PhD Program

Admission Requirements

International Graduate Students Nenad Senic (Slovenia) and Mihaiela Ristei (Romania).

The Graduate College requires PhD applicants to hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. For students who have completed at least 20 hours of graduate work, an overall GPA of 3.25 for all graduate work is required; for students with less than 20 hours of graduate work must have a GPA of 3.0 as an undergraduate and 3.25 for all graduate work. In addition, the Department requires that a student applying with a bachelor's degree to have completed at least 24 hours of coursework in the social sciences or other relevant fields and have achieved a 3.25 GPA. Students applying with a master's degree must have a GPA of at least 3.25 GPA for all graduate work.

Prerequisite (noncredit): Students must have completed an undergraduate statistics course (PSCI 3950 or its equivalent).

Admissions materials: The following materials should be submitted to the Admissions office:

• Graduate application and fee
• GRE scores
• Transcripts
• TOEFL scores (international students only)

The following materials should be submitted to the Department:

• Transcripts
• Three letters of reference (on WMU Graduate Reference Forms)
• Writing sample(s), which can be in the form of two research papers or an M.A. thesis
• A brief statement of academic and professional objectives

Program Requirements

The PhD requires a minimum of 90 credit hours of work beyond the baccalaureate. This work includes:

• One required course in American Politics and Comparative Politics, and two of three stipulated courses in Political Theory.
• Fifteen hours of required methods and professional development courses.
• Fifteen to twenty-one hours of doctoral dissertation credit.
• Electives as needed, including at leas one course each in American Politics and Comparative Politics

Up to 30 hours of credit may apply from a recognized Masters program. The precise number that will apply will be at the discretion of the Graduate Director.

Core Requirements

Each student is required to take the following core courses (27 hours) or their equivalent:

• PSCI 6010 Foundations of American Politics (3 hrs.)
• PSCI 6410 Foundations of Comparative Politics (3 hrs.)
• Two of three of the following:

• PSCI 6620 Political Philosophy I (3 hrs.)
• PSCI 6630 Political Philosophy II (3 hrs.)
• PSCI 6650 Democratic Theory (3 hrs.)

• PSCI 6640 The Nature of Political Inquiry and Analysis (3 hrs.)
• PSCI 6910 Political Analysis I (3 hrs.)
• PSCI 6920 Political Analysis II (3 hrs.)
• PSCI 6940 Teaching Political Science (1 hr.)
• PSCI 6950 Teaching Excellence (2 hrs.)
• PSCI 6960 Research and Professional Skills (2 hrs.)
• PSCI 6970 Proposal Workshop (1 hr.)

Electives

Among elective required to make up hours until dissertation credits are taken, students must take at least one course in Comparative Politics and one in American Politics.

Research tools/methods

All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in at least two research skills and/or methodology appropriate to their field of specialization, as determined in consultation with their advisor, subfield faculty and the graduate advisor. As such all students must successfully complete PSCI 6640, 6910 and 6920 or their equivalents, and are urged to do so as early in their careers as possible. In addition, all students must attain competence in a second elective research skill/methodological tool sufficient to meaningfully assist their research activities. Elective research tools may include advanced statistical methodology, foreign language skills (other than English), survey research, econometrics, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), or other alternative skills as approved by the Graduate Advisor and/or Graduate Committee. Students should check the specific research tools/methodology policy with the graduate advisor.

Comprehensive Examination

In order to continue in the program after the completion of their required core course work, students must take and pass written and oral examinations covering two of the following three fields: American politics, comparative politics, political theory and philosophy.

Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation is an original and substantive research requirement that serves as the capstone to the PhD degree program.

In conjunction with their dissertation adviser, students select a topic and then, under the adviser's direction, prepare the dissertation. A doctoral dissertation committee approves the dissertation and administers the final oral examination in its defense.

Each committee consists of at least three members from the Department of Political Science and one additional member drawn from another department within or outside WMU. The student's major dissertation adviser serves as chair of the committee. The outside person serves as a bona fide, fully participating committee member.

Before students are awarded the doctoral degree, all doctoral committee members must approve the dissertation and its oral defense and the dissertation must be in a form acceptable to the department and the Graduate College. Committee approval of the dissertation is not final until students make all the required modifications, revisions and other changes as required by the committee.

Financial Assistance

The Department of Political Science offers graduate assistantships/associateships on a competitive basis to qualified students each year. Assistantship stipends are competitive and include tuition remission. Graduate assistants typically work with faculty members conducting research or teaching large undergraduate classes. Application forms are available from the department. Consideration for an assistantship is contingent upon admission to one of our graduate programs. The application and accompanying materials are due February 15.

The Graduate College offers Thurgood Marshall Assistantships. Applications may be obtained through The Graduate College. Completed applications are due February 15.

Information about student loans and other federal, state, and University need-based financial aid programs may be obtained from the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.