political science phd columbia

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Political Science

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The Political Science Department:

Department website:  http://www.polisci.columbia.edu Office location: 710 International Affairs Building Office contact: 212-854-3707

Director of Undergraduate Studies:  Prof. Shigeo Hirano, 740 International Affairs Building; 212-854-3955; [email protected]

Academic Affairs Coordinator:  Owen Mefford, 710 International Affairs Building; 212-854-3707; [email protected]

The Study of Political Science

The discipline of political science focuses on issues of power and governance and, in particular, on political institutions, both formal and informal. It also focuses on political behavior, political processes, political economy, and state-society relations.

The field consists of four substantive subfields: American politics , which covers such topics as national and local politics, elections, and constitutional law; comparative politics , which aims at understanding the political systems of other countries, both by studying individual states and by engaging in cross-national comparisons; international relations , which deals with the ways that states and other political actors behave in the international arena, including such topics as security, foreign policies, international organizations, and international economic relations; and political theory , which analyzes the history of normative political thought as well as of analytic concepts such as the nature of justice or liberty.

Other broad topics, such as “political economy,” or the study of the relationships between economic and political processes, overlap with the subfields, but also constitute a separate program (see below). Methodology, including statistical analysis and formal modeling, also occupies an important place in the discipline.

Student Advising 

Consulting advisers .

Economics-Political Science Advisers: Economics: Prof. Susan Elmes, Director of Undergraduate Studies, 1006 International Affairs Building; [email protected] Political Science: Prof. Carlo Prato, 718 International Affairs Building; 212-854-3977; [email protected]

Political Science-Statistics Advisers: Political Science: Prof. Andrew Gelman, 1255 Amsterdam Ave., Room 1016; 212-851-2164; [email protected] Statistics: Prof. Ronald Neath, 612 West 115th Street, Room 612; 212-853-1398; [email protected] Statistics: Prof. Gabriel Young, 612 West 115th Street, Room 614; 212-853-1395; [email protected]

The Department of Political Science offers a variety of advising resources to provide undergraduate majors and minors with the information and support needed to successfully navigate through the program. These resources are described below.

Undergraduate Advising

The department trains and employs political science Ph.D. candidates who advise undergraduate students regarding program requirements, course selection, and transfer and study-abroad credits. The advisers are also available to discuss research interests, internships, and post-college plans.

Students can reach the advisers by email at [email protected].

Requesting a Faculty Adviser

Students may request a faculty adviser by completing the Faculty Adviser Request Form and submitting it during the first two weeks of the semester. The link to the current adviser request form may be found in the undergraduate forms library on the department website.

Students may consult with their faculty adviser for any substantive issue, but the graduate-student advisers must approve planning forms and confirm that requirements have been fulfilled.

Director of Undergraduate Studies

The director of undergraduate studies oversees the department's undergraduate programs and is available during office hours. While a student's first stop for advising should be the graduate-student advisers, the director of undergraduate studies is available as an additional resource.

Economics–Political Science Adviser

Economics–political science majors may consult with the economics-political science adviser during office hours. However, students should also see a graduate-student adviser to discuss major requirements and confirm that requirements have been fulfilled. 

Political Science–Statistics Adviser

Political science–statistics majors may consult with the political science-statistics adviser during office hours. However, students should also see a graduate-student adviser to discuss major requirements and confirm that requirements have been fulfilled. 

Enrolling in Classes

Most undergraduate level courses in political science can be registered for by students at any level. However, seminars, which are smaller, more intensive discussion-based courses centered around a unifying theme or topic, require students to join a waitlist and then receive instructor approval to enroll. This is done to ensure that students in the major most in need of these seminars to fulfill their graduation requirements have priority to access them. Further information on seminars can be found on their page on the department website.

Additionally, undergraduate students may not register directly in SSOL for courses offered in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, which are designated by the prefix "GR." However, qualified students may cross-register for GSAS courses, with instructor permission, following steps outlined on the relevant page on the department website. 

Preparing for Graduate Study 

Students interested in graduate study offered by the Department of Political Science should consult the department website’s resources on graduate programs, which include M.A., B.A./M.A., and Ph.D. programs. Additionally, the graduate-student advisers can offer advice about and help with graduate school applications.

Coursework Taken Outside of Columbia

    advanced placement .

The department grants credit toward the major for work completed under the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) Advanced Placement Program. Students receive 3 academic credits and exemption from POLS UN1201 INTRO TO AMERICAN POLITICS or POLS UN1501 INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS for scores of 5 in the United States and Comparative Government and Politics AP Exams.

    Barnard College Courses 

Barnard College courses may fulfill Columbia major requirements; however, Barnard courses do not follow the Columbia numbering system and cannot be used to determine the subfield within which a course falls. Barnard colloquia are open to students with the permission of the instructor; however, Barnard colloquia may not be used to fulfill the seminar requirement, though they may be used to fulfill subfield or elective requirements. Note that admission to Barnard colloquia is by application to the Barnard Political Science Department only. Please consult with the Barnard Political Science Department for more information.

    Transfer Courses 

For the political science major, a maximum of three courses in political science may be transferred from other institutions, including study abroad and AP credit. For the economics-political science and political science-statistics interdisciplinary majors, a maximum of two courses in political science may be transferred from other institutions. For the political science minor, a maximum of one course in political science may be transferred from other institutions. All transfer credits must be approved in writing by the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the graduate-student advisers. Students wishing to count transfer credits toward the major or minor should send the graduate-student advisers their transfer credit report, the syllabi of the courses they want to count toward departmental requirements, and a statement of how they want to apply the transfer credits to the requirements.

    Study Abroad Courses

Study abroad programs are one way students can enrich their Columbia education by spending time immersed in other places and cultures. However, for counting study abroad courses for credit toward a political science major or minor, students should consult the above guidance on transfer courses.

    Summer Courses

Political Science (POLS) summer courses taken through the School of Professional Studies are eligible to count towards the major or minor. 

Undergraduate Research and Senior Thesis 

    undergraduate research in courses.

All majors write a research paper in two seminars or in the Honors Seminar. Seminars are small, discussion-based courses focused on a research topic in political science. Each semester the department offers a wide range of seminars in each subfield. Students are expected to attend and participate in these courses, as well as to write an original research paper. Some students will write a senior thesis in the Honors Seminar. Details about writing a senior thesis are below. 

    Senior Thesis Coursework and Requirements

 Students may elect to write a thesis for consideration for departmental honors as described below.

Department Honors and Prizes 

    department honors.

The department offers an honors program for a limited number of seniors who want to undertake substantial research projects and write honors theses. The honors thesis is expected to be about 75 pages in length and of exceptional quality.

Honors students perform research as part of a full-year honors seminar (POLS UN3998-POLS UN3999, 8 points total) during their senior year, in place of the seminar requirement for majors. Honors students may, however, take additional seminars to fulfill other course requirements for the major. Theses are due in late March or early April. To be awarded departmental honors, the student must satisfy all the requirements for the major, maintain a 3.6 GPA in the major, and complete a thesis of sufficiently high quality to merit honors.

The honors seminar director provides general direction for the seminar and supervises all students. Each student also works with a faculty member in his or her major subfield (American politics, comparative politics, international relations, or political theory) and a teaching assistant. The honors seminar meets weekly for part of the year and addresses general issues involved in research and thesis writing, such as how to develop research questions and projects, methodology, sources of evidence, and outlining and drafting long papers. The sessions are also used for group discussions of students’ research and thesis presentations. Students are also expected to meet periodically with the supervising professor and preceptor.

Students who wish to apply to the Honors Seminar must notify the department in writing by the end of the spring semester of the junior year. Please check the department website for the official deadline. Normally no more than 10% of graduating majors receive departmental honors in a given academic year. Applicants are required to have already completed the methods requirement for the major.

In addition, students are encouraged to find a faculty sponsor for their thesis proposal. Research areas for the political science department faculty are listed on the department's website. 

Students who are not accepted into the honors seminar or who decide after the application deadline that they would like to write an honors thesis may take one or two semesters POLS UN3901 Independent Research I and POLS UN3902 Independent Research II  in order to write a thesis to submit for honors consideration. Any member of the department's full-time faculty may sponsor independent study courses. Part-time faculty are not obligated to sponsor these courses.

Students who choose this path must also complete all the requirements for the major and maintain a minimum major GPA of 3.6. Theses are due in late March or early April, and decisions about departmental honors are announced in May.

    Academic Prizes 

The Department of Political Science administers the following prizes and awards. Unless otherwise noted, students do not play an active part in the nomination process. Rather, faculty members nominate students at their own discretion. Departmental prizes are reserved for political science majors.

Charles A. Beard Prize

A cash prize awarded every other year to the student who writes the best paper in political science during the academic year.

Caroline Phelps Stokes Prize

A cash prize established at the bequest of Caroline Phelps Stokes is awarded to a student who has been a degree candidate at Columbia College or Barnard College for at least one academic year, and who has written the best essay in course or seminar work on the general subject of human rights.

Allan J. Willen Memorial Prize

A cash prize awarded to the Columbia College student who writes the best seminar paper on a contemporary American political problem.

