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The Department of Politics offers both Ph.D. and terminal M.A. degrees with concentrations in American Politics, Political Theory, Comparative Politics, and International Relations.

We equip graduate students with a critical understanding of the practical and theoretical dimensions of national and international political processes and institutions, and provide an array of analytical and methodological skills. Programs prepare students for careers in teaching and research, as well as for the public and private sector.

Our faculty members share a commitment to exploring vital political questions. We assess contemporary developments with careful attention to the ideas, institutions, and history that animate politics in the United States and the world. We have strengths in all major areas of political science and a corresponding commitment to training students to match the appropriate methodology to the question at hand.

Beyond the traditional subfields, our distinguished faculty have a number of strengths that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries, including democratic theory, political development, political institutions, and international security. We give students the opportunity to explore themes broadly, even as they undertake a rigorous regimen within the conventional subfields of political science.

The Department of Politics participates actively in the College’s Quantitative Collaborative, an interdisciplinary initiative designed to bring together scholars with interests in quantitative methods and research from across the social sciences. Other partnerships include the Center for Politics, Miller Center, National Security Policy Center, Program on Constitutionalism and Democracy, and the UVA Food Collaborative. If you have questions, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Professor Justin Kirkland.