Doctoral students admitted to the program must complete a minimum of 72 semester graduate credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree, exclusive of credit for a master's thesis. These credit hours include 24 credit hours of Doctoral Research and Dissertation and a minimum of 48 graduate credit hours in other courses graded A-F. Students also must pass a written comprehensive examination in one broad field of political science (American government and politics; public administration; comparative government and politics; or international relations), must complete one cross-field concentration (in methodology, public policy, or political economy), and must pass a final oral examination on the dissertation.

Students undertaking a major field or dissertation in Comparative Politics are required to demonstrate a proficiency in a foreign language. However, this requirement may be waived by the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with the Comparative politics faculty.