Edwin Robbins Academic Research/Public Service Fellowship

The Robbins Fellowship provides a stipend each summer for at least two political science students in Columbia College who will be engaged in research in important matters of politics or policymaking or who will be working, without other compensation, as interns in a governmental office, agency, or other public service organization. Each spring, the department invites students to submit fellowship proposals. Awards are announced in late April or early May.

Arthur Ross Foundation Award for Excellence in Political Science

A cash prize awarded to the GS senior with an outstanding record of accomplishment in the study of political science at Columbia. 

Phyllis Stevens Sharp Fellowship in American Politics

The Phyllis Stevens Sharp Endowment Fund provides stipends each year during the summer for one or more Columbia College or School of General Studies students majoring in political science to support research in American politics or policy making, or otherwise uncompensated internships in a government office, agency, or other public service organization. Each spring, the department invites students to submit fellowship proposals. Awards are announced in late April or early May.

Other Information

Early admission to the master's degree program in political science for columbia and barnard political science undergraduates.

While the Department of Political Science does not offer a joint bachelor of arts/master’s degree, it does allow Columbia and Barnard undergraduates to apply for early admission to its master’s degree program. 

Students should apply during the fall semester of their senior year for admission to the M.A. program in the following fall semester, after completion of the B.A. degree. The department and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences may award up to one-half residence unit of advanced standing and/or up to three courses (nine to twelve credits) of transfer credit for graduate courses ( 4000 -level and above) taken at Columbia in excess of the requirements for the Columbia bachelor's degree, as certified by the dean of the undergraduate school awarding the bachelor's degree.

For further information about the application process and minimum qualifications for early admission, please contact the director of undergraduate studies.

For further information about requirements for the M.A. degree, see  https://gsas.columbia.edu/degree-programs/ma-programs/political-science .

• Jagdish Bhagwati (also Economics)
• Allison Carnegie
• Alessandra Casella (also Economics)
• Jean L. Cohen
• Michael Doyle (University Professor)
• Robert Erikson
• Virginia Page Fortna
• Timothy Frye
• Ester Fuchs (School of International and Public Affairs)
• Andrew Gelman (also Statistics)
• Donald P. Green
• Bernard Harcourt (Law)
• Fredrick Harris
• Shigeo Hirano
• David C. Johnston
• Ira Katznelson (also History)
• Sudipta Kaviraj (Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies)
• Jeffrey Lax
• Mahmood Mamdani (Anthropology)
• Karuna Mantena
• M. Victoria Murillo (also School of International and Public Affairs)
• Andrew J. Nathan
• Sharyn O'Halloran (also School of International and Public Affairs)
• Justin Phillips (Chair)
• Robert Y. Shapiro
• Jack Snyder
• Michael Ting (also School of International and Public Affairs)
• Nadia Urbinati
• Gregory Wawro
• Andreas Wimmer (also Sociology)
• Keren Yarhi-Milo (also School of International and Public Affairs)

Associate Professors

• Alexander W. Hertel-Fernandez (also School of International and Public Affairs)
• Turkuler Isiksel
• Kimuli Kasara
• John Marshall
• Carlo Prato

Assistant Professors

• Jonathan E. Collins (also Teachers College)
• Naoki Egami
• Nikhar Gaikwad
• Junyan Jiang
• Daniel Luban
• Andrew McCall
• Tamar Mitts (also School of International and Public Affairs)
• Calvin Thrall
• Yamil Velez

Visiting Professor

Kenneth M. McElwain

• Yujin Choi Tenzin Dorjee Jacqueline C. Dugard Nathan Feldman Kevin Funk Elise Giuliano Tsveta Petrova Chiara Superti
• Prof. O'Halloran ( 2024-25 )
• Profs. Egami, Huber, Shapiro, Urbinati, and Dr. Funk ( Fall 2024 )
• Profs. Frye, Luban, and Dr. Giuliano ( Spring 2025 )

Guidance for Undergraduate Students in the Department

Program planning for all students (policies).

Major Planning forms are available on the department website .

Policy on Double-Counting Courses

Columbia College

• School of General Studies
• Courses in the Core Curriculum do not fulfill requirements for the Political Science major.

Policy on Counting Credits outside the Department of Political Science

• Courses taken at other institutions or other Columbia departments may not be used to meet the requirement of a major or minor in political science without the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the department’s undergraduate adviser. Students should secure such approval in advance of registration.

Pass/D/Fail and Grading Policy

• The course used to fulfill the research methods requirement cannot be taken Pass/D/Fail.
• Students must receive a grade of at least C- in order for a course to count towards the major or concentration.

AP Credit Policy

• Students who receive transfer credit for one or more AP exams in political science may count a maximum of one AP course toward the major or minor, contingent upon completing an upper-level (3000 or higher) course with a grade of C or higher in the subfield in which the AP exam was taken. All transfer credits must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the  undergraduate adviser .

Transfer Credit Policy

For the political science major, a maximum of three courses in political science may be transferred from other institutions, including study abroad and AP credit.  For the economics-political science and political science-statistics interdisciplinary majors, a maximum of two courses in political science may be transferred from other institutions. For the political science minor, a maximum of one course in political science may be transferred from other institutions. All transfer credits must be approved in writing by the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the graduate-student advisers.

Students wishing to count transfer credits toward the major or minor should send the graduate-student advisers their transfer credit report, the syllabi of the courses they want to count toward departmental requirements, and a statement of how they want to apply the transfer credits to the requirements.

Independent Study Policy

• Independent Study ( POLS UN3901 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH I  in the fall or POLS UN3902 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH II  in the spring) taken in fulfillment of course requirements for the major/minor must be taken for at least 3 points of credit.

Program Planning for all Students

To be planned with the department as soon as the student starts to register for courses toward the major. Students should not wait until they formally declare the major before meeting with an undergraduate adviser during the registration period to plan their programs for the major.

Course Numbering Structure  

The department's course number scheme helps students identify at a glance the level, type, and subfield of a particular course.

Prefixes and Course Levels

The prefix and first digit of the course number indicates the level of the course. 

UN: courses numbered 1000-3999 are for undergraduates only

GU: mixed level courses numbered 4000-4999 are open to both undergraduates and graduate students

GR: courses numbered 5000-9999 are for graduate students

Undergraduates may register for courses designated with a GR prefix by following the instructions for cross-registration .

Course Numbers and Subfields

Course distribution requirements for both undergraduate and graduate political science programs include depth and breadth with regard to subfields in the discipline. With the exception of undergraduate seminars, the second digit of course numbers indicates the subfield of the course content. Undergraduate seminars are numbered in the UN39xx series, with the third digit indicating subfield.

Number Scheme for UN Lecture Courses

X1XX: political theory

X2XX: American politics

X5XX: comparative politics

X6XX: international relations

X7XX: methodology

Number Scheme for Undergraduate Seminars

Undergraduate seminars are numbered "UN 39xx." The third digit of the course number indicates subfield.

All sections of 3911 are seminars in political theory.

All sections of 3921 are seminars in American politics.

All sections of 3951 3952 are seminars in comparative politics.

All sections of 3961 3962 are seminars in international relations.

Number Scheme for GU and GR Courses

For courses numbered GU4000-4999 and GR5000-9999, the second digit indicates subfield as follows:

X4XX: comparative politics

X7XX: methodology (see further detail about the scheme for methods courses below)

X8XX: international relations

Number Scheme for Graduate Field Survey Courses

All graduate field surveys are numbered at the 6000 level, and are the only 6000-level courses the department offers.

GR 6101: Issues in Political Theory

GR 6210-6211: Issues and Debates in American Politics

GR 6411-6412: Comparative Politics Survey I and II

GR 6801: Theories of International Relations

Number Scheme for Methodology Courses

Methods courses may be offered as UN, GU, or GR courses at any level. Their second digit is 7. The third digit in the course number indicates the type of methodology covered in the course.

X70X: basic tools (math and methods of inquiry)

X71X: introductory statistics

X73X: game theory

X76X: applied empirical methods

X78X: qualitative methods

X79X: advanced statistics

Guidance for First-Year Students

Our Considering a Political Science Major page has answers to common questions new students may have about the program. The department website also contains plenty of helpful information about advising, placement, course planning, opportunities in the department, and more. If you are interested in studying political science, then it is strongly recommended that you read through the information available there, as well as considering the different available fields of study .

Guidance for Transfer Students  

Our Considering a Political Science Major page has answers to common questions transfer students may have about the program. The department website also contains plenty of helpful information about advising, placement, course planning, opportunities in the department, and more. If you are interested in studying political science, then it is strongly recommended that you read through the information available there, as well as considering the different available fields of study .

After familiarizing themselves with the political science program, transfer students should consider submitting a transfer credit request for political science courses taken at their previous institution. Further information about counting transfer credits can be found in the requirements sections in this bulletin or on the department website.

Undergraduate Programs of Study

Major in political science, course requirements.

Students must choose a  Primary Subfield  and a  Secondary Subfield  to study. The subfields are as follows:

• American Politics (AP)
• Comparative Politics (CP)
• International Relations (IR)
• Political Theory (PT)

The major in political science requires a minimum of 9 courses in political science, to be distributed as follows:

Students must complete the methods requirement by the end of the junior year. A student may fulfill the research methods requirement with another course inside or outside the department only with the advance written permission of the Director of Graduate Studies or the department's undergraduate adviser. If a course outside the Department of Political Science is used to satisfy the research methods requirement, this same course cannot be used to fulfill requirements of another major, concentration or program.

