Political Science

Political Science

libarts.wsu.edu/polisci/graduate

Admission Requirements
Undergraduate GPA of 3.3 in political science or related social science field (sociology, psychology, anthropology, criminal justice, history, etc.). Three letters of recommendation from academics/professors must accompany the application. We require GRE scores, but put emphasis on evidence of scholarly potential.

Program Description
The Ph.D. program in political science provides students with broad and thorough training in the theories and methods of the discipline so that they can be successful professionals in a variety of scholarly, academic, and applied settings. Our graduate program is designed to respond to the realities of a highly competitive job market. Many of our Ph.D. graduates have gone on to work within academia.  Nearly all  students applying to academic positions between 1989 and 2006  were successfully placed,—while others have sought jobs in high-level policy and applied research positions.

The program embraces theoretical diversity, methodological pluralism, analytic rigor, and scholarly excellence.  As a medium sized program, areas of faculty expertise cover all the traditional subfields of political science, and students in the program gain broad training across them. Graduate seminars are fairly small, and allow for intensive interchange between faculty and students. We provide regular opportunities for close contact between faculty and students, including research symposia, guest speakers, collaborative research projects, and work on research grants.

The Ph.D. program at Washington State University emphasizes the acquisition of strong theoretical, methodological, and applied skills in a small, collegial setting. Students in political science can draw upon the skills and expertise of the faculty in the criminal justice program, and may engage in cross-disciplinary research through some of the preliminary examination fields. The intellectual environment is enhanced through the relationship the department maintains with the Thomas S. Foley Institute of Public Policy and Public Service (speakers, programs, scholarships, etc.), the Division of Governmental Studies and Services (applied research, survey methodology, program evaluation, etc.), and our faculty on the regional campuses in Vancouver and Spokane.

Faculty Interests and Course Details

Contact Information
Sisouvanh Keopanapay
801 Johnson Tower
PO Box 644880
Pullman, WA 99164-4880
Telephone: 509-335-2545
Fax: 509-335-7990
E-mail: siskeo@wsu.edu