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The Ph.D. in Political Science

The Department of Political Science offers Ph.D. level courses in six substantive fields: American Politics, Public Policy, Comparative Politics, International Politics, Political Theory, and Empirical Theory and Methodology. While students take a wide range of courses they must demonstrate mastery of three fields: the major or first field, the minor or second field and the third field. Students take comprehensive examinations in their first and second fields and demonstrate competence in their third field through course work.

A key determinant of student success in the graduate program is the close relationship that students have with members of the faculty. One way that this relationship is formalized is through the creation of a number of committees that guide the student through the different phases of the graduate program. It must be emphasized that these committees are selected by the student (with the consent of the faculty) and can be changed, with approval by the Director of Graduate Studies, at any time.

General Requirements
Requirements for the Ph.D. in Political Science fall into four major categories: course work, qualifying paper defense, comprehensive examination, and doctoral dissertation.

Course Work
Students must complete a minimum of 42 hours of course work with a "B" average or better. Of these 42 hours, 39 must be at the 7000 level or higher and only 6 hours of independent study will be counted. Students must take the core seminar in at least three fields; two of these fields must be American Politics, Comparative Politics and/or International Politics. PhD students are also required to take the courses Introduction to Professional Political Science and Introduction to Political Data Analysis. These two introductory courses are to be taken during the student's first semester in residence. All students receiving a teaching assistantship are required to take Teaching Political Science I (PSCI 7008) and Teaching Political Science II (PSCI 7018). The first teaching course must be taken during the first semester. Taking the second course during the second semester is strongly recommended (it must be completed prior to taking comprehensive exams).

Through their coursework students must demonstrate the ability to conduct research. Research competence is demonstrated through either the completion of at least two methodology courses beyond 7085 with a "B" average or better or through the completion of a 5th semester college level foreign language course with a "B" average or better. Competence in a foreign language may also be demonstrated by the GSFLT or other standardized examinations recognized by language departments at the University of Colorado. A student's committee may always set higher standards for research competence.

Students specialize in three fields of study. The first two fields (the major and minor fields) are areas in which the student takes comprehensive examinations (detailed below), and students must take a minimum of two seminars beyond the core seminar in each of these fields. The third field requires that the student obtain an average of at least 3.0 in a minimum of two seminars. The third field requires that the student obtain an average of at least 3.0 in a minimum of two seminars.

Qualifying Paper
With the assistance of their advisor, students select a qualifying paper committee of three faculty members (at least two from the Political Science Department). All Ph.D. students must submit a qualifying research paper to their qualifying paper committee by March 15th of their fourth semester in residence. This paper must be defended in an oral examination by the end of that semester. The qualifying paper committee will write a report which will include a recommendation to the Graduate Committee to 1) admit into the Ph.D. program, 2) award a terminal MA, or 3) fail the student.

The primary purpose of the qualifying paper is to demonstrate the student's ability to independently identify an important question in political science and to bring relevant theory and evidence to bear in evaluating that topic. The genesis of the ideas in this paper may come from a variety of sources. For example, students may rework a seminar paper, condense and elaborate prior M.A. work undertaken at C.U. or elsewhere, or start an entirely new project.

Comprehensive Examination
Students must pass a rigorous comprehensive examination by the end of their 6th semester in residence. The exam has both a written and an oral component and is designed to demonstrate intellectual maturity and creativity as well as a command of the literatures relevant to the chosen fields of study. The comprehensive examination serves to demonstrate that the student has acquired the skills and knowledge necessary to function as an independent scholar in political science generally, and in his or her chosen fields of specialization. We expect not only broad knowledge, but also a critical understanding of the literatures and the ability to apply that understanding to the central, enduring questions of politics and government.

The Ph.D. candidate must present three fields of competence. The first two, labeled the major field and minor field, are to be the subject of the Ph.D. comprehensive examination. Students, with the agreement of their advisory committee, have the option of constructing a "thematic" or "cross-area" field for their third field. Examples of cross-area fields include, but are certainly not limited to, globalization and democratic governance, institutional design, and political economy.

The requirements for this "cross-area" concentration are the same as for standard minor fields: the completion of an appropriate core seminar and two additional seminars. Approval of the cross-field topic, and the required course credit(s), is at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies. A cross-field emphasis may be desired by students whose research interests fall within multiple traditional fields and/or by those students who want to demonstrate competence in a unique are of interest. Students choosing this option should, however, be cognizant of the fact that there are advantages and disadvantages associated with cross-field specializations.

