On this page you will find summary information about the graduate program in Political Science, the Graduate Interdisciplinary Cluster Initiative, as well as additional study opportunities and resources which are available to graduate students in Political Science.
About the Graduate Program
The program of
courses offered by the department is directed toward a comprehensive
knowledge of political science. The curriculum is designed for
graduate students whose primary concern is a mastery of
theories, methods of research and substantive literature
of the field. The program is based on the assumption that
in order to examine the problems and issues of modern political
life and to comprehend political behavior more fully, a
systematic program of professional studies is required.
The program thus reflects an effort to combine the most
recent developments in other social sciences with political
science.
The
major field concentrations for the program are shown below.
1. U.S. Politics and Policy Processes: political
communication and mass behavior, political institutions
and organizations, political economy and public policy,
law and politics.
2.
Comparative Politics and Comparative Political Economy:
advanced capitalist democracies, development, democratization,
political institutions, race and ethnicity, regional and
cross-regional studies.
3.
Political Theory: history of political thought, contemporary
political thought, normative theory, new democratic theory,
feminist theory, continental thought, ancient political thought, culture and politics.
4.
International Relations: foreign policy, international
organization, international political economy, international
relations theory, world systems.
5.
Methods: probability and statistics, linear models,
advanced econometrics, game theory, social choice.
Graduate Interdisciplinary Cluster Initiative
Graduate students in Humanities and related fields are encouraged to participate in the Interdisciplinary Cluster Initiative, a program designed to help graduate students during their academic career at Northwestern by fostering connections with students and faculty in other programs with whom they might have natural intellectual affinities. Interdisciplinary clusters in different areas of intellectual inquiry have been developed by faculty across schools and programs and will provide a second intellectual home for incoming and current graduate students. Clusters offer their own discrete courses as well as sponsor a number of activities and events for students and faculty. Students interested in pursuing dedicated interdisciplinary study should visit http://www.tgs.northwestern.edu/academics/interdisciplinary/ for more information about the intellectual activities of these programs. Prospective students have the opportunity to select on their application to graduate school the cluster with which they would like to affiliate, though choosing a cluster is not a requirement for admission. Students may affiliate with a cluster at any point during their study at Northwestern.
Current interdisciplinary clusters are:
Additional Study Opportunities and Resources
1. JD/PhD Program
Available to a select number of students, for whom studies in both law and political science would enhance their research, the combined JD/PhD is run concurrently between Northwestern's Law School and the Political Science department. Potential students must be admitted to both programs. More information on this program can be found here.
2. Dual PhD Program with Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po)
Graduate students in Political Science, particularly in the fields of International Relations, Comparative Politics and Political Theory, are eligible for the innovative dual PhD program that Northwestern has established with the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). Go here for further information. Proficiency in French is required, but can be acquired with support from the French Interdisicplinary Group.
3) Searle Center for Teaching Excellence
All graduate students have the opportunity to develop their teaching skills through the Searle Center's series of workshops. The integration of practical and theoretical approaches in these workshops provide students with invaluable strategies, skills and practice as they make the transition from student to teacher. For more information on the Searle Center's programs, please visit their website.
4) Roberta Buffett Center for International and Comparative Studies (BCICS)
BCICS provides a key forum for encouraging inter-disciplinary reasearch and instruction in international and comparative studies. Drawing on contributions from faculty and students across the university, the Center sponsors a rich variety of events, working groups, research and grants. For updates on the opportunities and resources available through BCICS, please visit their website.
5) Institute for Policy Research (IPR)
Seeking to stimulate and support social science research across a wide range of public policy issues, IPR brings together an inter-disciplinary group of faculty, visiting scholars and reasearch assistants to
participate in research projects, seminars, conferences, policy briefings and workshops. For the latest information on happenings at IPR , please visit their website.
Interested in Applying?
If you are interested in applying for and/or learning more about the graduate program in Political Science at Northwestern, then please feel free to visit our prospective students page.