Students are expected to take two 3000-level 4-point seminars. They may choose from among the seminars offered, though at least one of the seminars taken must be in the student’s Primary Subfield (that in which at least 9 other points have been completed). Entry into seminars requires the instructor's permission.

For detailed seminar registration guidelines, see  t he  department website . Seminars cannot be taken for R credit or Pass/D/Fail.

Barnard colloquia are open to students with the permission of the instructor. However, Barnard colloquia may not be used to fulfill the seminar requirement, though they may be used to fulfill subfield or elective requirements. Note that admission to Barnard colloquia is by application to the Barnard Political Science Department only. Please consult with the Barnard Political Science Department for more information.

M ajor in Economics–Political Science

The major in economics-political science is an interdisciplinary major that introduces students to the methodologies of economics and political science and stresses areas of particular concern to both. This program is particularly beneficial to students planning to do graduate work in schools of public policy and international affairs.

Two advisers are assigned for the interdepartmental major, one in the Department of Economics and one in the Department of Political Science. Please note that the economics adviser can only advise on economics requirements and the political science adviser can only advise on political science requirements.

For the political science part of the major, students must choose a  Primary Subfield  and a  Secondary Subfield  to study. The corresponding introductory courses in both subfields must be taken, plus two electives in the Primary Subfield and one in the Secondary Subfield. The subfields are as follows:

The economics–political science major requires a total of 59 points: 22 points in economics, 17 points in political science, 6 points in mathematics, 6 points in statistical methods, 4 points in a political science seminar, and 4 points in the interdisciplinary seminar as follows:

Students who wish to count toward the political science seminar requirement a course that is not in the above list of approved seminars must obtain permission from the political science Director of Undergraduate studies.

Barnard colloquia may not be used to fulfill the seminar requirement. Note that admission to Barnard colloquia is by application to the Barnard political science department only.

Major in Political Science–Statistics

The interdepartmental major of political science–statistics is designed for students who desire an understanding of political science to pursue advanced study in this field and who also wish to have at their command a broad range of sophisticated statistical tools to analyze data related to social science and public policy research.

Students should be aware of the rules regarding the use of the Pass/D/Fail option. Courses in which a grade of D has been received do not count toward the major requirements.

Political science–statistics students are eligible for all prizes reserved for political science majors.

The political science-statistics major requires a minimum of 15 courses in political science, statistics, and mathematics, to be distributed as follows:

Students taking Statistics Sequence A may replace the mathematics requirements with both  MATH UN1207 HONORS MATHEMATICS A and  MATH UN1208 HONORS MATHEMATICS B .

Minor in Political Science 

The minor in political science requires a minimum of 5 courses in political science, to be distributed as follows:

For students who entered Columbia in or before the 2023-24 academic year 

Concentration in political science, program of study.

To be planned with the department as soon as the student starts to register for courses toward the concentration. Students should not wait until they formally declare the concentration before meeting with an undergraduate adviser during the registration period to plan their programs for the concentration.

Concentration Requirements

The concentration in political science requires a minimum of 7 courses in political science, to be distributed as follows:

American Politics

POLS UN1201 INTRO TO AMERICAN POLITICS. 4.00 points .

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the principles of American politics and governance. Upon completing the class, students should be more informed about the American political process and better able to explain contemporary American political phenomena, as well as being more likely to engage with politics and elections

POLS UN3213 AMERICAN URBAN POLITICS. 3.00 points .

This course examines the pattern of political development in urban America, as the countrys population has grown in urbanized locations. It explores the process by which cities and suburbs are governed, how immigrants and migrants are incorporated, and how people of different races and ethnicities interact in urbanized settings as well as the institutional relations of cities and suburbs with other jurisdictions of government. The course focuses both on the historical as well the theoretical understandings of politics in urban areas

POLS UN3220 LOGIC OF COLLECTIVE CHOICE. 3.00 points .

Much of politics is about combining individual preferences or actions into collective choices. We will make use of two theoretical approaches. Our primary approach will be social choice theory, which studies how we aggregate what individuals want into what the collective ;wants.; The second approach, game theory, covers how we aggregate what individuals want into what the group gets, given that social, economic, and political outcomes usually depend on the interaction of individual choices. The aggregation of preferences or choices is usually governed by some set of institutional rules, formal or informal. Our main themes include the rationality of individual and group preferences, the underpinnings and implications of using majority rule, tradeoffs between aggregation methods, the fairness of group choice, the effects of institutional constraints on choice (e.g. agenda control), and the implications for democratic choice. Most of the course material is highly abstract, but these abstract issues turn up in many real-world problems, from bargaining between the branches of government to campus elections to judicial decisions on multi-member courts to the allocation of relief funds among victims of natural disasters to the scoring of Olympic events. The collective choice problem is one faced by society as a whole and by the smallest group alike

POLS UN3222 THE AMERICAN CONGRESS. 3.00 points .

Prerequisites: POLS UN1201 or the equivalent, or the instructor's permission. Prerequisites: POLS W1201 or the equivalent, or the instructors permission. Inquiry into the dynamics, organization, and policy-making processes of the American Congress. Particular emphasis on the relationship of legislators to constituents, lobbyists, bureaucrats, the president, and with one another

POLS UN3225 AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL HISTOR. 4.00 points .

This Course is intended to look at key developments of American History through the prism of Supreme Court decisions and their aftermath. In essence, this Course will address three questions: 1. How did the Supreme Court reflect, and affect, historic patterns of U.S. development, and how did it impact the legal and economic framework of the United States? 2. How did the Supreme Court respond to, or worsen, crises in U.S. history? 3. How did the perception of individual and collective rights and liberties, and of the function and role of Governments -- both Federal and State -- evolve over time?

POLS UN3245 RACIAL AND ETHNIC POLITICS. 3.00 points .

This course examines the role of race in American politics and the political behavior of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Topics will include, but are not limited to, minority political participation, segregation, gentrification, group identity, implicit bias, political representation, media effects, and the role of race in political campaigns

POLS UN3255 RACE AND THE US CARCERAL SYSTEM. 3.00 points .

This course will introduce students to research on the institutions of the US carceral system, including the police, courts, prisons, and immigration control. We will focus on two questions: how race relates to experiences with the institutions of the carceral state, and how those institutions in turn influence racial politics. The main objective is not the accumulation of factual knowledge about this system, but familiarity with theoretical frameworks with which to make and critically assess arguments about the functioning of carceral institutions as they relate to racialized people and the functioning of democracy

POLS UN3260 LATINO POLITICAL EXPERIENCE. 3.00 points .

This course focuses on the political incorporation of Latinos into the American polity. Among the topics to be discussed are patterns of historical exclusion, the impact of the Voting Rights Act, organizational and electoral behavior, and the effects of immigration on the Latino national political agenda

POLS UN3285 FREEDOM OF SPEECH ＆ PRESS. 3.00 points .

Examines the constitutional right of freedom of speech and press in the United States. Examines, in depth, various areas of law, including extremist or seditious speech, obscenity, libel, fighting words, the public forum doctrine, and public access to the mass media. Follows the law school course model, with readings focused on actual judicial decisions

POLS UN3290 VOTING AND AMERICAN POLITICS. 3.00 points .

Elections and public opinion; history of U.S. electoral politics; the problem of voter participation; partisanship and voting; accounting for voting decisions; explaining and forecasting election outcomes; elections and divided government; money and elections; electoral politics and representative democracy.

American Politics Seminars

POLS UN3921 AMERICAN POLITICS SEMINAR. 4.00 points .

Priority given to senior majors, followed by junior majors, then all other students.

Prerequisites: the instructor's permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Prerequisites: the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Seminar in American Politics Seminar. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

Comparative Politics

POLS UN1501 INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS. 4.00 points .

This course provides a broad overview of the comparative politics subfield by focusing on important substantive questions about the world today. The course is organized around four questions. First, why can only some people depend upon the state to enforce order? Second, how can we account for the differences between autocracies and democracies? Third, what different institutional forms does democratic government take? Finally, are some institutions more likely than others to produce desirable social outcomes such as accountability, redistribution, and political stability?

POLS UN3528 NEW/OLD FORMS OF POL PROTEST. 3.00 points .

This course will introduce the students to the important topic of political protest. Each week we will address different aspects of the phenomenon: from the determinant to the actors and strategies of protest. We will discuss how the forms of protest have changed and the current role of the internet in general and social media in particular. Finally, we will discuss the role of the state and state repression, in particular censorship in the dynamics of protest. Since this is a comparative politics course, we will cover a range of different countries, including the United States, as well as both democratic and authoritarian regimes

POLS UN3534 AUTOCRACY AND DEMOCRACY. 3.00 points .

With longstanding democracies in Europe and the US faltering, autocratic regimes in Russia and China consolidating, and hybrid regimes that mix elements of democracy and autocracy on the rise, scholars, policymakers, and citizens are re-evaluating the causes and consequences of different forms of government. This course is designed to give students the tools to understand these trends in global politics. Among other topics, we will explore: How do democracies and autocracies differ in theory and in practice? Why are some countries autocratic? Why are some democratic? What are the roots of democratic erosion? How does economic inequality influence a country’s form of government? Is the current period of institutional foment different past periods of global instability? This course will help students keep up with rapidly unfolding events, but is designed primarily to help them develop tools for interpreting and understanding the current condition of democracy and autocracy in the world

POLS GU4423 POLITICAL ECONOMY ANALYSIS OF ELITES ＆ INSTITUTIONS. 4.00 points .

