The Master's Handbook and the PhD Handbook are a good source for general information concerning the expectation of graduate students in the Political Science Department at the University of Utah for both current and prospective graduate students.
For questions specific to the Political Science Department degrees and Programs, not answered below, the Graduate Progam Coordinator is the most knowledgeable:
MaryAnn Underwood
Office: Orson Spencer Hall, Room 252
Phone: 801.581.8608 - or - 801.581.7031
Email: maryann.underwood@poli-sci.utah.edu
Appointments can also be made through the Political Science Department Office Staff during standard office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Frequently Asked Questions for Graduate Students:
How long does it typically take to finish the Master's Program or Ph.D. Program?
How should I choose the members of my committee?
What opportunities are there for financial aid?
How much time should I expect to spend each week on homework or fulfilling course requirements?
How early should I begin preparing for my comprehensive exams?
How do I choose a topic for a thesis or dissertation?
What opportunities are there to publish with, or be mentored by, a faculty member?
Should I attend conferences?
How long does it typically take to finish the Master's Program
or The Ph.D. Program?
The department expects that master's students will complete their degree, which consists of 30 credit hours of coursework plus the completion of a master's thesis or essay, within 2 calendar years.
The department has a number of time benchmarks for doctoral students. After doctoral students complete their 39-42 credit hours of coursework, students must successful complete their comprehensive exams. Within one calendar year of taking the exams, doctoral students must defend their dissertation proposal. Students have three calendar years after completing the comprehensive exams to hold a public defense of their dissertation. Students who need to alter this timeline must seek approval of their supervisory committee.
How should I choose the members of my committee?
Committee members are there to advise students on classes and research, as well as to conduct defenses. The members of a student's committee should be chosen based on the student's fields of study and research interests. A secondary consideration, but an important one, is for students to choose those faculty members with whom they might enjoy working.
What opportunities are there for financial aid?
The department offers students the opportunity to be considered for graduate assistantships and graduate fellowships. The Graduate School also has a number of fellowships available to students. There are also outside sources for financial aid.
How much time should I expect to spend each week on homework or fulfilling course requirements?
Time spent each week fulfilling coursework requirements varies from class to class. Students should feel free to ask professors about their expectations. In general, however, graduate students should expect to do a great amount of reading and writing for their seminar classes.
How early should I begin preparing for my comprehensive exams?
The comprehensive exams are considered to be a significant event within a student's graduate career. A doctoral student is required to complete comprehensive exams in two fields. The length of time for preparation is particular to each student's abilities and study schedule. In determining a study schedule, students must keep in mind that a successful exam requires a display of knowledge of coursework as well as from an extensive bibliography of sources particular to each field. Typically, however, students take a few months to prepare for these examinations.
How do I choose a topic for a thesis or dissertation?
The topic for a master's thesis or essay or a doctoral dissertation should be developed in conjunction with the students supervisory committee. As students engage in their coursework, they might make notice of those topics that seem to interest them the most. Also, keeping current on the research published in professional journals can often lead to ideas that students might wish to develop further for their own research.
What opportunities are there to publish with, or be mentored by, a faculty member?
Students and faculty members who share common interests may choose to work together on a journal article, a book chapter, or a conference paper. Students should feel comfortable approaching a professor with an interesting research idea.
Should I attend conferences?
The department encourages students to attend academic conferences to present original research as well as to network with other scholars Students who attend conferences and present their research may be eligible to receive departmental financial support to offset the costs of the conference. The typical conferences that students attend based on their fields of study are the American Political Science Association, the American Society of Public Administrators, the International Studies Association, the Middle East Studies Association, the Midwest Political Science Association, or the Western Political Science Association.