Graduate Student Handbook, School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs

Graduate Programs Requirements

PPPA Graduate StudiesGraduate HandbookGraduate Student Handbook, 2025-2026Graduate Programs Requirements

General Program Requirements

Program Planning:

Committee Formation and Program of Study

Students are responsible for planning their own graduate programs (with the advice of their committees) and for following program and Graduate School requirements. As soon as possible, and no later than the end of the second semester in residence, students must form an advising committee, composed of at least three graduate faculty, one of whom will serve as the chair. The committee chair will be the student’s major advisor throughout their degree work at WSU. Students should meet with their entire committee to plan their program of study shortly after it is formed. The Director of Graduate Studies will assign the student a temporary faculty advisor until the student forms their committee. The faculty advisor provides support with committee formation and with course selection.

Independent Readings Criteria

Students may arrange to conduct independent readings with individual faculty members (POL_S 600) for one to three ungraded (S/U) graduate credit(s). Students may use independent readings to:

  1. pursue special topics of interest,
  2. prepare for PhD preliminary exams, or
  3. substitute for existing courses.

Independent readings may not be used to substitute for POL_S 501, 502, 503 or 504, except in rare circumstances. Reading courses may only be substituted for regularly offered seminars under extenuating circumstances, e.g., unavoidable scheduling conflicts. Such reading courses must be for three credits and be approved by all members of the student’s committee and the Director of Graduate Studies.

Students need to complete the independent readings forms (available in through the graduate coordinator) with the supervising faculty member and select the type of evaluation as well as purpose of the course. Such courses place an additional, non- remunerated burden on faculty and so should be considered only as an option of last resort by students.

POL_S 702/800 Requirement

All graduate students must register for at least one credit of POL_S 702 or POL_S 800 each semester. Master’s students and doctoral students who have not yet received their MA in political science should register for POL_S 702; doctoral students with an MA in political science should register for POL_S 800. These are research/exam credits that do not come with additional responsibilities. These credits are graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis. Students should receive a grade of U if any of the following occurred during the semester:

  • The student failed to file a program of study in a timely manner.
  • The student failed to remove an incomplete grade from their transcript.
  • The student did not take their preliminary exams by the end of their sixth semester and did not have the explicit permission of their committee to delay these exams (PhD only).
  • The student failed their preliminary exam (PhD only).
  • The student failed to enroll in or complete required coursework.
  • The student earned a grade below B-.
  • The student failed to maintain a GPA of at least 3.00.footnote 1
  • The student failed to defend their dissertation prospectus within one year of passing their preliminary exams (PhD only).
  • The student failed to meet any other guidelines clearly articulated to the student in writing by their committee chair.

If the student is given a U, the student’s advisor will write a letter explaining the reasons for this grade. If this is their first U, the letter will also outline the steps the student must take to improve and warn of potential consequences if they do not improve. Copies of this letter will be placed in the student’s file and sent to the Graduate School. This performance will also be noted on the student’s annual review. A student who receives two U’s in POL_S 702 and/or POL_S 800 will be dismissed from the program.

Requirements for MA in Political Science with Certificate in Global Justice and Security Studies

The MA in Political Science with a Global Justice and Security Studies Certificate (GJSS) is a non-thesis, terminal degree designed to provide students with a specialized qualification better suited for the pursuit of professional careers in federal, state, or local government. The GJSS program targets students intending to pursue largely non-academic, governmental careers as practitioners, whether it be in the field of homeland security, law enforcement, not-for-profit organizations, NGOs, or as analysts within the U.S. intelligence or defense communities. The Masters in GJSS is geared towards providing students with maximum of flexibility in constructing their specific areas of specialization, while at the same time providing the common elements needed for a coherent program of study. Faculty work closely with students to tailor the GJSS program of study to best fit their individual professional needs.

Committees:

By the end of their first year of study, GJSS students will put together an advisory committee. The primary purpose of these committees is to help students design their programs of study. Committees must have a minimum of three members and must be chaired by a tenured or tenure-track member of the PPPA graduate faculty (however, career-track PPPA graduate faculty may co-chair a committee). At least one member of each committee must be PPPA tenured/tenure-track faculty.

