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Program Overview

The graduate program in political science prepares professional political scientists to work in both academic and non-academic fields. Therefore, we accept only students who intend to work toward the doctorate; we do not offer a terminal master’s program.

Requirements

There are several requirements that must be fulfilled in the course of study toward a Ph.D. degree. Summarized, these are:

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YEARLY PROGRESS

The Department has established the following general goals for each of the five funded years of graduate work.

Years One and Two: Coursework and Research Preparation

During the first two years of the program, students are required to complete a minimum of 18 graded courses. This typically involves enrolling in three courses per academic quarter. These courses are selected primarily from graduate-level Political Science offerings, though students may also take relevant courses in other departments or programs with advisor approval.

By the beginning of the second year, students must submit a research paper. The Research Paper is expected to be a substantial scholarly paper demonstrating the student's ability to analyze a significant problem in the format of a journal article. It should be 30 to 60 pages in length. Frequently, though not always, such papers will be an elaboration or deepening of a paper that a student has written in the context of a seminar. Students choose a topic in consultation with two faculty members who will then serve as advisors for the paper. Under normal circumstances, the primary advisor will be a member of the Political Science faculty. In exceptional circumstances, the student may petition the chair to have a primary advisor from outside the department, but in any event, one of the two advisors must be from the Political Science department. It is due on the first day of the Fall quarter of the second year.
Students must also complete two methods courses: PS 403 (Introduction to Probability and Statistics) and PS 405 (Linear Models). These courses are offered annually in the Fall and Winter quarters, respectively. Students who have completed equivalent coursework prior to entering the program may apply for an exemption. Political Theory students are exempt from this requirement but are encouraged to take these courses if they wish.

Year Three: Exams and Dissertation Proposal

In the third year, students begin to reduce their course load and shift their focus toward research and dissertation planning. They are expected to form a dissertation committee and prepare a dissertation proposal, often referred to as a prospectus.
Before defending the dissertation proposal, students must qualify in a second field. This requirement can be fulfilled either by passing a second qualifying examination or by completing five graduate-level courses in the second field with a minimum GPA of B+. Students should declare the second field in GSTS.
Students must also pass a qualifying examination in their primary field. This exam may be taken in the Spring of the second year (typically scheduled in mid-June) or the Fall of the third year (typically scheduled in early September). To be eligible to take the exam, students must have completed all required coursework, resolved any incomplete grades, and fulfilled the research paper requirement.
The dissertation proposal must be successfully defended by the end of the Spring quarter of the third year to remain in good standing with the department. The final departmental deadline for this requirement is the end of the Fall quarter of the fourth year.

Beyond Year Three: Dissertation Completion

After completing the qualifying exams and defending the dissertation proposal, students work full-time on their dissertation research. Under the guidance of their committee, they are expected to produce original scholarship that contributes meaningfully to the field of Political Science.
Most students complete and defend their dissertations during their sixth year of study.