best place for institutions, methods and formal theory combination?

[lordvader]

and the most important question, Why?

[alphazeta]

American institutions? Comparative institutions? International institutions?

[lordvader]

Comparative Institution, however if you study Congress you have to read Mayhew and Fenno, then American Institution is important too.

[Penelope Higgins]

For methods/formal training that focuses on institutions, you can't do better than the GSB at Stanford or Caltech. Look at the faculty lists and the placement records of these places to see why. The downside is the fairly narrow version of political science you'll get there, but if you're sure this is the kind of work you want to do, I'd put those two places at the top of your list.

[lordvader]

Caltech?, are you sure? Why I dont see Caltech in the US News ranking?

[RWBG]

Caltech has a broader social sciences department instead of a political science department. Seriously though, look at the faculty and placement and I don't think you'll be so skeptical.

[Charlie2010]

Rochester, WashU, and Stanford GSB are the three best known "boutique" departments specializing in mathematical approaches to political science. NYU is also up-and-coming in this niche. It's not clear to me if Caltech will be as influential in political science down the road as it has been in the past. Their recent placements have been more in economics: http://www.hss.caltech.edu/ss/phds/alumni#2012

Any other top-ten department can also put together a strong methods+formal program for you, although you'll have to read more books along the way and learn how to interact with people who don't think math can usefully be applied to the study of politics.