Doctor of Philosophy in Government and Politics - Comparative Politics

The field of Comparative Politics at the University of Maryland is diverse, with particular strengths in the comparative study of conflict, institutions, environmental politics, and political economy. Our faculty have published their research in the most prestigious outlets of the discipline, receiving numerous awards for their analyses of politics in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Graduate courses include: Seminar in Comparative Politics, Comparative Political Institutions, Democracy and Democratization, Ethnic Politics, Conflict and World Politics.

The Department of Government and Politics recruits highly qualified students, and admits only a limited number of the strongest applicants for our PhD program. The Admissions Committee rarely grants provisional or conditional admission to the graduate program. Admission is granted only for the Fall semester. A completed application must include the following items: Personal statement (indicating reasons for pursuing graduate study at the University of Maryland) Academic transcripts from previous institutions (both undergraduate and graduate). The admissions committee considers all aspects of each applicant’s file so there aren’t strict cut-offs. The most competitive applicants tend to have undergraduate GPAs above 3.5. The most competitive students who have obtained a Master’s Degree tend to have GPA’s in their Master’s program close to 4.0.