Political Science

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: English
Local:$ 35.9 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 51 k / Year(s) Deadline: Dec 15, 2025
StudyQA ranking:6139 Duration:2 years

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Our graduate program provides a collaborative environment in which students work closely with faculty to prepare them for successful careers as scholars and teachers of political science. In order to foster this collaborative approach, enrollment in the program is restricted to allow close working relationships with faculty. We generally offer multi-year financial packages to all incoming students through a combination of fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships and readerships so that members of our program can concentrate fully on their studies. The success of our program in preparing students for academic careers is evident in our excellent placement record of students in research universities and liberal arts colleges.

While we offer specialization in all of the traditional subfields in political science, American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Methodology, our department encourages training and research that cuts across the traditional fields. Our graduate program is structured to introduce students to a range of approaches to research in political science and the methodological tools needed to do cutting-edge scholarship. Our program also offers numerous opportunities for students to pursue independent and collaborative research, as well as the funding to do so.

  • Research Methods in Political Science
  • Intro to Modeling Political Behavior
  • Social Choice Theory & Spatial Modeling
  • Contemporary Political Theory
  • Core Seminar in International Relations
  • Core Seminar in Comparative Politics
  • Political Behavior
  • Political Networks: Methods & Applications
  • Core Seminar in American Politics
  • Quantitative Analysis in Political Science
  • Research in Political Science (2nd yr sequence)
  • Topics in Political Theory
  • American Foreign Policy
  • Advanced Modeling of Political Behavior
  • Research in International Relations
  • CP: Comparative Government & Policy
  • Topics in Methodology
  • Quantitative Analysis in Political Science II
  • Research in Political Science (2nd yr sequence)
  • Political Theory Sequence
  • Core Seminar in Political Theory
  • Comparative Institutional Change
  • Political Economy
  • Research in American Politics
  • Research in International Relations
  • Research in Methodology

Requirements

  • Initial application (online).
  • Application fee of $80 for the domestic application and $100 for the international application.  The fee may be paid by credit card or e-check.  The fee must be paid before the application will be considered as complete, and the fee must be paid for each application submitted.
  • Three "Letters of Recommendation" must be uploaded by your letter writers through the online application system (letters must be submitted online, no paper letters will be accepted).
  • GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores.  These scores must be current (taken within the last 5 years) and should be sent electronically directly from ETS to UC Davis.  The ETS code for UC Davis is 4834, the code for Political Science is 1902.
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores if you have not studied at an institution and received a degree where the language of instruction is English.  These scores must be current (taken with the last 2 years). TOEFL should be sent electronically directly from ETS to UC Davis. IELTS scores should be mailed directly UC Davis from IELTS.
  • Writing sample must be submitted electronically as part of the online application.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

  • ✔️ Flexible study schedule
  • ✔️ Experienced teachers
  • ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Scholarships

  • University Fellowships
  • Graduate Group Fellowships
  • Teaching Assistantships (TA Appointments)
  • Global Education
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