deutsch1997bw

MSU is good for African politics. Check out Bratton, Conroy-Krutz, and Logan.

Undergraduate Institution: well-known, respected liberal arts university. Major: Political Science Major GPA: Approximately 3.97 Cumulative GPA: Approximately 3.865 GRE: I have not taken the GRE yet, though I have been studying. I feel confident about scoring in the 160+ area on both the quantitative and verbal portions. Letters of Recommendation: One from a professor that I am quite close with, one from a professor that was the instructor for my methodology courses, and one from a professor that I have a good relationship with. Each professor is well-known in his/her respective sub-fields, and two have connections to top scholars in the field. Research Experience: I am well-versed in R and Latex. I have formal training in quantitative methodology, and have particular experience with regression analysis, spatial modeling, and factor analysis. I may (that is a strong may) have a publication in a top undergraduate journal. I will be submitting my writing sample for publication in the fall. Teaching Experience: N/A Research Interests: Comparative politics and international relations. I am primarily interested in post-Soviet politics. Additional Skills: I have studied abroad in Germany and, as such, am proficient in German. My top choices are Chicago, UNC-Chapel Hill, UW-Madison, and UT-Austin. Do I have a chance at any of these programs? Thanks!

A respected textbook.

I am applying to PhD programs this fall with primary interests in comparative Russian/European politics. While I am fairly proficient in German, I know zero Russian. If I study a little Russian on my own time between now and when I submit my applications, would it be appropriate to say that I have begun to teach myself Russian? Or, would it be better to not note that at all, as the learning wouldn't take place in a formal context?

Certainly. I am planning on applying to all four of those universities (SMYC).

Yes, I know who you are referring to. And his interests are closely related to mine.

Chicago, according to USNWR, is ranked #13 for CP. I am applying there for comparative, as it is one of my top choices. While I can't comment on relations with the econ department, I do know that the department has a couple of faculty big on game theory.

Wisconsin is one of my top choices. The only reason I am really considering IU is because both Hellwig and Smyth are professor there, and I have similar research interests. However, Gehlbach and Herrera at Wisconsin are both excellent, as well.

Interesting. They have one professor that studies Russian politics, which is what I am interested in. I am also attracted to their area studies centers.

care to expand upon that?

I have a question about a specific university. How good is IU-Bloomington for those that want to study comparative politics, in terms of placement, funding for field research, etc.

Please, I implore you to not use PSR us a resource for narrowing down research interests and programs.

Are there any programs that guarantee summer funding, i.e., funding for 12 months?

I would try to make sure that in your SOPs you mention three professors that you want to work with, and make sure that two of them are tenured. I have been advised to do this by my current professors.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. So long as you can articulate one or two research puzzles and demonstrate that you are familiar with some of the current literature, you will probably be fine.

Thanks for starting this thread! I am currently writing my SOPs, that way I can have my professor/adviser review them in August. I am still studying for the GRE. If the results of the practice tests I have taken are correct, then I think I should do pretty will on them. As to narrowing down one's research interests, I think that it is important to not only read journal articles, but (recent) books. Recent books, because there is always an in-depth literature review, helped me to narrow down my interests in a way that journal articles couldn't. My area is comparative politics with a focus on the post-Soviet world. I am particularly interested in mass and elite political behavior. Here are links to articles that have helped me in crafting my SOP. The first, written by a political scientist at the University of Chicago, contains some helpful information. The second, from UC Berkeley, is an example of an SOP, though for their history PhD program. However, I think the overall structure is just as applicable in political science. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57d2eeebbe65947fb325749e/t/57db3d47f7e0abec4167cf9e/1473985869102/5+Rules+for+Statement+of+Purpose.pdf http://ls.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/statement_of_purpose.pdf

In my case, I will be submitting a polished qualitative research paper as a writing sample. I am not concerned about not submitting a quantitative piece, as my application demonstrates in other places (SOP, LOR, CV, etc.) that I have significant quantitative training. My point is that you don't need to submit a quantitative piece. Try to highlight your quantitative skills (if you have any) in other parts of your application.

1. If you have a paper from a class that is somewhat decent, but not quite there yet, ask the professor that taught the class if he or she would be willing to give you comments on how to improve it for you writing sample. 2. I really echo this poster's comments with respect to the GRE. I scored above 30 on the reading portion of the ACT, as well. When I took a practice diagnostic test, I received a low verbal score. However, after studying I am in the 160 range and have until the end of August to keep studying. I hope to get a 167+ on this section. It is a test that you can learn to take and, importantly, do well on. 3. Do you have any quantitative training? Programming skills? 4. Don't worry about your major (Gender Studies and Sociology). You're fine. 5. Don't worry about not taking psychology classes in undergrad. 6. Insofar as specific programs go, check out Ohio State and the University of Minnesota. Both are strong in political psychology.

I am currently writing my SOPs for the fall application season, and am very interested in UC--San Diego's PhD program. According to their webpage for prospective applicants, applicants must provide "Official evidence that a baccalaureate degree has been received from an accredited institution or the equivalent, with training comparable to that provided by the University of California." What does the "training comparable to that provided by the University of California" mean? I attend a respected liberal arts university, and I have a strong profile. I am just not sure what this means.

Check out Indiana University--Bloomington's political science PhD program. They have one professor, William Scheuerman, who does work on German political thought, and has actually published on fascism, the decline of liberal democracy, and similar topics.

Since 2012, they have placed students in TT positions at the University of Oregon, James Madison University, and the University of Toronto, among others. I would be very happy at any of those institutions. I am a big fan of Henry Hale's work on elite political behavior (i.e., patronal politics) in Eurasia, and would be happy to work with him. I think the one of the things that makes GWU's program #40 is that they have a lot of adjuncts.

Thanks. I am strongly considering IU-Bloomington because they are well-known for area studies. I've thought about attending George Washington's program, but they are ranked #40, and I am look for top 10-30 programs.

What are the best places to study post-Soviet (specifically Russian) politics?