Hours:

Minimum of 30 hours total credit required. Of those 30 hours:

  • At least 26 hours of graded course work, 17 of which must be at the 500 level.
  • No more than 9 hours of non-graduate (400 level) graded coursework.

Program Required Courses:

  • POL_S 531 – International Security
  • POL_S 424 – U.S. National Security Policy
  • Twenty hours of Electives (selected from among the following courses or ones approved by Graduate Director in consultation with student):
    • POL_S 400, 402, 427, 428, 429, 501, 502, 503, 504, 510, 513, 514, 530, 533a, 533b, 536, 537
    • CRM_J 405, 572
    • HISTORY 455, 476, 564
    • PHIL 475
    • PSYCH 550, 592

Final oral exam:

To be scheduled during the final semester of the degree program.

Requirements for General MA in Political Science

The general MA in Political Science is designed for those students who seek a terminal graduate degree and whose career goals include education, public service, not-for–profit organizations, or non-governmental organizations. Students may focus on Political Science and public policy broadly defined, or they may concentrate more specifically on American politics or global politics. The core courses will provide students with a strong background in Political Science as a field, and the substantive courses allow students to pick their focus.

Committees:

By the end of their first year of study, MA students will put together an advisory committee. The primary purpose of these committees is to help students design their programs of study. Committees must have a minimum of three members and must be chaired by a tenured or tenure-track member of the PPPA graduate faculty (however, career-track PPPA graduate faculty may co-chair a committee). At least one member of each committee must be PPPA tenured/tenure-track faculty.

Hours:

A minimum of 31 credit hours are required for the Masters of Arts degree. Of those 31 credit hours:

  • 27 hours shall be graded graduate credit course work;
  • 24 hours shall be graded Political Science course work, no more than six hours of which shall be 400 level courses which provide graduate credit in their program statement to the Graduate School;
  • 3 out of 4 core courses in Political Science including:
    • POL_S 501 – The Scope of Political Science (Basic issues in social science epistemology, elements of social science theory-building, theoretical framework, and intellectual history of political science.)
    • POL_S 503 – Research Methods in Political Science (Introduction to general topics in social science research design including: Theories and Concepts, Measurement, Sampling, Data Sources, Experimental and Quasi- Experimental Designs, Field and Historical Designs, and Survey Research).
    • One of the following:
      • POL_S 502 – Seminar in Normative Theory (Basic training in normative political theory).
      • POL_S 504 – Quantitative Methods in Political Science (Applied statistical skills and theories of probability, enabling understanding of substantive political and social questions).
  • A minimum of four hours of Political Science 702

Final oral exam:

To be scheduled during the final semester of the degree program.

Requirements for Graduate Certificate Program in Bioethics

NOTE: This program is currently suspended.

As science expands medical boundaries, society faces tough new questions on such topics as assisted suicide, genetic testing and stem cell research. WSU’s online Graduate Certificate in Bioethics program teaches students how to weigh competing social and individual interests using ethical theories. The certificate enhances employment opportunities in three main areas:

  • Health care, including the bio-tech industry as well as hospitals, nursing homes, and public health organizations.
  • Legal work, including law firms, hospital consulting, bioethics centers, medical societies, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations.
  • Academic, including such fields as philosophy, anthropology, biology, history, politics, and sociology.

Required Courses: (9 semester credits)

The Graduate Certificate Program in Bioethics requires a minimum of nine credit hours. Eight of those hours are in the core courses. The additional credit is to be completed by directed study or by additional coursework.

  • PHIL 520 – Seminar in Ethical Theory (3 credits)
  • PHIL 530 – Bioethics (2 credits)
  • PHIL 535 – Advanced Biomedical Ethics (3 credits)
  • PHIL 600 – Directed study or graduate course – as approved by departmental advisor (1 or more credits)

Here is the application for graduate certificate.

