Think Beyond Boundaries

Purdue’s Political Science PhD prepares students for academic and applied research careers through rigorous methodological training, interdisciplinary collaboration, and close faculty mentorship.

Students presenting at the second year poster session

Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Political Science

Purdue’s Political Science PhD combines rigorous methodological training with interdisciplinary research in areas including governance and responsible AI, environmental policy, institutional reform, and political violence. From their first year, students participate in research communities, receive support to present their work, and prepare for academic and applied careers through hands-on research and teaching experience.

Situated within a major technology and research university, Purdue’s Political Science PhD program prepares students to conduct original research, collaborate with faculty and other scholars, and communicate their findings in professional and classroom settings. Students develop independent research projects for academic and applied careers while gaining experience as research and teaching assistants. The department also works to provide each doctoral student with an opportunity to teach independently before completing the program.

Students are admitted directly to the PhD program and select both a major and a minor field. The program offers five fields of study:

  1. American Politics
  2. Comparative Politics
  3. International Relations
  4. Public Policy
  5. Research Methodology (minor field only)

The PhD requires coursework, written field examinations, a major-field research paper, professional development activities, and the successful completion and defense of a dissertation.

Students presenting at conferences

Research across fields
Graduate students participate in Purdue's many interdisciplinary research centers and collaborative groups on campus including the Center for C-SPAN Scholarship and Engagement, the Institute for a Sustainable Future, and the Purdue Policy Research Institute.  Departmental research groups include the Program on American Institutional Renewal (PAIR) and the Governance and Responsible AI Lab (GRAIL). 

Rigorous methodological training
Students build research skills through departmental coursework and also through workshops, courses, and talks offered by the cross-college Methodology Center at Purdue (MCAP). Political Science graduate students have access to the Joe and Maggie Kernan Experimental Social Science Lab (JMK Lab), a joint facility of the Departments of Sociology and Political Science. The dedicated lab supports experiments, interviews, and focus groups with multipurpose spaces, an undergraduate participant pool, and specialized resources such as virtual reality headsets. The JMK Lab is affiliated with MCAP, which offers small grants to graduate students for original data collection. The department also supports selected students in attending summer methods programs such as the Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research and ICPSR Summer Program in Quantitative Methods. Research methodology is available as a minor field.

Early professional development
The department supports students pursuing both academic and applied careers, beginning with a practicum that introduces new graduate students to the field through directed coursework and guest speakers. Students receive departmental funding support to attend conferences, build connections with other scholars, participate in panels, and present their research. Students also develop professional experience through research and teaching assistantships, workshops, and the annual Second-Year Student Poster Session.

Our doctoral students pursue careers in higher education, government, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. Meet our current Ph.D. candidates on the job market and view recent graduate placements.

Selected Recent Student Awards and Honors

Mazie Bernard, APSA Interpretive Methodologies and Methods Spotlight Scholar
Mitushi Mukherjee, Rotary Foundation Global Grant Scholarship for Peace and Conflict Prevention
Hanna Sistek, Rapoport Family Foundation Grant
Kaleigh Karageorge, Smithsonian Environmental Justice Fellowship
Scovia Aweko, World Bank Africa Fellowship
Catalina Vega-Mendez, Florida International Univ Green School of Intl and Public Affairs Pre-doctoral Fellowship
Sky Kunkel, Cornell University Predoctoral Research Fellowship 

 

Master's Degree Earned During the PhD Program

Students are admitted directly to the Political Science PhD program. Students who enter without a master’s degree in political science may earn the MA while completing the PhD curriculum, with no additional time required.

 

Students and faculty eating together

Students enjoy a great quality of life at Purdue where the cost of living is low, and the department community is welcoming and supportive. 

Learn more about...

Students and faculty taking a photo together in a restaurant

Block P statue on the Purdue campus

Student teaching a course

Professor and Associate Director of Graduate Studies Mollie Cohen