PhD Political Science at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Programme overview

We aim to train political scientists for competence in the discipline as a whole, as well as with expertise in specific subfields and topics. To this end, we offer our students small graduate classes on a wide array of substantive and methodological topics. Our graduate students also receive a great deal of individual attention from faculty members, with many opportunities for collaboration and co-authorship. Our students also gain substantial experience in teaching, both through teaching assistantships and the opportunity to teach one’s own course.

Faculty: The Graduate School | Department: Political Science | Duration: Students accepted to our PhD program spend their first two years completing M.A. requirements and immediately continue to the doctoral requirements. | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Career pathways

The focus of our graduate program is to train students for professional careers in political science, usually in academic institutions but also (and increasingly) in government agencies and non-governmental organizations. This experience, coupled with the research training we offer, is essential for success in careers in university-level teaching and scholarly research.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate School minimum (applies to all graduate programmes): a four-year bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) from an accredited institution completed before graduate study begins and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) or better; application via the Graduate School online application with transcripts, three recommendation letters, statement of purpose and CV, plus any programme-specific tests/materials; international applicants add a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test score; admission decisions are made by each programme. Programme-specific: The general prerequisite for admission to graduate study is a bachelor of arts degree or equivalent. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. Applicants are also required to submit a writing sample, a statement of purpose, and 3 letters of recommendation.

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 applicants apply for a start term; fall is the main start term. Very few programmes admit new students for spring or summer terms.

Graduate applications and payment must be received by the deadline of the academic programme applied to, which varies by programme; the application closes at 11:59pm Eastern Time on the deadline date. The Graduate School recommends complete applications by December 15, 2026 for full fellowship consideration.

Apply through the official page: https://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/instructions/

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