PhD in Political Science in Chestnut Hill United States | Boston College

The department structures its curriculum across four primary disciplines: Political Theory, American Politics, International Politics, and Comparative Politics. These disciplines are further divided into specialized subfields, detailed below. Students select one discipline as their primary focus and another as a secondary area. A major requires completion of eight courses within a chosen discipline, covering at least three subfields (or four if Political Theory is the major). A minor involves four courses. Additionally, students must complete two elective courses, which can be allocated freely—even outside the department—or applied toward an optional second minor requiring just two courses.

The program mandates 14 courses (42-43 credits) for students beginning without prior graduate coursework or a master's degree. Typically, students enroll in three courses each semester. Among these 14 courses, three may involve independent study, while two (with a limit of one per semester) can be undergraduate-level courses, though graduate students taking such courses usually face additional academic requirements.