Requirements for Ph.D. in Political Science

Program Development and Committee Process

Primary responsibility for developing a doctoral program rests with the student and the doctoral advising committee. The primary criterion in the selection of the chair of a student’s committee will normally be the student’s expressed interest in a particular field of Political Science as the probable area of major concentration. It will then be the advising committee chair’s responsibility, before the end of the student’s second semester of residence at Washington State University, to suggest other members of the program committee.

Doctoral advising committees must have a minimum of three members and must be chaired by a tenured or tenure-track member of the PPPA graduate faculty (however, career-track PPPA graduate faculty may co-chair a committee). At least two members of each committee must be PPPA tenured/tenure-track faculty.

The student and their advisor should take into consideration the students’ likely preliminary qualifying exam subfields (see below) when putting together a committee. At the time of their preliminary qualifying exams, a students’ committee must have a minimum of two faculty members claiming expertise in each subfield (a committee member may “double count” if they have expertise in both). Below is a list of graduate faculty members and their areas of expertise:footnote2

Graduate Faculty Members by Areas of Expertise
American Politics
  • Clayton
  • Long
  • Preston
  • Ridout
  • Salamone
  • Stephan
Comparative Politics
  • Christley
  • Hoard (Non-tenure track, NTT)
  • Lewis
  • Thiers
International Relations
  • Lewis
  • Lopez
  • Preston
  • Thiers
Political Theory & Philosophy
  • Clayton
  • Conklin
  • Glazebrook
  • Goldsby
  • Kabasenche (Non-tenure track, NTT)
  • Leeb
  • Noll
  • Stephan
  • Stichter
Political Psychology & Political Behavior
  • Christley
  • Leeb
  • Lewis
  • Lopez
  • Preston
  • Ridout
  • Salamone
Public Policy & Public Administration
  • Ellenwood
  • Goldsby
  • Hoard (Non-tenure track, NTT)
  • Noll
  • Preston
  • Stephan
  • Thiers

No later than the student’s second semester in residence, the student and their committee should develop a specific program of study in Political Science. It is the joint responsibility of the student and the advising committee chair to develop the student’s program of study and submit to the Graduate Coordinator. Students who, by the end of the third semester equivalent of full-time enrollment in residence, have failed to form a committee and file a program of study may be given a U in POL_S 702/800 (see “POL_S 702/800 Requirement” above).

If the student enters WSU without an MA degree in Political Science, the student should complete a program of study for an MA degree. After obtaining the MA degree, the student would fill out a program of study for a PhD Students who enter the program with an MA degree in Political Science (or a closely related field), may bypass the MA with the approval of the student’s advising committee and the Director of Graduate Studies. In this case, the student would complete a program of study for a PhD.

All changes in an approved PhD program must be made on forms obtained from the Graduate School webpage or from the Graduate Coordinator. Such changes require the approval of the committee chair and the other members of the program or thesis committee. Final approval also requires the signature of the Director, or Graduate Director of PPPA and the Dean of the Graduate School.

All forms must go through the Graduate Coordinator to submit to the Graduate School through the Graduate Records Management (GRM) system. Students cannot submit forms directly to the Graduate School.

Credit Hour Requirements

  • 72 hours minimum total credits
  • 42 hours minimum from graded courses
  • 20 hours minimum 800-level research credits
  • 9 hours maximum of non-graduate courses (400-level)
  • NOTE: courses for audit may not be used for the program of study

The limited number of hours required by the Graduate School does not take into account the courses that are required as part of the PhD program in Political Science. Students typically take more than the number of hours that the Graduate School imposes as the minimum. Students should also recognize that training adequately for exams and a career in the field means they should take as many courses as they can in their areas of interest when these are available. At minimum, graduate students must take at least ten credit hours per semester to be considered full time at WSU (during a student’s first two years, this usually takes the form of three seminars/courses and one credit hour of POL_S 702 or POL_S 800). All PPPA graduate students are required to enroll in one or two POL_S 702 or POL_S 800 credits per semester. Students pursuing a terminal MA degree and students pursuing a Ph.D. who do not yet have an MA degree in Political Science (or a closely related field) should register for POL_S 702 research credits. Students who have already obtained an M.A. degree in Political Science at WSU or elsewhere should register for POL_S 800 research credits.

