Political Science, Ph.D.
Credits: 72
CIP Code: 451001
Program Overview
For the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in political science, the Department requires a minimum of thirty (30) graduate hours of course work beyond the Master’s degree. Twelve (12) hours are awarded upon completion of the dissertation. The minimum credit hours requirement for the Ph.D. is forty-two (42) hours beyond the Master’s. Blacks and the American Political System, Scope and Methods of Political Inquiry, and Government and Politics of Modern Africa courses are required of all students pursuing the Doctoral degree in Political Science. If any of these courses have been taken in our M.A. program they need not be repeated but the minimum number of credit hours must be satisfied with elective courses.
Admissions Requirements
In addition to the General Admissions Requirements as published in this Catalog, applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Political Science should have been awarded a Master of Arts Degree in Political Science from a regionally accredited college or university. Consideration may be given to other applicants who have earned a master's degree in one of the social sciences related disciplines. In such cases, students should expect to be admitted conditionally and will normally be required to take additional credits beyond the minimum to complete degree requirements. Graduate Records Examination (GRE) required.
Program Objectives
- Introduce students to theoretical, analytic, and substantive approaches to public policy analysis and administration.
- Prepare students to design and conduct original high-quality research in Political Science
- Prepare students with skills necessary to communicate, in written and oral formats, significant issues, scholarly works and practices in Political Science to multiple audiences.
- Train students to teach political science at the post-secondary level.
- Prepare students for careers in political science or related fields.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students pursuing the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Political Science will:
- Apply theoretical and literary concepts and analytical approaches to public policy analysis and administration.
- Review, evaluate and communicate, in written and oral formats, major issues, scholarly debates, and practices in subfields related to Political Science.
- Utilize methodological skills to design and conduct original scholarly research in the field of Political Science.
- Synthesize large quantities of information and rigorously evaluate the merits of competing theoretical and empirical arguments.
Degree Requirements
In addition to the General Degree Requirements as published in this Catalog, students pursuing the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Political Science must complete the following requirements. Doctoral students must complete a minimum of forty-eight (48) graduate credits in residence.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Before being admitted to candidacy, all students must complete the following courses with minimum final grades of "B": | ||
| CPSC 500 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
| CPSC 553 | Blacks & the Amer Pol System | 3 |
| CPSC 591 | Gov't & Politics of Modern Afr | 3 |
| CPSC 602 | Scope & Method of Polt Inquiry | 3 |
| Electives in Political Science | ||
| Select 51 credits of the following subfields: | 51 | |
| African Politics: | ||
| Int'l Relations of Afr Studies | ||
CPSC 590 | ||
| Seminar in African Politics | ||
CPSC 596 | ||
| African Political Economy | ||
| Soc Clev & Political Conflict. | ||
| Comparative Politics: | ||
| Comparative Political Systems | ||
| Gov't & Politics of Latin Amer | ||
| Politics in Developing States | ||
CPSC 532 | ||
CPSC 534 | ||
| Politics of Revolutionary.. | ||
CPSC 536 | ||
| Gov't & Politics of Caribbean | ||
CPSC 538 | ||
| Third World Women & Dev. | ||
| Politics of Multinational Corp | ||
| Politics and Education | ||
| Seminar on Comparative Politic | ||
| International Politics: | ||
CPSC 533 | ||
| International Relations | ||
CPSC 571 | ||
| U.S. Foreign Policy | ||
| Third Nations & Int'l Politics | ||
CPSC 575 | ||
| Military Power in Int'l Rel. | ||
| International Organizations | ||
CPSC 578 | ||
| Politics of Int'l Trade | ||
| Theory and Methodology: | ||
| Political Theory | ||
| Afr Amr Political Thought | ||
| African Political Ideas | ||
| Philosophy of Science | ||
CPSC 603 | ||
| Seminar in Political Theory | ||
| Feminist Theory | ||
| Problems in Political Sci Res. | ||
CPSC 609 | ||
| US Government and Politics: | ||
CPSC 502 | ||
CPSC 503 | ||
CPSC 504 | ||
| Political Parties | ||
CPSC 506 | ||
CPSC 507 | ||
| Seminar in Southern Politics | ||
| The United States Presidency | ||
CPSC 510 | ||
| American Federalism | ||
| American Political Process | ||
CPSC 514 | ||
CPSC 515 | ||
CPSC 516 | ||
| Women in Political Seminar | ||
| U.S. Constitutional Law | ||
CPSC 550 | ||
CPSC 551 | ||
| Seminar in US Gov"t & Politics | ||
CPSC 554 | ||
