Ph.D. in Political Science
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The Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science is grounded in the core fields of the discipline - international relations, comparative politics, and American government and politics - and also includes public policy as a major field. Students identify a primary and secondary field as areas of emphasis. The curriculum introduces students to all four fields and also develops their research skills through a series of methods courses. Students may develop a traditional, academic focus on one of the fields, or they may combine it with public policy to highlight a policy orientation. The program prepares students to be academic scholars and teachers as well as practitioners in research and public service.
The Ph.D. in Political Science was approved in the fall of 2009 as the successor to the Ph.D. in Public and International Affairs, which began in 1997. For curriculum and other requirements of the Public and International Affairs degree, consult the 2008-2009 Graduate Program Guide.
Admissions
Admission into the doctoral program is highly competitive, with only five to seven new students admitted each year. Entry is limited to the fall semester. Applications for the spring semester will not be considered. All applications must be submitted online and all supplemental materials should be submitted to The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
Application Deadline: February 1
Admission Materials: Applicants seeking admission to the doctoral program from another institution, graduate or undergraduate, must submit the following:
- Online graduate school application and fee
- Three letters of recommendation submitted via online application process (at least two preferably from faculty at the applicant's undergraduate or prior graduate institution)
- Official copies of all transcripts
- A personal statement
- A current resume
- A writing sample (no more than 10 pages)
- Aptitude scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and
- Proven English language proficiency (See below for details.)
Students currently in the MA or MPA programs offered by the Department of Political Science at Northeastern also must formally apply for admission to the doctoral program. Admission is not guaranteed. Applicants seeking admission to the doctoral program who are currently enrolled in one of our programs must submit the following:
- Internal Graduate School Admissions Application (No fee required)
- At least two letters of recommendation from Northeastern Faculty
- A personal statement
- A writing sample (no more than 10 pages) and
- If not already submitted, aptitude scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
Preferred GRE scores: The program does not set a formal minimum requirement for the GRE, but it must be noted that applicants scoring below the 50th percentile will be at a competitive disadvantage.
English Proficiency for all International Applicants: International students are required to meet one of the following standards to be considered for admission:
- TOEFL (79-80 iBT)
- IELTS
- Degree earned at a U.S. institution, or
- Degree earned at an institution where English is the only medium of instruction
Undergraduate Records: It is expected that applicants to the doctoral program have earned a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.5 out of 4.0, or its equivalent.
How to Apply: Click here to start an online application.
Degree Requirements
The Ph.D. degree requires completion of required courses, passing a written and oral comprehensive examination, and the successful defense of the dissertation before a faculty committee.
Students who enter the program with a bachelor's degree complete 48 semester hours (sixteen courses) of academic credit. Students who enter the program with a Masters degree from another university are required to complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of credit at Northeastern. The program director will assess the academic record of each applicant entering with a masters degree and, in some cases, will mandate that the student take more than 30 credits in order to prepare the student for comprehensive examinations and the dissertation.
Students who earn a Master of Arts or Master of Public Administration degree from the Department of Political Science at Northeastern University must complete at least 12 additional semester hours of credit to satisfy the overall course requirement of the Ph.D. program (dependent on the relevant courses taken and their field of study). Students also must satisfy course distribution requirements outlined below.
Satisfactory progress in the Ph.D. program is defined as maintaining a grade point average of 3.500. Students who fall below this average in one semester must consult with their academic advisor. Students who fall below this average in two consecutive semesters are subject to dismissal from the program.
Curriculum
Core Requirements: All doctoral students, regardless of their primary field concentration, must complete the following eight required core courses:
- POLS 7200 Perspectives on Social Science Inquiry
- POLS 7201 Methods of Analysis
- POLS 7202 Quantitative Techniques
- POLS 7204 Seminar in Public Policy
- POLS 7205 Seminar in American Gov't and Politics
- POLS 7206 Seminar in Comparative Politics
- POLS 7207 Seminar in International Relations
- POLS 7215 Advanced Quantitative Techniques or Other Approved Methods Course
Language proficiency: Students must demonstrate language proficiency as necessary for successful completion of the dissertation. Language courses do not count as electives.
