PhD Political Science at Stony Brook University

Programme overview

The PhD in Political Science offers three areas of specialization: Political Psychology/Behavior, Political Economy and Public Policy, and American Politics. It emphasizes close student-faculty interaction, professional training of research-oriented students and production of professional-quality articles and conference papers. Rigorous training in statistical methods and formal models underpins all concentrations.

Faculty: College of Arts and Sciences | Department: Department of Political Science | Duration: Dissertation defense typically at the end of the fifth year | Study mode: full-time | Location: Stony Brook, NY, United States

What you will study

Required courses include Research Project, Foundations in Public Policy and Political Economy, Applied Data Analysis I-III, Foundations in American Politics, Foundations in Political Psychology and Behavior, and either Experimental Design and Methods or Game Theory. Students take at least eight elective advanced seminars, pass a qualifying exam after year two, defend a dissertation proposal at the end of year three and defend the dissertation.

Career pathways

Training is aimed at research and academic careers.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

GRE scores (verbal, quantitative, analytic); prior training with basic work in at least two of political science, psychology, mathematics or statistics, economics or sociology; a bachelor's degree with at least a B average in the major; three letters of recommendation from instructors or academic advisors; a personal interview may be required; acceptance by the department and the Graduate School.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate School: the application fee is $100 (limited exceptions). Deadlines vary by program; for fall applications considered for funding the deadline is typically January 15.

Apply through the official page: https://www.stonybrook.edu/grad/admissions/apply-graduate-programs.html

Explore more study programmes

Arts & Humanities