Ph.D. Program in Political Science
The Ph.D. program in Political Science, in the College of Arts and Sciences, is characterized by several distinct features:
A. Three areas of specialization
1.
Political Psychology/Behavior
2.
Political Economy and Public Policy
3.
American Politics
B. Close student/faculty interaction
C. An emphasis on professional training of research-oriented students and the production of professional-quality articles and conference papers by Ph.D. students.
Political Psychology/Behavior
The doctoral concentration in political psychology/behavior
applies contemporary psychological theories, concepts, and research methods to
the study of political behavior. Students are trained in topics and methods
associated with psychology as well as political science. Methodological
concerns focus on experimentation and survey research. In addition to formal
training in methods appropriate to the psychological study of political behavior,
students are apprenticed to ongoing research projects throughout their course
of training. Students become familiar with the department’s extensive and
well-equipped laboratories and the regular subject pool. Opportunities are also
available to take part in ongoing survey research projects.
The substantive interests of the faculty in this area include voter decision-making processes, political socialization, political values and beliefs, the mass media, political cognition, group influence, and public opinion.
Political Economy and Public Policy
The concentration in political economy and public policy
emphasizes the interaction between politics and the institutions (both public
and private) that shape economic policies. Students choosing this concentration
analyze important issues by focusing on decision-making and organizational
behavior as shaped by individual incentives and institutional structures. In
addition to the foundation course in public policy required of all students,
elective seminars in this field include policy evaluation, organizational
decision-making, bureaucracy, regulation, institutional analysis, and urban
politics.
The faculty have published research on issues such as the economic development of metropolitan areas, the political economy of suburbs, political controls over regulatory bureaucracies, and citizen responses to tax policies. A sample of other ongoing research projects in which incoming students may become involved include the effect of market-like incentives in school choice, subsidy flows in the European Union, the role of social capital in environmental decision making, and regulation of business by state governments. The economic approach is also used to investigate other political processes such as voting, party competition, and agenda setting.
American Politics
The American politics concentration provides a broad
perspective on national political institutions and processes, with particular
emphases on elections and courts. Courses focusing on political parties and
elections, the legislative process, the American judiciary, electoral behavior,
American political ideology, and public choice theory are offered. Students
become familiar with the kinds of quantitative and formal analysis techniques
most often applied to the study of American politics. Seminar papers allow
students to go into detail on topics of special interest.
Members of the faculty are currently doing research on congressional and Supreme Court decision-making, the role of economic forces in American national elections, voting in congressional elections, issues of gender and the law, and the dynamics of American public opinion.
Methodology
Since we believe that a strong background in research
methods is essential for political scientists interested in empirical research,
we provide a rigorous training in the application of statistical methods and
formal models to political analysis. Coursework in methods includes
introductory training in research design and elementary statistics, as well as
more advanced work in statistical analysis, econometrics, time series analysis,
and measurement. The department recognizes that many undergraduates in
political science come to graduate school without much background in statistics
and math. Therefore, our courses start at an introductory level and slowly
develop the skills necessary to do publishable research in political science.
In addition to the classroom work, these courses all involve analysis of actual
data on personal computers. We believe, however, that it is the application of
research methods, first as part of faculty and class research projects and then
in a student’s own dissertation research, that makes a qualified researcher
with the skills required for success in research and academic careers.