PhD in Political Science Course Requirements

Research Tools and Methods Courses

The Research Tools and Methods courses are intended to provide students with a background in the scope and methods of the social sciences. All PhD students are required to take these classes. It is highly recommended that students who do have prior graduate experience complete these research tools at Washington State University.

Because the Research Tools and Methods courses are only offered every other year in a set sequence, it is important that graduate students take these courses when first offered.

  • POL_S 501 – The Scope of Political Science: This course covers basic issues in social science epistemology, elements of social science theory-building, theoretic frameworks, and intellectual history of political science.
  • POL_S 502 – Seminar in Political Theory: Students are required to complete POL_S 502, because political theory is a core area of political science. However, if necessary, POL_S 511 or POL_S 543 may substitute with the approval of the student’s advising committee and Director of Graduate Studies.
  • POL_S 503 – Research Methods in Political Science: This course provides an introduction to general topics in the area of social science research design including: Theories and Concepts, Measurement, Sampling, Data Sources, Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs, Field and Historical Designs, and Survey Research.
  • POL_S 504 – Quantitative Methods in Political Science: In this course, students will learn applied statistical skills and theories of probability, enabling understanding of substantive political and social questions. SOC 521 may substitute for this course. Students who have minimal knowledge of statistics may consider taking a basic statistics course prior to taking POL_S 504 or SOC 521 (please talk to the Graduate Coordinator and/or Director of Graduate Studies for recommendations).
  • POL_S 539 – The Political Science Profession: All Ph.D. students are required to enroll in this one-credit professionalization practicum, which is normally taught every other spring semester. This course will be graded on a pass/fail (S/U) basis. Students will be required to attend three in-house sessions on topics such as publishing, how to write a vita or how to make a conference presentation. Students may sign up for POL_S 539 at any point during their graduate career.

Courses by Subfield

Doctoral students will choose to specialize in two of the following political science subfields:

  • American Politics
  • Comparative Politics
  • International Relations
  • Political Theory & Philosophy
  • Political Psychology & Political Behavior
  • Public Policy & Public Administration

Students must take three classes in each of their chosen subfields, and they must earn a B or better in each. Classes may double-count for different subfields. Students also must also take a preliminary exam in each chosen subfield; the preliminary exam will consist of two written portions (one for each subfield) and an oral portion (which will cover both subfields). Students should be aware that taking graduate courses is considered a necessary but insufficient component of preparing for the preliminary exams. Our regularly offered graduate-level courses are listed by subfield below (full titles and descriptions are available at the WSU Catalog).

Courses by Subfield

American Politics
Comparative Politics
  • POL_S 533A (May or may not count; see footnote 4)
  • POL_S 534
  • POL_S 536
International Relations
Political Theory & Philosophy
  • POL_S 502
  • POL_S 511
  • POL_S 543 (May or may not count; see footnote 4)
Political Psychology & Political Behavior
  • POL_S 513
  • POL_S 533A
  • POL_S 533B
Public Policy & Public Administration
  • POL_S 514
  • POL_S 540
  • POL_S 543

Students may also take 400-level courses (not listed here) that cover topics in these areas. However, any 400-level courses taken in these areas should be viewed as supplementary; the material covered will not help prepare students for their preliminary examinations.

Obtaining an MA in Political Science as a Ph.D. Student

PhD Students who enter the program without a master’s degree in political science will receive one after meeting all the requirements for the MA This typically occurs at the end of the student’s fourth semester. To receive an MA, students will need to schedule an oral exam with their committee. These exams are pro forma and generally amount to a discussion between the committee and the student about the student’s future plans in the program (including their ideas for the dissertation). The MA oral exam must be formally scheduled with the Graduate School through the Graduate Coordinator.

Ph.D. Preliminary Qualifying Examinations

PhD students become eligible to attempt their preliminary qualifying examinations (“prelims”) when they are in the process of completing the final courses included in their PhD program. This will normally be during their sixth semester; however, in exceptional cases, students may petition the Graduate Studies Committee to delay their preliminary exam for good cause (e.g., the student has a long-term health problem, has taken advanced courses in foreign languages or statistics outside the department, etc.). Only after a student has successfully passed prelims do they formally become a “PhD candidate” (sometimes referred to as “ABD,” which stands for “All But Dissertation”).