Elective and Field Requirements: All doctoral students must complete eight elective courses. At least four of these courses should be in the student's primary field and at least two courses should be in a secondary field. The only field that has a required course is the Policy field, which stipulates that all students choosing this as a primary field complete POLS 7203, Techniques of Policy Analysis.
With permission, courses directly relevant to the student's primary field may be taken in other graduate programs within Northeastern University. Under normal circumstances, no more than six semester hours (two courses) may be taken outside the Department. In addition, up to two courses may be taken as "directed study" in particularly specialized areas.
Doctoral Degree Candidacy
Doctoral degree candidacy is attained only after successful completion of all coursework, the written comprehensive examination, and the oral examination.
Comprehensive examinations: Following completion of required course work, doctoral students must pass one written and one oral comprehensive examination. During the semester they take the comprehensive exams, students will register for POLS 8960, Doctoral Exam Preparation. Registration for this course constitutes full-time status.
Written examinations are based on the literature in the field as well as materials derived from completed coursework. An oral examination is administered after completion of the written examination.
Comprehensive examinations are offered in the fall and spring semesters as agreed on by the candidate, the graduate coordinator, and the comprehensive examination committee. The examination format includes questions covering the primary and secondary fields as well as research methods. Students complete the written examination on a "take-home" basis.
At the beginning of each fall semester, doctoral candidates must complete a status report that includes current contact information and an update on their progress in the program. This report will be placed in the student's file for reference purposes.
Dissertation
A dissertation is required of all students. A student has five years to complete the dissertation once doctoral degree candidacy is attained. Once degree candidacy is attained, registration for both full- and part-time students must be continuous until graduation requirements have been met.
For each of the first two semesters that a doctoral candidate is working on a dissertation the student must register for POLS 9990: Doctoral Dissertation. For each semester beyond the two Dissertation registrations, the student must register for POLS 9996: Doctoral Dissertation Continuation until the dissertation is approved by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and is submitted to the University library. Students do not have to register for continuation during the summer unless that is when the defense occurs.
Doctoral dissertation requirements are fulfilled in several stages:
Forming the Dissertation Committee: The dissertation committee is put together by the student based on consultation with and the approval of the Chair of the doctoral program. The committee is typically composed of three members and normally may include up to one faculty member from outside the department or the university, but must be chaired by a full-time, tenured member of the Department of Political Science. The committee approves the dissertation proposal and works with the student throughout the dissertation process, including the oral defense.
The Proposal: Before the end of the first semster of doctoral candidacy, the student submits to the dissertation committee a written proposal specifying the topic, approach, and research design, and describing the resources available for completing the research. That semester students must attend the department's dissertation proposal workshop. The proposal should demonstrate the student's comprehension of the literature in the areas of research and should present a reasonably detailed plan for conducting research. Guidelines for preparing the proposal are available in the Graduate Program Office.
Formats: There are two possible formats for a dissertation. One is the more traditional book-length manuscript, the other is composed of several journal-quality manuscripts and an integrative essay. Consult the Chair of the Ph.D. program for more information on these options. The dissertation must meet all requirements of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
Research and Writing: The student thereafter writes a dissertation that presents an original approach or insight into the topic under investigation. It is based on research utilizing primary documents as well as secondary literature, and reflects the methodological approach established at the proposal stage. The student is advised to maintain constant contact with the chair of the dissertation committee throughout the process.
Defending the Dissertation: At a time when the dissertation committee so deems, the student will orally defend the dissertation before the committee and any other member of the University community who wishes to observe.
Submission: Once the dissertation has been successfully defended and is deemed complete by the committee, the student shall submit the completed manuscript to the University, following the precise guidelines (http://www.neu.edu/cas/graduate/thesis.pdf) for submission provided by the College of Arts and Sciences. No degree can be granted until the University has formally accepted the dissertation.
Program Structure and Administration
The Ph.D. Committee is the chief policy-making body for the doctoral program. Decisions regarding curriculum and program direction and development are within the jurisdiction of this committee. Three members of the Ph.D. Committee serve as the admissions committee for the doctoral program.
Program Guide
The 2009-2010 Student Guide is available on-line or in the Graduate Program Office. This Guide provides information on program requirements, curriculum, financial aid, and other aspects of the graduate programs in the Department of Political Science.