About our Graduate Programs

The Graduate Program in Political Science at Kent State University offers substantive course work in multiple areas of concentration, rigorous methodological training, and the mentorship of faculty who are well-established in their fields. The PhD affords students the ability to focus in multiple tracks: American Politics and Policy, Transnational and Comparative Politics, and Conflict Analysis and Management. Students receive advanced methodological training, particularly with respect to quantitative skills. Students learn from faculty members who publish in top Political Science and Public Policy journals.  

MA candidates focus in one area of concentration, similarly establish skills in quantitative and qualitative methods, and have the opportunity to gain applied skills through an internship. Our graduate students study with experts in their fields of interest, and often work collaboratively with faculty on cutting-edge research. With a faculty broadly focused on the dynamics surrounding representation, equity, conflict, human rights, development, and conflict resolution, students are able to pursue these questions in an interdisciplinary and theoretically sophisticated way, preparing them for their own career success.

Our graduate students have a record of research productivity, presenting papers at national conferences and publishing in peer-review journals. We boast an excellent placement rate, largely due to the combined strengths of our program.

  • Our faculty have robust and dynamic research agendas.
  • Our classrooms benefit from a low student-to-faculty ratio, allowing for individual attention and mentoring.
  • Our coursework includes rigorous and advanced study of qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
  • Students receive extensive and consistent mentoring and often have opportunities to collaborate on research with faculty.
  • Our course on teaching political science prepares students for success in the classroom.
  • Advanced PhD candidates have opportunities to teach their own courses.

Kent State University offers an environment rich in innovation and discovery. Our graduate program thrives on the opportunities created by the broader university community and our own dedicated faculty. For more information, explore the links below or contact our graduate coordinator.

Learn more about our PhD

Learn more about our MA

Learn more about our MPA