Program Overview

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Overview of the Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science Program

The Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is designed to produce broadly educated and well-trained scholars and teachers. The program aims to strike an appropriate balance between theoretical models, sophisticated training in methods and techniques, development of expertise within a student's primary area of interest, exposure to classroom teaching, and exposure to the discipline's professional norms and practices.

Admission to the Ph.D. Program

The Graduate College admission requirements apply. Students should have a minimum of 20 hours of undergraduate work in political science and cognate disciplines such as economics, psychology, finance, sociology, or history. All applicants are required to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, a personal statement, and an example of written work. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit the TOEFL iBT or IELTS score. The Ph.D. program typically admits students for the fall semester, with an application deadline of December 1st.

Degree Requirements

The course of study leading to a Ph.D. in Political Science requires a minimum of three years of full-time study, culminating in the successful defense of a doctoral dissertation. A minimum of 96 graduate hours of academic credit is required, 32 of which may be graduate hours of dissertation research. At least 64 of the 96 graduate hours must be taken in residence. A grade of B or better is required in all courses.

Entering with Approved M.S./M.A. Degree

• Course List Code | Title | Hours
  • Tools of Inquiry: two-course sequence in statistical methods, three additional courses in statistical methods, formal theory or qualitative methods | 20
  • PS 521 | Phil Bases of Pol Inquiry | 4
  • PS 522 | Research Design and Techniques | 4
  • or PS 523 | Qualitative Methods
  • Course work in one substantive area of political science | 20
  • Course work in a minor area | 8
  • PS 598 | Dissertation Design Seminar | 0
  • PS 599 | Thesis Research (min/max applied toward degree) | 32
  • Total Hours | 64

Other Requirements

• Grad Other Degree Requirements Requirement | Description
  • Other requirements may overlap
  • Qualifying Exam Required: | Yes
  • Preliminary Exam Required: | Yes
  • Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required: | Yes
  • Dissertation Deposit Required: | Yes
  • Minimum GPA: | 3.0

Entering with Approved B.S./B.A. Degree

• Course List Code | Title | Hours
  • Master's Equivalency: Hours of 500 level coursework in PS | 24-32
  • Tools of Inquiry: two-course sequence in statistical methods, three additional courses in statistical methods, formal theory or qualitative methods | 20
  • PS 521 | Phil Bases of Pol Inquiry | 4
  • PS 522 | Research Design and Techniques | 4
  • or PS 523 | Qualitative Methods
  • Course work in one substantive area of political science | 20
  • Course work in a minor area | 8
  • PS 598 | Dissertation Design Seminar | 0
  • PS 599 | Thesis Research (min/max applied toward degree) | 32-40
  • Total Hours | 96

Other Requirements

• Grad Other Degree Requirements Requirement | Description
  • Other requirements may overlap
  • Qualifying Exam Required: | Yes
  • Preliminary Exam Required: | Yes
  • Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required: | Yes
  • Dissertation Deposit Required: | Yes
  • Minimum GPA: | 3.0

Graduate Degree Programs in Political Science

The Department of Political Science offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. Students are not admitted to the master's degree program in Political Science, except for the Civic Leadership concentration. The department is not accepting applications to the Public Administration program.

Programs Offered

• Political Science, MA
  • concentrations:
    • Civic Leadership
    • African American Studies
• Political Science, PhD
  • concentration:
    • African American Studies
• Joint Programs:
  • Political Science, PhD & Law, JD
  • Political Science: Civic Leadership, MA & Law, JD

Financial Aid

Students accepted into the department's Ph.D. program are eligible to apply for financial aid. Most incoming students with good credentials and continuing students demonstrating satisfactory progress will receive some type of financial aid, but the type and amount will vary. The Department of Political Science provides, on a competitive basis, aid packages up to $25,000, plus waivers of tuition and some fees. Financial aid is usually a combination of fellowship money and assistantships. Limited amounts of aid are also available for dissertation field research, internships, and the presentation of papers at professional meetings.

Graduate Teaching Experience

Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this program and is essential for students whose career goals include college teaching.

Program Objectives

Every Illinois Ph.D. should:

1. Be well-grounded in the social sciences, including familiarity with the philosophy of science issues that underlie social scientific inquiry.
2. Be familiar with the breadth and diversity of models, approaches, and intellectual traditions within a student's major subfield of expertise.
3. Be competent in at least a second substantive area of political science.
4. Be highly competent in research skills appropriate to his or her research endeavors.
5. Fully understand the research enterprise, including an ability to critique others' work and an ability to be a contributing scholar by producing original research.
6. Be prepared to teach graduate courses in his or her primary subfield and undergraduate courses in at least two subfields of the discipline, and understand best practices for student engagement.
7. Be familiar with disciplinary norms and standards, including understanding issues related to ethical practices in research, professional and public engagement, and instruction.