Frequently asked questions
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.
M.A. FAQ
The MA is a research degree for students who need to hone their skills to conduct research in business, government, not-for-profits or who plan to pursue a Ph.D. after graduation.
No, if you want to join the Ph.D. program, please apply to the Ph.D. program.
As with Ph.D. students, there is limited, competitive funding for some MA students.
No.
MPA FAQ
The MPA is a practitioner’s degree for students who currently work in or plan to apply to jobs in government and non-profit organizations.
The MPA is specifically focused on Public Administration and Public Policy. It has no thesis or comprehensive exam requirements. It is focused on market-ready skills rather than on research. The MPA is completed by coursework only.
There is no funding for incoming MPA students, and generally no funding for MPA students throughout their time in our program. As this is a career-focused degree, funding and GTA positions are generally not commensurate with students’ goals and availability.
The MPA program generally holds its core classes at 4:30 p.m. or later to accommodate those who work full time.
No.