| Urban Politics: | ||
| Black City Politics | ||
| Seminar in Urban Problems | ||
| Urban Politics | ||
CPSC 520 | ||
| Urban Political Movements | ||
| Atlanta City Politics | ||
| Political Demo & Urban Change | ||
| Approaches..Study of Urban Pol | ||
| Independent Research | ||
| Total Hours | 60 | |
Departmental Seminar
The Department of Political Science Graduate Seminar is a long-standing tradition that is central to the vision and mission of the graduate program. The Departmental Seminar brings together all faculty and students in a mandatory weekly discussion that includes:
- Departmental orientation
- An exchange of ideas and understandings about political theory, praxis, and contemporary issues often with invited guests
- Presentations of faculty and student research
- Student organization meetings
Departmental Seminar attendance is mandatory. Students in the Ph.D. program are required to attend until the successful completion of the comprehensive examination. Doctoral students must attend at the very minimum, three (3) full semesters of the Departmental Seminar. Students receiving extended financial support beyond the completion of coursework or the comprehensive examination may be required to attend additional semesters of the Departmental Seminar.
Research Tools
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must demonstrate proficiency in the use of two research tools from among the following: a foreign language, statistical analysis, or computer information systems. Each student, through consultation with their adviser, will decide which research tools best align with their program of study.
Comprehensive Examination
Students seeking the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Political Science must pass a comprehensive Examination prior to admission to candidacy. The comprehensive Examination includes four (4) written examinations in subfields of each candidate’s choice followed by a formal oral examination based upon each candidate’s responses to written examination questions. The political science subfields from which students may select to be examined include:
- African Politics
- Comparative Politics
- International Politics
- Methodology
- Pan-African Politics
- Political Economy
- Political Theory
- U.S. Government and Politics
- Urban Politics
- Women Politics
Students are permitted two (2) attempts to successfully complete the Comprehensive Examination.
Dissertation Research: 12 Credits
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CPSC 801 | PHD Dissertation Consultation 1 | 1-12 |
| or CPSC 805 | PHD Dissertation Research | |
| Total Hours | 1-12 | |
- 1
Students may need to take CPSC 801 PHD Dissertation Consultation (1 credit) depending on progress toward dissertation research
All students pursuing the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Political Science must complete a scholarly analysis and presentation of a significant research problem in political science. As a preliminary phase to this process, each candidate must fully constitute a dissertation committee and submit and orally defend a dissertation proposal that outlines the methodological procedures and theoretical framework that will be employed in completing the proposed research. Students must enroll in at least twelve (12) hours of dissertation research or consultation courses. Twelve (12) hours thereof will be awarded upon completion of the thesis
Final Examination
The final examination for Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Political Science candidates entails an oral defense of the doctoral dissertation. Members of the candidate's formal dissertation committee, as well as the Chair of the Department of Political Science and interested faculty and students are invited to attend this oral defense.
Political Science, Ph.D.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | |
| CPSC 500 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
| CPSC 553 | Blacks & the Amer Pol System | 3 |
| CPSC 591 | Gov't & Politics of Modern Afr | 3 |
| CPSC 602 | Scope & Method of Polt Inquiry | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CPSC 500 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CPSC 500 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CPSC 500 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CPSC 500 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CPSC 500 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CPSC 500 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPSC 801 or CPSC 805 |
PHD Dissertation Consultation 2 or PHD Dissertation Research |
1-6 |
| Hours | 4-9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CPSC 500 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
| CPCS XXX | Graduate Elective 1 | 3 |
| CPSC 801 or CPSC 805 |
PHD Dissertation Consultation 2 or PHD Dissertation Research |
1-6 |
| Hours | 4-9 | |
| Total Hours | 62-72 | |
- 1
All electives must be at graduate level in Political Science.
- 2
Students may need to take CPSC 801 PHD Dissertation Consultation (1 credit) depending on progress toward dissertation research