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 Political Science
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences > Political Science > PhD Program

Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Program

Graduate Director
Prof. Lawrence Scaff
l.scaff@wayne.edu
313-577-6332 

Thank you for inquiring about the Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science. Our graduate programs offer many advantages, including small class sizes and a faculty dedicated to excellence in both teaching and research.

Our doctoral program is premised on the assumption that students possess a strong intellectual interest in Political Science. We have structured coursework requirements to enable you to acquire a sound understanding of the methodology of Political Science, an excellent knowledge of your major area of concentration and a good knowledge of your two minor areas.

Through coursework and independent study, you are expected to become conversant with the major theoretical approaches in the discipline as well as the issues and controversies within your major and minor fields.

Below you will find the following information (or click on the link to go directly there)

Why Pursue a Graduate Degree in Political Science at WSU?

  • Seventy-five doctorates and many more master's degrees have been granted since the program began 30 years ago. Graduates are now working in government agencies, non-profit organizations, private sector research firms, other private sector jobs, as well as in academic settings.
  • Graduate courses are taught by experienced, full-time faculty who are active scholars and effective teachers.
  • Our graduate classes are small, often enrolling fewer than 15 students.
  • Graduate students have opportunities to work closely with full-time faculty who are actively engaged in scholarship. Students often participate in professional conferences, research projects, and scholarly publications.
  • In order to facilitate graduate study by both full-time and part-time students, graduate courses are almost exclusively offered in the late afternoon or evenings.
  • Fellowships and Graduate Research and Teaching Assistantships are available for full-time students.
  • Tuition scholarships are available for both full-time and part-time students.
  • Students have access to the resources of a nationally ranked, graduate/professional research university.
  • The WSU main campus is easily accessible by freeway from all parts of southeastern Michigan with ample on-campus parking.
  • The 180 acre WSU campus and the nearby areas encompassing The Detroit Medical Center represent one of the safest urban locales in the state of Michigan. The university's record of safety compares favorably with other large universities in the country.
  • Tuition at WSU is lower than at comparable universities.
  • WSU is located in the heart of the University Cultural Center of Detroit, Michigan. Its neighbors include the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Historical Museum, Museum of African American History, the Detroit Science Center, The Fisher Theatre, Orchestra Hall and The Detroit Medical Center.

Admissions Requirements

Decisions to admit students for doctoral work are based upon the Graduate Committee's evaluation of the applicant's qualifications. The decision is based on the following information:

Undergraduate Transcripts
A grade point average of at least 3.0 in the last two years of graduate study is required for regular admission to the doctoral program. Applicants without previous graduate work or with less than a Master's degree in Political Science are required to have completed at least 12 semester credits of Political Science or equivalent coursework, together with 12 semester credits of other social science coursework. Students with good general records but with deficiencies in undergraduate work may be required to complete additional courses, without regard to level, which shall not be included as a formal part of the doctoral program. Such additional work may also be validated through credit by examination.

Applicants with an outstanding undergraduate record and a high score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) may apply directly for admission to the doctoral program. However, the Graduate Committee may require completion of the Master's program before acceptance to doctoral student status.
Graduate Transcripts
Applicants seeking admission to doctoral work with a Master's degree are required to have completed 16 semester credits of Political Science or equivalent, together with 12 semester credits of other social sciences in previous graduate and undergraduate work. For regular admission the minimum acceptable grade point average for graduate work is 3.25.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

All applicants for admission to the doctoral program must take the verbal, quantitative and analytical aptitude sections of the GRE. The Department must receive the results of the GRE before the student's application will be considered. Normally, a minimum combined verbal and quantitative score of 1000 on the GRE will be required for admission, with a quantitive score of at least 400.  Applicants who are otherwise qualified but who have not submitted GRE scores will be considered for non-degree admission only.

The GRE is a standardized test, designed to measure a person’s verbal, quantitative, and analytic abilities. Just like an applicant’s grade point average, it is an indicator of potential for academic success. All applicants have areas of strength and weakness, so you can expect to do better on some parts of the GRE than others. We understand this and look at the applicant’s overall performance on the examination, not just a single part. Applicants should take only the General Test, not any of the specialized tests.

For further information on the GRE, you can call one of the testing sites in Michigan , or go to the GRE website at http://www.gre.org, or telephone the Testing Office at Wayne State University (phone:313-577-3400) or go to the Testing Office web page .

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
Applicants who do not speak English as a native language must take the TOEFL. For information regarding this test, go to http://www.toefl.org, or to the University Testing Office web , or call the University Testing Office at 313-577-3400.
Letters of Recommendation
Applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation from persons able to offer assessments of their academic ability. It is the responsibility of the applicant to secure such letters.
Autobiography
Applicants are required to submit a short autobiographical statement outlining their reasons for seeking the doctorate and explaining career goals and areas of major interest in doctoral study.
Personal Interview
The Graduate Committee may request interviews with applicants before admitting them.

