Program Overview
The University of Missouri's Political Science PhD program is structured to provide an extensive and rigorous academic experience, covering the major subfields of political science, including American politics, public policy and administration, international relations, and comparative politics. This foundational framework is augmented by specialized research cores that address contemporary and emerging issues in political science, such as race and ethnic politics, voting behavior, political movements, civil wars, American political institutions, and conflict management.
- Distinguished by a commitment to methodological rigor, offering comprehensive training in both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Students are equipped with advanced skills in quantitative analysis, including formal modeling, game theory, spatial econometrics, and experiments.
- A vibrant research culture, which fosters collaborative projects between students and faculty. Faculty members are not only experts in their respective fields but are also active contributors to the discipline, regularly publishing in top academic journals, editing leading journals, and teaching advanced techniques at international methods institutes
- Intensive study through small seminar-style courses, which allows for deep engagement with complex political science concepts and research methods. This format also facilitates close interaction with faculty members, ensuring that students receive individualized guidance and support throughout their academic journey.
At a Glance
- Seventeen students in the PhD in Public Affairs program.
- Thirty-five students in the PhD in Political Science program.
- Placements at institutions such as University of Georgia, University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Stanford University, University of Kentucky, Texas Tech University, Dartmouth College, Baylor University, Murray State University and Ohio State University.
- In 2023-24, seven students authored or co-authored 15 publications.
- Thirty-eight students attended 11 different conferences to present their research with funding from the Truman School.
- International students from Bangladesh, South Korea, Brazil, Ghana, Turkey, India, Nicaragua, Taiwan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Jamaica, and more.
- Domestic students from Hawaii, Texas, Rhode Island, Missouri, Iowa, California, Arkansas, Colorado, Michigan, New Jersey, South Dakota, and more.
Degree Options
Doctoral students identify a primary and a secondary field among four areas of study offered in the Political Science:
- American Politics
- Comparative Politics
- International Relations
- Public Policy and Administration
The PhD program of study consists of 45 hours of graduate course work, including:
- 12 hours in a primary field of study
- 9 hours in a secondary field of study
- 13 hours in methodology
Up to 24 hours of courses from a student's master's program may be counted toward the doctoral degree, at the discretion of the student's doctoral committee. The doctoral degree requires a minimum of 72 hours of course credit including reading and research hours.
Students typically take comprehensive exams in the spring of the third year. After passing the comprehensive examination, students work on independent research and a dissertation under the advisement of a doctoral committee.
PhD Placement
Our assistance to students doesn’t end when the student gets their PhD. Each student pursuing a job on the academic job market goes through the placement program, where we review job market materials, discuss strategy, and offer interview prep. We also offer seminars on how to succeed in non-academic careers, and have placed recent graduates in all levels of government, think tanks, and the private sector.
The Truman School is extremely proud of its recent placement efforts (see below). In addition to placing students in tenure-track professor positions in research-dominated universities, we have an excellent track record in students gaining employment at small state universities and liberal arts colleges. Professors in the latter type of universities can engage in their teaching passions while still having the opportunity to conduct research.
Tenure-track Assistant Professor Placement Institutions:
- Knox College
- Anderson University
- University of Louisiana-Lafayette
- Luther College
- Mount St. Mary's University
- Texas Tech University
- University of Macau
- University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley
- Lincoln University
- Baylor University
- State University of New York—Geneseo
- University of South Carolina
- Arkansas State University
- University of Stavanger (Norway)
- Georgia Southern University
- University of Reading (UK)
- University of South Carolina—Aiken
- University of York (UK)
Post-Doctoral Fellowships Placement Institutions:
- Stanford University
- University of Kentucky
- Dartmouth College
- Korea University
- University of Georgia
- Ohio State University
- University of Gothenburg
- Arizona State University
- University of Copenhagen
- Columbia University
- Vanderbilt University