Doctoral students are expected to develop a firm knowledge of the first principles of American constitutionalism and to understand the fate of those principles in American political development and contemporary American politics.

Since the first principles of American constitutionalism and subsequent developments in the American political tradition have been informed by the great works of Western political thought, students ought also to understand the critical elements of Western political thought, both classical and modern.

Requirements Summary

72

Overall Credit Hours

18

Hours minimum in each of the two tracks:

Political Philosophy and American Politics and Political Thought

5

Core courses in Political Philosophy

POL 601-605

5

Core courses in American Politics and Political Thought

POL 621-625

1

Core course in the Study of Statesmanship

POL 810

3

Hours of Doctoral Humanities Seminar

POL 801-803

2

Reading competence in two foreign languages

One classical (Latin or ancient Greek) and one modern (normally French, German, Italian, or Spanish)

Doctoral Qualification Evaluation

Written and oral exams are one part of a broader assessment by the Graduate Committee

Doctoral Workshop

POL 855-856, both normally taken the fourth year

Doctoral Comprehensive Examination

Written and oral exams, based upon a set of core texts

Doctoral Dissertation

Successful completion, defense, and public presentation of a substantial dissertation

8

All requirements must be completed within an eight-year time limit

Note: Doctoral students earn the M.A. degree after successfully passing their qualifying evaluation and after completing at least 36 credit hours.

Current Ph.D. Students

Gordon Dakota Arnold

Ph.D. Candidate

Colin Brown

Ph.D. Candidate

Jacob Bruns

Ph.D. Candidate

Nicholas Callaghan

Ph.D. Candidate

Dennis Clark

Ph.D. Candidate

Paul Clewell

Ph.D. Candidate

Chance Cook

Ph.D. Student

Ben R. Crenshaw

Ph.D. Candidate

Vincent D'Angelo

Ph.D. Student

Juan E. Dávalos

Ph.D. Candidate

Brett Farruggia

Ph.D. Student

Carlyle Foja

Ph.D. Student

Christopher Goffos

Ph.D. Candidate

Stephen Goniprow

Ph.D. Candidate

Jessica Higa

Ph.D. Candidate

Adam Kear

Ph.D. Student

Samuel Lair

Ph.D. Candidate

Josiah Lippincott

Ph.D. Candidate

Ezekiel Loseke

Ph.D. Student

Theodore Madrid

Ph.D. Student

Griffin McHaffie

Ph.D. Candidate

Cydney McKeel

Ph.D. Student

John Moriarty

Ph.D. Student

Jacob Nelson

Ph.D. Candidate

Tim Polelle

Ph.D. Student

Jeannette Richard

Ph.D. Candidate

Bryan Richardson

Ph.D. Candidate

Dominick Sansone

Ph.D. Student

Luke Sherman

Ph.D. Student

Joshua Waechter

Ph.D. Student

Brett Waite

Ph.D. Candidate

Christian Warner

Ph.D. Student