PhD in Political Science in New York United States | Columbia University

The department is structured around four primary areas of study: American government, comparative government, global relations, and political philosophy. Students choose one main focus area and one secondary area from these options, or they may opt for economics or research methods as their secondary field. Every department student must complete coursework in statistical, mathematical, and analytical methodologies. The American government concentration focuses on voter behavior, rational choice theory in institutions, and historical institutional approaches. Numerous students in this track select research methods as their complementary field. Those specializing in comparative government examine both theoretical and historical topics including ethnic identity and nationalism, civic engagement across different political systems, democratization processes, and formal institutional comparisons. International relations scholars, with faculty mentorship, explore diverse subjects from non-governmental organizations to domestic policy influences on global affairs, employing various methodologies from qualitative case studies to quantitative statistical modeling. The political philosophy faculty represents one of the most renowned groups in the field, having made significant contributions to ethical political thought, constitutional frameworks, democratic principles, political behavior studies, research methodologies, and the evolution of political ideas throughout history.