Graduate
Graduate Program
The Department's graduate programs (Master's and PhD), designed to prepare students for advanced specialization in the twin disciplines of political science and public administration, are distinguished by the quality and flexibility of their curricula.
Each year the department enrolls approximately ten new PhD and twenty-five M.S. students. Currently, 70 M.S. and 40 PhD students are registered in the graduate programs of the department. The department, its faculty and highly qualified graduate students create a stimulating intellectual community. Members of the department are readily available for close student consultation. While independent studies (mostly for PhD students) are typically carried out in small groups with two to three graduate students working on related topics, structured courses are conducted in classes of ten to twenty students. In the independent studies students write several papers under the close supervision of the faculty member in charge. Graduate students can also choose elective courses from other programs.
The department of Political Science and Public Administration does not reflect a single methodological or ideological dominant approach to the study of political science and public administration, but rather displays a commitment to diversity. This flexibility creates a stimulating environment in which graduate students are encouraged to study political science and public administration from many different perspectives.
M.S. students are expected to plan a two-year program: In the first two semesters, they are encouraged to complete the courses and in the following two semesters, they are expected to work on their master's thesis. PhD students are encouraged to plan a four-year program, in the first two years of which they can complete the structured courses and independent studies as well as take the PhD Qualifying Examination. In the remaining two years of the PhD program the candidate is expected to complete the research and writing of a PhD dissertation.