This course examines political institutions and elite behavior from a political economy perspective. This course has three core goals. First, the substantive goal is to familiarize students with foundational theoretical arguments and frontier empirical evidence pertaining to central questions in political economy relating to political elite and institutions. Second, the methodological goal is to empower students to implement research designs that can effectively address the substantive questions driving their research. Third, the professionalization goal is to expose students to the academic processes of writing reviews, replicating and extending others’ studies, presenting research projects, and writing original research designs or academic papers

POLS GU4439 State and Society in Ukraine. 4.00 points .

This course deals with the functioning of the state and society in post-Soviet Ukraine, from its peaceful establishment in 1991 to its affirmation and revision in the crucible of the war with neoimperial Russia since 2014. On the one hand, it examines the formation and subsequent transformation of the state, including he branches of government, the party system, elections, foreign policy, education and social welfare. On the other hand, it discusses various facets of society such as religion, media, language use, gender relations, poverty, racism, etc. In tracing the relations between the state and society on a rocky road from totalitarianism to democracy, particular attention is paid to two upsurges of popular protest against state abuse, namely the Orange and Euromaidan revolution and subsequent attempts to empower society and strengthen its control over the state. No less prominent will be discussions of two military interventions by Russia seeking to keep Ukraine its its sphere of influence, the annexation of Crimea and the instigation of a separatist conflict in the Donbas in 2014, and the full-blown invasion in 2022, and the Ukrainian state and society’s responses to these interventions

POLS GU4453 POLITICS IN RUSSIA. 3.00 points .

This course begins by studying the late Soviet era—the 1970s through the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991--in order to understand what kind of political system and political culture Russia inherited. We spend some time analyzing why and how the Soviet Union—a superpower for 75 years—disintegrated suddenly and for the most part, peacefully. Then, the bulk of the course focuses on state-building in the Russian Federation. Russia’s effort to construct new political institutions, a functioning economy, and a healthy society represents one of the greatest political dramas of our time. Beginning with Yeltsin’s presidency in 1991 and continuing through the current eras of Putin, Medvedev, and Putin again, we consider phenomena such as economic reform, nationalism, separatism, federalism, war, legal reform, civil society, and democratization. The third part of the course addresses Russia’s foreign relations. Like its predecessor states, the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, Russia is concerned with what kind of state it is (or should be) and where it stands in the international order. We will study how Russian elites make sense of Russia’s identity, as well as Russia’s policies toward the US, Europe, its “near abroad,” the Middle East, and China

POLS GU4455 Russian Politics: How Autocracy Works. 3.00 points .

This course is designed to give students the tools to understand the politics of post-Soviet Russia through the lens of theories of modern autocracy and by putting Russian in comparative perspective. Among other topics, we will explore: Why did the Soviet Union collapse? Why was economic reform in Russian in the 1990s so difficult? How does autocracy influence economic development? How does Russia’s autocracy work? Why has Russia become increasingly repressive in the Putin era? Why did Russia invade Ukraine in 2022? What are the prospects for political change? How does economic inequality influence a country’s form of government? In addition to answering these questions, we will also examine the many difficult challenges in identifying the causes and consequences of studying autocracy. The course not only hopes to use modern theories of autocracy to understand Russia, but also to use the Russian case to build theories of modern autocracy. This course will help students keep up with rapidly unfolding events but is designed primarily to help them develop tools for interpreting and understanding the politics of autocratic Russia

POLS GU4457 Russian Propaganda Dom ＆ Global Politics. 4.00 points .

Propaganda is a key tool of contemporary authoritarian politics. Autocrats such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, or Hungary’s Viktor Orbán use state-controlled media to manipulate citizens, and some of them extensively rely on propaganda to undermine democracy in other countries. This course encourages students to think about the specific roles that media and propaganda play in autocracies, focusing on Russia in particular. We will read and discuss cutting-edge empirical research in political science and media studies to understand how autocrats such as Putin manipulate public opinion, why their propaganda can be successful, what its limits are, and how we can spot authoritarian propaganda in practice

POLS GU4461 Latin American Politics. 4 points .

This is a lecture class that seeks to introduce students to social scientific analysis while discuss the shifting dynamics of political representation in Latin America. In analyzing political representation in the region, it focuses on demands for political inclusion by different actors and how they were resisted or accepted by established elites in a process that moved from regime change to electoral rotation in power. The course covers these political dynamics and their institutional consequences since the onset of the twentieth century, starting with the Mexican Revolution, until the contemporary period where democracy is the predominant form of government and elections a crucial tool for social and political change. While analyzing the politics of Latin America, we will cover important political science concepts associated with democratic representation, social inclusion and the rule of the law, such as social movement mobilization, political regime change, presidentialism, political party systems, political identities, state capacity, and institutional weakness.

POLS GU4471 CHINESE POLITICS. 3.00 points .

This course offers a historical and thematic survey of Chinese politics and of salient issues in China’s public policy and governance. The first half of the course reviews the patterns and dynamics of political development in China, focusing mainly on the last two hundred years, during which the country has been on a rugged yet fascinating path toward modernity. We will examine major political events including the collapse of the Imperial China, the rise of the Communist Party, the Cultural Revolution, and the post-Mao shift toward reform and opening. The second half of the course will look various special topics, including the structure of the party and the state, the relationship between state and society, the modes of economic development, and the governance of the media and the Internet. Throughout the course, special attention will be paid to how China’s domestic political and economic processes intersected with major world events and transnational forces, such as imperialism, world wars, and economic globalization

POLS GU4472 JAPANESE POLITICS. 4.00 points .

This course surveys key features of the Japanese political system, with a focus on political institutions and processes. Themes include party politics, bureaucratic power, the role of the Diet, voting behavior, the role of the state in the economy, and the domestic politics of foreign policy

POLS GU4496 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN POLITICS. 3.00 points .

This course aims to teach students what, if any, answers social scientists have to the questions that concern anyone with an interest in African politics: 1) Why have democratic governments flourished in some countries and not others? 2) What institutions may enable Africans to hold their leaders accountable? 3) How do people participate in politics? 4) In what ways do aspiring African political leaders build public support? 5) To what extent does persistent poverty on the continent have political causes? and 6) Why is violence used to resolve some political disputes and not others?

Comparative Politics Seminars

POLS UN3951 COMPARATIVE POLITICS SEMINAR. 4.00 points .

Prerequisites: POLS V1501 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Please see here for detailed seminar registration guidelines: http://polisci.columbia.edu/undergraduate-programs/seminar-registration-guidelines. Prerequisites: POLS V1501 or the equivalent, and the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Please see here for detailed seminar registration guidelines: http://polisci.columbia.edu/undergraduate-programs/seminar-registration-guidelines. Seminar in Comparative Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

International Relations

POLS UN1601 INTERNATIONAL POLITICS. 4.00 points .

This introductory course surveys key topics in the study of international politics, including the causes of war and peace; the efficacy of international law and human rights; the origins of international development and underdevelopment; the politics of global environmental protection; and the future of US-China relations. Throughout the course, we will focus on the interests of the many actors of world politics, including states, politicians, firms, bureaucracies, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations; the interactions between them; and the institutions in which they operate. By the end of the semester, students will be better equipped to systematically study international relations and make informed contributions to critical policy debates

POLS UN3619 NAT'L ＆ CONTEMP WORLD POLITICS. 3.00 points .

The causes and consequences of nationalism. Nationalism as a cause of conflict in contemporary world politics. Strategies for mitigating nationalist and ethnic conflict

POLS UN3623 ENDING WAR ＆ BUILDING PEACE. 3.00 points .

This course provides an introduction to the politics of war termination and peace consolidation. The course examines the challenges posed by ending wars and the process by which parties to a conflict arrive at victory, ceasefires, and peace negotiations. It explores how peace is sustained, why peace lasts in some cases and breaks down in others and what can be done to make peace more stable, focusing on the role of international interventions, power-sharing arrangements, reconciliation between adversaries, and reconstruction

POLS UN3648 GOVERNING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. 4.00 points .

Who governs the world economy? Why do countries succeed or fail to cooperate in setting their economic policies? When and how do international institutions help countries cooperate? When and why do countries adopt good and bad economic policies? This course examines how domestic and international politics determine how the global economy is governed. We will study the politics of trade, international investment, monetary, immigration, and environmental policies to answer these questions. The course will approach each topic by examining alternative theoretical approaches and evaluate these theories using historical and contemporary evidence. There will be an emphasis on applying concepts through the analysis of policy-relevant case studies designed specifically for this course

POLS UN3674 China's Technological Rise. 3.00 points .

This course examines the causes and consequences of China’s rise as an economic and technological great power over the past four decades. It provides a theoretically-informed introduction to the political economy of contemporary China and to major debates surrounding China’s relations with the United States and its allies and partners. Topics covered include Chinese industrial and innovation policies, China’s capabilities in core technologies like semiconductors and artificial intelligence, the prospects for U.S.-China economic decoupling, the risk of conflict over Taiwan, the future trajectory of China’s rise, and more. At the end of this course, students will have a strong understanding of the main features of modern Chinese political economy, how China’s positions in the global economy and international system have changed in recent decades, and the implications of these transformations for U.S.-China strategic competition. They will also have learned to critically evaluate prominent theories in political science and international relations as they apply to China

POLS UN3692 Business ＆ Politics in Globalized World. 3.00 points .

