Political Science department, University of California, Berkeley

The Department of Political Science is, perhaps, the lengthened shadow of one man, Bernard Moses. Appointed professor of history and political economy in 1875, he became head of the Department of History and Political Science, established in 1883, playing a vital role in the development of the social sciences and in bringing about the creation of a separate Department of Political Science in 1903. The graduate curriculum saw constant development since the first offering in 1904, leading to M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in political science. In 1933, an M.A. degree in international relations was offered (terminated in 1965) and in 1962-63, an M.A. degree in public administration was authorized. The Political Science department at Berkeley admits students only for the Ph.D. degree. The Ph.D. program has two major phases: coursework and examinations, and dissertation research and writing. The two phases typically take approximately six to seven years (three years to candidacy and three to four for dissertation research and writing). The Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science is consistently considered one of the top programs in the country. Our PhD students live and study in a supportive and intellectually stimulating environment here at UC Berkeley and in the San Francisco Bay Area. UC Berkeley