PDF version of this chapterGraduate Degrees
Degree Requirements
These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and the USC Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.All graduate students are required to maintain regular contact with the graduate coordinator to assure compliance with departmental regulations.
Master of Arts in Politics and International Relations
Only students who have a degree objective of obtaining the Ph.D. will be admitted into the Politics and International Relations program. However, interested students can obtain a M.A. degree while pursuing the Ph.D. The degree is awarded upon successful completion of (a) 28 units, including three of the five courses in the program's theory and methodology sequence, a master's thesis and registration in POSC 594ab or IR 594ab; and (b) the approval of the master's thesis by the thesis committee.Doctor of Philosophy in Politics and International Relations
The Ph.D. degree is awarded to students who have demonstrated in-depth knowledge of the complex problems and processes of politics and international relations and the ability to make an original research contribution. The degree requirements are fulfilled by successfully completing a minimum of 60 units beyond the B.A., the Ph.D. screening process, three fields of concentration, a substantive paper or M.A. thesis, a foreign language requirement, qualifying examinations, a dissertation proposal, and a written dissertation and its oral defense. In short, the prospective candidate for the Ph.D. in Politics and International Relations must demonstrate superior scholarship in course work and the ability to make an original contribution to knowledge.Admission to the Ph.D. Program
The faculty of the Department of Political Science and the School of International Relations welcome talented candidates from a variety of academic backgrounds. While a prior degree in political science or international relations is not necessary, it is strongly recommended that applicants have completed at least some course work in related fields and subjects, including political theory, statistics and social science research methods.Admission decisions are based on consideration of applicants' prior academic performace, as reflected in course grades, the results of the Graduate Record Examinations, and letters of recommendation. Students must also submit a statement of intent that demonstrates a seriousness of purpose, a high level of motivation and a desire to benefit from our faculty's areas of expertise or interest. Applicants also are strongly encouraged to submit a sample of their written work in English, preferrably a research-oriented paper. Business, government and other practical experiences may also be taken into account.
Students with many different academic profiles are admitted into the program. However, applicants should understand that the admissions process is highly competitive. Students entering the program typically have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.3 from an accredited university in the United States or equivalent credentials from a non-U.S. institution, scores of 550 or better on each of the portions of the GREs, a TOEFL score of 575 (for those students for whom English is not their native language) and superior letters of recommendation for those who are in a position to evaluate a student's ability to excel in a Ph.D. program.
Ph.D. Screening Process
At the end of their third semester, students will be reviewed by a screening committee made up of five faculty members appointed by the chair of the Department of Political Science and the director of the School of International Relations. Two faculty members will be drawn from the core research design classes and two from the core theory classes. The fifth committee member will be chosen by the student. This committee will review the student's progress, including grades and written faculty evaluations of course work. The committee will be responsible for deciding, at an early stage in the student's career, if the student is unlikely to finish the Ph.D. program. After reviewing the student's record, the committee may decide to (1) continue the student, (2) not continue the student and admit the student into a terminal M.A. degree program or (3) fail the student's performance in the screening process, i.e., not continue the student in the M.A. or Ph.D. programs.Course Requirements
All doctoral candidates must complete a five-course core theory and methodology sequence. They must include a classics-oriented two-semester political, social, comparative and international theory sequence (currently POSC 530 and IR 500), a multivariate statistics course (such as IR 514 or POSC 600) and a philosophies/methodologies of social inquiry course (IR 513 or POSC 500). Finally, in their second, third or fourth year, they must take an approved advanced research methods course.The selection of additional courses should be guided by the distribution requirements of the Ph.D. program. Students will choose three fields of concentration, at least two of which are from those regularly offered in politics and international relations. The student may also seek approval from the director of the Ph.D. program and the steering committee to create a different field of concentration. Each field of concentration requires completion of three graduate level courses with an average grade of B or better. Additional courses necessary to complete the 60 units required by the Graduate School should be taken in consultation with faculty advisors and the Guidelines for Graduate Study in Politics and International Relations.
