| |  | | Political Science | Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information—Department of Political Science, University
of Minnesota, 1414 Social Sciences Building, 267 19th Avenue S., Minneapolis,
MN 55455 (612-624-4144; fax 612-626-7599; polisci@umn.edu; www.polisci.umn.edu/grad).
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the General
Information section of this catalog for Graduate School requirements that
apply to all major fields.
Curriculum—The curriculum is divided into five subfields: formal models and methodology, political theory, American politics, international relations, and comparative politics.
Prerequisites for Admission—The department's graduate admissions committee selects the strongest applicants based upon consideration of all components of the application file. The committee accepts students who have or are completing B.A. or B.S. degrees and students who have or are completing M.A. degrees.
Special Application Requirements—All students are admitted directly into the Ph.D. program. The following should be sent directly to the department: department application form; GRE scores; a complete set of transcripts in addition to that required by the Graduate School; a brief statement expressing the applicant's purpose and goals in pursuing graduate work (in addition to and separate from the statement required as part of the Graduate School application form); three letters of recommendation from professors who know the applicant's academic work, particularly in political science; and samples of the applicant's written work (papers written for political science courses preferred). Send photocopies of written work; the department cannot guarantee that materials will be returned.
Graduate study in the Ph.D. program must begin in fall semester; the application deadline is January 1.
The department and the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs jointly offer a program that leads to an M.A. in public affairs and a Ph.D. in political science. To be eligible, students must be admitted separately by political science and public affairs. Normally, students begin their study in public affairs and later apply to the Ph.D. program in political science. However, students may begin in either program, so it is possible to apply initially to either program or both. Students interested in this joint degree program should contact the director of graduate studies.
Key to test abbreviations (GRE, TOEFL, GMAT, MELAB).
 For an online application or for more information about Graduate School admissions, see the General Information section in this catalog, or visit the Graduate School Web site.
Courses—Refer to Political Science (POL) in University Courses for courses pertaining to the program.
Use of 4xxx Courses—4xxx and 5xxx courses from other departments usually are acceptable for supporting or minor programs with approval of the department that teaches the course. Political science courses at these levels are generally not open to Ph.D. students, who are expected to take 8xxx seminars. |
M.A. Degree Requirements Plan B Only | | The political science program only admits students into the Ph.D. program. However, students admitted to the Ph.D. program may earn a master's degree while pursuing their doctorate.
The M.A. degree, Plan B (without thesis), requires 34 credits, distributed between major courses and minor or related field courses; three research papers, usually written in connection with coursework, are also required.
Language Requirements—None.
Final Exam—The final exams are written and oral. | Ph.D. Degree Requirements | The program is divided into five subfields: American politics, comparative politics, political theory, international relations, and formal models and methodology. A joint M.A.-Ph.D. program is also available that leads to an M.A. in public affairs from the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and a Ph.D. in political science.
Students concentrate in two of the five subfields and take a minimum of 9 political science seminars, including POL 8101 and the core seminars in each of their subfields (POL 8120, 8201, 8301, 8401, 8601). In addition, they take three advanced seminars in their first subfield and three in their second, or four advanced seminars in their first subfield and two in their second subfield (formal models and methodology can be used only as a second subfield).
Language Requirements—Students must demonstrate one of the following:
a) high proficiency in one foreign language, b) high proficiency in research methodology, c) low proficiency in two foreign languages, d) low proficiency in one foreign language and low proficiency in research methodology.
Students who concentrate in comparative politics must have appropriate language competence in their area(s) of specialization. |
Faculty | | For latest graduate faculty listings, see <www.grad.umn.edu/faculty_rosters/faculty.html>. Key to membership categories (abbreviations after faculty names).
Regents Professor
Kathryn A. Sikkink, SM
John L. Sullivan, SM
Professor
Michael Barnett, SM
Mary G. Dietz, SM
Lisa J. Disch, SM
Raymond D. Duvall, SM
James Farr, SM
John R. Freeman, SM
Lawrence R. Jacobs, SM
Robert B. Kvavik, SM
August H. Nimtz, Jr., SM
Steven J. Rosenstone, SM
Thomas M. Scott, SM
W. Phillips Shively, SM
David E. Wilkins, ASM
Associate Professor
Scott Abernathy, M2
Christopher Frederico, M2
Timothy R. Johnson, M2
Daniel Kelliher, SM
Joanne Miller, M2
Wendy M. Rahn, SM
Martin W. Sampson III, SM
David J. Samuels, SM
Assistant Professor
Ben Ansell, M2
Elizabeth Beaumont, M2
Teri Caraway, M2
Kathleen Collins, M2
Songying Fang, M2
Jane Gingrich, M2
Paul Goren, M2
Elisabeth Hilbink, M2
Colin H. Kahl, M2
Ronald Krebs, M2
Jeffrey D. Lomonaco, M2
Kathryn Pearson, M2
Jason Roberts, M2
Dara Strolovitch, M2
Shawn Treier, M2 | | | | | |
