The rigorous training and applied nature of the department’s core offerings and three (3) doctoral fields: Comparative Politics, Computational Analytics, and World Politics.  The department also offers one field to interfield students in the Ph.D. program in Economics – International Politics and Political Science. In addition, the Department of International Studies allies with Department of Politics and Government and Department of Economics in the Methods Field. The department’s various programs provide the analytical expertise and practical experience for both academic and research-based positions. 

Admission requirements are detailed in the Admissions  section of the Bulletin.

See the Addendum  to this Bulletin for updated degree requirements.

Degree Requirements

Coursework.  A minimum of 72 units are required for the doctoral degree.  In addition to the tools requirements, students are required to complete six-course sequences in two of the program’s field offerings.

Research Tools.  Satisfactory completion of research tool requirements through our core methods courses.

Transdisciplinary Requirement. Doctoral students are required to complete a Transdisciplinary course (T-Course) within the first two years of their program or by the completion of 48 units in their program. The course will count as 4 units towards the doctoral degree requirement. It will not add any additional units to the student’s degree requirements nor count against the total number of transfer units from previous graduate coursework.

Qualifying Examinations.  Successful completion of the written qualifying examinations in each of two major concentrations. Qualifying examinations are offered once in each of the fall and the spring semesters. An oral examination, if required, is administered within two weeks of the written examination.

Dissertation.  Campus policies and procedures are detailed in the Doctoral Degree Regulations section of the Bulletin and on the registrar’s Completion of Degree webpage.

University Policies.  University policies detailed in the Academic Policies section of the Bulletin apply.

Research Tools

Take the following sequence (16 units):

• INST 481 - Statistical Methods for Social Sciences
• INST 483 - Multivariate Analysis in International Studies Using SAS
• INST 487 - Advanced Topics in Applied Econometrics
• INST 489 - Advanced Research Design

Transdisciplinary Requirement

One class (4 units).

Doctoral students are required to complete a Transdisciplinary (TNDY) course (T-Course) within the first two years of their program or by the completion of 48 units in their program. The course will count as 4 units towards the doctoral degree requirement. It will not add any additional units to the student’s degree requirements nor count against the total number of transfer units from previous graduate coursework. See the class schedule for TNDY classes.

Fields

Doctoral students must have two fields in the Department of International Studies. Each field is 24 units. Please choose from the following fields:

Comparative Politics 

Core Courses (16 units)

• SP&E 350 - Theories and Issues in Comparative Politics
• SP&E 351 - Comparative Institutional Analysis
• SP&E 352 - Comparative Political Economy
• One regionally-based course (for example, Africa, Asia, Middle East, Latin America, etc.)

Complete at least 2 additional classes with Faculty Advisor approval from the following (8 units):

• PP 353 - Comparative Parties & Elections
• PP 354 - Politics of Developing Countries
• PP 356 - Politics of Non-Democratic States
• PP 364 - Democracy & Development
• PP 366 - Latin American Politics
• POST 225 - Politics of Africa
• TNDY 405C - Wealth, Poverty and Inequality
• Other courses can be taken with the approval of the field chair

Note: Consult with Faculty Advisor to select best courses for your goals. Pre-approval of electives is required.

Computational Analytics

Core Courses (16 units)

• SP&E 316 - Computational Agent-Based Modeling
• SP&E 317 - Seminar in Formal Models
• SP&E 448 - Seminar in Social Network Analysis
• SP&E 486 - Data Analytics and Visualization

Complete at least 2 additional classes with Faculty Advisor approval from the following (8 units):

Computational Analytics

• SP&E 488 - SAS Programming and Multivariate Analysis in International Studies
• SP&E 318 - Cost-Benefit Analysis
• ECON 321 - Advanced Topics in Experimental Economics
• Psych 315J - Survey Research Methods
• IST 382 - Introduction to GIS Solution Development
• IST 333 - Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining
• Other approved elective from faculty advisor

Mathematics

• MATH 352 - Nonparametric & Computational Statistics
• MATH 354 - Reliability Theory
• MATH 251 - Probability
• MATH 256 - Stochastic Processes
• MATH 366 - Data Mining
• Other approved elective from faculty advisor

Policy Context

• INST 401 - World Politics
• SP&E 408 - Political Demography
• SP&E 430 - Seminar in Conflict and Peace
• SP&E 350 - Theories and Issues in Comparative Politics
• SP&E 351 - Comparative Institutional Analysis
• SP&E 352 - Comparative Political Economy
• SP&E 411 - International Political Economy
• SP&E 418 - Political Economy of International Development
• Other approved elective from faculty advisor

Note: Consult with Faculty Advisor to select best courses for your goals. Pre-approval of electives is required.

Methods

Special transdisiplinary field by pre-approval only. Requires a pre-approved Ph.D. Exam Committee. Cannot be taken concurrently with Computational Analytics. Please contact your advisor for guidance on course sequences and specialization prior to transferring into this field.

World Politics 

Core Courses (16 units)

• INST 401 - World Politics
• SP&E 430 - Seminar in Conflict & Peace
• SP&E 410 - Political Economy of International Development
• SP&E 411 - International Political Economy

Complete at least 2 additional classes with Faculty Advisor approval from the following (8 units):

• SP&E 408 - Seminar in Political Demography
• SP&E 429 - Political Economy of China
• TNDY 404U - Energy & the Environment
• INST 420A-H - Foreign Policy Courses
• Other courses can be taken with the approval of the field chair

Note: Consult with Faculty Advisor to select best courses for your goals. Pre-approval of electives is required.

Electives

4 units of electives, as approved by your academic advisor.