Department of Political Science, 1414 Social Sciences, 267 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (612-624-4144; fax: 612-626-7599)

The political science curriculum is divided into five subfields: formal models and methodology, political theory, American politics, international relations, and comparative politics.

All students are admitted directly into the Ph.D. program. The following should be sent directly to the department: department application form; GRE scores; a complete set of transcripts in addition to that required by the Graduate School; a brief statement expressing the applicant's purpose and goals in pursuing graduate work (in addition to and separate from the statement required as part of the Graduate School application form); three letters of recommendation from professors who know the applicant's academic work, particularly in political science; samples of the applicant's written work (papers written for political science courses preferred); and a curriculum vitae. Send photocopies of written work; the department cannot guarantee that materials will be returned. Graduate study in the Ph.D. program must begin in fall semester; the application deadline is December 15. The department and the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs jointly offer a program that leads to an M.A. in public affairs and a Ph.D. in political science. To be eligible, students must be admitted separately by political science and public affairs. Normally, students begin their study in public affairs and later apply to the Ph.D. program in political science. However, students may begin in either program, so it is possible to apply initially to either program or both. Students interested in this joint degree program should contact the director of graduate studies.

Students must demonstrate one of the following: a) high proficiency in one foreign language; b) high proficiency in research methodology; c) low proficiency in two foreign languages; d) low proficiency in one foreign language and low proficiency in research methodology. Students who concentrate in comparative politics must have appropriate language competence in their area(s) of specialization. The program is divided into five subfields: American politics, comparative politics, political theory, international relations, and formal models and methodology. A joint M.A.-Ph.D. program, which leads to an M.A. in public affairs from the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and a Ph.D. in political science, is also available. Students concentrate in two of the five subfields and take a minimum of nine political science seminars, including POL 8101 and the core seminars in each of their subfields (POL 8120, 8201, 8301, 8401, 8601). In addition, they take three advanced seminars in their first subfield and three in their second, or four advanced seminars in their first subfield and two in their second subfield (formal models and methodology can be used only as a second subfield).