Government
Questions about these requirements? See the contact info at the bottom of the page.
Candidates for the PhD in political science are expected to complete the required coursework during their first two years of graduate study and take the general examination at the end of the second year. A typical schedule consists of these two years, followed by three or four years of work on a dissertation, combined with supervised teaching.
Requirements
Courses: A student must successfully complete at least 12 4-credit courses, of which 8 must be in political science. At least 10 of these 12 4-credit courses and 7 of the 8 4-credit courses in government must be listed in the catalog as 1000- or 2000-level courses. Courses cross-registered with Harvard Divinity School, Harvard Law School, the Tufts Fletcher School, MIT, or Brown University can be used toward these requirements. Prior approval from the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) is needed for courses from Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School.
Students must complete six four-credit courses by the end of their second term in residence and nine by the end of their third.
Directed Reading/Independent Study: A student may receive academic (or course) credit for one Gov 3000-level directed reading with a relevant faculty member provided the arrangement produces a gradable seminar-style paper. While one Gov 3000 directed reading may count toward the overall 12 courses for the degree, it may not count toward the 8 (of the 12) that must be in political science.
Course Requirements for Students Admitted for Fall 2021 and beyond
Beginning in fall 2021, a student must complete three out of the four field seminars: American government (Gov 2105), comparative politics (Gov 2305), international relations (Gov 2710), and political philosophy (Gov 2093) and one course in quantitative methods. Students in political theory have the option to be exempted from the methods course requirement.
Course Requirements for Students Admitted prior to Fall 2021
Every first-year student must enroll in the Department of Government graduate seminar, Gov 3001: Approaches to the Study of Politics. The course, offered each fall, is to be taken SAT/UNSAT for a full term of credit.
Quantitative Methods Requirement: During their first or second year, every student must successfully complete, with a grade of B or better, at least one graduate-level course in quantitative social science methods relevant to political science from a list of appropriate Department of Government and other Harvard/MIT courses regularly updated by the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee.
Political Philosophy Requirement: During their first or second year, every student must take a minimum of one graduate-level four-credit course (or section) in political philosophy chosen from a list of courses approved by the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee.
Additional Requirements for all students
Incompletes: A grade of incomplete can be converted into a letter grade if the student completes the work before the end of the term following the one in which the course was taken. If an incomplete has not been completed within the period, the student must have the instructor and DGS approve a petition for an extension of time. No grade of incomplete can be used to satisfy any departmental requirement.
Seminar Papers: In order to ensure that students secure adequate training in research and writing, at least three seminar-style research papers must be completed. The usual means is through enrollment in seminars, but the requirement may also be satisfied by reading or lecture courses in which papers of this type are written. Only one of the three papers may be co-authored. Additionally, only one of the three papers may be written outside the department. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain written verification from the instructor that the completed paper is of seminar quality.
Research Tools Requirement: By the end of their first year, every student must submit to the ADGS a written research tools plan outlining intentions to acquire tools and methodological expertise connected to their areas of research interest. The tools plan also should list the courses, modules, or workshops the student intends to take in order to meet the research tools requirement.
Every student must complete a minimum of 3.5 4-credit course-equivalent units of research tools and methods courses, modules, or workshops by the end of their seventh term in residence (middle of the fourth year). The graduate course in quantitative social science methods counts for one unit within this total. Students may count language training in various formats (e.g. term courses; intensive summer sessions) toward fulfillment of this requirement. The Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee will determine what counts for 1.0 or 0.5 units.
Research Workshops: The Department of Government offers a series of research workshops in each of the four fields (American government, international relations, comparative politics, and political philosophy), applied statistics, political economy, and race & ethnic politics for graduate students to present and discuss work in progress. Every student should attend at least one research workshop each term when in residence. Research workshops do not count toward the requirement to complete 12 4-credit courses.
