Graduate Student Resource Page

Welcome to the Graduate Student Resource page. This page is designed to assist current graduate students by providing easy access to important documents and information.

Academic Code & Academic Integrity

• Graduate Studies Manual
• Graduate School Academic Code
• Graduate School Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure

Bulletin of Information (Current)

• 2025-2026 Graduate Bulletin of Information

Program Guides & Checklists

• Summary of PhD Curriculum
• PhD Curriculum by Program Year
• Proposal Defense Checklist
• Dissertation Defense Checklist

Methods Coursework and Paper Requirements

• Methods Coursework and Paper Requirements
• Methods Paper: Topic Approval Form
• Methods Paper: Conference Acceptance Form
• Methods Paper: Defense Form

Field Expectations for Annual Reviews

• American Politics
• Comparative Politics
• Constitutional Studies
• International Relations
• Political Theory

Comprehensive Exam Information

2026-2027 Comprehensive Exam Dates 

• Saturday, September 26, 2026
• Saturday, January 16, 2027
• Saturday, May 22, 2027

Comprehensive Exam Guidelines and Reading Lists

• General Guidelines 
• American Politics
• Comparative Politics
• Constitutional Studies
• International Relations
• Political Theory

Past Comprehensive Exam Questions

• American Politics - Jan 2025, Sept 2023, and Earlier Exams
• Comparative Politics- May 2026, Jan 2026, Sept 2025, Sept 2024, Sept 2023, and Earlier Exams
• Constitutional Studies- Sept 2024, May 2024, Sept 2023 and Earlier Exams
• International Relations- Jan 2025, May 2024, Sept 2023 and Earlier Exams
• Political Theory-May 2026,  Jan 2026, Sept 2025, Sept 2023 and Earlier Exams

Forms

• Advising Agreement Form
  • Students are required to choose an advisor by March of their second year.
  • Students are free to change advisors at any time.
• Grant Submission Form
  • A major grant proposal may be submitted in place of one of the two journal submissions to satisfy the publication requirement.
  • A major grant is defined as a proposal to an external sources for a grant that would provide funding for at least a full academic year stipend (e.g., fellowship) or a comparable level of support or funding.
• Publication Submission Form
  • Students are required to prepare two papers suitable for publication in scholarly journals.
  • One of the required submissions must be completed prior to their proposal defense and one prior to their dissertation defense. 
  • A major grant proposal may be submitted in place of these two papers to satisfy the requirement.

Travel & Expense Reporting

• 2026-2027 Political Science Department Conference Funding Policy
• Expense Report Guide for Graduate Students
• Student Business Travel Certification Form