Application Forms and Deadlines

To apply, use the online graduate admissions system

There is no formal deadline for applications; however, those who wish to begin their studies in a particular term should insure that all of the application materials are submitted at least six weeks prior to the beginning of that term.

Steps Toward Obtaining a PhD

After admission, students have the status of Doctoral Applicant until they qualify and have been admitted to the status of Doctoral Candidate.

Doctoral Applicant Requirements:

  1. Complete all prescribed course work, including:
    • general departmental requirements aimed at the development of basic analytic and methodological skills;
       
    • core requirements and elective courses for the major area of concentration;
    • core requirements and elective courses for two minor fields;
       
  2. File a Plan of Work - the sequence of courses that will constitute the student's studies for the Ph.D. It is formulated by the student and the Graduate Director and must be filed before the completion of 40 semester hours of graduate credit.
     
  3. Pass the oral preliminary exam given early in the student's program of study.
     
  4. Demonstrate satisfactory teaching ability. This requirement may be satisfied by teaching an undergraduate Political Science course as adjunct faculty or by performing as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.
     
  5. Pass the final qualifying exam - part written, part oral - in the student's major concentration and two minor fields. Students are eligible for the final qualifying examination only after the first five steps are completed.
     
  6. Develop an acceptable dissertation prospectus.

When the final qualifying examination has been passed and the student has submitted an approved dissertation prospectus to the Graduate School, the student advances to the status of Doctoral Candidate.

Doctoral Candidate Requirements:

  1. Write the dissertation under the supervision of a Dissertation Director.
     
  2. Comply with University rules concerning dissertation credit hours.
     
  3. Successfully defend the dissertation before the Dissertation Committee.

Additionally, the University requests that students have at least one year of Ph.D. residence. That is, students must complete nine semester hours of work in each of two successive semesters after admission to the Ph.D. program. Holding a graduate assistantship for one year constitutes automatic residency.

Advising

The Graduate Director serves as the primary adviser to all students entering the Ph.D. Program, helping you in initial course selection and in devising your Plan of Work -- the official plan of progress toward the degree. Until the your Plan of Work is filed and approved, the Graduate Director must sign registration forms.

When students identify a faculty member to direct the dissertation, they are encouraged to use that person as their advisor.

Transfer of Credits

Students wishing to transfer graduate credits toward the Ph.D. degree must first consult with the Political Science Department's Graduate Director. If the Director and the Departmental Graduate Committee approve, the applicant must then file a petition with the Graduate School. An official transcript showing a minimum grade of B for the courses to be transferred must support the petition.

Students must have earned at least a B in order to transfer a course for credit. B-minus credits are not acceptable for transfer.

Transfer credits must be appropriate to the student's program.

Courses accepted for transfer credit cannot have provided credit toward a prior degree except when the master's or another pre-doctoral certificate or degree is applied to the Ph.D. degree.

Major Fields of Study

There are several types of requirements and electives.

  • General departmental requirements are required for all Ph.D. students and are aimed at the development of basic analytic and methodological skills.
  • Within each major concentration there are core requirements, electives, and dissertation credit hour requirements. Core requirements vary from 9 to 21 credit hours and are specific to the major concentration.
  • Students also are required to take at least six hours in each of two disciplinary minors.
  • At least 30 credit hours must be taken in courses open only to graduate students, that is, in courses at the 7000-level and above.

A course may not be used to satisfy more than one requirement unless specifically approved by the Graduate Director.

American Politics and Government

General Departmental Requirements (required of all Ph.D. students)

PS 5630 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science I                                              4 credit hours
PS 6640 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science II 3
PS 7660 Research Methods in Policy and Politics 3
PS 8600 Philosophic Problems in Social & Political Inquiry 3

Core Requirements within the American Politics and Government Major Concentration - minimum of 9 credits:

PS 7030 American Political Process                                                                                     3 credit hours
PS 7040 American Governmental Institutions: Congress and the Courts  3
PS 7045 American Governmental Institutions:  The Presidency 3
PS 7050 American Political Culture 3

Electives within the American Politics and Government Major Concentration (students must earn at least 6 credits):

PS 5030 African-American Politics                                                                                         4 credit hours
PS 5040 Religion and Politics 4
PS 5050 Politics and the Mass Media 4
PS 5110 Constitutional Law 4
PS 5120 Constitutional Rights and Liberties 4
PS 5510 American Political Thought 4
PS 5740 Ethnicity 4
PS 6020 Intergovernmental Relations & American Federalism 3
PS 6050 Class, Race, and Politics in America 3
PS 6070 Labor and American Politics 3
PS 6120 Administrative Law and Regulatory Politics 3
PS 6430 Social Welfare: Politics and Policy 3

