FAS - Political Science

The Department of Political Science offers the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. The graduate program in Political Science incorporates four fields:

Students may combine work for the MA and PhD degrees with a program of regional specialization leading to a certificate in Latin American, Asian, West European, Russian, or Eastern European Studies. The Department of Political Science encourages students to undertake course work in related disciplines and schools, including the other social science departments and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Two specialized centers of interest to political scientists are located at the University of Pittsburgh: the University Center for International Studies and the University Center for Social and Urban Research. Additionally, the University's membership in the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research provides the student with access to major sources of political data and opportunities for advanced training in the analysis of data.

Contact Information

Department Chair: Raymond E. Owen

Main Office: 4L01 Posvar Hall

Phone: (412) 648-7250

Fax: (412) 648-7277

Web site: http://www.pitt.edu/~politics/

Additional information concerning the department's graduate program may be obtained from the Director of Graduate Studies; Department of Political Science; University of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh, PA 15260.

Admissions

Applicants for admission must submit transcripts of all college-level work, three letters of recommendation, a career statement, and scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections of the Graduate Record Examination. Two copies of the application for admission form should be completed and submitted along with the application fee. Applications will be accepted for Fall Term admission until April 15. For awards consideration, applications must be completed by January 1. The department admits students only for the Fall Term.

Financial Assistance

If there are adequate funds, a graduate student receiving a teaching assistantship or a teaching fellowship who has demonstrated high-quality graduate work can expect to have the fellowship renewed for up to three years. If the student has successfully passed the PhD comprehensive examinations at the outset of the fourth year, additional financial aid from the department will be contingent upon a yearly review indicating that the student is making substantial progress toward completing the dissertation. A graduate student who has not passed the PhD comprehensive examinations by September of the fourth year of graduate work ordinarily is not eligible for additional financial assistance until these examinations are passed.

Degree Requirements

The minimal requirements established by the Graduate Faculty of the University, as described under General Academic Regulations, and any additional requirements of FAS Graduate Studies described under FAS Degree Requirements, should be read in conjunction with program-specific degree requirements described in the following sections.

Requirements for the Master's Degree

For the MA degree, students must earn 36 hours of credit with a B average or better in courses numbered 1000 or above. At least half of these credits must be carried in courses numbered 2000 or above. The 36 credits must include completion of the core course sequence in empirical and normative theory with grades of B or better. These courses include PS 2010, 2020, 2030, and 2040.

Students must then pass a comprehensive examination, for MA purposes, covering one of the four general fields: world politics, American politics, comparative politics, or empirical and normative political theory (beyond the core course sequence).

Requirements for the PhD Degree

The requirements for the doctoral degree are detailed below:

Credit Requirement

72 credit hours earned from any suitable combination of formal course work, independent study, research, teaching, or dissertation work.

Academic Advising, Language, and other Research Tool Requirements

First-year graduate students are advised by the Director of Graduate Studies. After a student completes one term of full-time graduate work, or its equivalent, he or she will establish an advisory committee consisting of a chair representing the field that the student plans to choose for the MA comprehensive/PhD qualifying examinations and one other faculty member. The advisory committees, in consultation with their respective students, will plan the second-year programs. After a student passes the PhD qualifying examinations (see below), membership of the advisory committees will be adjusted, if necessary, to include a faculty member in the second field that the student plans to submit for the PhD comprehensive examinations.

The reconstituted advisory committee will design the program of course work, language, or other relevant requirements, and a tentative schedule that leads to the PhD comprehensive examinations. Students acquire basic methodological competence through the core-course sequence. Additional research tool requirements may be established by the students' advisory committees with reference to their specific programs. If a committee decides, for example, that courses of study in languages, advanced statistics, or other areas are required, it will also establish the measure of competence required. The record of these decisions is placed in each student's file. The requirements established by the committee must be met before students can undertake the PhD comprehensive examinations.

Subsequently, students will meet with the advisory committee or with the Chair when appropriate, for purposes of registration and additional planning and discussion until the PhD comprehensive examinations are passed and a dissertation committee is established for the overview.

PhD Qualifying Examinations

Students are examined in one of the four fields of political science offered by the department. These examinations are offered during the first week of the Fall and Spring Terms-September and January, respectively. The results of the written examinations are forwarded by the Field Examining Committees to a Screening Committee composed of the chairs of the examining committees and the Director of Graduate Studies. The Screening Committee takes account of the written examination performance and the student's overall record in graduate studies to determine eligibility for formal acceptance into the PhD program. It renders one of three evaluations: "encouraged," "permitted," or "not permitted" to proceed to the PhD. These examinations can be retaken once.

Supervised Teaching Experience

Supervised teaching experience is an integral part of the doctoral program. Normally, teaching experience is gained by conducting recitation sections of an introductory course or by assisting a faculty member in an undergraduate course.

Comprehensive Examination

The MA Comprehensive/PhD Qualifying examination is offered during the first week or two of the Fall (August/September) and Spring (January) Terms. Students are examined in one of the four fields of political science offered by the department: American Politics, Comparative Politics, Political Theory (beyond the core-course sequence), and World Politics.

The PhD Comprehensive Examination is comprised of two stages. The first stage consists of a take-home examination, to be completed within 48 hours, which covers two questions in the student's second field. The second stage, contingent upon successful completion of the written take-home examination, consists of an oral examination covering both fields.

Beginning with students enrolling in Fall 1999, a substantial, sole-authored research paper in the student's major field must be submitted as part of the PhD examination process. This paper will be an option for continuing students, who may instead decide to take a second comprehensive examination in their major field at the PhD level.

Students are expected to demonstrate a professional level of mastery of the substantive and analytic questions in the field selected for examination, reflecting greater breadth and depth than demonstrated in the MA exam. Students take the written exam in their second field.

Dissertation Overview

Following successful completion of the comprehensive examination, the student files an application for admission to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

At this stage the student presents a proposed topic for doctoral research and a research design for its execution to be reviewed by a faculty committee. The student should give careful thought early in graduate work to possible doctoral research topics and discuss them with faculty members so that the student may proceed promptly to intensive research and writing of the dissertation.

Final Oral Examination

The final oral examination in defense of the doctoral dissertation is conducted by the doctoral committee.