Companies (or, as we’ll mostly refer to them, firms) play a number of important roles in both domestic and international politics; among other activities, they create jobs, engage in trade and in-vestment, create social responsibility programs, lobby governments, and create much of the world’s pollution. How should we think about firms as political actors? Why, when, and how do firms attempt to influence policymaking? And when do they succeed? In this course, we will study strategic collaboration, competition, and collusion between firms and governments in a range of settings and policy areas. To do so, we will draw on insights from international relations, economics, and business scholars, and we will frequently engage with current real-world examples of business-government relations. Topics will include (among others) lobbying, corporate social responsibility, taxation and tax avoidance, public-private governance, and corporate influence in foreign policy

POLS GU4814 GLOBAL ENERGY: SECURITY/GEOPOL. 3.00 points .

The course focuses on the nexus between energy and security as it reveals in the policies and interaction of leading energy producers and consumers. Topics include: Hydrocarbons and search for stability and security in the Persian Gulf, Caspian basin, Eurasia, Africa and Latin America; Russia as a global energy player; Analysis of the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on energy markets, global security, and the future of the energy transition; Role of natural gas in the world energy balance and European energy security; Transformation of the global energy governance structure; Role and evolution of the OPEC; Introduction into energy economics; Dynamics and fundamentals of the global energy markets; IOCs vs NOCs; Resource nationalism, cartels, sanctions and embargoes; Asia's growing energy needs and its geo-economic and strategic implications; Nuclear energy and challenges to non-proliferation regime; Alternative and renewable sources of energy; Climate change as one of the central challenges of the 21st century; Analysis of the policies, technologies, financial systems and markets needed to achieve climate goals. Climate change and attempts of environmental regulation; Decarbonization trends, international carbon regimes and search for optimal models of sustainable development. Special focus on implications of the shale revolution and technological innovations on U.S. energy security

POLS GU4845 NAT SECURITY STRAT OF MID EAST. 4.00 points .

At the crossroads of three continents, the Middle East is home to many diverse peoples, with ancient and proud cultures, in varying stages of political and socio-economic development, often in conflict. Following the Arab Spring and subsequent upheaval in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya and more, the region is in a state of historic flux. The Sunni-Shia rivalry, especially between Saudi Arabia and Iran, growing Iranian-Israeli conflict, population explosion, poverty and authoritarian control, Russian ascendance and US retrenchment, are the primary regional drivers today. Together, these factors have transformed the Middle Eastern landscape, with great consequence for the national security of the countries of the region and their foreign relations. The primary source of the worlds energy resources, the Middle East remains the locus of the terror-WMD-fundamentalist nexus, which continues to pose a significant threat to both regional and international security. The course surveys the national security challenges facing the regions primary players (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinians and Turkey,) and how the convolutions of recent years have affected them. Unlike many Middle East courses, which focus on US policy in the region, the course concentrates on the regional players perceptions of the threats and opportunities they face and the strategies they have adopted to deal with them. It thus provides an essential vantage point for those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of a region, which stands at the center of many of the foreign policy issues of our era. The course is designed for those with a general interest in the Middle East, especially those interested in national security issues, students of comparative politics and future practitioners, with an interest in real world international relations and national security

POLS GU4863 INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. 4.00 points .

This course examines how domestic and international politics influence the economic policies of developing countries. We will critically evaluate different theoretical debates related to foreign economic policymaking in emerging markets, and introduce chief methodological approaches used in contemporary analyses. We will focus attention on different types of cross-border flows: the flow of goods (trade policy), the flow of people (immigration policy), the flow and location of production (foreign investment policy), the flow of capital (financial and monetary policy), and the flow of pollution (environment policy). In the process, we will address several themes that are central to understanding the politics of economic policymaking in emerging economies, including, the legacies of colonialism, trade protectionism and liberalization, globalization and the race to the bottom, the relationship between economic policy and culture, and development and redistribution. There will be an emphasis on applying concepts through the analysis of policy-relevant case studies designed for this course

POLS GU4865 INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY. 4.00 points .

This course explores key frameworks and issue areas within international political economy. It examines the history and key characteristics of (economic) globalization, the theories of international cooperation, as well as the nature and role of international organizations (such as the World Trade Organization) in fostering trade and international economic cooperation. Furthermore, the course discusses the pros and cons of globalization and its implications on domestic policies of nation-states, with a particular focus on the tensions globalization creates and the lines of cleavages between winners and losers from globalization. Finally, the course reflects on the future of globalization and international trade and the challenges faced by national and supranational policy makers

International Relations Seminars

POLS UN3961 INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR. 4.00 points .

Prerequisites: POLS UN1601 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. Prerequisites: POLS UN1601 or the equivalent, and the instructors permission. Seminar in International Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

Political Theory

POLS UN1101 POLITICAL THEORY I. 4.00 points .

This course considers key questions at the foundation of political thought. What is justice? How do we justify the coercive power of states? Do we have an obligation to obey the government? Who should make and enforce the law? What basic rights and liberties should governments protect? How should our economic system produce and divide wealth and material resources? What are the claims of excluded or marginalized groups and how can these claims be addressed? We explore these questions through the works of several classical and contemporary political thinkers. A major goal of the course is to practice the skills needed to understand a political thinker’s arguments and to construct one’s own

POLS UN3100 JUSTICE. 3.00 points .

An inquiry into the nature and implications of justice in areas ranging from criminal justice to social justice to the circumstances of war and peace, considering issues such as abortion, the criminalization of behavior, the death penalty, climate change, global poverty, civil disobedience, and international conflict

POLS UN3106 Democracy: Principles, Critics and Problems. 3.00 points .

This course is about democracy: its theory, principles, critics and challenges. After centuries of vilification, democracy acquired the status of the "best" political order thanks also to the defeat of Nazism and fascism, in 1945. The end of the Cold War and the international order created by the victors of World War II caused some major changes in the perception and practice of democracy. The world has become a unified place for financial markets and a borderless space for the implementation of hegemonic projects. Openness and globalization put pressure on the ideal and practice of democracy, however. On the one hand, democracy seems to be the solution to all problems so much so that "democracy" now means everything on the right side of history. On the other hand, it seems instead to be a source of problems, and many (even democrats) criticize it for being inefficient in decision-making, subject to the prejudices of increasingly uninformed and ignorant voters, and finally a system that breeds corruption. The goal of this course is to understand this conundrum. What are the basic principles of democracy and the main objections raised against it? In what sense does democracy embody universal values? Is it desirable that democracy contains partisanship with competence? Is populism a fate of modern democracies? These questions will guide us in understanding the promises of democracy and the disappointments of democrats. We will begin our intellectual journey with the ancient vision of democracy and its early critics, then explore the modern trajectory of democratic theory and finally contemporary populist transformations

POLS UN3112 GANDHI, KING ＆ POLS OF NONVIOLENCE. 4.00 points .

Since Gandhi’s experiments in mass satyagraha over a century ago, nonviolence has become a staple of protest politics across the globe. From the Occupy movements to the Arab Spring to Movement for Black Lives, it might even be entering a new phase of revitalization. At the same time, what exactly nonviolence is and what it can accomplish in politics is very much under debate. This course aims to understand the politics of nonviolence by examining the political ideas and political careers of its most well-known twentieth-century advocates, M.K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Though still venerated as founding figures of nonviolent protest, Gandhi and King have come to be remembered in ways that can misconstrue how they understood and practiced nonviolent politics. To many, Gandhi is a saintly idealist, who wanted to imbue politics with the spirit of ahimsa, truth, and conscience. Likewise, King is taken to be a spokesman for interracial brotherhood and Christian love. While partly true, these images also downplay the political side of their nonviolence – the techniques of organizing and strategies of protest that made their movements successful. We will examine the evolution of Gandhi’s and King’s political thinking in relation to the movements they led – the Indian independence movement and the civil rights movement in the US. We will consider how the theory and practice of nonviolence evolved and changed as it moved from one context to another. We will be especially focused on understanding the dynamics of nonviolent protest

POLS UN3141 Humans, Nature and the Future: an Introduction to Environmental Political Theory. 3.00 points .

This course is about how we understand humans and their relationship to nature – and about how these understandings influence the ways we design our societies, run our democracies, and make plans for the future. We’ll focus on two central themes. First: how does introducing a concern for ‘the environment’ (or the Earth, or ecology) deepen, and often complicate, our understanding of key concepts in political theory? Second: given that ‘the environment’ is an interdisciplinary issue, how do we understand the relationship between the ideas and conversations we have in political theory, and the ideas and conversations people are having in other disciplines? (For example: climate science.) There is no single prerequisite course for this one, but we will be assuming that you are familiar with the field of political theory in general. This is important, because many of our discussions will aim to map concepts and conversations from environmental political theory onto broader political theory conversations (which requires you to be familiar with those conversations!). Ideally, you’ll have taken a political theory survey before you take this course. If you haven’t, but you still think you’ve got the background necessary to participate fully in the class, please get in touch

POLS GU4110 RECENT CONTINENTAL POL THOUGHT. 4.00 points .

