Research Tools
Every student must submit to the director of graduate studies, by the end of his or her first year, a written Research Tools Plan outlining intentions to acquire tools and methodological expertise connected to his or her 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 four-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). For those admitted prior to fall 2021, the required seminar, “Approaches to the Study of Politics” will count for one unit. For all students, the required graduate course in quantitative social science methods counts for one unit within this total. Students may count language training in various formats (e.g. semester courses; intensive summer sessions) toward fulfillment of this requirement. The Graduate Policy Committee will determine what counts for 1.0 or 0.5 units.
Research Workshops
The government department offers a series of research workshops, in each of the four fields (American Government, International Relations, Comparative Politics, Political Philosophy), Applied Statistics, and Political Economy, for graduate students to present and discuss work in progress. Every student should attend at least one research workshop, each semester, when in residence. Research workshops do not count toward the requirement to complete twelve four-credit courses.