Our Ph.D. program provides advanced scholarly understanding of political science including international relations. Through a specialized course of study, you will develop the knowledge, theoretical perspectives and methodological skills necessary for conducting research and teaching in these fields.
Ph.D. Program at a Glance
Doctoral candidates choose a primary and secondary field from one of several fields of inquiry:
- American politics
- Comparative politics
- International relations
- Public law
- Political theory
- Public administration and public policy
- Research methodology (secondary field only)
These fields determine the courses taken as well as a likely topic for a dissertation. Learn more about these fields.
Support for your research
The university offers many resources to support research, and our department is a collaborative environment where faculty and scholars work together to advance new ideas. Students have the opportunity to publish research, which provides an edge in seeking academic jobs.
Some recent student article titles include:
- How voters hold the European People’s Party accountable in European Parliament elections
- Power concentration or parity? The conditional influence of power distribution in regional economic integration
- How U.S. voters elect prosecutors: evidence from a conjoint experiment
Journals where student work has been featured:
- Social Science Quarterly
- Justice System Journal
- Journal of International Relations
- Journal of Law and Courts
- International Studies Quarterly
- Political Research Quarterly
- Public Administration Review
Through a specialized course of faculty support, you will develop the knowledge, theoretical perspectives and methodological skills
necessary for conducting research and teaching in these fields.
Career placements
Our doctoral graduates have done well in the highly competitive academic job market. From academia to jobs in government, private and public sectors, your degree can equip you for careers where advanced analytical skills and communication of complex ideas are valuable.
Jobs our grads secured:
- Post-doctoral positions
- Lecturer/instructor
- Assistant professor
Where they work:
- University of Chicago
- National Taiwan University
- University of Texas, El Paso
- Georgia State University
- Oberlin
- College of Charleston
- Yale University
Where our grads work:
- United Nations
- US Government
- US Air Force Academy
- US Department of Energy
- SC Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services
Where our grads work:
- SC Migrant Education Program
- Greenville Hospital
- Republic of Korea Navy