The General Examination
Every student will sit for a general examination in May of their second year, with the exam administered orally by faculty not known in advance. The 90-minute exam will cover two of the four major substantive fields in political science (chosen by the student from among American government, comparative politics, international relations, and political philosophy), plus an additional focus field defined by the student. For the focus field, each student will submit by a date designated by DGS a five- to eight-page statement outlining a special area for examination. This area may encompass a special literature, an area of the world, a realm of special interest spanning subfields or disciplinary boundaries, or a research approach. Political philosophy and social policy students are not required to submit focus field memos.
Students are allowed a “course-out” option instead of taking a minor field oral exam in either quantitative methodology or formal theory by taking four courses from our methods sequence with an overall grade of B+ or higher. At most, one course outside the methods sequence may count toward the course-out requirement, but those who want to use outside classes should consult with a member of the methods faculty (such as the methods field coordinator) before taking those courses for approval. Students who choose to course out will sit for the other two 30-minute exams as usual.
The department regularly offers “field seminars” introducing each of the four major fields of the discipline. However, no examination field is co-terminus with any one course, or even with any group of courses. The student is responsible for preparation in the field and should not assume that satisfactory completion of a course or courses dealing with the material in the field will constitute adequate preparation for the examination. The student should consult faculty members in each field to ensure such preparation.
Progress toward the Degree after the General Examination
Requirements relating to courses and seminars (research) papers should normally be completed before the general examination, that is, during the first two years of graduate work. In special circumstances, a student may defer fulfillment of two four-credit courses or one four-credit course and one seminar paper until after the general examination.
Within six months of passing the general examination, the student must have fulfilled one of these deferred requirements. Within 12 months, they must have completed both deferred requirements.
Following completion of the general exam, each student will engage faculty advisors through a two-stage process of research exploration and prospectus approval, marked by two meetings as follows:
- An initial “Research Exploration Meeting” must convene in the fall term of the third year to discuss an approximately 10-page statement from the student, which, as appropriate, may either present a potential research question for the dissertation or set forth alternative possible research questions for consideration and development. The student may consult the DGS to identify three or four appropriate faculty consultants, if these are not readily apparent.
- Involving the same three or four faculty, or a different set where appropriate, the second “Prospectus Evaluation Meeting” will convene to discuss and approve the student’s written dissertation prospectus. These faculty members are chosen by the student with the approval of the DGS. The evaluation meeting will preferably be held in the spring term of the third year and in no instance later than October 1 of the fourth year. Whenever this meeting is held, there may be a one-month follow-up period for final changes in the prospectus. To be in good standing, therefore, all students must have an approved prospectus by no later than November 15 of the fourth year.
Teaching
First-year and second-year students are not permitted to hold Teaching Fellow appointments.
Students may not teach or take on other employment if they are receiving a PhD dissertation completion fellowship.
Students in their third year and beyond are eligible for teaching fellowships, which enable them to participate in Harvard’s undergraduate tutorial program, teach sections in the introductory government courses, or assist undergraduates in middle-group courses by leading discussion sessions or advising senior theses.
In the third year, most graduate students are teaching (two sections) and working on the dissertation. The fourth year may be devoted entirely to writing the dissertation or to a combination of teaching and research.
Students who have passed the general examination may teach the equivalent of three standard sections time in a single term (or six sections per academic year), with the following exception: ordinarily, no graduate student may hold a teaching fellowship for more than 4 academic years regardless of whether the appointment is for 1 or 2 terms within the same year; students who have taught fewer than 16 standard sections in 4 years will be permitted to teach a fifth and sixth year up to the total of 16 standard sections.
All first-time Teaching Fellows must enroll in Gov 3002a: Teaching and Communicating Political Science. This is a required course for government PhD students who are teaching in the department for the first time (typically G3s). The course has an orientation and six required meetings in the fall term. Between meetings, students will have the chance to apply what they learn through peer observation, having their section videotaped, and watching their section with the department’s Pedagogy Fellow. The ultimate goal of this course is to help the student to become a purposeful, effective, and efficient teacher.
