The Department of Political Science offers graduate study leading to the doctor of philosophy in political science. The department does not admit for master's degrees, accepting students for the Ph.D. program only. Once admitted to the Ph.D. program, it is possible to obtain a master's degree through work en route to the Ph.D.
The department has a national and international reputation for the high quality of its faculty and for the diversity of their approaches and interests. It has long been known for its acceptance of a broad range of approaches to the study of politics and for its collegiality. The subfields of political science found in the department are American politics, comparative politics, political theory and philosophy, international relations, and political methodology. Political science shares faculty with the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, the Law School, and the Department of Gender and Women's Studies. The presence of programs and centers such as the African Studies Program, the Center for European Studies, the Center for Jewish Studies, the Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia (CREECA), Integrated Liberal Studies, the International Studies major (B.A. and B.S.), Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies, and others is also beneficial to graduate students, providing opportunities for the advancement of interdisciplinary approaches in student research.

