to be around 2-3 pages single- spaced. Writing samples can be more flexible, but we encourage somewhere in the realm of 15-25 pages double-spaced.

PhD Admission

Deadline: December 15 for Fall admissions (no spring admissions)

Requirements: 

• Application
• GREs (waived for fall 2025 admission)
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
• Official Transcript(s)
• Short Essay (see SLATE application for prompt)
• Writing Sample

Accelerated MA Admission*

Deadline: November 1 and April 1

• GREs are *NOT* required
• Minimum of 3.5 overall GPA

*Only undergraduate students at UMass Amherst, Amherst College, Hampshire College, Smith College or Mount Holyoke College are eligible to apply

Department of Political Science Thompson Hall 200 Hicks Way UMass Amherst Amherst, MA 01003 Graduate Admissions Committee Chair: Regine Spector Associate Director of Academic Programs: Ariel Travis email: @email

• Degree Requirements
• Concentration Requirements
• Concentration in Methodologies of Political Inquiry
• American Politics
• Comparative Politics
• International Relations
• Political Theory
• Public Policy and Organizations
• Law, Politics & Society
• Conference Grants
• Summer Language and Training Grants
• Summer Research Assistanships
• Summer Research and Writing
• Graduate Accomplishments
• Hire a UMass Amherst Ph.D.
• Placement History
• Recent Publications
• Recent Dissertations
• Field & Comp Information
• Professional Development
• Teaching Resources
• Finance/Travel
• Graduate Forms

Thompson Hall, 200 Hicks Way | Amherst, MA 01003 USA Phone: 413.545.2438 | Email: [email protected]

