Why Study Political Science At Columbia?
A Message From The Chair
Welcome to the Department of Political Science at
Columbia University. Because choosing a graduate school is one of the most
important decisions of your career, I’d like to describe graduate study here so
that you can decide whether Columbia is right for you.
You will join a small entering class, about 15-20
students, almost all with fellowships, chosen from applicants from a broad
range of colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and around the world.
You may find your new colleagues to be the most diverse group of people you’ve
ever known.
During the first year, you’ll receive a rigorous
introduction to two of the four subfields of the discipline: American Politics,
Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory. You’ll
study with acknowledged leaders in their fields and learn what political
scientists know (and don’t know), what the key debates have been, where the
field is going, and why. You’ll also learn the skills of a modern political
scientist: statistics, computer-based data analysis, game theory, research
design, archival research, interviewing, field work, and qualitative methods.
To gain expertise on a geographical area abroad, you may affiliate with one of
Columbia's outstanding regional institutes. The first year is tough. But you’ll learn
more than you thought possible. And you’ll begin to see the world as a
political scientist does.
In your second year, you’ll study further in small,
intense seminars. You’ll hone your research skills in advanced methods courses
and apply them in seminars and other courses. You’ll begin to work closely with
the faculty, often on joint research, and will participate in research
workshops where students and faculty discuss cutting-edge work and interrogate
world-class scholars about their latest work. You’ll hear dissertation chapters
presented by advanced students and begin to develop your own ideas for
research. At the end of the year, you’ll present your own research and be ready
to take the demanding Comprehensive Exams. You’re now certified to teach
courses in political science and ready to begin your dissertation research.
Then the real work begins!
All this takes place in one of the world’s great
universities, located in the heart of America’s cultural, economic, and
intellectual capital. In fact, study at Columbia reflects the city around us:
intense, challenging, exhilarating, occasionally frustrating, but always
rewarding.
We’re proud of our department--justly proud of its
history as the first department of political science in the country, at the
center of the discipline for almost a century. But we’re even more excited
about the future. If you would like to learn more, keep reading. Then write,
email, and communicate with us further. I hope to see you in the fall.
John Huber
Professor and Chair
