2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 1

Table of Contents
Table of Contents 1

Introduction 3
Purpose of Student Handbook 3
About the Department 3
Department Workshops 3
Department Contacts 4
Department Faculty 5
Faculty On Leave 5

Advising & Other Resources 6

The Student Advisor 6
The Faculty Advisor 6
MA Advising 6
PhD Advising 6
Departmental Policies of Note 7
Registration 7
Transfer of Credits 7
Waiver of Program Requirements 7
Academic Grievances 7
The Union of Political Science Students (UPSS) 7
Departmental Communication 8
Department Research Assistantships (RA) 8
Other Resources 8
University Learning Center (ULC) 8

Master’s in Politics (MA) 10

Orientation 10
General Requirements 10
Description of Required Coursework 10
First Year Politics Seminar (GPOL 5100) 10
Methods Course 10
The MA Paper 11
MA Degree Checklist 11
Sample MA Pathway 12
Visual MA Timeline 13
Internal PhD Admissions 13
Eligibility 13
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 2

Application Deadline 13
Application Materials 13
Other Information 14
Competitiveness 14
Evaluation 14

The PhD in Politics 15

Faculty Advisors 15
General Requirements 15
PhD Coursework 15
Recommended Course 15
First Year Politics Seminar (GPOL 5100) 15
Required Coursework 16
PhD Field Seminars 16
Methods Requirement 16
PhD Seminar 17
Major & Minor Field Exams 17
Exam Evaluation 17
Dissertation 18
Dissertation Proposal 18
Proposal Defense 19
The Language Requirement 19
Dissertation Committee 19
PhD Candidacy 20
Writing and Completing the Dissertation 20
Dissertation Defense 21
Final Submission & Dissertation Reader 21
Research with Human Subjects 21
Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (IUDC) 21
PhD in Politics with a Specialized Minor in Historical Studies 22
PhD Degree Checklist 22
Visual PhD Timeline 24
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 3

Introduction
Purpose of Student Handbook
This Student Handbook is a general reference to graduate study in the Politics program. It
includes information on academic programs, program requirements and other matters related to
your academic progress. It is designed to help you navigate many of the curricular aspects of
your graduate study in this department and the NSSR. This Handbook supplements the NSSR
Catalog, which is the official source of information about the rules, regulations, and
requirements of the University, and the NSSR.

The information published here represents the plans of the NSSR as of (August 9, 2021). The
division reserves the right to change any matter contained in this publication, including but not
limited to policies, degree programs, names of programs, course offerings, academic activities,
academic requirements, faculty and administrators. Students are required to follow the
requirements of their catalog year.

For further assistance, refer to the designated departmental contacts below.

About the Department

The Politics Department has a diverse research-oriented faculty, covering all the subfields of
political science. We focus on critical, historical, and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of
politics that are both academically grounded and speak to contemporary issues of pressing
political importance. The department also participates in a variety of interdisciplinary programs
around the university, which we encourage students to take advantage of.

The Department of Politics curriculum represents four major fields of study: political theory,
American politics, comparative politics, and global politics. Students can also pursue a joint
Politics-History PhD. Faculty and students pursue projects across fields, in courses that reflect
the main areas of research in contemporary and historical context, including:
● Democracies in theory and practice
● History of political thought
● Political economy and capitalism
● Mobility and migration
● Environmental politics
● Laws, rights, and constitutions

Department Workshops
In addition to courses, our department is organized around a series of workshops. The
workshops are either led by politics faculty or politics faculty play a key role in them. The
workshops are generally presentations of work in progress by faculty, graduate students, and/or
outside speakers, and involve discussions of that work among all present. Though the formats
vary, they share a general commitment as spaces for discussion, thought, critique, engagement,
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 4

and thinking among students and colleagues. The workshops are at the core of intellectual and
social life in the department and the university, and are as important as classes.

For students, the workshops help to move the dissertation writing process forward, and create
opportunities for intellectual and professional interaction with faculty and outside speakers. They
also provide a space for creating close ties with other graduate students, both those at a similar
stage and more advanced students who can play a mentoring role. Finally, these workshops
have a social dimension to them, which are important in the context of the often isolating aspect
of dissertation writing.

We expect all graduate students to attend at least one of these as regular participants.
Most events are announced regularly via email and fliers are up in the department; but you
should proactively reach out to faculty involved.

A list of the 2021-2022 workshops is available here.

Department Contacts
Chair Senior Secretary

Mark Frazier Silvina Palacio

frazierm@newschool.edu NSSRPolitics@newschool.edu
212-229-5747 ext. 3126 g-chat : @palacios
Albert & Vera List Academic Center (Bldg. D) Albert & Vera List Academic Center (Bldg. D)
6 East 16th Street, Room 715 6 East 16th Street, Room 711A

Director of Graduate Studies Student Advisor

Deva Woodly Dion Nania

woodlyd@newschool.edu
212-229-5747 ext. 3126
Albert & Vera List Academic Center (Bldg. D)
6 East 16th Street, Room 718
PolSciAdv@newschool.edu
212-229-5747 ext. 3086
Albert & Vera List Academic Center (Bldg. D)
6 East 16th Street, Room 733
Office Hours Available Here

Mailing Address

Department of Politics
79 Fifth Avenue, Room 711A
New York, NY 10003
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 5

Department Faculty

Faculty On Leave
All Year Fall Only Spring Only

Andrea Kalyvas Nancy Fraser

James Miller
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 6

Advising & