| General
How
long does
it take
to complete
your program?
The Ph.D program
is designed to be completed
in as little as four years
of full-time study. Actual
time depends on student's
progress, research and
travel requirements, and
fields of study. The minimum
residence requirement for
the Ph.D. degree is 50
units of completed coursework.
What
are the
requirements
for the
M.A.. degree?
All master's
students are required to
successfully complete the
following seminars:
- 580. Methods of Political
Inquiry
- 582.
Research
and
Methodology
- 595c. Political
Theory
- 681.
Intermediate
Research
Methods
All master's students are
required to successfully
complete one of the following
three seminars in their
major area:
- 595a. General Seminar
in American Politics
- 595d.
General
Seminar
in
Comparative
Politics
- 595e.
General
Seminar
in
International
Relations
All master students are required
to complete:
- 601. Professions of
Political Science
-Part I (1 unit)
- 602.
Professions
Political
Science
- Part
II (2 units)
(These courses are taken above
the 9 unit per semester minimum
enrollment.)
For more information you
may look at our complete
Graduate Program Guidelines.
What
are the
requirements
for the
Ph.D. degree?
All doctoral
students are required to
successfully complete the
following seminars:
- 580. Methods of Political
Inquiry
- 582.
Research
and
Methodology
- 595c. Political
Theory
- 681.
Intermediate
Research
Methods
All doctoral students are
required to successfully
complete two of the following
three seminars:
- 595a. General Seminar
in American Politics
- 595d.
General
Seminar
in
Comparative
Politics
- 595e.
General
Seminar
in International
Relations
All doctoral students are
required to complete:
- 601. Professions of
Political Science
Part I (1 unit)
- 602.
Professions
of Political
Science
Part II
(2 units)
- 603.
Advanced
Writing
Seminar
(2
units)
(These courses are taken above
the 9 unit per semester minimum
enrollment.)
For more information you
may look at our complete Graduate
Program Guidelines.
Graduate Placements
How
is your
placement record?
In the
last few
years we
have placed
students at
University of New Mexico, University of Georgia, University
of Iowa,
University of
Central Arkansas,
King Saud
University, Rice
University, Texas A & M,
Francis
Marion College,
Ohio University-Lancaster,
Northern
Arizona University,
St. Johns-New
York, Bilkent
University, Virgina
Tech University, Clarion
University,
and Guilford
University.
Since 2001 we have produced
a number of PH.D's and
have placed 23 of these
students in academic positions.
For more information, please
go to Hiring
a Ph.D.
Financial Support
What
is the annual
cost of
attending
your program?
The costs
of pursuing graduate study
at Arizona depends on various
factors, including student's
housing preferences and
family circumstances, among
other factors.
What
type of
financial
support
do you offer?
Nonservice
Fellowships may be awarded
for the purpose of recruiting
exceptionally promising
students to the Department's
degree programs. Fellowships
waive nonresident tuition
and may be combined with
Assistantships.
Most financial aid is awarded
in the form of teaching
assistantships and research
assistantships. Appointments
are for a term of one academic
year and carry a half-time
(20 hours per week) or
quarter-time (10 hours
per week) work obligation
to the Department. Appointments
require continued enrollment
and progress toward a graduate
degree in political science. Assistants
are selected based on the
availability of funding,
departmental needs, affirmative
action considerations,
and student qualifications,
including academic excellence
and progress made toward
degree requirements.
Virtually all of our students
receive financial support
for at least five years. In
addition to a stipend of
approximately $12,500,
out-of-state tuition fees
are waived for supported
students, 90% tuition remission
and they receive health
insurance.
Do
you offer
Travel money?
Yes. The
department maintains a
fund for travel to professional
conferences, and most students
receive some support for
one conference per year. The
college and university
also have competitive programs
to support domestic and
international travel for
a variety of purposes.
Do
you offer
support
for the
summer months?
There are
many opportunities for
graduate students to hold
research assistantships
with department faculty. The
terms of research assistantship
appointments vary from
case to case.
In addition you may also
apply to teach a Summer
Session Course, if you
have taken 601 and 602
(professions political
science) and have an MA
degree.
Where
can I obtain
more information
about financing
graduate
study at
Arizona?
You may
start by consulting the
university's website for
the graduate college (http://grad.arizona.edu/Current_Students/Financial_Resources/).
Other resources include the online
version of the Graduate Program Guidelines.
Research
What
are your
research
areas?
The department
offers research seminars
in three major research
areas: American Politics,
Comparative Politics, International
Relations. The department
offers minors in Public
Policy, and Political Theory. In
addition, there are ample
opportunities for graduate
study in related departments
at the university.
How
can I find
out if your
faculty
does research
in my area
of interest?
Follow the faculty links. Each
member of the department
has a page with a brief
description of his or her
research. Some faculty
members have more detailed
pages, and you will find
links to those pages on
their standardized, departmental
page.
Teaching
Will
I be able
to teach?
Yes. At
some point during their
studies, most students
serve as teaching assistants
leading discussion sections
of large lecture courses
and as graders for smaller
upper division courses. There
are also ample opportunities
to teach your own course
once you have achieved
an advanced status in the
program.
Preparing for Admission
Is
Political
Science
a required
major to
apply to
your graduate
programs?
No, the
department does not require
that prospective students
be political science majors.
On the other hand, the
department does expect
that prospective students
have had sufficient exposure
to the field for them to
develop a clear statement
of purpose for attending
our graduate program.
Are
applicants
expected
to have
taken advanced
coursework
in mathematics
and statistics?
No, students
are not required to have
taken advanced courses
in quantitative methods
as a prerequisite for admission.
In fact, the department
offers a two to three course
sequence in quantitative
methods that introduces
first-year students to
methodological tools that
they can later use in their
chosen fields of study.
This sequence does not
assume that students have
had prior exposure to statistics
or advanced mathematics.
Note, however, that there
are certain areas of study
(such as American politics
and political behavior)
that typically require
more training in quantitative
methods than the minimum
sequence. Opportunities
to pursue advanced work
in quantitative methods
exist both within and outside
the department.
If
admitted,
can I obtain
credit for
previous
work?
The department
will allow a maximum of
6 units for work done elsewhere
in another graduate program
for the MA and 20 units
for the Ph.D. This
is with the approval of
the Graduate Studies Director.
Can
you provide
some guidelines
for preparation?
Admission
to our program is very
competitive. About twelve
students, chosen from a
large pool of applicants,
enter the program every
year. These students are
chosen on the basis of
a strong academic background
as evidenced by previous
study, test results, writing
sample, and letters of
recommendation. Please
be assured that the department
reviews each application
very carefully and makes
decisions on an individual
basis.
Can
you tell
me if I'm
sufficiently
prepared
before I
apply?
Unfortunately,
the department cannot tell
whether or not a student
is sufficiently prepared
prior to a review of his
or her application. Assessment
of a prospective student's
preparation, which is the
basis of admission decisions,
takes place only after
a student has submitted
a complete application
package.
Application
Procedures
How
do I apply?
You need
to submit an application
and $50.00 application
fee through the Graduate
College. Their application
may be found at http://grad.arizona.edu/Prospective_Students/Apply_Now/.
In addition, you must submit
a separate department application. Forms for
letters references may
be found at the same site.
What
are the
application
requirements?
For the
Graduate College, acomplete
application consists of
the following documentation
which must be sent to the
Graduate College:
For the Department of Political
Science:
- Department Application
(form available from department)
- a
statement
of purpose
- 3
Letters of Recommendations (forms available
from department)
- all
transcripts
listed
on
the
application
- a
writing
sample
(e.g.
term
paper)
- a
copy
of
Graduate
College
Application.
- TOEFL
550
(International
student
only)
- TSE
50
(International
student
only)
What
is the Average
GPA and
GRE scores
of applicants?
Satisfactory
scores on the Graduate
Record Examination (GRE)
general aptitude test are
required of all applicants,
foreign and domestic. While
there is no minimum score
required for admission,
successful applicants usually
achieve a combined score
on the analytical and verbal
portions of 1200 or above
and a writing assessment
score of 4 or above.
What
is the application
deadline?
The deadline
to apply for admission
for the following academic
year is January 1.
Can
I apply
for winter,
spring,
or summer
quarter
admission?
No, the
department only reviews
applications for students
that will be entering the
program during the fall
semester
Are
there any
special
application
requirements
for international
applicants?
The Graduate College
requires the Test of Spoken
English for admission for
students receiving Teaching
Assistantships. This
test may be taken once
you arrive, but your TAship
would be contingent upon
your passing this test.
Contacts
Can
I contact
the admissions
committee
to inquire
about my
preparation
in advance
of my application?
No, the admissions
committee is not available
for consultation prior
to the time when all applications
are reviewed. Since admissions
committees are formed anew
each year, it is not possible
to refer you to committee
members that have not yet
been named.
Will
I have a
chance to
talk to
someone
before I
decide to
accept an
offer of
admission?
Yes. The
department organizes a
special activity every
spring to invite admitted
students to campus. This
event is an excellent opportunity
to talk to faculty and
students about specific
concerns or questions a
prospective student may
have.
Department of
Political Science, The University of Arizona
© 2002 Arizona Board of Regents.
Please send comments or questions about
this web site to:
vhealey@email.arizona.edu
Page last updated
February 29, 2008
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