The written preliminary examinations are held during the week prior to Spring break each year. Oral exams must be formally scheduled with the Graduate School through the Graduate Coordinator. Under Graduate School policy, students cannot take preliminary (or final) examinations unless they are registered for a minimum of two 800-level credits and have paid the fees entailed by such registration for the school term in which the examination is scheduled.

The examinations include both a written and an oral component, both of which must be satisfactorily completed. The written exam is divided into two portions and is taken over two days (one day per portion) and are closed book. Each day’s written portion will focus on one of the student’s examination subfields. The questions for each portion will be developed by the faculty in these areas and will be common to all students taking that subfield’s prelim that semester. On each written portion, students will be able to select two essay prompts from a series. Each student will have up to eight hours to complete each of the two written portions.

The written responses will be graded by the student’s graduate committee, but that committee may request evaluations of the written answers from members of the faculty, who will make written recommendations to the committee as to whether it is a passing/failing essay.footnote 3 A student must successfully pass both portions of the written examination (as well as the oral exam) in order to pass the preliminary examinations.

After grading the written exam, the student’s committee members must each give written feedback to the student at least 72 hours before the oral exam. The oral exam is normally held within three weeks of completion of the written portion (Graduate School policy requires the oral to be held within 30 days of the written exam) and must be attended by the all the student’s advisory committee members. The oral exam lasts two hours. The questions often focus on the student’s written examination, but they can cover any topic within the student’s areas of concentration.

The object of the preliminary examination, which is comprehensive and broad in nature is to test students’ mastery of and sophistication concerning his/her fields of specialization. It is not designed to reward mere memorization of facts. Students should bear in mind that when they “sit” for prelims, they are seeking to be recognized as peers of the examiners.

Therefore, in both the written and oral portion of the exams, students must demonstrate an expert level of competence in a field in order to receive a passing grade.

As noted above, students will be expected to master the materials covered in two subfields of political science (American Politics, Comparative Politics, international Relations, Political Theory & Philosophy, Political Psychology & Political Behavior, and Public Policy & Public Administration). It should also be noted that these examinations are comprehensive, and, while specific seminars are highly recommended as necessary preparation for them, these seminars alone are not sufficient. Students will want to read additional materials to demonstrate a breadth of knowledge that transcends any one seminar.

It is the responsibility of the advising committee, in conjunction with faculty in preliminary examination field areas, to help students prepare for these examinations. Students are responsible for contacting the members of their prelim fields in preparation for the examinations and to obtain additional reading lists. This should be done at the beginning of the fall semester in preparation for exams in the spring semester.

There is no magic way to prepare for prelims. A solid course background is, of course, an indispensable asset. The successful student will also have read substantially beyond course requirements in his or her preliminary exam fields, will have consulted faculty teaching in these fields regarding appropriate reading lists and preparation strategies, and will be thoroughly informed regarding relevant epistemologies and methodologies.

If a student fails prelims, the student may re-take the exams once after a three-month waiting period. The School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs requires that the second prelim attempt be taken no later than October 15 in the fall semester following the spring semester of the failed exam. A second failed attempt will result in termination from the PhD program.

Dissertation Prospectus Defense

The next requirement for the PhD candidate beyond prelims is preparation, under the guidance of a thesis committee, of a dissertation presenting the results of a thorough and systematic investigation of a significant problem related to at least one of the exam fields of the candidate. The thesis committee will normally be composed of the chairperson and two other members of the Graduate Faculty. The PhD dissertation committee is normally, but not always, composed of the same members as the preliminary examination committee. The subject matter of the dissertation will, of course, have an important bearing on the committee’s composition.

Students must present and orally defend a dissertation prospectus, usually in the semester following successful passage of the preliminary exams. This defense does not need to be scheduled with the Graduate School. The objectives of the proposal are to identify the research topic, and to demonstrate that a feasible and appropriate research strategy has been developed.

