Graduate Programs

Explore our Graduate Programs

Within the field of political science, theory and practice are closely interlinked. Our graduate program is designed to ensure students not only master the necessary theoretical and methodological approaches but deepen their understanding of the practice of policy design, implementation, and assessment. We prepare students for teaching, research, and government or other public service jobs while empowering them to understand and participate in public affairs.

PhD candidate presentation

Doctorate Degree

The political science doctoral program typically requires two years of full-time study. Our students commonly participate in joint faculty-student research and interdepartmental research projects on a wide range of topics.


Two students talking in the EMU

Politics, Culture, and Identity Specialization

Explore the crossroads of politics, culture and identity through an interdisciplinary study of politics using the methods of cultural studies. Offered in collaboration with the Department of English, the Politics, Culture and Identity specialization is ideal for students who are interested in work that locates cultural production within its political contexts.

Specializations


student in classroom smiling

Graduate Courses

PhD students within the Department of Political Science pursue their studies through advanced courses and seminars across the major fields of focus of political science, including comparative politics, formal theory and methodology, international relations, public policy, political theory, and US politics. Many faculty and graduate students work at the intersections of these fields, as well as other disciplines like anthropology, economics, ethnic studies, history, law, philosophy, or sociology.

Courses


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Funding your Graduate Studies

The Department of Political Science offers multiple forms of funding for PhD students, including several scholarships as well as graduate employee appointments.

Funding and Research Support


two women talking at the career center

Prepare for the Professional World

Our doctoral program serves as a springboard for a successful career in research or leadership within a wide variety of industries. Recent PhD graduates have taken tenure-track positions at major universities such as Northern Arizona University, the University of Alaska, and Whittier College.

Career and Professional Development


Our Graduate Students

In the Department of Political Science, you’ll work within a highly collaborative community of passionate and intellectually curious students while engaging in rigorous discourse and research.

Resources for the Graduate Community


Events

History Pub Lecture Series: "Science and the Seafloor: A History of Cabled Observatories on the Juan de Fuca Plate"
Dec9
History Pub Lecture Series: "Science and the Seafloor: A History of Cabled Observatories on the Juan de Fuca Plate" Dec 9 Whirled Pies Downtown
Let's Talk - Tuesdays 3-5PM (CMAE/Zoom)
Dec10
Let's Talk - Tuesdays 3-5PM (CMAE/Zoom) Dec 10 CMAE
Let's Talk - Wednesdays Noon-2MP (Peterson Hall/Zoom)
Dec11
Let's Talk - Wednesdays Noon-2MP (Peterson Hall/Zoom) Dec 11 Peterson Hall
Let’s Talk – Wednesdays 2PM-4PM (BCC/Zoom)
Dec11
Let’s Talk – Wednesdays 2PM-4PM (BCC/Zoom) Dec 11 Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center
Physical Chemistry Rotation Talks
Dec12
Physical Chemistry Rotation Talks Dec 12 Pacific Hall
Wrestling Jerusalem: A Film Screening and Communication Conversation with the Artist
Jan9
Wrestling Jerusalem: A Film Screening and Communication Conversation with the Artist Jan 9 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
Women in Economics Club
Jan9
Women in Economics Club Jan 9 Allen Hall
Part-Time Job & Work-Study Fair
Jan15
Part-Time Job & Work-Study Fair Jan 15 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall
How to: Interview (Workshop)
Jan21
How to: Interview (Workshop) Jan 21 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall
Wine Chat: “Accompaniment with Im/migrant Communities”
Jan21
Wine Chat: “Accompaniment with Im/migrant Communities” Jan 21 Capitello Wines