Graduate
Program
Located in a beautiful coastal community with
a year-round temperate climate, UCSB is a world-class research university
offering a comprehensive array of academic programs. The campus was
recently ranked in a national study as one of the top two public research
universities in the country. Another recent study ranked the Political Science
Department eighth in the nation in faculty productivity. Despite UCSB's growing
stature as a research institution, the faculty remains committed to teaching and
working with students.
The Department of Political Science offers
diversified and flexible programs of graduate study leading to the
Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. In addition to offering
five traditional areas of study--American politics, comparative politics,
international relations, political theory, and methodology--the Department
allows students to define their own, interdisciplinary fields of study for
the Ph.D. This flexibility is rare among graduate programs at major universities.
Building on the faculty's wide-ranging interests and expertise
in the study of political science, the Department is building research clusters that
both combine strengths across subfields in political science and connect to
areas of strength in other departments across campus. These include:
- Political Communication (with a special focus on the internet and other new media)
- The Politics of Identity
- The Politics of Social and Economic Policy (with a special focus on Environmental
Policy)
Approximately 60 students are enrolled in the Department's graduate programs.
This ratio of three students per professor permits extensive contact and mentoring
by the faculty. The graduate program in Political Science also admits a few
non-degree students who meet all the regular admission requirements but prefer not
to work toward an advanced degree. Our students come from all over the United States
and from abroad.
Requirements of the Graduate Program in Political Science
Information about our graduate program,
including the Ph.D. program, M.A. Program, facilities, and financial
aid is detailed in our comprehensive handbook Graduate
Study in Political Science. (In .pdf format--requires Adobe
Acrobat Reader 6.0 or higher, which can be downloaded from
Adobe free of charge.) Contents include:
- Admission to the Ph.D Program
- Ph.D. Program Rules and Degree Requirements
- Optional Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Emphases
- M.A. Admission and Degree Requirements
- Tuition, Fees, and Residency
- Financial Aid and Employment
- Housing
- Application Information
|
 |
Note: Applications for admission are ordinarily
accepted for enrollment only in the fall quarter. Application forms must be completed
on-line at the UCSB Graduate Division website,
https://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/eapp/.
A quick
overview of the Ph.D. program requirements is contained in this chart. The exam/field paper
requirements for the traditional subfields are detailed in
this separate handout. Additional information on methodological training, teacher training, and
interdisciplinary emphases within the program is provided on the
Training and Emphases page.
Information for New Students
The Graduate Handbook provides general information for new students,
including local housing options and transportation. A special handout on
Financial information for current and prospective graduate students (in .pdf format) includes fee schedules,
housing cost estimates, parking, and childcare costs. This information is updated annually.
Course Information
The
Graduate Seminar Schedule is posted on-line at the beginning of each academic year. Changes to
the schedule may occur each quarter. For a description of these courses, please see the UCSB
catalog at
http://www.catalog.ucsb.edu/2008cat/depts/polsci.htm.
In addition to the scheduled graduate seminars, each year the Political Science Department hosts
lectures and presentation on current research and timely topics by noted experts in the field.
The Colloquium and Seminar Calendar is updated throughout the academic year on the Department's
News and Events web page.
Visiting the Department
Students interested in visiting the Department should contact the Graduate Program Assistant
for an appointment (see Contact Information below). A series of helpful links to information for
prospective visitors to UCSB can be found on the
UCSB Information link on our home page. Additional information can be found on the Political
Science Graduate Student Association (PSGSA) web page.
Contact Information for the Graduate Program
Linda James james@polsci.ucsb.edu
Graduate Program Assistant, Ellison Hall, 3835.
Prof. Eric Smith smith@polsci.ucsb.edu
Graduate Program Advisor, Ellison Hall, 3711.
Additional information about the Political Science Department
can be found on our Faculty
and News and Events web
pages.
|