Students should work with the chair of their committee to produce a final draft. Only after the chair has approved the working draft may the student submit the essay to the other members of the committee, remembering that the other members must have the essay at least 15 work days prior to the defense date. All committee members must sign off on the defense date. If these guidelines are not respected by the student, the other members of the committee are not obliged to attend the defense.

A dissertation prospectus should present the research problem to be examined after prelims. The prospectus presents the student’s preliminary work on the problem, not just a statement of that problem, as well as a discussion of the feasibility and significance of the project.

The prospectus should include (not necessarily in this precise format or order):

  1. Project Title.
  2. Topic or Problem: Identify the specific focus in researchable terms and place the topic or problem in the literature.
  3. Literature Review: Describe and critique major approaches to the problem, the relevant findings, theoretical and methodological debates in the literature, and a discussion of how the dissertation will fit in and add to the literature.
  4. Tentative Theoretical Framework: Describe the theoretical framework with which the problem or topic will be analyzed. This may require an additional literature review if the approach has not been used to examine the problem or topic.
  5. Tentative Hypotheses.
  6. Approach, Methods and Materials: Discuss in depth the analytical school or approach or methodology that will be employed.
  7. Tentative Chapter by Chapter Outline.

The prospectus must be submitted to the student’s committee, revised in accordance with committee criticisms, and acceptable to the committee before the final oral exam is scheduled. The oral exam must include a 15-20 minute presentation by the student outlining the project’s design. Further revisions may be required after the successful completion of the oral exam.

Final Oral Examination of Dissertation

The last requirement is the final oral examination, which under existing Graduate School policies cannot be scheduled until the dissertation is ready for presentation to the Graduate School and for submission to the University’s dissertation publishing program. The final oral examination usually centers on the dissertation, but, as Graduate School regulations indicate, the student must be prepared to meet questions relating to any of the work he or she has done for the degree. Under existing University policy, students cannot take any such examinations (preliminary or final) unless they are registered for credit and have paid the fees entailed by such registration for the school term in which the examination is scheduled.

Normally such examinations can be scheduled to take place only when the university is in session. A minimum of four months must elapse between the successful completion of a preliminary examination and the scheduling of a final examination. Current Graduate School regulations stipulate that: “In all cases, the requirements for the degree should be completed within three years of the date of the satisfactory completion of the preliminary examination.”

Upon completion of the dissertation, a final bound copy must be submitted to the School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs conforming to Graduate School requirements. Please refer to the Thesis and Dissertation Final Checklist for all Graduate School requirements and final submission of the dissertation to the Graduate School. The checklist is found with the scheduling form in the forms list at the Graduate School website.

Students need to be in regular contact with their committee chair with regard to a schedule for completing the dissertation. Students cannot expect committees to suddenly schedule a defense if they produce the entire manuscript unexpectedly. Student should have an agreed-upon schedule for completing the dissertation with their chairs and should be submitting chapters regularly. The other committee members must be given at least 15 working days to read over the final version, only after the chair has approved the dissertation. This process takes time. All committee members must sign-off on a defense date. Students are ultimately responsible for scheduling their defense, reading the Graduate School’s requirements for their degree program, and using the checklist and other resources available to them on the Graduate School’s website. Students should begin to review the requirements for defense and graduation the semester before they plan to graduate.

Footnotes

  1. footnote 1: Faculty advisors should communicate with the students’ instructors during exam week to determine whether grade-based criteria are met.
  2. footnote 2: Non-tenure track (NTT) graduate faculty are indicated as such in this table. NTT graduate faculty may not chair advisory committees, but they may co-chair.
  3. footnote 3: In accordance with Chapter 8D of the Graduate School’s Policies and Procedures Manual, all PPPA graduate faculty may participate in and cast ballots after the oral exams. However, it is best practice for those participating and balloting to have also participated in the assessment of the written exam.
  4. footnote 4: These courses may count for this subfield depending on the topics covered and the expertise of the instructor. This decision will be made by the Director in consultation with the course instructor and the Graduate Studies Committee.
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