Comprehensive examinations will be administered in-house over a 3 day period in the computer lab. The exams will be "closed book" with no outside materials allowed. Comprehensive examinations are administered once each semester and are generally held during the last week of the initial month of the semester (i.e., the end of September and the end of January). Oral examinations are scheduled individually, within three weeks of the completion of the written part of the examination and typically during the normal university examination period.

The written examination is constructed by faculty members within each designated field. Questions can emphasize breadth of knowledge and integration, or on the student's depth of knowledge on specific topics and issues in the field. It is the general practice that students have some range of choice in the questions they answer; that range, however, is at the discretion of the examination committee.

The Director of Graduate Studies will select the written and oral examination committees for all students. Three faculty grade each exam. The oral part of the comprehensive examination is conducted by each field exam committee. In addition to general questions in all chosen fields, the oral examinations probe the written examination answers, providing students the opportunity to amplify, elaborate, and explain their answers. Final grades in each field are assigned by the majority vote of the oral examination committee. A final grade of pass or fail is assigned following the orals. Failing a field in the oral examination may, at the discretion of the examining committee, involves retaking both the written and oral examination at the next administration of the exam. If a student fails the oral exam the chair of the exam committee provides a written explanation to the student.

Doctoral Dissertation
Once (if not before) students have successfully completed their comprehensive examinations they should form a dissertation prospectus committee. The dissertation prospectus committee (which often times becomes the dissertation committee) is comprised of at least three faculty members (two of which must be from the Political Science Department). This committee guides the student through the writing of a dissertation prospectus: a written document laying out the intended course of doctoral research. The specifics of the dissertation prospectus vary from student to student and are worked out with the student and her/his advisor. Students must successfully defend the prospectus through an oral examination by the end of their seventh semester in residence. With compelling reasons and the support of their advisory committee, students may petition the Graduate Committee for an extension of two months in the above deadline for successfully defending their proposal.

A completed dissertation is defended orally before a committee comprised of at least five faculty members; at least one of which must be from outside the Political Science Department. The written dissertation must conform to the style guidelines of the Graduate School. The oral examination will be open to the public. More than one dissenting vote by the examining committee will constitute disqualification of the candidate. Only one re-examination is permitted.

Timely completion of the dissertation is an important part of the consideration to provide financial support. The department's rule denies funding for students who have received this support for ten semesters. The department takes into account this factor as well as other criteria for funding timely and adequate academic progress in allocating the limited funds for financial support.

Other Requirements
A number of other important requirements bear mentioning:

• Students must be able to use the English language with precision and distinction
• Students must enroll for at least 30 hours of doctoral dissertation credit with not more than 10 credits in any one semester.
• 15 to 21 hours of transfer credit for graduate work of high quality earned at another institution may be allowed once a student has been successfully enrolled for one semester as a full-time graduate student. The Graduate School will permit only 10 such hours to appear on the final transcript; the remaining 5 may be listed on your departmental degree plan.
• Students must remain in good standing. A GPA of at least 3.0 (B average) is required; students falling below may be suspended by the Graduate School. Students are also expected to make satisfactory progress toward their degree in each semester or face suspension. Timely and successful completion of course work, comprehensive examinations, prospectus defense, and dissertation defense as specified in various parts of this document is indicative of satisfactory academic progress.

Plan II Masters
The Department offers a Plan II Masters option for students enrolled in the Ph.D. program.

This degree will be awarded following completion of 32 hours of course work including the core course work requirements for the Ph.D. degree, the two-semester teaching seminar, and successful defense of the Preliminary Ph.D. Research Paper. Specifically, Plan II degree requirements include:

Course work 32 Hours

• PSCI 7008 and 7018 Teaching Political Science
• PSCI 7075 Introduction to Professional Political Science
• PSCI 7085 Introduction to Data Analysis
• Students are required to take the core seminars in three fields.
• Two of the three core seminars must be in American Politics, Comparative Politics, or International Relations. Students may also take the core seminar in Political Theory or Public Policy.
• Two courses each are required in the major field, 2nd and 3rd fields
• Defense of the Preliminary Ph.D. Research Paper.
  

Following the defense of the Preliminary Ph.D. Research Paper, the student's advisory committee will offer guidance to the department regarding the continuation of the student in the Ph.D. program or the awarding of a Plan II Masters.