	Southern Utah University
	Aug 23, 2024   2024-2025 General Catalog [Current]     2024-2025 General Catalog [Current] – GC 406N – GC 406E   Overview of Programs Undergraduate. The disciplines within this department have faculty which have both academic and practitioner experience. This allows our programs to provide a theory-based curriculum with a strong emphasis on practical application and interpretation by providing special, unique learning opportunities. After successfully completing a degree through this department, a student will be well prepared to enter the job force and/or to continue into graduate school.  The 36-semester-hour M.P.A. program is a professional degree suitable to all students interested in pursuing a career in management within the public or non-profit sectors. The M.P.A. program provides an intellectual, collaborative, and engaged learning environment where practical and theoretical concepts of public administration are applied within historical, political, social, cultural, and economic contexts. Students learn to act as facilitators in defining and pursuing the public interest. Classes focus on developing the ability to reason critically, to analyze important dimensions of public service, and to take coherent positions on key public administration and policy issues. Upon graduation, students in the program should be able to think critically, communicate effectively through written and oral means, advocate public sector values, apply analytic tools to policies and decision-making, and demonstrate leadership skills, while serving a diverse workforce and citizenry. Versatile in its design, students may customize the program to suit their personal interests and career objectives. A variety of electives are available within the M.P.A. program and through other graduate programs at Southern Utah University. Political Science Political Science is devoted to the study of the theory and practice of government and politics. The Political Science program complements a student’s liberal arts education with an emphasis on understanding the theoretical and practical aspects of political philosophy, public administration, law, international relations, comparative politics, American government and politics, and public policy. Criminal Justice The Criminal Justice program provides students with extensive knowledge of the U.S. Criminal Justice System, comprised of law enforcement, courts, and corrections. Students will develop the capacity to apply law, social sciences, and sound practices as criminal justice professionals in the public and private sectors. The program also provides students a foundation upon which to pursue advanced education in the criminal justice field. Legal Studies The mission of the Undergraduate Legal Studies Program is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to work effectively, competently, ethically, and successfully as paralegals in a law office/firm, corporation/business entity, government agency, or the public sector, as well as to support students in seeking their goals of attending law school and becoming attorneys. Public Administration The Master of Public Administration degree program builds upon Southern Utah University’s individualized, experiential learning through our mission and goals. Our Mission: The M.P.A. program develops professional public service leaders through engaged learning, reflective practice, and dedication to civic responsibility, in concert with SUU’s commitment to personalized experiential learning. M.P.A. Core Competencies Lead, manage, and apply effective public governance. Participate in and contribute to the public, fiscal, and economic policy process. Solve problems using analytics, critical thinking, ethical thinking, and conceptualizing and applying best practices. Articulate and apply public service perspectives, norms, and legal skills. Communicate orally and in writing in a way that is productive and effective in a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry. Our Core Values Lead through change. Engage the community. Base decisions on data, reliable information, and analysis. Protect public resources and ensure they are used in the most efficient and effective manner. Model ethical behaviors. Partner with students for lifelong learning. Educate and train students to be innovative leaders in public and nonprofit organizations. Enhance the field of public administration regionally, nationally, and internationally through the academic and service contributions of our faculty and students. Create a learning environment where our students develop public service values and thoughtful and ethical decision-making skills. Assess student learning and use assessment research to continuously enhance the program offerings. Embrace experiential learning opportunities by partnering public and nonprofit organizations with our students and alumni on projects that serve our communities and enhance the field of public policy and administration. Department/Program Learning Outcomes Students who complete the Political Science program will demonstrate the following competencies: Students will develop an understanding of the scholarship, analytical methods, and theories of politics in one or more of the discipline’s four sub-fields: American Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, and/or Political Theory. Students will develop a mastery of critical thinking skills by evaluating political developments both in individual and research and in course discussions. Students will develop and hone a mastery of writing skills by communicating their perspectives, empirical findings, interpretations, and the conclusions of their research on political issues, policies, institutions, and behavior. Students will be exposed to and understand alternative perspectives on political affairs by engaging in internships, study abroad, community service, and other experiential learning opportunities. Students who complete the Criminal Justice program will demonstrate the following competencies: Students will identify the functions, operations, and challenges of the U.S. Criminal Justice System, including law enforcement, courts, and corrections. Students will recognize the basic legal, constitutional, ethical, and moral challenges confronting criminal justice personnel. Students will employ critical and creative thinking individually as well as a member of a team. Students will demonstrate effectiveness in written and oral communication. Students who complete the Legal Studies program will demonstrate the following competencies: Skills necessary to work effectively as a paralegal within a legal work environment. An understanding of ethical rules for the conduct of legal professionals and their implications. A knowledge of basic legal terminology. The ability to understand the application of procedural and substantive law within the American Legal System. The ability to perform legal analysis and to apply that analysis. The program competencies are: To lead, manage and apply effective public governance. To participate and contribute to the public, fiscal, and economic policy process. Solve problems using analytics, critical thinking, and conceptualize and apply best practices. To articulate and apply public service perspectives norms and legal standards. To communicate orally and in writing and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry. Graduate Admissions and Graduation Information Minimum admissions requirements. Applicants should meet the following criteria: Achieved and awarded a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college. Achieve an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. International applicants from non-English-speaking countries must demonstrate competency in the English language. A minimum score of (550: Paper based test, 213: Computer based test, or 79: Internet based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) taken within the past two years satisfies this requirement. After all of the above are received, the materials will be reviewed by the M.P.A. admissions committee. Applicants meeting the minimum requirements may be interviewed by the Program Director. The admissions committee views each application in its entirety to ensure all applicants receive an appropriate opportunity for consideration. All admitted graduate students are expected to understand and follow APA writing standards prior to their first day of class. Admission to the MPA Program Fall Semester August 1 Spring Semester December 1 Summer Semester April 1 The following documents are required when seeking admission to the M.P.A. Program. The application and all components should be submitted to the SUU Admissions Office at [email protected] : SUU Graduate Admissions application. We do NOT require an admissions fee. Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions. A current resume is preferred but not required. what caused your academic preparation to be insufficient; what you have been doing in your time away from school; what support network do you have that will ensure your success; and your study and academic plans for success. Applicants may be interviewed by the Program Director. Academic Standards Students will not receive academic credit if they earn a “C+” or below in any course. If the course is a core or required course, students must repeat it and earn a passing grade. If the course is an elective, students have the option of repeating the course. All students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) to be eligible for graduation. Please recognize that students who consistently earn a “B-” in their courses will not meet this standard. Students who fall below the 3.0 standard will be asked to develop a plan to improve their GPA. Students who do not meet the 3.0 requirement within two (2) semesters of coursework will be dismissed from the program. Students who complete at least one-half of a course’s requirements are eligible to receive an Incomplete grade if circumstances prevent the completion of the course assignments. The instructor has the authority and responsibility to decide whether to issue an Incomplete. Graduate Graduation Requirements Candidates have six (6) years to complete the degree. All courses must be completed with a “B-” grade or better. Other Information Honor societies. The Department sponsors three honor societies: Pi Alpha Alpha (public administration), Alpha Phi Sigma (criminal justice) and Pi Sigma Alpha (political science). Admission rewards high academic achievement and fosters campus and community involvement. Internships Students are encouraged to take advantage of the many internship opportunities that arise in political science, criminal justice, and legal studies. In the past, internships have included an opportunity to work in the White House, U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, Utah Supreme Court, and numerous national, state and local agencies, courts, and law offices. Internships are student-driven opportunities in which the student takes an active role in development of the opportunity to meet career and educational goals. For more information about student internships, contact the department chair or program director. MPA Experiential Learning As a terminal degree, the M.P.A. develops practical skills in an applied setting, as well as in the classroom. The experiential learning courses offer students the opportunity to further develop their competencies in a professional setting. The content of these courses is unique to each student and specially designed around the student’s needs and interests. PADM 6890 - MPA Internship  is a required elective for all students who have less than one year of full-time time experience in a public or nonprofit organization (pre-service). Responsibility for seeking an internship falls upon the student. However, the Director and M.P.A. faculty regularly facilitate internship opportunities and internship announcements are often sent to all current M.P.A. students. Students with more than one (1) year experience can request a waiver of the internship and substitute the three (3) credit hours with another elective. Students must submit a written request for a waiver of the internship requirement. All students must complete  PADM 6990 - Capstone in Public Administration    to earn the M.P.A. degree. The Capstone offers students a unique opportunity to create a specialized learning environment in which online students collaborate to demonstrate a mastery of the skills they have developed in the program.  Under the supervision of an M.P.A. faculty member, students partner with a host organization to develop and complete a project. Projects help students develop specific competencies in a safe, practical setting. MPA National Standards and Academic Endeavor SUU’s Master of Public Administration program is accredited by the  Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) , which is the global standard for public service education. Additionally, SUU is accredited by the  Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) . Transfer Credits Accepted Toward Degree The Department will accept no more than one third of the total credits required for the major as transfer credits from other institutions. The maximum transfer credits which may be applied to a Criminal Justice major is 21; to a Political Science major, 12. The Legal Studies Program follows the university policy regarding transfer work. Transfer credits not covered by articulation, or those which we do not currently teach, must be approved by the Department. W. Edwards Deming Incubator for Public Affairs at Southern Utah University The W. Edwards Deming Incubator for Public Affairs (WEDIPA) at Southern Utah University works collaboratively with The W. Edwards Deming Institute (WEDI) to promote new avenues in academic research and project-based teaching and learning initiatives emphasizing the SoPK (System of Profound Knowledge) in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Criminal Justice (A.A.S.) Legal Studies (A.A., A.S.) Criminal Justice (B.A., B.S.) Political Science (B.A., B.S.) International Relations (Certificate) Criminal Justice (Minor) Legal Studies (Minor) Political Science (Minor) Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) Master of Public Administration - Criminal Justice Emphasis (M.P.A.) Master of Public Administration - Higher Education Administration Emphasis (M.P.A.) Master of Public Administration - State and Local Government Emphasis (M.P.A.) Pre-Law and Legal Studies 472 IMAGES Ph.D. in Political Science: Overview, Course, Eligibility Criteria POLS Admissions Information • The Bush School of Government & Public PhD in Political Science Admission 2022 University Of Toronto Phd Political Science Admission Requirements How to apply for PhD in Political Science IGNOU PhD in Political Science Admission 2024: Eligibility & Fee COMMENTS Ph.D. Admissions All questions regarding graduate admissions should be directed to [email protected]. The principal goal of the Stanford Ph.D. program in political science is the training of scholars. Most students who receive doctorates in the program do research and teach at colleges or universities. We offer courses and research opportunities in ... PhD Requirements The Political Science department at UC Berkeley admits students only for the Ph.D. degree. The Ph.D. program has two major phases: coursework and examinations, and dissertation research and writing. The two phases typically take approximately five or six years (three years to candidacy and two or three for dissertation research and writing). PhD in Political Science The Ph.D. in Political Science program prepares students to be outstanding researchers and ... Admissions & Requirements. Course