Two Minor Fields, at least 6 credits in each, from the following:

Comparative Politics, Public Policy, Political Theory, Public Administration, World Politics, Urban Politics

Dissertation - minimum of 30 credits:

PS 9991-4 Doctoral Dissertation and Research                                                                   30 credit hours

Comparative Politics

General Departmental Requirements (required of all Ph.D. students):

PS 5630 Statistics and Data Analysis in  Political Science I                                               4 credit hours
PS 6640 Statistics and Data Analysis in  Political Science II 3 
PS 7660 Research Methods in Policy and Politics 3 
PS 8600 Philosophic Problems in Social & Political Inquiry 3 

Core Requirements within the Comparative Politics Concentration:

Both of the following courses:

PS 7710 Seminar in Comparative Politics 3 credit hours
PS 7711 Advanced Seminar in Comparative Politics 3

And one of the following two courses:

PS 7720 Comparative Politics of Advanced Industrial Democracies

3 credit hours 
PS 7730 Comparative Politics of Devloping Countries 3

Electives within the Comparative Politics Concentration (students must earn at least 6 credits):
PS 5040 Religion and Politics                                                                                         4 credit hours
PS 5560 Biopolitics  4
PS 5740 Ethnicity 4
PS 5999 Divided Societies: Dubrovnik  3-4 
PS 7030 American Political Process 3 
PS 7040 American Governmental Institutions 3 
PS 7740 Comparative Political Economy 3 
PS 7810 Seminar in World Politics 3
PS 7811 Advanced Seminar in World Politics 3

Two Minor Fields, at least 6 credits in each, from the following:

American Politics, Political Theory, Public Administration, Public Policy, Urban Politics, World Politics

Dissertation - minimum of 30 credits:

PS 9991-4 Doctoral Dissertation and Research                                                                  30 credit hours

Political Theory

General Departmental Requirements (required of all Ph.D. students):

PS 5630 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science I                                               4 credit hours
PS 6640 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science II 3
PS 7660 Research Methods in Policy and Politics 3
PS 8600 Philosophic Problems in Social & Political Inquiry 3

Core Requirements within the Political Theory Concentration - minimum of 9 credits:

PS 7050 American Political Culture 3 credit hours
PS 7550 Topics in the History of Political Thought 3 
PS 7560  Contemporary Political & Social Theory  3 
PS 7570 (proposed) Democratic Theory 3

Electives within the Political Theory Concentration (students must earn at least 6 credits):

PS 5040 Religion and Politics  4 credit hours
PS 5560  Biopolitics  4 
PS 5850  Human Rights  4 
PS 7420 Normative Issues in Public Policy  3
PS 7580  Political Theory of Public Law  3
PS 7640  Introduction to Game Theory  3

Two Minor Fields, at least 6 credits in each, from the following:

American Politics and Government, Comparative Politics, Public Policy, Public Administration, World Politics, Urban Politics

Dissertation - minimum of 30 credits:

PS 9991-4 Doctoral Dissertation and Research                                                                   30 credit hours

Public Administration

General Departmental Requirements (required of all Ph.D. students):

PS 5630 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science I                                              4 credit hours
PS 6640 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science II 3
PS 7660 Research Methods in Policy and Politics 3
PS 8600 Philosophic Problems in Social & Political Inquiry 3

Core Requirements within the Public Administration Major Concentration (21 credits)

PS 7300 Public Administration in the US.                                                                             3 credit hours
PS 7320 Organization Theory and Behavior 3
PS 7330 Public Budgeting and Finance 3
PS 7340 Public Personnel Management and Labor Relations 3
PS 7350 Managing Public Organizations and Programs 3
PS 7410 Policy Formation and Implementation 3
PS 7480 Policy Analysis for Public Administration 3

Electives within the Public Administration Major Concentration (students must earn at least 6 credits):

PS 5899 Dispute Resolution                                                                                                   4 credit hours
PS 6020 Intergovernmental Relations & American Federalism 3
PS 6120 Administrative Law and Regulatory Politics 3
PS 6370 Comparative Public Administration 3
PS 6430 Social Welfare: Politics and Policy 3
PS 7250 Seminar in Urban Administration 3
PS 7360 Health Care Management and Service Delivery 3
PS 7380 Financial Administration of Health Services 3
PS 7460 Program Evaluation 3
PS 7680 Research Seminar in Political Science 3
PS 8350 Seminar in Public Administration 3

Two Minor Fields, at least 6 credits in each, from the following:

American Government and Politics, Comparative Politics, Public Policy, Political Theory, World Politics, Urban Politics.

