As they progress through the program, some students also obtain support from the Mershon Center, the Political Research Laboratory, and Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships. Most advanced students have an opportunity to teach their own courses. For students making normal progress, departmental funding typically continues for five years. Support may be extended beyond five years through awards and fellowships granted outside the university. It is expected that most students will finish Ph.D. requirements within about five years, though students doing fieldwork may require additional study and may petition the department to gain eligibility for more than five years of funding.
All financial aid is distributed for autumn quarter admission.
To be considered for university fellowships and departmental assistantships, all application materials must be received by January 1. Financial assistance is generally not available for applicants seeking only a Master's degree. Students who do not receive financial aid in their first year may compete for departmental support in later years and often receive it. A Commitment to Affirmative Action and Diversity The Department of Political Science is strongly committed to recruiting students from under-represented ethnic groups. Minority Identification Project, and we are active in the recruitment of students who have attended the Ralph Bunche Institute or who have been designated APSA Minority Fellows.