Ph.D. in Political Science
Ph.D. program contact
Program Director:
Associate Professor Jeremy Gelman, Ph.D.
Application deadlines
Fall application and assistantship deadline: January 15
Please note: the department does not offer application fee waivers.
Questions? Jump to the Frequently Asked Questions below.
GRE updates
The GRE requirement is suspended for Ph.D.s applying to start in the Fall 2024 semester.
Overview
The strength of the Ph.D. program in political science lies in its small size and the diversity of its faculty. Students accepted into the doctoral program are expected to have a major and minor field in the areas the department offers as specializations, which include:
- American politics
- Comparative politics
- International relations
- Public administration
- Public policy
The program requires major and minor comprehensive exams in students' selected fields.
Within this context, the University confers the Ph.D. degree for work of distinction in which the student makes clear contributions of original scholarship. The degree is awarded in recognition of marked ability and achievement. The political science doctoral program is specifically designed to allow students to:
- Develop research skills through the advanced study of research design and methodology, political processes and problems, and policy issues
- Prepare for careers in research and teaching institutions of higher education, in public administration and public policy as well as for careers in the private or public sector requiring sophisticated analytical, writing, oral presentation and methodological skills
- Engage in advanced research involving issues of politics and public policy
Admissions process
Admission to the doctoral program is competitive; a limited number of applicants are accepted each year. To be considered, all application must be complete and submitted through the University's Graduate School. A departmental selection committee makes the admission decisions.
Minimum requirements
- Undergraduate Degree (B.A./B.S.)
- GPA: Minimum overall GPA of 3.25 or higher (on a 4.0‐point scale) for all prior coursework at the undergraduate level.
- 18 previously-completed credit hours (six courses) in social science courses (broadly defined)
- GRE Scores (Please note: GRE /GMAT requirement waived for those applying to Fall 2024): GRE scores are normally required by the department and the Graduate School; however, the requirement is currently suspended for Fall 2024 applicants. GRE scores must be from an examination taken in the previous five years. The department is willing to accept GMAT scores in substitution.
Please note that these are minimum requirements; meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Students are admitted on an increasingly competitive basis. We take into consideration a student's overall record, as well as the department's ability to accommodate a student's research/teaching interest.
To apply
Application materials need to be mailed to the Graduate School. Please check the Graduate School website for deadlines. The following documents must be submitted to the Graduate School, University of Nevada, Reno:
- Undergraduate and graduate transcripts
- GRE/GMAT scores (Please note: GRE /GMAT requirement waived for those applying to Fall 2024)
- TOEFL scores (if applicable)
- Three letters of recommendation of which at least one is from a professor with whom you have taken and completed coursework.
- Statement of purpose: this one-to-two page statement should be double-spaced and printed in a standard font. In this statement you should discuss your career and educational goals and how those goals fit into the research specializations of the department. Please make sure your name is at the top of the each page.
Coursework
The Ph.D. degree requires 60 credits beyond the B.A. degree. Please see the Graduate School's webpages for program of study requirements and the General Catalog. Six credits are required for comprehensive examinations.
Whether a student pursues the degree part-time or full-time, students must complete all requirements for the degree within the Graduate School's eight-year limit. The course requirements that follow are the minimum standards established by the department. Students may take courses beyond the minimum in preparation for comprehensive exams and their dissertation research.
The Ph.D. program requires all students to fulfill the following minimum course requirements:
Scope and methods: 9 credits
At the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies, students with prior graduate-level training that covers the material in these courses may have some of these courses waived. Pending on approval by the Director of Graduate Studies, students may also take one or two method courses from other departments/programs to substitute some of these courses. Students still must meet minimum credit hour requirements.
First field: 12 credits
To be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor/committee chair.
Second field: 9 credits
To be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor/committee chair
Field seminars and/or electives: 9 credits
To be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor/committee chair
Dissertation: 15 dissertation credits
Comprehensive examinations: 6 credits
Typically three credits in the fall and three credits in the spring. Also see Ph.D. comprehensive examinations in the graduate program handbook.
For the most updated course offerings, please check the University General Catalog. You should also discuss courses with your advisor and/or Director of Graduate Studies.
Graduate grades and grade point average standing
Students must maintain a 3.0 grade-point average (GPA) to maintain graduate standing with the Graduate School. If a student's GPA falls below a 3.0, the Graduate School will give the student one semester to increase their GPA to a 3.00 level. If the student fails to do so, the Graduate School will dismiss them from graduate studies at the University; this decision is not made by the Political Science Department. In graduate studies, generally grades below a "B" are considered failing by the faculty and are frowned upon. In addition to satisfying minimum requirements of continuous enrolment by the Graduate School, all funded students must satisfy departmental expectations to receive continuous funding (see Financial aid and graduate assistantship in the graduate program handbook).
Ph.D. FAQ
The Ph.D. is a research degree for those who want research careers inside and outside the academy (higher education). It leads to research-focused jobs such as professors and research positions in government, not-for-profit or for-profit institutions.
No, we admit students to the Ph.D. program who have BA and BS degrees and who have demonstrated an understanding of the purpose of the Ph.D., demonstrated research ability and are prepared for graduate-level work.
The statement of purpose is a document that indicates to the admission committee the subfield of political science, research topics and—to the extent possible—research methodologies the student is interested in. This helps the committee identify whether the department can support the student’s academic goals and allows the committee to assign an appropriate adviser. Please note, the statement of purpose is not intended to be focused on the student’s personal life experience more than is necessary to establish the student’s research interests and experiences related to social science research.
You are welcome to reach out to a faculty member to see if their interests align with your own and inquire whether they are working with graduate students. Some faculty may have funded Graduate Teaching or Graduate Research Assistant positions, in which case they may conduct interviews or other evaluations. General admission to the program is handled by a Graduate Committee for those not seeking funding or interested in one of our generally assigned GTA lines. One does not need permission for general application.
Requirements on language proficiency are set by the Graduate School, not our department.
We do offer what we call ”Graduate Teaching Assistant Fellowships” for some Ph.D. students. They are limited and highly competitive. We generally admit 1-2 funded Ph.D. students per year. You can indicate your interest in a Graduate Teaching Assistant Fellowship on your application. No other form is required at the departmental level.
Unfortunately, we cannot. We are a small department and cannot offer pre-review.
Application fees are collected by the Graduate School, not our department. We cannot offer any waivers under any circumstances.
Standard GTAs are for 10 months.
No, we only require that students have 18 previously completed credit hours in social science.
Our faculty is methodologically pluralist, including scholars who work in quantitative, qualitative, experimental and normative traditions. Please feel free to look at faculty members’ websites or contact them for more detailed information.
No.