Core Disciplinary Knowledge. Students should be able to:
  • Demonstrate knowledge of major theoretical traditions in political science
  • Demonstrate knowledge of intellectual currents and debates important to the history and development of political science
  • Demonstrate knowledge of key debates and contemporary research in at least two subfields of the discipline
Research Methods and Analysis. Students should be able to:
  • Frame empirical research questions guided by theory
  • Identify an appropriately apply a range of methods used by political scientists with attention to the strengths and limitations of different research methods for different research questions in the discipline
  • Undertake methodologically rich and sound research throughout the graduate program guided by faculty review
  • Understand and follow research ethics protocols
Scholarly Communication. Students should:
  • Regularly review recently published scholarship in fields of concentration in the discipline
  • Produce writing appropriate for a scholarly publication by their second year in the program
  • Review and cogently summarize relevant literatures
  • Structure an argument and support it with evidence
  • Effectively present research in both oral and written presentations
Professionalism and Professional Engagement. Students should:
  • Contribute to the shared culture of the department, School, university, and the profession
  • Publish scholarly work in outlets appropriate for their fields of study
  • Develop profession networks
  • Present scholarly work to their peers and publicly
  • Undertake research ethically
  • Participate in professional meetings
  • Collegially evaluate others’ work
  • Adhere to tenets of academic integrity and academic collegiality
Independent Research. Student should:
  • Develop a research specialization positioned in a major subfield(s) of the discipline
  • Design independent research project in accordance with the standards in the field and under the advisement of Departmental faculty
  • Produce scholarship that will be suitable for publication in profession outlets appropriate to the subfield(s) of research specialization