PhD in Political Science - US Politics in Eugene United States | University of Oregon

Our US politics specialization excels in areas including American political evolution, immigration studies, racial and ethnic dynamics, gender and sexuality studies, constitutional law, and electoral systems. Many faculty members adopt historical approaches to analyzing US politics, with particular emphasis on cultural and institutional frameworks. Doctoral candidates have recently explored subjects such as media influence on third-party candidates, school integration policies, electoral system changes in San Francisco, anti-immigration measures in California, presidential leadership during wartime, and collective economic responses during the Great Depression.

The political science PhD program generally demands two years of intensive coursework. Students frequently collaborate with faculty on interdisciplinary research initiatives spanning diverse subjects. Doctoral candidates in Political Science engage with advanced coursework and seminars covering the discipline's principal areas: comparative government, formal theory and quantitative methods, international affairs, policy analysis, political philosophy, and American politics. Numerous faculty and graduate scholars work across these domains and intersect with other disciplines such as anthropology, economics, ethnic studies, history, legal studies, philosophy, and sociology. The PhD curriculum enables qualified students to fulfill course requirements within two years of full-time enrollment. Second-year students produce a research paper, while third-year students undertake comprehensive exams before commencing dissertation work. Detailed program specifications, degree completion criteria, and field concentration guidelines can be found on the department's official website.