About the Program
The Department of Political Science offers a 10.0-credit PhD program. The PhD program offers rigorous, focused study in two fields of Political Science. It includes coursework in two fields, comprehensive examinations in these fields, training in methodology, and the doctoral dissertation. Students choose two of the following fields: Political Theory, International Relations, Comparative Politics, Canadian Politics, and Public Policy. All of these fields are well represented by internationally-recognized faculty members who are available for research supervision. The PhD in Political Science emphasizes the development of theoretical competence and rigorous analytical skills in the study of politics. Doctoral students are also eligible to apply for the Collaborative PhD in Political Economy.
Academic Regulations
- See the General Regulations section of this Calendar.
Admission Requirements
- The Ph.D. program in political science normally will be undertaken on a full-time basis. However, in cases of exceptional merit, the Department may accept a few candidates for the degree on a part-time basis.
- The normal requirement for admission to the Ph.D. program is a master's degree (or its equivalent) in political science with high honours standing or better.
- The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research requires applicants whose native language is not English to be tested for proficiency in English. Applicants to the Political Science graduate program must submit a CAEL Assessment score of a minimum of 70 or a TOEFL score of a minimum of 237 (computer-based) or 580 (regular).
- Applicants should note, however, that meeting the admission requirement does not guarantee admission to the program. Review of the department's competitive selection process indicates that students with a GPA below 10.0 (A-) in the master's program are generally not recommended for admission to the doctoral program. Students applying on the basis of a master's degree from other disciplines will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and may be required to take additional courses as part of the program.
Program Requirements
- Details on all program requirements are provided in the departmental Guidelines for Ph.D. Candidates.
- The normal program requirements for Ph.D. candidates are outlined in the General Regulations section of this Calendar.
- It is anticipated that Ph.D. candidates will enter having taken some political theory at the undergraduate level, regardless of their desired field of specialization. Those who have not will be required to take PSCI 2300, a 1.0-credit course in addition to the normal Ph.D. requirements.
- If statistical proficiency is needed for the preparation of the thesis, students will also be expected to take a course in research methods which can be included as part of the 10.0-credit requirement (see section titled Research Skill Requirement).
- All Ph.D. candidates will fulfil a 10.0-credit program requiring departmental approval. A maximum of 1.0 credit may be taken at the 4000-level. The student may choose to take a maximum of 1.0 credit outside the Department of Political Science.
- At least 1.0 credit at the graduate level in each of the candidate's two major fields of study; a GPA of 9.0 or better must be obtained in these courses for students to be allowed to proceed to the comprehensive examinations.
- Satisfactory completion of PSCI 6900 (0.5 credit), Ph.D. Field Examination I and PSCI 6905 (0.5 credit), Ph.D. Field Examination II. Field examinations are normally written on two occasions each year, in April and August.
- Proficiency in a research skill, as outlined under research skill requirement
- At least 1.0 credit will normally be taken during the second year of the program in fields allied to the major topics of the thesis. This credit will normally be fulfilled through regular course work rather than tutorials.
- Successful completion of PSCI 6906 (1.0 credit)
- A public defence, in English, of a written thesis proposal
- A 5.0-credit thesis, written in English or French, which will be defended publicly in English at an oral examination.
- Full-time students are normally required to complete the comprehensive examinations within 12 months of entering the program, and must normally complete the public defence of the thesis proposal, preceded by its formal acceptance by the supervisory committee, within 24 months of entering the doctoral program.
- Upon entry to the program, each Ph.D. candidate will be assigned a faculty member to advise them on their studies. Students' programs, including the choice of supervisor and the thesis committee, must be approved by the Department. The thesis supervisor will normally be chosen from among faculty members in the Department of Political Science. Upon approval of the thesis supervisor and the Department, committee members may be chosen from elsewhere within the University.
Research Skill Requirement
Ph.D. candidates must demonstrate the ability to use a research skill appropriate to their program. The research skill requirement will normally be satisfied before the defence of the thesis proposal, and will take one of the following forms:
- An ability to read and translate French or another language appropriate to their course of study; or the ability to speak a language other than English sufficient to conduct interviews in that language
- An approved political science methods course, workshop, or colloquium, equivalent to 0.5 credit; or any one of the following courses (or an approved alternative): PSCI 5700, PSCI 5701, or PSCI 5702.
Comprehensive Examinations
All Ph.D. candidates must successfully complete a written comprehensive examination in each of their two major fields. Field examinations normally take place once per year, in August. At the discretion of the Department, candidates may be required to take an oral examination following the written examination.
The fields of study for the Ph.D. comprehensive examination are to be chosen from the following list:
Political Theory
- Democracy in the Age of Global Technology
- Politics, Statecraft and the Common Good
- Tradition, Interpretation and Civic Hermeneutics
- Ideology, Power and Political Morality
- Politics and Statecraft in Non-Western Traditions
- Religion, Civil Association and Individualism
- Collective Identities: Gender, Race and Nation
Public Affairs and Policy Analysis
- Canadian and Comparative Public Sector Reform
- Public Policy, Public Opinion and Public Belief Systems
- Methods for Quantitative Analysis and Evaluation
- Gender and Race in Public Policy and Administration
- Socio-Technical Change and Policy Design
- Political Communication, Political Persuasion and Social Marketing
- Domestic Security Policy and Management
Canadian Government and Politics
- Federalism and the Constitution
- Political Institutions and Processes
- Political Culture and Socialization
- Political Economy
- Provincial, Territorial and Local Government and Politics
- Administration and Public Policy Analysis
- Foreign Policy and Relations
- Canadian Political Thought and Ideology
- Gender and the State
- The Politics of Identity, Difference and Movements for Change
- Communications and Media
International Relations
- Foreign Policy Analysis
- Gender and International Relations
- Global Governance and International Organization
- Global Political Economy
- International Development
- International Political Sociology
- International Relations Theory
- International Security
Comparative Government and Politics
a) Countries and Areas
- Europe and the European Union
- Russia and Soviet Successor States
- North America
- Latin America
- Africa
- Asia
- Middle East
b) Topics or Themes
- State and Civil Society
- Political Governance and Institutions
- Development
- Social Movements
- Nationalism, Citizenship, Race and Ethnicity
- Political Behavior
- Gender and Politics
- Political Economy
Thesis Proposal
All students must publicly defend a thesis proposal after completing their comprehensive examinations. Full-time students must complete this requirement within the first two years of registration in the program.