Gov 3002b is an optional course for Government PhD students at any point in the program. The course meets approximately six times during the semester to cover topics relating to teaching and professional development, such as effective advising, teaching statements for the job market, and syllabus design. The ultimate goal is to help students to continue to grow as teachers and scholars.
Dissertation
A student is required to demonstrate ability to perform original research in political science by writing a dissertation that makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field. The requirement may also be fulfilled in the form of a three-article dissertation by approval of the dissertation committee.
Dissertations must be approved by at least three committee members, two of whom must be faculty members of the Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The chair must be a member of the Department of Government. Any member of the committee who is not a member of the department must be approved by the dissertation chair. Dissertations must be approved for defense by the committee. The final copies of the dissertation must conform to the requirements described online in Dissertations.
Special Examination
After the dissertation has been approved, and after all other degree requirements have been met, a student will take the “special” oral examination, or defense. This examination is focused on the dissertation and on the relevant special field, which is ordinarily one of the fields that the student presented in the general examination, or an approved portion of that field.
Students who defend their dissertation later than six years after taking the general examination must retake the focus field of the general examination. Approved parental leave extends this period by one year per child, but no other reason for leave does.
Depositing Dissertation Data
Students are required to make all of the quantitative data they have compiled to reach the findings in their dissertation available to the Harvard-MIT Data Center’s Government Department Dataverse. This data must be in machine-readable form (together with accompanying explanatory materials). These data will be made available to other users five years after receipt of PhD or sooner, if the PhD recipient permits.
Advising and Mentoring
Given the diversity of fields, approaches, and interests represented in the Department of Government, the path of every graduate student through the PhD program is inevitably unique. This section is thus intended to offer a set of basic norms, signposts, and expectations to provide structure within advising relationships.
Advising and Program Milestones
G1-G2 years
All incoming graduate students are assigned two first-year advisors by the DGS. At the beginning of each semester, students and advisors are expected to meet to discuss course selection, along with any issues or questions the students are experiencing (whether about coursework, research, or career goals). Because all advising relationships are unique, students and advisors should also discuss the nature of their advising relationship (including establishing standards for the content and frequency of communication).
Each G1 will also be scheduled to meet with the DGS at the beginning of the year to discuss course selection, and address any questions the students may have, and help direct students to department and university resources consistent with their needs and interests. Students should continue to reach out to the DGS or ADGS whenever they have questions about program requirements, want help navigating Harvard or GSAS’s bureaucracy, or have any other issues or questions.
By the end of their G1 year, each student must submit to the ADGS a written Research Tools Plan outlining intentions to acquire tools and methodological expertise connected to their areas of research interest, developed after consultation with their advisors.
Much of the mentoring and professionalization in graduate school comes informally through participation in research workshops, which embed students in a scholarly community and provide opportunities to share their ongoing research and learn from their peers. From the G1 year onwards, graduate students should regularly attend (as well as present in) at least one research workshop while in residence.
Early in the spring semester of the G2 year, students in American Politics, Comparative Politics, and International Relations (the three fields in which the general exam includes an individualized focus field) should consult with a faculty member to develop a focus field syllabus. Information about general exam format and requirements will be presented at the cohort meeting at the beginning of the G2 year, and more information about how to study for generals is typically presented at a graduate student panel during the spring semester of the G2 year.
G3-G4 years
At the end of the G2 year, each student asks a faculty member to serve as their third-year advisor. The third-year advisor is responsible for guiding the student through the research exploration meeting (pre-prospectus) and the process for forming a dissertation committee. It is not necessary for the third-year advisor to become the chair of (or even serve on) the dissertation committee, although that frequently occurs.
No later than the beginning of their G3 year, students should be meeting widely with faculty members to develop a dissertation project. Dissertations vary tremendously across (and within) fields, and students should consult regularly with their third-year advisors throughout this process.
