The interfield degree in Political Science and Economics is interdisciplinary in political economy. The program combines courses from the departments in the Division of Politics and Economics.
Students must be accepted by both departments. One department will serve as the student’s primary department and dictate the field to be listed first on the student’s diploma at graduation–whether Political Science and Economics or Economics and Political Science.
Admission requirements are detailed in the Admission section of the Bulletin.
Degree Requirements
Coursework. A minimum of 80 units is required, composed of a core, a methods minor field, a political science concentration, and an economics field of study.
Research Tools. Satisfactory completion of research tool requirements through our core methods courses(see below).
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.
Practical Experience Milestone. Please see below.
Qualifying Exams. A modified qualifying exam structure takes into account the requirements of the two programs. There are three qualifying exams in total:
- Economics: Successful completion of the Interfield Microeconomics qualifying exam and either a qualifying exam in econometrics/statistics or the Economics field of study.
- Political Science: Successful completion of a qualifying exam in the chosen concentration
Dissertation. Students must successfully defend a dissertation proposal and successfully defend a dissertation that meets the rigorous methodological standards of and draws from both fields. Refer to the Doctoral Degree Regulations section of the Bulletin for policies and procedures.
University Policies. Policies detailed in the current Policies and General Information Bulletin apply.
Admission. Admission requirements are detailed in the Admissions section of the current Policies and General Information Bulletin.
Core Courses (24 units)
Political Economy
Required Courses:
- SP&E 411 - International Political Economy
- SP&E 352 - Comparative Political Economy
Microeconomics & Macroeconomics
Required Courses:
- ECON 313 - Microeconomic Analysis
- ECON 302 - Macroeconomics I
Two of the following, with approval of the field advisor.
- ECON 316 - Consumer Theory and General Equilibrium
- ECON 317 - Game Theory and Asymmetric Information
- SP&E 317 - Advanced Formal Models
- ECON 303 - Macroeconomics Analysis II
- ECON 328A and B - Programming for the Social Sciences I and II (2 units each)
Research Tools (16 units)
Choose one of the following four-course statistical sequences.
Track 1 (required for those whose primary department is Economics)
Track 2 (open to those whose primary department is Politics & Government)
- PP 480 - The Nature of Inquiry
- PP 481/INST481 - Introduction to Statistical Analysis
- PP 482/INST 483 - Multivariate Regression Analysis (Please note that INST 483 is taught using SAS and focuses on the international analysis)
- PP 485 - Qualitative Research Methods OR PP 487/INST 487 - Applied Data Analysis PP 487 - Applied Data Analysis
Field Options (40 units)
Nine courses or 40 units are required according to the following distribution.
Political Science (20 units)
The Faculty of Political Science requires a minimum of five (5) courses to complete a field (20 units). Here is a list of concentrations available:
- American Politics
- Comparative Politics
- Public Policy
- Public Law
- Research Methodology
Economics (20 units)
- Applied Microeconomics: within this field are four subfields to choose from:
- Crime & Law Economics
- Labor Economics
- Public Economics
- Behavioral, Experimental, and Neurological Economics
- International Economic & Development Policy (see your advisor)
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