Fields of Concentration
The fields of concentration include: American politics; comparative politics/ regional studies; culture, gender and global society; foreign policy analysis; international political economy; international politics and security; law and public policy; political theory; and urban and ethnic politics in global society.Foreign Language/Research Tool Requirement
Reading proficiency in a language other than English is a prerequisite for taking the qualifying examination. This requirement can be met by two years of college level foreign language training (with a minimum average grade of B) or by examination. Any course work done in the graduate program to develop language proficiency will not count toward the degree.Substantive Paper or M.A.Thesis
To show evidence of the capacity to conduct original research and before taking the qualifying exam, each student will submit a substantive paper or M.A. thesis. This written work must be approved by two regular faculty members from the Ph.D. program in politics and international relations.Qualifying Examinations
Students are eligible to take the qualifying exam upon successful completion of the Ph.D. screening process, required field course work with a grade of B or better, a substantive paper or USC M.A. thesis relevant to the program and all other Ph.D. requirements except those directly related to the Ph.D. dissertation. Ordinarily, students will take the qualifying exams no later than the seventh semester in the Ph.D. program. Students will be examined in two of their three fields of concentration. The third ("write-off") field will be completed by taking at least three courses and passing them with a grade of B or better. The guidance committee will evaluate the quality of these two written exams as evidence of the capacity to define and complete a Ph.D. dissertation.The written examinations are closed book and will be administered over two days at least once per academic year. Examination questions will be written by a committee of the tenure track faculty in each field. The chair of the Department of Political Science and the director of the School of International Relations will appoint one faculty member from each field to coordinate the writing of the relevant field exam. The field exam coordinators will then seek assistance from other faculty in their field, including those with whom the student has studied, to compose the written examination questions.
In accordance with the Graduate School requirements, the oral portion of the student's qualifying examination will be administered by his or her guidance committee. The oral examination will be based on the student's two written field exams. The guidance committee will be made up of five members. Two members, one from each field, will be designated by the director of the Ph.D. program in consultation with the student's principal advisor. In consultation with his or her principal advisor, the student will select the other two field examiners and the outside member of the guidance committee. Final approval of the guidance committee requires the signature of the chair of the Political Science Department and the director of the School of International Relations.
Students will pass the qualifying examinations if no more than one member of the guidance committee dissents after reviewing the student's record at USC and performance on the written and oral parts of the qualifying exams. At the discretion of the guidance committee, students who do not pass the exams may be allowed to retake the qualifying exams the next time they are offered. Students are admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. when they have completed the university residency requirement and passed the written and oral portions of the Ph.D. qualifying examinations.
Dissertation
Upon completion of the qualifying examinations, the student selects in consultation with the dissertation advisor a three-person dissertation committee, including one external member, who will provide guidance and judge the quality of the dissertation. Within six months of completing the qualifying examinations, students should have a formal defense of the dissertation proposal before their dissertation committee. The Ph.D. is earned upon the successful public defense and submission of the written dissertation by the student before the dissertation committee.Consult the Requirements for Graduation section and the USC Graduate School section of this catalogue regarding time limitations for completion of the degree and other Graduate School requirements.
All graduate students considering an academic career should generally have research, teaching and advisement experiences as part of their program of study.
Juris Doctor/Doctor of Philosophy in Politics and International Relations
The Department of Political Science and the USC Gould School of Law jointly offer a dual degree program leading to the J.D. and M.A. degrees. Applicants must apply to both the Department of Political Science, the School of International Relations and the Law School and meet the requirements for admission to both. In addition to the LSAT, students interested in this program are required to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).In the first year students take their course work in the Law School exclusively. To earn the J.D., all students (including dual degree students) must complete 35 numerically graded law units at USC after the first year. The associate dean may make exceptions to this rule for students enrolled in Law honors programs. The second and third years include 40 units of courses in political science and 40 units of law. Students must take two methodology courses, POSC 500 and POSC 600, and three courses to be selected from POSC 510, POSC 512, POSC 520, POSC 530 and POSC 540.
To obtain a Ph.D. in Politics and International Relations, students must pass the screening process. After the completion of additional course work, students must take a Ph.D. qualifying examination in three fields. Students will be examined in two of their three fields of concentration. The third ("write-off") field will be completed by taking at least three courses and passing them with a grade of B or better. The final requirement, following successful completion of the qualifying examination, is a doctoral dissertation.
Doctor of Philosophy in Political Economy and Public Policy
The Department of Political Science, the Department of Economics and the School of International Relations jointly offer a program of study leading to the Ph.D. degree and to the M.A. degree in the process of work toward the Ph.D. degree. Applicants must apply to the Graduate School and meet the admission requirements of all three departments.Required courses include both core requirements and area requirements. Core requirements include courses in economic theory and history of economic theory; history of political thought; scope, methodology and research methods; and political economy and public policy. Area requirements include courses drawn from one of the following three areas of concentration: comparative and developmental political economy; politics, economics and the policy process; and international political economy.
For a detailed description of this program, see the Political Economy and Public Policy section of this catalogue.