Dissertation - minimum of 30 credits:

PS 9991-4 Doctoral Dissertation and Research                                                                  30 credit hours
Public Policy  

General Departmental Requirements (required of all Ph.D. students):

PS 5630 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science I                                               4 credit hours
PS 6640 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science II 3
PS 7660 Research Methods in Policy and Politics 3
PS 8600 Philosophic Problems in Social & Political Inquiry 3

Core Requirements within the Public Policy Major Concentration (9 credits)

PS 7410 Policy Formation and Implementation                                                                   3 credit hours
PS 7460 Program Evaluation 3
PS 7480 Policy Analysis for Public Administration 3

Electives within the Public Policy Major Concentration (students must earn at least 6 credits):

PS 5560 Biopolitics                                                                                                                   4 credit hours
PS 6860 American Foreign Policy 3
PS 6020 Intergovernmental Relations and American Federalism 3
PS 6120 Administrative Law and Regulatory Politics 3
PS 6430 Social Welfare: Politics and Policy 3
PS 6440 Regional, State, and Urban Economic Development 3
PS 7040 American Governmental Institutions 3
PS 7240 Urban Public Policy 3
PS 7330 Public Budgeting and Finance 3
PS 7430 Health Care Policy in the US. 3
PS 7440 Public Policy and the Aged 3
PS 7460 Program Evaluation 3
PS 7470 Comparative Public Policy 3
PS 7680 Research Seminar in Political Science (depending on topic) 3

Two Minor Fields, at least 6 credits in each, from the following:

American Politics, Political Theory, Public Administration, Comparative Politics, World Politics, Urban Politics.

Dissertation - minimum of 30 credits:

PS 9991-4 Doctoral Dissertation and Research                                                                  30 credit hours

Urban Politics   General Departmental Requirements (required of all Ph.D. students):

PS 5630 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science I                                                4 credit hours
PS 6640 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science II 3
PS 7660 Research Methods in Policy and Politics 3
PS 8600 Philosophic Problems in Social & Political Inquiry 3

Core Requirements within the Urban Politics Major Concentration (9 credits)

PS 7210 Approaches to the Study of Urban Politics                                                           3 credit hours
PS 7240 Urban Public Policy 3
PS 7250 Seminar in Urban Administration 3

Electives within the Urban Politics Major Concentration (students must earn at least 6 credits)

PS 5030 African-American Politics                                                                                         4 credit hours
PS 5220 Issues in Urban Public Policy and Management 4
PS 6020 Intergovernmental Relations & American Federalism 3
PS 6050 Class, Race, and Politics in America 3
PS 6070 Labor and American Politics 3
PS 6440 Regional, State and Urban Economic Development 3
PS 7260 Urban Poverty and Racial Segregation 3
PS 7330 Public Budgeting and Finance 3
PS 7620 Seminar in Survey Research Methods 3
PS 7680 Research Seminar in Political Science (depending on topic) 3

Two Minor Fields, at least 6 credits in each, from the following:

American Politics, Comparative Politics , World Politics, Political Theory, Public Administration, Public Policy

Dissertation - minimum of 30 credits:

PS 9991-4 Doctoral Dissertation and Research                                                                   30 credit hours

World Politics   General Departmental Requirements (required of all Ph.D. students):

PS 5630 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science I                                              4 credit hours
PS 6640 Statistics and Data Analysis in Political Science II 3
PS 7660 Research Methods in Policy and Politics 3
PS 8600 Philosophic Problems in Social & Political Inquiry 3

Core Requirements within the World Politics Major Concentration: (9 credits)

PS 7710 Seminar in Comparative Politics                                                                            3 credit hours
PS 7810 Seminar in World Politics 3
PS 7811 Advanced Seminar in World Politics 3

Electives within the World Politics Major Concentration (students must earn at least 6 credits):

PS 5830 International Conflict and Its Resolution                                                              4 credit hours
PS 5850 Human Rights 4
PS 5855 International Law 4
PS 6860 American Foreign Policy 3
PS 7995 Directed Study variable

Two Minor Fields, at least 6 credits in each, from the following:

American Politics, Comparative Politics, Political Theory, Public Administration, Public Policy, Urban Politics

Dissertation - minimum of 30 credits:

PS 9991-4 Doctoral Dissertation and Research                                                                  30 credit hours

Minor Fields

American Government and Politics

At least 6 credits, including the following core requirements:

PS 7030 American Political Process                                                                                       3 credit hours
PS 7040 American Governmental Institutions 3

Students may also take electives within the minor field. All Departmental courses that may be used toward a Ph.D. major concentration in American Government and Politics may also be used for the minor field.