Offerings by Subfield ... Apply Now . The deadline for our MA program is April 1, 2025, for Fall 2025 admission. Our next PhD application deadline is Dec. 15, 2024, for Fall 2025 admission. If you have questions ... PhD Requirements Course Requirements. To fulfill the requirements for the Ph.D. in Political Science students must complete 12 courses at the 600-level with a grade of B or better. Of these 12 courses, eight must be graduate-level (600-level) courses taken in the Political Science department. No more than two of these eight courses (600-level) may be ... Application Requirements GRE scores are required for the Fall 2025 admissions cycle. Writing Sample: a recent scholarly or critical paper (20-35 pages, double-spaced). Applicants may submit two or three shorter samples if they do not have a long one. Writing samples must be written in English. CV/resume. Application fee of $125. Information on Graduate Fee Waivers is ... Political Science, PhD < Johns Hopkins University Admission Requirements. The Department of Political Science admits approximately 7-9 new graduate students each year, selected from approximately 200 applications. ... To fulfill the requirements for the PhD in Political Science students must complete 12 courses at the 600-level with a grade of B or better. Of these 12 courses, eight must be ... Application Requirements All directions and requirements for applying to the PhD in Political Science can now be found in the Graduate Division Online Application. Please choose Political Science PhD from the list of available programs to proceed to the application and specific instructions for applying to the Political Science PhD. If you have trouble with the online application, please contact the Graduate Division ... PhD in Political Science The MIT PhD in Political Science requires preparation in two of these major fields: American Politics. Comparative Politics. International Relations. Models and Methods. Political Economy. Security Studies. We recommend that you take a broad array of courses across your two major fields. In some cases, a single course may overlap across the ... Government The Department of Government at Harvard is a world leader in the study of political science, and the department's faculty covers a wide range of fields and methodologies. The department's breadth and depth allows you to pursue groundbreaking research on a variety of topics. The doctoral program's diversity and flexibility enables scholars ... Doctoral Program Requirements Doctoral Program Requirements. Programs of study leading to the Ph.D. degree in Political Science are designed by the student, in consultation with advisors and the Director of Graduate Studies, to serve his or her particular interests as well as to achieve the program requirements. The most current and complete information about degree ... Graduate Admissions There is no separate department code for political science. Tuition deposit: A $1,000 tuition deposit is required for M.A. students, which must be paid via credit card upon acceptance of the offer of admission. Doctoral students are not required to submit a tuition deposit. Please visit the FAQ section of the Graduate School of Arts and ... Applying to the Ph.D. Program Be sure to select "Political Science" as your academic program in the "Plans for Graduate Study" section in the online admissions form. Note that the department does not have a separate master's degree program, so if you're interested in doing graduate work in our department you must apply for admission to the Ph.D. program. For Prospective Graduate Students Admissions . The graduate program of the Department of Government is designed to train students for careers in university teaching and advanced research in political science. The department does not offer an independent master's program, the master of arts in political science being reserved for PhD candidates on the way to their final degrees. Application Information Applicants will be informed of the results of the application process by mid-March 2025. Please note that ALL applicants for the Ph.D. in Political Science are required to submit GRE General Exam test scores, a writing sample, a personal statement, transcripts, and 3 letters of recommendation. Students are also required to select a primary ... Political Science Political Science. Our faculty and students profit from the many outstanding institutes, centers and programs at Brown that relate to the study of politics. The Department of Political Science covers the four main subfields in the discipline: American politics focuses on the behavior of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of ... Graduate The Ph.D. program in Politics seeks to train students to assume faculty positions at a range of institutions of higher education and supports students pursuing a range of substantive research in the discipline. If you ask graduate students to identify the program's strengths, they will mention: An across-the-board commitment to excellence in ... Admissions The Department of Political Science admits approximately 7-9 new graduate students each year, selected from approximately 200 applications. The deadline for application for admission to graduate study and the award of financial assistance is December 15 (most years). Decisions are made in late February or early March and announced by March 15. A bachelor's degree... PhD in Political Science One section of 5396 is required of all graduate students, but no more than two are permitted to count toward the PhD requirements. "Teaching Political Science" courses count toward the major and minor. During the third or fourth year of their program, students will have responsibility for at least one course, in most cases a course of the same ... Admission Requirements Admission requirements You must meet all normal admission requirements to be considered for admission. ... Application fee waiver information can be found on the website of the Graduate Admissions office. There are no fee waivers available for international students. ... Lastly, we want to know why the Political Science Department at the ... PhD Admissions The deadline for all Fall 2025 applications is December 15, 2024. In keeping with the policy of BU's Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the Department of Political Science practices holistic admission, considering all components of a Ph.D. application for every applicant. We are aware that the COVID-19 pandemic may have negatively affected ... Graduate Admission All applicants for the Ph.D. in Political Science are required to submit GRE General Exam test scores, a writing sample, a personal statement, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. We do not rank applicants by GRE scores, and no minimum score is required to apply. We use a holistic admission process in which we review the entirety of each ... Political Science Requirements and deadlines for the Political Science graduate program at Purdue - West Lafayette. ... Admissions. Prospective Students; Prepare. Preparing for Graduate Studies; ... Political Science Graduate Coordinator: Phone: 765-494-4163: Email: [email protected] : Web: Admissions : Department of Political Science : UMass Amherst Thompson Hall. 200 Hicks Way. UMass Amherst. Amherst, MA 01003. Graduate Admissions Committee Chair: Regine Spector. Associate Director of Academic Programs: Ariel Travis. email: @email. FAQ regarding doctoral admissions for the Department of Political Science. Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice Graduate Admissions and Graduation Information Minimum Admissions Requirements. Applicants should meet the following criteria: Achieved and awarded a bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college. Achieve an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. essay homework paper phd project resume review speech study thesis