102 芝加哥大学政治学系

102 芝加哥大学政治学系
FAQs
Q: How competitive is admission and what are the admission criteria?
Historically, the size of the entering class has ranged between 15-20 students per year. In our admissions process, the department considers the entire application: the letters of recommendation, academic background, GRE scores, writing sample, any work experience, and the fit of the candidate with the strengths of the program.
The average GRE scores for those admitted last year were 638 Verbal, 698 Quantitative, and 4.85 Analytic. Applicants must also submit a writing sample, perhaps a seminar paper, senior thesis or M.A. thesis.
Our students also generally have an undergraduate G.P.A. of 3.6 (on a 4.0-point scale) and above.
Q: How much does it cost to apply?
The fee for 2011-2012 is $65.00. Please note: The Division will waive the application fee for any application that is submitted by November 15, 2010. Only the online application must be submitted by then; the Admissions Office will accept supplemental materials until the posted deadline.
Q: What is the deadline for applying to the program?
December 10, 2010.
Q: Is an interview required?
No. However, if you are in Chicago (or plan to be) and wish to visit the department, please contact Kathy Anderson to arrange an appointment. You may also contact pertinent faculty members directly.
Q: How long should my personal statement be?
We recommend limiting your essay to around 1000-2500 words (the maximum is 5000 words), which should be enough to explain your motivations and interests in the program. Your personal statement should highlight your academic and research interests.
Q: How are financial aid decisions made? Are international students eligible for financial aid?
All graduate student aid is merit-based and international students are eligible. The department makes financial aid and admission decisions at the same time.
Mailing Address:
Pick Hall, 406
5828 S. University Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637
Contact: Kathy Anderson
Phone: (773) 702-3042
Fax: (773) 702-1689
E-Mail: kanders@uchicago.edu

Program Requirements
To qualify for writing a doctoral dissertation, students must demonstrate breadth and depth in the discipline by meeting the following requirements. For purposes of course distribution and comprehensive exams, the department offers courses and exams in five fields. At present, they are:
I. Theory
II. U.S. Politics
III. Comparative Politics
IV. International Relations
V. Methodology
Course Work
Students are required to complete three courses in three fields to meet the course distribution requirement. Faculty will designate under which field their courses will count. Students must complete the course distribution requirements by the end of the third year. However, in the first year, students must complete a total of eight courses for quality grades, with at least five of the grades earned in the Autumn and Winter Quarters. PLSC 30500, Introduction to Data Analysis is required of all first year students. In the second year, students must complete at least four courses for quality grades, with at least two of those grades earned in the Autumn and/or Winter Quarters. Overall, students must complete at least twelve courses for quality grades in the first two years. Ten courses must be courses taught by Department faculty, which includes visiting and associate members. Reading, workshop and thesis supervision courses do not count toward the twelve courses required above. In addition, a proposal seminar (normally offered in the Winter Quarter) for third year students is highly recommended.

Grading: Quality grades in the Department of Political Science are on an A, B, C scale with both +'s and -'s allowed. When considering whether students should be "passed on" to subsequent stages of the program, the faculty normally expects a student to have at least half A or A- grades. However, our evaluation is not mechanical and involves a consideration of all aspects of a student's performance, especially research potential as shown in written papers. We are also aware that different grading scales are used elsewhere in the University; we consider those differences in our deliberations.
First Year Seminar Paper
During the first year, students must write a research paper of 25-30 pages as part of the normal writing requirement for a class. The paper should be written in the form of an article and approved no later than two weeks following the end of Spring Quarter.
The M.A. Degree
Students will receive the M.A. degree after at least one year of residence and when the M.A. paper has been approved. Students need to apply for convocation by the first day of the quarter in which they wish to receive the degree.
Comprehensive Examinations
Students are required to pass comprehensive examinations in two fields. The exams may be taken at any point but the final deadline by which the exams must be taken is the ninth quarter (normally Spring Quarter of the third year). At the end of the second year, students will be asked to declare in which fields they will take exams. Each field will offer at least one core, introductory course no less than every other year and/or provide a current reading list that informs students as to the materials they should master to be considered "certified" in that area.
The Dissertation
The student should consult three members of the faculty who will constitute the dissertation committee. They must all be members of the University faculty and two, including the first reader, must be members of the Department.
Dissertation Proposal. The student should develop a dissertation proposal of no more than 3500 words that outlines the research question, significance, argument, hypotheses, and methodology of the dissertation.
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Selected Recent Dissertations
Booke, Paula - Politics of the Apocalypse: The Effect of Premillennial Eschatology on American Political Behavior
Bulutgil, Zeynep - Territorial Conflict and Ethnic Cleansing
Callen, Zachary - The Seams of the State: Infrastructure and Intergovernmental Relations in American State Building
Chen, Chia-Ming - Transnational Moral Conflicts and Ethical Peoplehood
Has, Yusuf - Politics of Responsibility: From Aristotle to Heidegger and Beyond
Jin-Ha Kim - Caging the Reasons of State: Discipline and Constitutionalism in the Bureaucratic Pursuit of National Development-Chosun, South and North Korean Cases
Lindsay, Keisha - (Re)Reading Intersectionality and Identity in the Discourse on Marginalized Black Men
Mirilovic, Nikola - Regime Type, Security and the Politics of Migration
Nishi, Takayuki - Threat, Military Culture, and Strategy
Smith, Frank - A Casualty of Kinetic Warfare? Military Neglect and the Rise of Civilian Biodefense
Szwarcberg, Mariela - Making Local Democracy: Political Machines, Clientelism, and Social Networks in Argentina
Tam, Waikeung - Legal Mobilization under Authoritarianism: A Historical-Institutionalist Study of Post-Colonial Hong Kong