No later than the end of the fall semester of their G3 year, students are expected to hold a research exploration (pre-prospectus) meeting. In every field except for political theory, the research exploration meeting is an approximately 60-90 minute meeting in which the student, their third-year advisor, and two or three other faculty members (who the student envisions potentially being on their dissertation committee), meets to discuss the student’s pre-prospectus. In political theory, the research exploration meeting is held in the political theory workshop in the fall semester. Regardless of field, the research exploration meeting is not a formal defense, and should be thought of as akin to a collective brainstorming session.
The format of the pre-prospectus will vary based on the advisors (students should consult with their third-year advisor as they develop them), but these are often 10-page documents, which either present a potential research question for the dissertation, or set forth alternative possible research questions for consideration and development. Example pre-prospectus documents written by previous graduate students are available on the Gov Grad wiki. The G3 cohort meeting at the beginning of the G3 year will provide additional information about the research exploration meeting and prospectus process. Once the meeting concludes, there is a form that the advisors will need to sign off on; students can get a copy of the form from the ADGS, and share it with their advisors.
Following the completion of the research exploration meeting, students will begin work on their dissertation prospectus, which builds on the feedback received at the research exploration meeting. Dissertation prospectus formats vary, and students should consult with their third-year advisor throughout this process. Example prospectus documents written by previous graduate students are available on the Gov Grad wiki.
In the spring semester of the G3 year (or no later than October 1 of the G4 year), students are expected to hold a prospectus evaluation meeting. The prospectus defense may involve the same three or four faculty who participated in the research exploration meeting, or it may involve a different set where appropriate if students’ proposed dissertation committee has evolved.
Following this meeting, the faculty at the prospectus defense may request revisions, whereupon there may be a one-month follow-up period for final changes in the prospectus. To be in good academic standing, all students must have an approved prospectus, with a proposed dissertation title and name(s) of the advisor(s) submitted to the ADGS by no later than November 15 of their G4 year.
Following the successful defense of a prospectus, students no longer have a third-year advisor, and instead are advised by a dissertation committee (typically the faculty members who attended the prospectus defense). Dissertation committees must have a chair (either a tenure-track or tenured faculty member from within the department), and at least two other faculty members. Committees may also include outside faculty (e.g. from HKS, HLS, or other universities). Outside faculty may serve as committee members, or as co-chairs, but not as chair. Students should feel free to consult with the DGS or ADGS if they have questions about dissertation committee membership criteria.
Norms and Expectations
Frequency of meetings and required check-ins
Students and their primary advisor are expected to meet at least once per semester. These conversations may be initiated by either advisor or advisee and may occur either in person or via Zoom. Advisors normally give guidance on research, student professionalization opportunities (including funding opportunities, conference attendance and participation, and introducing advisees to relevant faculty outside of the department), the publication process, and preparation for the academic or nonacademic job market, as well as address any other questions advisees may have.
While students and their primary advisers are required to meet at a minimum of once per semester, most students should consult with their advisers more regularly, and students should be in regular communication with their full dissertation committee whenever questions arise.
During the fall check-in meeting, advisors and advisees are encouraged to discuss the goals students proposed for the year ahead in their digital mentoring check-in. During the spring check-in meeting, advisors and advisees are encouraged to discuss progress on these goals. Advisors will not lift advising holds for students who did not have a check-in meeting the previous semester.
In addition to the meetings listed above, students are also required complete an annual digital mentoring check-in at the beginning of each academic year. The purpose of this annual submission is for students to provide information about their goals and plans for the year ahead, and share how their advisors can best support them, as well as for the department to ensure the accuracy of its records. This information will be shared with students’ advising networks, and will be used in conjunction with the required semesterly in-person check-ins to assess student progress. Students must complete this annual digital mentoring check-in by the end of each September, and complete semesterly check-in meetings with their advisors in order to be considered in good standing.
Ten-Year Enrollment Cap
An overall policy has been established that students ordinarily will not be permitted to register beyond their tenth year. However, exceptions to this rule may be made for students who have taken medical or parental leave or for students with other special circumstances. Students who are administratively withdrawn are free to apply for re-admission, so as to re-register for the purpose of the defense and the awarding of the degree, when their dissertation is completed.