Course Listings

Undergraduate Courses that May Carry Graduate Credit

PS 1201 The Constitution and Civil Liberties

PS 1202 American Constitutional Law

PS 1203 Judicial Politics

PS 1204 Women in Politics

PS 1205 Ethnic and Racial Politics

PS 1211 Legislative Process

PS 1212 American Presidency

PS 1213 Law and Politics

PS 1230 Interest Group Politics

PS 1231 Political Parties and Elections

PS 1232 Political Attitudes and Public Opinion

PS 1233 Political Psychology

PS 1234 Electoral Behavior and Democratic Processes

PS 1235 Media and Politics

PS 1241 Public Administration and the Political System

PS 1242 Intergovernmental Relations

PS 1243 Political Corruption

PS 1251 Urban Government

PS 1252 State Government

PS 1261 American Public Policy

PS 1262 Health Policy in the United States

PS 1263 Governments in the Economy

PS 1264 Problems in Public Management

PS 1265 Public Policy Implementation

PS 1281 Honors Seminar: American Government

PS 1301 Theories and Concepts in Comparative Government

PS 1302 Political Development

PS 1303 Movement Politics

PS 1311 Western European Governments and Politics

PS 1312 British Government and Politics

PS 1313 French Government and Politics

PS 1314 German Government and Politics

PS 1315 Italian Government and Politics

PS 1316 Scandinavian Government and Politics

PS 1317 Politics of the European Community

PS 1321 Latin American Politics

PS 1322 Latin American Political Development

PS 1326 The Politics of Revolution

PS 1331 Government and Politics of Southeast Asia

PS 1332 Government and Politics of Communist China

PS 1333 Government and Politics of Japan

PS 1334 Vietnam War

PS 1335 Political Economy of Japan: Government, Business, and Trade

PS 1336 Field Seminar: Contemporary Chinese Politics, Society, and Economy

PS 1341 Government and Politics of the Soviet Union and Russian Federation

PS 1342 Government and Politics of East Europe

PS 1343 Comparative Socialist Systems

PS 1346 Political East Europe

PS 1347 (Conflicts in) Contemporary Europe

PS 1351 Government and Politics of the Middle East

PS 1352 Introduction to African Politics

PS 1353 African Liberation Movements

PS 1361 Comparative Political Party Systems

PS 1362 Comparative Urban Government

PS 1371 Elites in Modern Society

PS 1372 European Environmental Policy Making

PS 1373 Welfare State in Comparative Perspective

PS 1374 Political Economy of Development

PS 1375 Religion and Politics

PS 1376 Religion and Politics in the Middle East

PS 1378 Two Centuries of Democratization

PS 1379 Is Fascism Back?

PS 1381 Honors Seminar: Comparative Government

PS 1382 Contemporary Developments in the Russian Federation

PS 1383 Honors Seminar: Contemporary Middle East

PS 1501 Theory of International Relations

PS 1502 International Law and Problems of World Order

PS 1503 International Organization

PS 1504 Nationalism

PS 1509 Conflicts and War Theory

PS 1511 American Foreign Policy

PS 1512 International Relations of Former Soviet Union and Russian Federation

PS 1513 Foreign Policies in a Changing World

PS 1514 Political Strategies in International Relations

PS 1516 Politics of Interdependence

PS 1521 Eastern Europe in World Politics

PS 1522 Latin America in World Politics

PS 1523 East Asia in World Politics

PS 1531 National Security Policy

PS 1532 United States National Security

PS 1533 Political Violence and Revolution

PS 1541 Politics of Global Economic Relations

PS 1542 Global Environmental Politics

PS 1544 The Political Economy of American Trade Policy

PS 1551 Cognitive Psychology and International Relations

PS 1581 Honors Seminar: International Relations

PS 1601 Political Theory: Plato to Machiavelli

PS 1602 Political Theory: Machiavelli to Rousseau

PS 1603 Contemporary Political Thought

PS 1604 European Social Thought and Political Practice

PS 1605 Modern Political Ideologies

PS 1607 American Political Thought

PS 1610 American Political Theory

PS 1611 Liberalism and Democracy

PS 1612 Marxism

PS 1614 Theories of Justice

PS 1622 Women and Political Theory

PS 1623 Psychology and Politics

PS 1629 Topics in Political Theory

PS 1636 Politics Through Film

PS 1681 Honors Seminar: Political Theory

PS 1682 Politics and Economy of Public Policy

PS 1701 Field Methods Political Research

PS 1702 Analysis of Political Variables

PS 1710 Formal Political Analysis

PS 1900 Internship

PS 1901 Independent Study

PS 1902 Directed Reading

PS 1903 Directed Research

PS 1910 Politics Institute Internship

PS 1911 Politics Institute Internship Seminar

Seminar Courses Designed for Graduate Students

Students from departments other than Political Science should consult with the instructor before registering for any 2000-level course.

PS 2010 Concepts and Theories in Political Science

PS 2020 Empirical Methods of Research

PS 2030 Political Research and Analysis

PS 2040 Core Political Theory

PS 2114 Capstone Seminar

PS 2115 Policy Design/Implementation

PS 2116 Comparative Public Administration

PS 2117 Strategic Management

PS 2118 Gender, Race, and Public Policy

PS 2119 Administrative Theory

PS 2200 American Government and Politics

PS 2211 American Legislative Process

PS 2212 The American Presidency

PS 2214 Law and the Public's Health

PS 2231 Ethics and Public Life

PS 2261 American Public Policy

PS 2262 Health Policy in U.S.

PS 2263 Administration of Public Affairs

PS 2264 Public Policy Analysis and Evaluation

PS 2302 Seminar in Political Development

PS 2311 Western European Government and Politics

PS 2312 Readings in European History

PS 2313 Immigration and Citizenship in West Dem. Societies

PS 2314 Regions in Europe—The Europe of the Regions

PS 2321 Latin American Politics

PS 2325 Latin American Development Seminar

PS 2333 State, Society, and Policymaking in Japan

PS 2341 Government and Politics of the U.S.S.R. and the Russian Federation

PS 2344 Collective Memory: Legacies of Defeat in Japan and Germany

PS 2360 Comparative Politics: Women and Public Policy

PS 2373 Comparative Welfare State

PS 2375 Politics of Advanced Industrial Societies

PS 2378 Political Sociology

PS 2501 Theory of International Relations

PS 2502 Theory and Practice of International Affairs

PS 2503 Topics in International Affairs

PS 2508 Ethics in International Affairs and Developmental Studies

PS 2512 Russian Foreign Policy

PS 2514 Political Strategies in International Relations

PS 2516 Foreign Policy Analysis

PS 2517 Foreign Policy Processes

PS 2518 National and International Security

PS 2519 Foreign Policy Disasters

PS 2522 International Relations of Latin America

PS 2525 IA Regional Foreign Policy Workshop

PS 2540 International Political Economy

PS 2541 Politics of Global Economic Relations

PS 2542 North-South Relations and International Political Economy

PS 2543 International Political Economy

PS 2554 Nuclear Weapons and International Politics

PS 2555 Defense Policies

PS 2556 Problems in International Security

PS 2557 Alternative Approaches to National Security

PS 2604 Political Practice and Reason in European Social Thought

PS 2605 Democracy and Difference

PS 2606 Contemporary Theories of Justice

PS 2612 Political Theory of Marxism

PS 2620 Special Topics in Political Theory

PS 2621 Conflict Theory

PS 2701 Advanced Methodology

PS 2902 Directed Reading

PS 2903 Directed Research

PS 2970 Teaching of Political Science

PS 2990 Independent Study

PS 3000 Research and Dissertation for the PhD Degree

Specialized Seminars

These seminars are offered less frequently than alternate years.

PS 2050 Advanced Methodology

PS 2213 Judicial Process

PS 2230 Mass Politics

PS 2233 Political Cognition

PS 2241 Bureaucracy, Organization, and Politics

PS 2251 Metropolitics

PS 2301 Theories and Concepts in Comparative Politics

PS 2304 Research Seminar in Comparative Politics

PS 2305 Comparative Policy

PS 2310 Politics of the European Community

PS 2322 Politics of Revolution

PS 2323 Political Economy of Development

PS 2324 Seminar on Brazilian Politics

PS 2335 Problems of Political Development in Southeast Asia

PS 2336 Peasant Politics

PS 2337 Topics in Chinese Politics

PS 2342 East Europe: Communism, Revolution, Transition

PS 2343 Comparative Military Systems

PS 2374 Political Economy of Development

PS 2377 Urban Economic Development

PS 2381 Seminar in Political Institutions

PS 2382 Research in Latin America

PS 2383 Reading in Latin America

PS 2481 Graduate Conference: Special Topics

PS 2504 Nationalism

PS 2505 Topics in International Relations

PS 2506 International Politics

PS 2507 Ideas and Public Policy

PS 2511 American Foreign Policy

PS 2513 Culture and Cognition in Foreign Policy: an Organizational Perspective

PS 2515 Diplomacy and Negotiation

PS 2523 East Asian International Relations

PS 2524 Middle East in World Affairs

PS 2551 Psychology and International Relations

PS 2552 Power and Interdependence

PS 2553 Arms Control and Disarmament

PS 2604 Political Practice and Reason in European Social Thought

PS 2612 Political Theory of Marxism

PS 2629 Political Theory: Special Topics