Program overview
The program gives advanced attention to political anthropology, natural law, the common good, subsidiarity, Church–State relations, political theology, and Christian political thought. Candidates place these traditions in critical conversation with modern political theory, comparative institutional analysis, and contemporary empirical research.
Admission requirements
- A master’s degree or equivalent graduate preparation in a field relevant to the proposed research.
- Official transcripts from every postsecondary institution attended.
- A curriculum vitae documenting academic and research experience.
- A statement of purpose explaining the applicant’s doctoral aims and preparation for advanced research.
- A preliminary dissertation proposal identifying an original and viable research question.
- A substantial scholarly writing sample demonstrating advanced research and argumentation.
- Evidence of proficiency in the language of instruction and in any source language required by the proposed research.
Curriculum
- Advanced Political Theory — 3 credits
- Comparative Political Institutions — 3 credits
- Authority, Legitimacy, and Sovereignty — 3 credits
- Democracy and Constitutional Order — 3 credits
- Civil Society and Political Participation — 3 credits
- Political Anthropology and Natural Law — 3 credits
- Subsidiarity, Solidarity, and the Common Good — 3 credits
- Religion, Politics, and Church–State Relations — 3 credits
- Political Theology and Christian Political Thought — 3 credits
- Doctoral Seminar in Political Science — 3 credits
- Advanced Research Methodology — 3 credits
- Doctoral Research Colloquium — 3 credits
- Dissertation Proposal — 6 credits
- Doctoral Dissertation — 18 credits
Learning outcomes
- Critically evaluate advanced theories of political authority, institutions, and behavior.
- Design comparative, historical, interpretive, or normative political research with defensible methods.
- Analyze democracy, constitutionalism, civil society, and sovereignty across political contexts.
- Interpret natural law, political anthropology, subsidiarity, and the common good within Christian political thought.
- Examine religion, political theology, and Church–State relations using conceptually distinct political and theological analyses.
- Produce original scholarship that distinguishes domestic political institutions from questions proper to international relations.
- Complete and orally defend a dissertation that contributes to political-science scholarship.
Assessment
- Assessment includes doctoral seminar papers, comparative research designs, institutional datasets or source corpora, theoretical examinations, conference presentations, and a comprehensive examination. Advancement requires an approved proposal; an appointed committee evaluates the original dissertation and oral defense.
Completion requirements
- Earn all 60 required credits.
- Pass the comprehensive examination and remain in satisfactory academic standing.
- Obtain approval of the dissertation proposal.
- Complete and successfully defend an original doctoral dissertation.
- Resolve all academic-record and graduation requirements before conferral.