Social Sciences Fact Sheet (PDF)

Political Science

An international leader in the discipline, Binghamton University's Department of Political Science is ranked in the top 20 by the 2010 NRC Study, and 19th in the world by the Hix study, with faculty who publish widely and are leaders in their fields. The graduate program offers the MA and PhD, and has an outstanding record of PhD placement at research universities.

The program emphasizes a broadly-based theoretical understanding of political behavior and institutions, coupled with the ability to carry out systematic empirical analysis. PhD students choose a primary and secondary substantive focus on American politics, comparative politics or world politics; MA students need only develop a specialization in one substantive area.

The primary goal at the PhD level is to educate scholars who will contribute to the development of political science through careers in teaching and research. The MA can be taken in either of two tracks, one requiring the completion of a thesis, the other a comprehensive exam. Either track provides graduates with advanced training suitable for policy analysis, journalism or other professional careers. Our graduates leave Binghamton University prepared for employment in academia, research institutes, government or private industry.

Graduate Degrees Offered

• MA in Political Science
• PhD in Political Science

Application Deadlines

Admission Requirements*

The standards maintained by The Graduate School and individual departments and programs are applied to ensure that applicants admitted to the University are well qualified and trained to study at this institution and have a reasonable expectation of successfully completing a graduate program, and who, with the benefit of graduate education, are most likely to contribute substantially to their academic or professional fields.

To be eligible, you must have and provide:

• A bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university
• Complete set of your undergraduate and graduate transcripts. At minimum, a 3.0 GPA is required. See details.

All applicants must submit the following:

• Online graduate degree application and application fee
• Transcripts from each college/university you have attended
• Three letters of recommendation
• Personal statement (2-3 pages) describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee.
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
• Official GRE scores

And, for international applicants:

• International Student Financial Statement form (PDF)
• Official bank statement/proof of support
• Official TOEFL or IELTS scores

*This information is subject to change. While we make every effort to keep it accurate and up-to-date, we recommend you contact the department for any program-specific requirements.