Political Science

The study of political science is primarily concerned with political power, governance, and the state, broadly understood.  Our Department offers courses that explore political behavior, institutions of government, international relations and international finance, policy-making, and protest and revolution.  Our political science faculty employ a range of research methods and approaches, including elite interviewing, survey research, field and archival research, and comparative case study analysis.

Faculty specialties in the Department of Political Science include US political institutions; elections and political parties both in the United States and abroad; legislative politics and public policy; international relations with an emphasis on international political economy; the development and decline of nation-states; the politics of gender; constitutional law; public policy and public organizations; research methods; and comparative politics with regional concentrations including Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, and Europe. The Department offers degree programs leading to the BA, MA, and PhD.

The study of political science can build a foundation for many types of future employment. Many political science majors are preparing for graduate study or law school. Others intend to pursue careers in journalism, nonprofit groups, public policy, government, or business.

Requirements for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy program in political science are the same as for admission to the Master of Arts program, with the following additions. The department strongly prefers that applicants without an MA in political science have a minimum GPA of 3.2 overall and a minimum GPA of 3.4 in undergraduate political science courses, and that applicants with an MA degree in political science have a minimum GPA of 3.4 overall in their MA work. Because the department faculty is small, applicants should determine, prior to applying, whether one or more members of the department faculty are active in the applicant’s field of interest. PhD applications must specify the applicant’s field(s) of interest, as the Graduate Studies Committee will not recommend the admission of an applicant where the department faculty cannot support the applicant’s proposed course of study. Students who are accepted into the department’s MA program and then decide they would like to earn the PhD are expected to apply to the PhD program and meet the admission requirements. All PhD students must complete 45 hours of graduate-level courses, plus at least 18 hours of POSC 701Dissertation Ph.D. credit. The required 45 hours of doctoral courses taken before dissertation credits must be distributed as follows:

A maximum of 9 hours of independent study (POSC 601 Individual Investigation) may be undertaken. University regulations require PhD students to spend at least one academic year in full-time residence (two consecutive regular semesters with a minimum of 9 hours’ registration each semester).

Doctoral students whose MA in political science has been certified, and doctoral students with an MA in political science from Case Western Reserve, need complete only 18 of the 45 hours of doctoral coursework. The graduate studies director will set distribution requirements on an individual basis, reflecting the coursework completed for the MA. Doctoral students without a completed MA must pass the MA examination. They must take the examination upon completion of no fewer than 30 hours and no more than 36 hours of coursework. A student who does not pass this examination may not continue in the PhD program. See the description of the MA examination above for further information.

Upon completion of 45 hours of coursework, the student must pass the PhD comprehensive examinations in his or her primary and secondary subfields. After passing the examinations, a student must complete a dissertation, typically 150-400 pages in length, that draws on the student’s original research to make a contribution to the field of political science.

Requirements

• Applicants must have a good academic record, e.g., a B-average or rank in the upper third of his or her graduating class at an institution whose status and programs are readily assessed.
• Applicants must meet all of the undergraduate prerequisites for the proposed field of graduate study.
• Statement of Objectives — Some programs have this built into the application. If not, create your own using "Statement of Objectives" as the heading. The statement should be one to two pages and include your purpose in undertaking graduate work as well as an explanation of your study and research interests as they relate to your undergraduate/graduate study and professional goals.
• Academic Transcripts – You are required to identify all post-secondary educational institutions you have attended on your application form, and to submit an official transcript from each. Admission to the School of Graduate Studies is conditional on final certification of degrees awarded. Note to International Students: Documents in languages other than English must be accompanied by certified translations in English.
• Letters of Recommendation - Three letters of recommendation must be submitted from those individuals sufficiently familiar with you, and who can assess your academic preparation, abilities and accomplishments. Letters should be from your most recent instructors in your proposed field of study. If you have been out of school for several years, one letter may be from your employer, supervisor or other person familiar with your most recent activities.
• Test Scores – Your department will identify required standardized tests. When you fill out forms for these use 1105 as the institutional code for Case Western Reserve University. The School of Graduate Studies will forward all official score reports of standardized tests (GRE, TOEFL, etc.) to the program of interest. The department will inform you which standardized tests are required for your program. International students whose first language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and earn a minimum score of 577 if paper-based, or 90 if Internet-based. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is also accepted. The minimum acceptable score is 7.0. Some departments may require higher scores. International applicants cannot be admitted without receipt of an acceptable official TOEFL score. The TOEFL is valid for two years after the test date. The GRE is valid for five years after the test date.
• Application Fee - A nonrefundable application fee of $50 is required for each application submitted.

Scholarships

• Global Education