Introduction T he Department of Government and Politics offers a Ph.D. degree in political science, intended primarily for those planning academic careers. Students can specialize in American politics, international relations, comparative politics, political economy and political theory.
Many students work with faculty in major funded research projects.
Departmental faculty have acquired a significant base of external research funding with over one million dollars per year in support from a variety of granting agencies and foundations. These include the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Institute of Peace, the National Security Agency, the State Department, and the Erhart, Pew, MacArthur, Ford, and Johnson Foundations. The University's location in the Washington suburban area provides unequaled opportunities for graduate students working in the field of political science. In addition, students are able to draw upon the contacts and experience of other students who are working in government agencies as well as the faculty contacts with such agencies. Students can also use the many specialized libraries located in the area, and they can take courses offered at other local institutions through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan area.