About the Program

The graduate program in political science is designed to train future scholars for leading careers in research and academia. Built around small, collaborative seminars, the program fosters critical analysis across core fields, including American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Political Methodology. By combining rigorous coursework with independent dissertation research, the program prepares graduates to tackle complex political questions and succeed in academia and beyond. 

What You’ll Study

What you will study at the graduate level depends on your particular degree, academic interests, and professional goals. Key features of our program offerings include:

• Breadth across three fields

Students develop comprehensive knowledge in two fields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Political Methodology, plus coursework in a third, which can be self-designed with faculty approval.

• Robust methodological training

All students complete graduate training in probability, statistics, and causal inference, plus a research design course, regardless of field.

• Early hands-on research with faculty mentorship

A second-year field paper gives students a full scholarly research experience, assessed by two faculty readers in their major fields.

• Substantial teaching preparation

Students are appointed as teaching assistants between 3 to 5 quarters, building classroom skills for the academic job market.