Program Overview
A student in our program can earn one of three Ph.D. degrees. The Ph.D. in Political Science is based primarily on fields in American Politics & Comparative Politics. The Ph.D. in Public Administration is anchored in Policy Analysis and Public Administration. The Ph.D. in Justice, Law & Society comprises its own field, and also fields in Policy Analysis and/or Public Administration. However, many of our students take advantage of all three of our degrees by selecting courses from three of the six Ph.D. fields offered with SPA. Others take fields outside of SPA, such as International Relations or Public Finance. Although the core of the Ph.D. program revolves around Ph.D. seminars, our students frequently participate in Masters courses on topics of interest to them. This option allows students to satisfy interests which are unique to the specialized topic of a dissertation.
During the first year we give our students two invaluable tools to succeed in the program and in a career in research and/or teaching. First, is a working knowledge of the ideas and issues in each field, gained by taking 2 or 3 pro-seminars; and second, development of the methodological skills needed to conduct effective research in your major field of study, gained by taking 2 or 3 methods courses.
In a recent survey, almost all of our Ph.D. students cited their training in both qualitative and quantitative methods as one of the greatest benefits American University has to offer. Our goal in developing these skills is to provide students with knowledge of research tools necessary for conducting original research. Students take a mixture of advanced research and methods seminars in the second and third years of the Ph.D. program. As a result, a number of our students publish in major journals, and our Ph.D. student routinely present papers at professional conferences.
Gaining the Requirements Needed to Graduate
Students entering with a Master’s degree are required to take 16 courses or 48 credit hours. Students who do NOT have a Master’s degree are required to take 24 courses or 72 credit hours. Full-time students complete 6-8 courses in their first year and summer in the program. The remaining courses are usually completed by the end of the second year, for those with an MA; those who enter with a BA finish courses by the end of the third year. Besides completing 3-4 doctoral seminars in the major field and 2-3 doctoral seminars in two minor fields, students are expected to take a qualifying exam at the end of their first year; written comprehensive exams in their major field and a minor field (not methods) before the end of the second or third year depending on whether the student enters with a MA; and an oral comprehensive exam, taken after the written comprehensive, that covers three fields as well as the dissertation proposal. During this time, students develop an area of specialization, directed by a three member faculty committee (chosen by the student in consultation with the Director of Doctoral Programs). The final product involves mastering the literature on a topic, defining the research, selecting appropriate theory and method, defending the proposal during the oral comprehensive, and completing original research on the topic which is then submitted as a dissertation.
Basic Requirements for Ph.D. Degree in The School of Public Affairs (For a full-time Student)
First Year
Successfully complete 2-3 pro-seminars and 2-3 methods courses taken during the first year by obtaining a ‘B’ average or better.
Select the pro-seminars from American Politics; Comparative Politics; Public Administration; Policy Analysis; or Justice, Law & Society.
Students pursing a Ph.D. in Political Science must take a major field in American Politics. Students pursuing a Ph.D. in Public Administration must take that as a major field, and are strongly encouraged to take Policy Analysis as the other major field. Similarly, students pursing a Ph.D. in Justice, Law and Society must take that as a major field.
The 3 required methods courses are Conduct of Inquiry I and II, and a choice of Scope and Methods of Political Science, Qualitative Methods or Quantitative Research Design.
Two of the three fields must be selected from those offered by SPA. One of the minor fields may be selected from any teaching unit at AU that offers a Ph.D. in that field.
Pass a Qualifying Examination at the end of the first year. This examination is based on material covered in pro-seminars and is administered in April or May.
At the end of the first year, select 3 fields of study offered at the Doctoral level. Choose one as major fields, and two as minor fields. Written comprehensive examinations will be given in the major fields and one of the minor fields. For the third field, course work is required, but a written comprehensive exam is not.
Second Year
Take advanced seminars in the substantive fields, and additional methods courses. The majority of the second year is spent taking courses to gain the knowledge needed for comprehensive exams and for writing a dissertation.
Maintain a GPA above 3.0 in all coursework taken.
Begin written comprehensives (for those who enter with an MA).
Third Year
Complete all coursework and written comprehensives.
Form a dissertation committee comprised of at least 3 faculty members. The chair must be a member of the School of Public Affairs Faculty. After working with the committee, submit a formal dissertation proposal. As soon as possible after passing written comprehensives, complete oral exam covering all three fields of study and the dissertation proposal. Once this point has been reached, students advance to a level known informally as ABD- All But Dissertation.
Third Year and Beyond
Research and write a dissertation. The dissertation must be approved by those on the committee. Successfully defend the dissertation in an oral examination.
Minimum Course of Study: Ph.D. Program
First Field (3 or 4 courses and a written comprehensive)
Proseminar
Doctoral seminar
Doctoral seminar
Doctoral seminar
Second Field (2 or 3 courses and no written comprehensive)
Proseminar
Doctoral seminar
Doctoral seminar
Third Field (2 or 3 courses and no written comprehensive)
Proseminar
Doctoral seminar
Note: The total number of courses in these three fields should be ten.
Research Methods (3 courses – 5 courses if offered as a non-comprehensive minor field)
Conduct of Inquiry
Conduct of Inquiry II
Scope and Methods of Political Science
Qualitative Research Methods
Quantitative Research Methods
Dissertation Specialization
(2 courses)
Courses in area of dissertation specialty, or in one of your three fields
Courses in area of dissertation specialty, or in one of your three fields
Total: 16 courses or 48 credit hours
Frequently asked questions
How much time will the program take each week?
A lot! We offer rigorous courses. Many students are surprised by the amount of time required to successfully complete our courses. This is especially true of first year students. During the first year, students are required to gain a working knowledge of the literature in three fields, and to become proficient in methodology. The result is a year in which full-time students find that if they are not eating or sleeping, they are reading, studying, or working as graduate assistants. This monastic lifestyle eases somewhat after the first year; students become familiar with the system and literature and can find time every now and then to relax. However the faculty is serious about the degree and expects the students to be as well. We are training future university instructors and researchers, and students are expected to keep up on the literature as well as to conduct professional research projects; either one of these can be a full-time job.
I don’t have a Master’s Degree. Can I still enroll?
Yes, but keep in mind that those who do not have Master’s degrees must take more courses in order to complete the program. For most students, this requires taking two Master’s level courses each summer. Because they take more courses; students who enter the Ph.D. program without a Master’s degree also find that they have considerably more flexibility in their Ph.D. program than students who enter with a Master’s degree. However, Ph.D. fellowships do not fund the Master’s level courses.
Are Ph.D. Research Projects Supported?
Yes, on a competitive basis, PhD research projects are supported by the School of Public Affairs. The School has helped support students who present papers at professional conferences around the country and has reimbursed Ph.D. students for some research expenses. The faculty encourages students to apply for both institutional and outside funding of dissertation projects. However, it is up to individual students to express an interest in this type of support, and to apply. Faculty with externally funded research often enlist Ph.D. students to assist them, and this can be a source of support for dissertation or other student research.