This course will compare and contrast the theories of the political, the state,freedom, democracy, sovereignty and law, in the works of the following key 20th and 21st century continental theorists: Arendt, Castoriadis, Foucault, Habermas, Kelsen, Lefort, Schmitt, and Weber. It will be taught in seminar format

POLS GU4132 POLIT THOUGHT-CLASSICL AND MEDIEVAL. 3.00 points .

Prerequisites: Contemporary Civilization or a comparable introduction to political theory course. Prerequisites: Contemporary Civilization or a comparable introduction to political theory course. This course examines ancient political thought from its origins in the archaic Greek poleis through the development of classical Greek political philosophy and the transmission and adaptation of Greek political ideas in the Hellenistic, Roman, and early Christian traditions. Our texts will include major ancient works of political theory by Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero as well as works of poetry, drama, history, and ethical and natural philosophy that offer insight into ancient thought on politics. We will approach these texts not only as reflections on the ancient democratic, oligarchic, monarchical, and republican political systems they address, but also as foundations for modern political discourse that still prompt us to consider the questions they raise—questions about the ideal form of government in theory, and the best form in practice; about the nature of law and justice, and the relationship between law and custom, science, or religion; about the rule of law, and the rights and obligations of an individual citizen living in a participatory state; and about the reach of empire, and the implications when a self-governing people attempts to direct the affairs of non-citizens or of other states

POLS GU4134 MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT. 4.00 points .

Interpretations of civil society and the foundations of political order according to the two main traditions of political thought--contraction and Aristotelian. Readings include works by Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke, Montesquieu, Hume, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Saint-Simon, Tocqueville, Marx, and Mill

Political Theory Seminars

POLS UN3911 SEMINAR IN POLITCAL THEORY. 4.00 points .

Seminar in Political Theory. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

Research Methods

POLS UN3704 RESEARCH DESIGN: DATA ANALYSIS. 3.00 points .

This course examines the basic methods data analysis and statistics that political scientists use in quantitative research that attempts to make causal inferences about how the political world works. The same methods apply to other kinds of problems about cause and effect relationships more generally. The course will provide students with extensive experience in analyzing data and in writing (and thus reading) research papers about testable theories and hypotheses. It will cover basic data analysis and statistical methods, from univariate and bivariate descriptive and inferential statistics through multivariate regression analysis. Computer applications will be emphasized. The course will focus largely on observational data used in cross-sectional statistical analysis, but it will consider issues of research design more broadly as well. It will assume that students have no mathematical background beyond high school algebra and no experience using computers for data analysis

POLS UN3720 RESEARCH DESIGN: SCOPE AND METHODS. 4.00 points .

This class aims to introduce students to the logic of social scientific inquiry and research design. Although it is a course in political science, our emphasis will be on the science part rather than the political part — we’ll be reading about interesting substantive topics, but only insofar as they can teach us something about ways we can do systematic research. This class will introduce students to a medley of different methods to conduct social scientific research

POLS UN3768 Experimental Research. 4.00 points .

Randomized experimentation is an important methodology in political science. In this course, we will discuss the logic of experimentation, its strengths and weaknesses compared to other methodologies, and the ways in which experimentation has been -- and could be -- used to investigate political phenomena. Students will learn how to interpret, design, and execute experiments

POLS GU4700 MATH ＆ STATS FOR POLI SCI. 4.00 points .

This course presents basic mathematical and statistical concepts that are essential for formal and quantitative analysis in political science research. It prepares students for the graduate-level sequence on formal models and quantitative political methodology offered in the department. The first half of the course will cover basic mathematics, such as calculus and linear algebra. The second half of the course will focus on probability theory and statistics. We will rigorously cover the topics that are directly relevant to formal and quantitative analysis in political science such that students can build both intuitions and technical skills. There is no prerequisite since this course is ordinarily taken by Ph.D. students in their first semester. The course is aimed for both students with little exposure to mathematics and those who have taken some courses but wish to gain a more solid foundation. NOTE: This course does not satisfy the Political Science Major/Concentration research methods requirement

POLS GU4702 Qualitative and Mixed Methods of Research Design and Inquiry. 4.00 points .

This course covers research methods and research design in political science. We cover concrete and practical issues of conducting research that are useful for all types of empirical political science research: picking a topic, generating hypotheses, case selection, measurement issues, and the ethics of research; with a focus on qualitative and mixed-methods tools such as: interviews, fieldwork, case studies, archival research, ethnographic work, designing and conducting experiments, coding data and working with data sets, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, etc. The course is designed for several audiences in Political Science, including: PhD students MA students undertaking a major research project or intending to continue on to the PhD Advanced undergraduates writing or contemplating an honors thesis, or another major research project

POLS GU4710 PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 1. 4.00 points .

This course examines the basic methods of data analysis and statistics, through multivariate regression analysis, that political scientists use in quantitative research that attempts to make causal inferences about how the political world works. The same methods apply to other kinds of problems about cause and effect relationships more generally. The course will provide students with extensive experience in analyzing data and in writing (and thus reading) research papers about testable theories and hypotheses

POLS GU4712 PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 2. 4.00 points .

Prerequisites: POLS W4710 or the equivalent. Prerequisites: POLS W4710 or the equivalent. This course will intensively examine some of the data analysis methods which deal with problems occurring in the use of multiple regression analysis. It will stress computer applications and cover, as needed, data coding and data processing. Emphasis will also be placed on research design and writing research reports. The course assumes that students are familiar with basic statistics, inference, and multiple regression analysis and have analyzed data using computer software (e.g., any standard statistical programs on micro-computers or larger machines -- Stata, “R”, SPSS, SAS, etc.). Students will be instructed on the use of the microcomputers and the R and Stata statistical software program(s) available as freeware (R) or in the CUIT computer labs (Stata; several campus locations) or through SIPA. The lectures and required discussion section will emphasize the use of “R.” Students may use whatever computer programs they prefer for all data analysis for the course. There may be an additional fee for classroom instructional materials

POLS GU4716 Data Science for Political Analytics. 3.00 points .

Prerequisites: ( POLS GU4714 ) or The digital revolution has created previously unimaginable opportunities to learn about political behavior and institutions. It has also created new challenges for analyzing the massive amounts of data that are now easily accessible. Open source software has reduced barriers and inequities in coding, but it also requires different kinds of effort to employ optimally the latest innovations. Harnessing the power of political data is more critical than ever, given the threats that misinformation and alternative “facts” present to democratic forms of government. This course will teach students both essential tools and general strategies of data science within the domain of politics. Whether students’ goals are to analyze political behavior for academic or professional purposes, successful analysis requires skills for handling a wide array of issues that stand in the way of creating knowledge and insights from data. This course prioritizes breadth over depth in the sense that we will introduce a broad range of topics relevant for data science to develop basic skills and form a foundation that students can build on. More complete mastery of these skills will require additional engagement beyond this course

POLS GU4720 QUANT METH 1 APPL REG CAUS INF. 4.00 points .

Fitting and understanding linear regression and generalized linear models, simulation, causal inference, and the basics of design of quantitative studies. Computation in R. Textbook: Regression and Other Stories by Gelman, Hill, and Vehtari

POLS GU4722 QUANT METH 2 STAT THEO＆CAUS INF. 4.00 points .

This course is the second course in the graduate-level sequence on quantitative political methodology offered in the Department of Political Science. Students will learn (1) a framework and methodologies for making causal inferences from experimental and observational data, and (2) statistical theories essential for causal inference. Topics include randomized experiments, estimation under ignorability, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity, difference-indifferences, and causal inference with panel data. We also cover statistical theories, such as theories of ordinary least squares and maximum likelihood estimation, by connecting them to causal inference methods. This course builds on the materials covered in POLS 4700 and 4720 or theirequivalent (i.e., probability, statistics, linear regression, and logistic regression)

POLS GU4724 QUANT METH 3 EXPERIMENTAL METH. 4.00 points .

In this course, we will discuss the logic of experimentation, its strengths and weaknesses compared to other methodologies, and the ways in which experimentation has been — and could be — used to investigate social phenomena. Students will learn how to interpret, design, and execute experiments. Special attention will be devoted to field experiments, or randomized trials conducted in real-world settings. Prerequisites: Students should have taken at least one or two semesters of statistics. Some understanding of probability, hypothesis testing, and regression are assumed. Familiarity with statistical software such as R is helpful. We will be working with data in class throughout the term. The examples used in the textbook and lectures are written in R, and R tutorials will be taught in special sessions early in the term

POLS GU4726 QUANT METH 4 TOPICS IN METHODS. 4.00 points .

This course is the fourth course in the graduate-level sequence on quantitative political methodology offered in the Department of Political Science. Students will learn a variety of ad-vanced topics in political methodology, such as machine learning, recent measurement methods (e.g., ideal point estimation, text analysis, list experiment, and conjoint experiment), network analysis, and causal inference with spatial and network data. Students will collaborate to present discussion papers throughout the semester. The main goal of this course is to help students to write a final paper that applies or develops advanced statistical methods. This course builds on the materials covered in POLS 4700, 4720, 4722, and 4724, or their equivalent courses (i.e., probability, statistics, linear regression, logistic regression, causal inference with observational and experimental data, and knowledge of statistical computing environment R)

POLS GU4730 GAME THEORY ＆ POLIT THEORY. 4.00 points .

