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Dec 05, 2025
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American University Catalog 2025-2026
Political Science (PhD)
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Admission to the Program
Applicants must meet the minimum university requirements for graduate study. Admission decisions are based on each applicant’s academic record, two letters of recommendation, resume reflecting experience, and an essay written by the applicant on their background and career interests. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores are optional. An official English Proficiency Test (EPT) score may be required from F-1/J-1 applicants. Admission decisions are based on each applicant’s total record and not on any single strength or deficiency. Degree Requirements
- 36 credit hours of approved graduate work, exclusive of /
- Minimum 3.20 cumulative GPA is required to remain in good standing and to earn the degree
- Qualifier Paper: Research paper approved by committee of three faculty members, usually completed by the start of the third year. Failure to complete the qualifier in a timely way may result in students being designated as not in good standing. Please see the program handbook for further information
- Comprehensive Examination in Major Field: Students, following completion of relevant coursework, must pass a written comprehensive examination in American politics, comparative politics, or political methodology taken in the summer after second year
- Qualifier paper and comprehensive exams must be successfully completed by the end of the spring semester in the third year to remain in the program
- Dissertation Prospectus: Please see the program handbook for further information
- Students may choose a dissertation research project within one of the three major areas. It is the responsibility of the student to secure the agreement of a tenured Government department faculty member to serve as the chair of the dissertation committee, and to secure the service of at least two additional committee members that meet all regulation and department requirements
- Students defend the prospectus in the third year and must be completed by the end of the summer of the third year
- Advancement to candidacy is accomplished by successfully defending the dissertation prospectus. Students are now eligible to register for GOVT-899 Doctoral Dissertation (9)
- Dissertation completion: Please see the program handbook for further information
- Oral defense before dissertation committee and other interested faculty and students follows committee approval of written dissertation. After hearing the candidate’s defense, the committee decides whether the dissertation is sufficiently well developed and defended to serve as the culmination of the student’s doctoral career
- The dissertation must consist of high quality, original research directly relevant to the student’s doctoral program. A dissertation proposal may be rejected if the topic does not fall within political science, the research design is inadequate, the methodology is inappropriate, or no tenured member in the Department of Government is qualified or available to supervise the project
- If the candidate fails to maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of the dissertation, then his or her candidacy may be terminated
Proseminars (6 credit hours)
Methodology (12 credit hours)
Additional Methodology
Complete 6 credit hours from the following, or other approved methodology courses, including graduate-level world language courses: Major Field (12 credit hours)
Complete one of the following major fields: Note: Non-GOVT courses must be approved by Doctoral Director. Major Field: American Politics
Major Field: Comparative Politics
Major Field: Political Methodology
Political Methodology (6 credit hours)
- 6 credit hours from approved methods courses in addition to standard methodology requirement
Electives (6 credit hours)
- 6 credit hours from courses selected in consultation with the doctoral advisor and director
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