Program Overview

PhD in International Relations

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Program in International Relations trains scholars to conduct cutting-edge research across key areas of international relations. A combination of in-depth hands-on fieldwork and comprehensive theoretical study will enable you to uncover the meaningful questions that ultimately shape your future research and your career, projecting you into a leadership role in academia, government or the private sector.

Program Structure

• The program consists of three phases: classes, comprehensive exams, and research and writing a dissertation.
• Students start with classes, arranged within a structured curriculum that still allows significant flexibility in course selection.
• When their class requirements are complete, students take comprehensive exams and then move on as PhD candidates to research and write a dissertation.

Degree Requirements

• Comprehensive Exams: Doctoral students demonstrate mastery of their subjects through comprehensive examinations, composed of a written exam in each of the two fields of study and an oral exam that integrates the material from the two areas.
• Developing and Writing a Dissertation: Once they have passed their comprehensive exams and achieved PhD candidacy, students propose, research and write a dissertation. The completed dissertation should bear evidence of independent research and constitute a substantial contribution to the subject.
• Additional Degree Requirements: In addition to the comprehensive exam and dissertation requirements, doctoral students must demonstrate proficiency in a second language. Applicants should submit their master’s thesis with their application. If they haven’t previously written a master’s thesis, they will write one while in the program.

Fields of Study

• Comparative and Regional Studies: Starting with a core course in Comparative Politics, you’ll approach problems from a comparative lens or delve deeply into a specific country or region.
• Gender and Intersectional Analysis: Every global problem has gender and intersectional components: the way power is wielded, manipulated, and fought over directly corresponds to gender and intersectionality.
• Human Security and Humanitarian Affairs: The Human Security field focuses on the protection and promotion of well-being of civilians, as individuals and communities.
• International Business: From sustainability to pandemic preparedness to economic resiliency, contemporary global challenges can’t be solved by the government or civil society alone.
• International Development and Environmental Policy: With the International Development and Environmental Policy field, you will dive into interdisciplinary coursework to examine the many dimensions of development policy from both macro and micro perspectives.
• International Security: The International Security Studies field asks tough questions about why actors go to war, what makes for an enduring peace, and how various actors interact in a space.

Career Support

• Fletcher faculty and the Office of Professional Development support Fletcher graduates with career advice, professional development and general assistance.
• Our graduates have pursued careers at a wide range of institutions and organizations.

Duration of the Program

• Once students have completed their coursework, they generally take one year or less to finish their comprehensive exams and an additional year or less to prepare a formal dissertation proposal.
• After the proposal has been approved, researching and writing the dissertation averages about three years, but the time needed depends on how many other activities the student is pursuing in addition to their dissertation.

Recent Graduates

• Our graduates span the public and private sectors. Examples include:
  • Jessica Caddell: Director, Defense and Strategic Studies Program, United States Military Academy
  • Zoltan Feher: Nonresident Fellow, Global China Hub, The Atlantic Council and Visiting Scholar and Professorial Lecturer, George Washington University
  • Xiaodon Liang: Senior Policy Analyst for Nuclear Weapons Policy and Disarmament at the Arms Control Association
  • Alexandra McAuliff: Assistant Professor of Politics, Bates College
  • Scott McDonald: Assistant Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science & International Affairs, University of North Georgia
  • Noriya Nakazawa: Chief, Education Section, Maritime Staff Office, Ministry of Defense, Japan
  • Stefan Tschauko: Adjunct Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs

Research Areas

• Our faculty and PhD students conduct research within and across many disciplines, whether in the classroom or out in the field.
• Recent research topics include:
  • The Coming of Mental Warfare: How Russia Changed the Conduct of War
  • The Sources of American Conduct: U.S. Strategy, China’s Rise, and International Order
  • Military Rule and Military Industry: Prerogatives and Interests
  • The Troubles with Inclusion: Northern Ireland and the Gendered Hierarchies of Peace
  • The Potential of Hierarchy: The Role of Classical Chinese Philosophy in the Foreign Policy of the People's Republic of China
  • Japan's Grand Strategy under Yoshida, Kishi, and Ikeda
  • Branding and Performance of International Organizations in the United Nations System

Featured News

• Explore Fletcher News for the latest updates on research, faculty, and student achievements.
• Recent news includes:
  • Senegal, Service and a PhD: An Unconventional Road to Global Impact
  • The Peace Corps’ Power of Partnership
  • Experience in West Africa exposed Emma Bixler to issues of gender and climate she now studies at Fletcher

Program Details

• Degree Type: PhD
• Topic: International Affairs
• Modality: In Person
• Schedule: Full-Time