Prerequisites: POLS GU4700 or equivalent level of calculus. Prerequisites: POLS GU4700 or equivalent level of calculus. Introduction to noncooperative game theory and its application to strategic situations in politics. Topics include solution concepts, asymmetric information, and incomplete information. Students should have taken POLS GU4700 or have equivalent background in calculus. Permission of instructor required

POLS GU4732 RESEARCH TOPICS IN GAME THEORY. 4.00 points .

Prerequisites: POLS W4730 or the instructors permission. Advanced topics in game theory will cover the study of repeated games, games of incomplete information and principal-agent models with applications in the fields of voting, bargaining, lobbying and violent conflict. Results from the study of social choice theory, mechanism design and auction theory will also be treated. The course will concentrate on mathematical techniques for constructing and solving games. Students will be required to develop a topic relating political science and game theory and to write a formal research paper

POLS GU4768 Experimental Research: Design, Analysis and Interpretation. 4 points .

Prerequisites: one or two semesters of statistics; basic understanding of probability, hypothesis testing, and regression are assumed. Basic familiarity with statistical software (Stata and R) is helpful but not required.

In this course, we will discuss the logic of experimentation, its strengths and weaknesses compared to other methodologies, and the ways in which experimentation has been -- and could be -- used to investigate social phenomena. Students will learn how to interpret, design, and execute experiments.

Senior Honors Seminar

POLS UN3998 HONORS SEMINAR. 4.00 points .

Prerequisites: admission to the departmental honors program. Prerequisites: admission to the departmental honors program. A two-term seminar for students writing the senior honors thesis

POLS UN3999 HONORS SEMINAR. 4.00 points .

Prerequisites: admission to the departmental honors program.

A two-term seminar for students writing the senior honors thesis.

Independent Reading and Research

POLS UN3901 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH I. 1.00-6.00 points .

POLS UN3902 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH II. 1.00-6.00 points .

Of Related Interest

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Politics and Education PhD

Doctor of philosophy in politics and education.

This Ph.D. program prepares students to conduct original and rigorous research relating to education policy and the political conditions that facilitate its adoption, implementation, and sustainability. Graduates of this program secure position: as professors within political science, public policy, and education departments at various types of four year institutions; as researchers in think tanks and private research organizations; and in government agencies with research and policy missions.

Courses are offered in a traditional schedule during the fall and spring, with a limited number of course options available in summer. Ph.D. students must demonstrate command of two research tools, selected from the following list: 1) a reading knowledge of a foreign language, 2) a reading knowledge of a second foreign language, 3) an approved two-course sequence in quantitative analysis, 4) an approved two-course sequence in formal modeling or advanced multivariate statistics, 5) a comparable level of proficiency in a comparable research tool approved by the college.

Students are asked to participate in a set of core political science and general foundation courses in education. Each student will also complete methodological requirements including but not limited to statistics, qualitative and quantitative methods. After completing the core, each student is expected to focus his or her studies on a set of political debates in education or a particular political arena.

Ph.D. students may be required to take as many as 12 points of coursework at Columbia University in the Political Science Department.

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Admissions Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Points/Credits: 75
• Entry Terms: Fall
• Enrollment Formats: Full-Time

Application Deadlines

Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines , such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.

Application Requirements

Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2023-2024)

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

Students are asked to participate in a set of core political science and general foundation courses in education policy. These are selected with the approval of the faculty advisor in order to best meet each individual student's interests and professional goals. Students may be required to take as many as 12 points of coursework at Columbia University in the Political Science Department.

Ph.D. students must demonstrate command of two research tools, selected from the following list: 1) a reading knowledge of a foreign language, 2) a reading knowledge of a second foreign language, 3) an approved two-course sequence in quantitative analysis,* 4) an approved two-course sequence in formal modeling or advanced multivariate statistics, 5) a comparable level of proficiency in a research tool approved by the College. Using a foreign language to satisfy the research tool is appropriate only if the student’s dissertation or future research will be enhanced by developing such knowledge.

For further information on specific program requirements consult the program website at https://www.tc.columbia.edu/education-policy-and-social-analysis/politics-and-education/ and The Ph.D. Requirements Bulletin is available for download via the Office of Doctoral Students’ website. 

* Satisfied by meeting 6-point statistics requirement.

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• Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD)
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Go to programs search

The Department of Political Science offers Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs that are structured around five substantive fields: Canadian politics, international relations, comparative politics, political theory, and U.S. Politics.

We offer in the range of 25 graduate seminar courses per year and ample support for mentoring grad students in their professional development, through research collaboration, workshops, and colloquia. We have the most successful doctoral graduates of any program in Canada, judged by our record of placing graduates in academic positions in Canada, the United States, Great Britain, Australia, and elsewhere.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

One of the key criteria that sets the Political Science department at UBC apart is the methodological breadth and diversity of research interests of faculty members, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. We have particular strengths for graduate students in:

• indigenous politics, with indigenous faculty members in two different subfields
• critical political theory and identity politics
• democratic theory and practise
• political behaviour, parties and elections
• comparative public policy and institutions
• migration, social diversity, and identity
• environmental politics
• international norms, institutions and goverance, and human security.

Quantitative Methods: we are particularly strong on quantitative methods for students using this kind of approach, with the deepest lineup of persons engaged in systematic quantitative research and the country’s most robust sequence of graduate methods courses for those students wishing to acquire a sophisticated understanding of quantitative analysis.

Regional Area Strengths: we are exceptionally strong in the study of Asian politics, the politics of the Americas, European politics, U.S. politics, and Canadian politics.

I chose UBC because of the strength of the political science graduate program, the competitive funding package, and the fit between my research interests and those of my adviser.

Joshua Fawcett-Weiner

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 92

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is required by some applicants. Please check the program website.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 intake, application open date, canadian applicants, international applicants, deadline explanations.

Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.

Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.

Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

• Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research focus.

Canadian Politics: federalism, the Canadian electoral system, the constitution, the courts, electoral reform, parliamentary institutions, political parties, Canadian public policy, Canadian political thought, voting behaviour Comparative Politics: democratization and democratic institutions, state-society relations, comparative public policy, comparative political economy, constitutional design and comparative political institutions, executive politics, separation of powers, governance, non-governmental organizations, and immigration politics International Relations: International Relations Theory, International Political Economy, International Security, International Law and Organization, International Norms, Human Security, the politics of international law, and global governance Political Theory: democratic theory, liberalism, constitutionalism, human rights, feminism, multiculturalism, nationalism, identity politics, critical theory, history of political thought.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

We offer a full five-year funding package for our PhD students, which generally consists of a combination of UBC Four-Year Fellowships (4YFs), Department Funding, Teaching Assistantship, and Research Assistantship.

In some cases, we are able to offer additional funding in the form of RA positions, but these are contingent on several factors, including faculty members having available research funds for RAs.

The Department of Political Science will offer TA opportunities to PhDs when available in order to enhance the financial resources at students’ disposal. Moreover, we consider it an important aspect of the professional development of our PhDs to work as Teaching Assistants, at some point in their PhD program, to develop their teaching skills under the guidance of faculty members.

Average Funding

• 14 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 14 students was $15,348.
• 9 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 9 students was $8,794.
• 10 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 10 students was $3,461.
• 21 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 21 students was $27,166.
• 4 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 4 students was $26,500.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

47 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 44 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, career options.

Our PhDs have been highly successful in pursuing academic and non-academic careers.

On the academic front, UBC PhDs hold tenured or tenure track positions at major universities in North America and internationally – including the University of Toronto, University of Victoria, University of Western Ontario, York University, University of Ottawa, University of Calgary, University of Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, University of Essex, Sophia University, National University of Singapore, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, Ritsumeikan University, University of Sheffield, Queensland University, Simon Fraser University, MacEwan University, University of Fraser Valley, University of Manitoba, Memorial University, McMaster University, and Cardiff University.

Our PhDs have held postdoctoral fellowships at a wide range of international institutions including Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, Vanderbilt University, University of Toronto, Queens University, Oxford University, Duke University, and others.

