PhD in Political Science- International Relations in Boston United States | University of Massachusetts Amherst

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (IR) examines political interactions beyond national boundaries, encompassing states, global institutions, and diverse transnational political entities and activities.
At UMass Amherst, our focus extends to transnational dynamics: the roles of global actors (such as corporations, advocacy groups, scientific communities, international bodies, NGOs, and social movements), alongside cross-border challenges that impact both national and global stability (including technological shifts, pandemics, climate issues, environmental degradation, migration, humanitarian emergencies, and security threats transcending state lines).
Our methodological approach is diverse, with faculty employing both qualitative and quantitative techniques—from textual analysis and case studies to ethnographic research, statistical modeling, comparative methods, experimental surveys, and network analysis.
We prioritize policy-oriented research, producing theory-driven work with practical implications, addressing questions relevant to decision-makers, collaborating with stakeholders, and publishing in leading academic journals as well as mainstream media.
The Department embraces a pluralistic perspective on political science, recognizing that political phenomena cannot be confined to a single theoretical framework or methodological tradition. A culture of intellectual exchange among faculty with varied specialties defines our academic environment. With over 30 faculty members, we span numerous methodologies and research domains, including political theory, institutional analysis, behavioral studies, and developmental politics. UMass-Amherst provides PhD and accelerated MA programs in six political science concentrations: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, Public Policy, and Public Law. Furthermore, while each field maintains its vibrant scholarly community, students can engage with interdisciplinary research clusters that bridge subfields—such as Conflict and Security Studies, Political Economy, Global Dynamics, Computational Social Science, and Democratic Theory. Tailored methods training—ranging from statistical techniques and network analysis to ethnographic and textual approaches—complements your research, supported by mentorship from scholars across varied subfields and methodological traditions.