The principal goal of the Stanford Ph.D. program in political science is the training of scholars. Most students who receive doctorates in the program do research and teach at colleges or universities. We offer courses and research opportunities in a wide variety of fields in the discipline, including American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Political Methodology. The program is built around small seminars that analyze critically the literature of a field or focus on a research problem. These courses prepare students for the Ph.D. comprehensive exam requirement within a two-year period and for work on the doctoral dissertation.
Programs of study leading to the Ph.D. degree are designed by the student, in consultation with advisers and the Director of Graduate Studies, to serve his or her particular interests as well as to achieve the general department requirements. A student is recommended to the University Committee on Graduate Studies to receive the Ph.D. degree in Political Science when the following program of study has been completed:
Advancement to candidacy is not automatic upon completion of these requirements. Advancement to candidacy is an expression by the faculty of their confidence that the student can successfully complete the Ph.D. program, and in particular, complete a doctoral dissertation that is an original contribution to scholarship that exemplifies the highest standard of the discipline.
Each university in the Unites States of America sets its own admission standards so there isn't the same criteria for all the students and the university can decide which applicants meet those standards. The fee for each application is between $35 to $100.
After the selections of the universities you want to attend, the best of all would be to contact each university for an application form and more admission information for the international students. Moreover, for a graduate or postgraduate program it's necessary to verify the admission requirements. Some programs require that you send your application directly to their department.
Admissions decisions are based on students's academic record and different test scores, such as TOEFL, the SAT or ACT (for undergraduate programs) and GRE or GMAT (for graduate programs). Admission decision is based on your academic results and motivation.
The Department intends that all graduate students (both domestic and international) should have adequate support to enable them to complete their studies while enrolled full-time. The standard financial package offered to admitted students covers the full cost of tuition and an additional amount for living expenses during the academic year. The latter amount comes in the form of a stipend during the first year and a combination of teaching and research assistantships during years 2-5. The Department also provides students with annual funds for professional development, health insurance fees, and a living stipend for the first two summers. The Department provides five years of support for Ph.D. students who are making sufficient progress towards degree. Current information regarding tuition, fees, and living expenses.
Students in all stages of the program are encouraged to apply for funding from outsides sources. In addition to the fellowship and grant opportunities administered by the School of Humanities and Sciences, there are numerous awards offered by area studies programs within Stanford, private foundations, and the federal government. Such awards can provide important funding for students to undertake fieldwork or language study, or to complete dissertation writing after departmental funding is no longer available.
Awards range from one-time grants of a few thousand dollars to multi-year fellowships that provide tuition and stipend. In cases where a student in years 1-5 wins such a comprehensive award (such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship), the Department may “top-up” the award with funds already allocated to that student, thereby providing the student with even more funding. Regardless of the size of the award, fellowships and grants are always notable additions to one’s CV. Students interested in applying for outside awards should discuss their plans with the Graduate Administrator.