PhD in Political Science - Political Theory 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 one 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.

For students beginning the program without prior graduate studies or a master's degree, fourteen courses (42-43 credits) are mandatory. Typically, students enroll in three courses per semester. Among these, three may involve independent study, while two (with a maximum of one per semester) can be undergraduate-level courses. Graduate students taking undergraduate courses usually must complete supplementary assignments.

Those entering with a master's degree must complete at least ten courses (30 credits), including up to two independent study courses and two undergraduate-level classes. The exact course count for master's degree holders depends on how closely their prior academic work aligns with the program's requirements.