Many UBC PhDs have taken their doctoral training to high-level positions with government agencies, NGOs, and private-sector employers. Our students have pursued careers at Statistics Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada, the US Department of Defense Asia-Pacific Center, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Deutschebank (London), and the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, among others.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion Rates & Times

• Research Supervisors

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Afsahi, Afsoun (Democratic theory and practice, Gender in politics, Challenges, opportunities, and best methods of inclusion, Representation of marginalized communities in democratic decision-making processes)
• Arneil, Barbara (Identity politics, history of political thought)
• Baier, Gerald (Canadian politics, federalism, constitutional law, courts, federal-provincial relations, Constitution, federalism and public law in Canada)
• Baum, Bruce (Political Culture, Society and Ideology; critical social theory; feminist theory; critical hermeneutics; issues of cross-cultural interpretation; American political thought and cultural politics; political theories of Mill and Marx; philosophy of political inquiry; liberal and democratic theory)
• Bloemraad, Irene (consequences of migration on politics and understandings of membershi; immigrants become incorporated into political communities; intersection of migration studies and political sociology)
• Borwein, Sophie (intersection of political economy, political behaviour, and public policy)
• Byers, Michael (International relations; Public international law (except international trade law); international law; international relations; Outer Space; Arctic; Law of the Sea; Laws of War; International Human Rights; International Environmental Law)
• Cameron, Maxwell (Political science; Political Regimes (Democracy, Monarchy, Federalism, Parliamentarism, etc.); Social Organization and Political Systems; Comparative Politics; Democratization; Latin America; Practical wisdom)
• Chowdhury, Arjun (Failed states, intervention, civil war, autocrats, revolution. )
• Coleman, Katharina Pichler (International organizations, international relations, international security/peace operations, interntional rules, noms and legitimacy, sun-Saharan Africa)
• Coulthard, Glen (First Nations politics – national; political theory )
• Cutler, Frederick (Social movements and democracy; public opinion; Political Methodology; Canadian Politics; Elections; Electoral Systems; Federalism; Academic Publishing Systems)
• Dauvergne, Peter (Social sciences; international relations; global environmental politics; sustainability governance; global South; Developing countries; transnational corporations; technology; consumption; Plastic Pollution; social movements; environmentalism; activism; deforestation)
• Doberstein, Carey (Political science and policy administration; Agencies and arms-length bodies in Canada; Public servant behavior in Canada; How citizens engage with government as part of local consultations and public engagement; Homelessness (politics, governance, policy); Local government or governance)
• Ellermann, Antje (Political science; Migrations, Populations, Cultural Exchanges; Migratory Flows; Public Policies; Identity and Transnationality; Role of Governments and Institutions; Comparative Public Policy; Migration and Citizenship)
• Givens, Terri Elizabeth
• Harrison, Kathryn (Canadian politics, environmental politics, environmental policy, climate change, global warming, climate change policy, Canadian public policy)
• Hopkins, Vincent (Political science; Democratic theory and practice; Federalism and Local Politics; Migration Policy and Politics; Public Management; public opinion)
• Huebner, Kurt (European integration; euro and global currency regimes; international trade and fdi; sustainability and innovation policies; global macroeconomics;European politics, Money and currency regimes, politics and economics of European integration as well as on contradictions and complementarities of sustainability and international competitiveness)
• Hummel, Calla
• Jacobs, Alan Michael (Political science; Social Organization and Political Systems; economic inequality; Political economy; public opinion; Public Policy; Research Methodology)
• Janara, Laura (Language and symbolism especially in gendered and familial thinking, politcal theory)
• Jeong, Gyung-Ho (Political science; Social Organization and Political Systems; Congress; Foreign Policy; Immigration Policy; Legislative Politics; Public Choice; Trade Policy; US politics)
• Jurkevics, Anna (critical theory, democratic theory, and the history of German political thought)
• Kam, Christopher (Nature and evolution of parliamentary democracy, historical development of institutions)

Doctoral Citations

Sample Thesis Submissions

• A mosaic of mundane innovations : emerging powers, multinational firms, and global 5G technology rules
• Moral intuition and international order : on change, progress, and threat
• Running a rebellion : essays on armed group behavior
• Competing without parties : voter mobilization in Peru
• Negotiating gender in crisis : global norms and state power in South Sudan
• A democratic theory of hope : collective agency in uncertain times
• Essays on ethnic identity, attitude formation, and political behaviour in contemporary Southeast Asia
• Essays on the political economy of equality, development, and influence in Indonesia and Singapore
• The price of a life: the confluence of strategy and legitimacy in civilian harm compensation
• Discrimination in post-World War II naturalization policy : France and Switzerland
• The impact of investor-state arbitrations on foreign direct investment and domestic public opinion : evidence from FDI flows, elite interviews and a survey experiment
• Mainstreaming the labour market integration of immigrants in the EU : policy framework and policy impact

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Arts in Political Science (MA)

Related Disciplines

• Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)

Further Information

Specialization.

The program covers the following subjects:

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

Katelynn Kowalchuk

UBC’s dedication to innovation and transforming ideas into action is what originally drew me to the university. Before deciding to attend my hometown university for my undergraduate degree, I was interested in applying to UBC’s architecture and urbanism program. Though I ultimately didn’t pursue...

Martina Zago

I really wanted to pursue my doctoral studies in Canada, where my Dad was born. I applied to UBC specifically because of the work of Professor Barbara Arneil. I had encountered her writings during my master’s degree and read her pathbreaking books on the history of liberalism and empire.

Addye Susnick

I largely decided to study at UBC because of the Department of Political Science’s strength in critical political theory and environmental politics. I was also drawn to the Social Justice Institute and various opportunities UBC offers for interdisciplinary research. Less tangibly, I liked the vibe...

Leah Shipton

I decided to study at UBC for a number of reasons, but the main reason was because the faculty both within the Department of Political Science as well as in other departments have expertise in my research areas of interest. This made me reassured that it would be a great campus to learn and develop...

Considering Vancouver as your next home?

This city won’t disappoint. It has it all: sea, parks, mountains, beaches and all four seasons, including beautiful summers and mild, wet winters with snow.

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Andrew Gelman, Ph.D.

Higgins professor of statistics, professor of political science.

Andrew Gelman is a professor of statistics and political science at Columbia University. He has received the Outstanding Statistical Application award three times from the American Statistical Association, the award for best article published in the American Political Science Review, and the Council of Presidents of Statistical Societies award for Outstanding Contributions by a Person under the Age of 40. His books include Bayesian Data Analysis (with John Carlin, Hal Stern, David Dunson, Aki Vehtari, and Don Rubin), Teaching Statistics: A Bag of Tricks (with Deb Nolan), Data Analysis Using Regression and Multilevel/Hierarchical Models (with Jennifer Hill), Red State, Blue State, Rich State, Poor State: Why Americans Vote the Way They Do (with David Park, Boris Shor, and Jeronimo Cortina), A Quantitative Tour of the Social Sciences (co-edited with Jeronimo Cortina), and Regression and Other Stories (with Jennifer Hill and Aki Vehtari).  

Andrew has done research on a wide range of topics, including: why it is rational to vote; why campaign polls are so variable when elections are so predictable; why redistricting is good for democracy; reversals of death sentences; police stops in New York City, the statistical challenges of estimating small effects; the probability that your vote will be decisive; seats and votes in Congress; social network structure; arsenic in Bangladesh; radon in your basement; toxicology; medical imaging; and methods in surveys, experimental design, statistical inference, computation, and graphics.

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Program Overview

The research-intensive Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in Political Science at UBC Vancouver will help prepare you to secure tenure-track faculty positions and prestigious postdoctoral fellowships, as well as other academic and non-academic careers.

Prospective graduate students should browse our research areas to learn about the groups of faculty members working in 30 different research fields, methodologies, and geographic regions.

Our PhD program consists of two years of graduate coursework followed by comprehensive exams following the completion of course requirements.

Students write a dissertation proposal by the end of their third year of study, and with its approval and defense, move on to their dissertation research and writing, which normally takes two to three years to complete.

We are proud to see many of our PhDs in faculty positions and in successful careers throughout the world. We value collaboration and collegiality, and we strive to create an atmosphere of trust, respect, and professional courtesy to ensure a diverse intellectual community.

NEW: CANADIAN POLITICS FACULTY RENEWAL

UBC Political Science has significantly renewed our Canadian Politics faculty roster in recent years with the recruitment of Profs. Carey Doberstein, Sophie Borwein, and Vince Hopkins.

The Canadian Politics field at UBC is now especially equipped to supervise graduate students in the realm of public policy, public opinion and identity, inequalities in society, and how governments design and implement policies, programs, and services.

New faculty also complement the existing Canadian Politics faculty strengths in the areas of federalism (Kathy Harrison, Gerald Baier) and political behavior (Fred Cutler, Matthew Wright).

Faculty in the Canadian Politics field use survey methods, data science and experimental designs, and qualitative approaches in the course of their research.

The renewed Canadian Politics faculty at UBC will supplement department financial support packages in the doctoral program with research assistance fellowships and conference support.

Our PhD graduates have been highly successful in pursuing academic and non-academic careers.

On the academic front, UBC PhDs hold tenured or tenure track positions at major universities in North America and internationally. Our graduates have taken up  tenure-track and tenured positions at Canadian institutions including the University of Toronto, University of Victoria, University of Western Ontario, York University, University of Ottawa, MacEwan University, University of Fraser Valley, University of Manitoba, Memorial University of Newfoundland, McMaster University, and the University of Calgary; at U.S. institutions including the University of Michigan, University of Pittsburgh, Colorado State University, Georgia Tech, Soka University; and outside North America at institutions including the University of Essex, University of Sheffield, University of St. Andrews, Cardiff University, Trinity College Dublin, Tel Aviv University, Sophia University, National University of Singapore, Queensland University, Australia National University, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, and Ritsumeikan University.

Our PhDs have held postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, Vanderbilt University, University of Toronto, Queen’s University, Oxford University, Duke University, and other institutions.

Many UBC PhDs have taken their doctoral training to high-level positions with government agencies, NGOs, international organizations, think tanks, and private-sector employers, including Statistics Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada, the US Department of Defense Asia-Pacific Center, Global Affairs Canada, Health Canada, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Medecins Sans Frontiers, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, Deutschebank, Innovative Research Group, the Institute for Research on Public Policy, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, among others.