PhD in Political Science -International Politics in Chestnut Hill United States | Boston College

The department structures its curriculum around 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. The major requires completion of eight courses within a chosen discipline, covering at least three subfields (four for Political Theory majors). The minor requires four courses. Additionally, students must complete two elective courses that can be distributed freely, including options from other departments. These electives may also count toward an optional second minor, which requires just two courses.

Students beginning the program without prior graduate work or a master's degree must complete fourteen courses (42-43 credits). The typical course load is three classes per semester. Within these 14 courses, students may include three independent study options and two undergraduate-level courses (limited to one per semester). Graduate students enrolled in undergraduate courses typically need to fulfill additional academic requirements.

Those entering with a master's degree must complete a minimum of ten courses (30 credits), with allowance for two independent studies and two undergraduate courses. The exact course requirements for master's degree holders will vary based on how closely their previous studies align with our program's expectations.