Department of Political Science
Ph.D. Program
Requirements & Components of the Ph.D. in Political Science
For the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in political science, the Department requires a minimum of thirty (30) graduate hours of course work beyond the Master’s degree. The minimum credit hours requirement for the Ph.D. is forty-two (42) hours beyond the Master’s degree. Three (3) core courses, Blacks and the American Political System, Scope and Methods of Political Inquiry, and Government and Politics of Modern Africa, are required of all students pursuing the Doctoral degree in Political Science. If any of these courses have been taken in our M.A. program they need not be repeated but the minimum number of credit hours must be satisfied with elective courses. The Department may require some students to take additional hours as determined by review of the graduate application.
Doctoral Program Subfields
Beyond the core requirements, all doctoral students are able to customize their research trajectory by concentrating in four (4) of the available subfields in the discipline of political science. Subfields are directly connected to the comprehensive examination degree component and informs the topic to be pursued in the dissertation. The available subfields are:
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African politics
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Comparative politics
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International politics/relations
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Methodology/research methods
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Pan-African Politics
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Political economy
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Political theory
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Urban politics
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U.S. government & politics
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Women in politics
Doctoral Degree Program FAQs
1) Are students allowed to enroll in graduate courses outside the Department?
Yes. Required courses must be taken in the Department, however, a limited number of elective courses may be taken outside of the Department with the approval of the student’s advisor and department chair.
2) Are students required to enroll in additional courses, beyond the 30-hours, before reaching candidacy?
Yes. Prior to sitting for the comprehensive examination, candidates for the doctoral degree must demonstrate proficiency in two research tools in support of the dissertation.
3) Is attendance at the weekly Departmental Seminar required?
Yes. The Political Science Departmental Seminar is a long-standing tradition since the inception of the doctoral program and attendance is mandatory for all students seeking a graduate degree in political science.
4) Is the dissertation optional?
No. All candidates for the Ph.D. degree must complete a dissertation, a scholarly analysis and presentation of a significant political research problem.
5) Is the Comprehensive Examination structured in multiple parts and stages?
Yes. Students must take written and oral examinations in four political science subfields of their choice.
Graduate Program Poster
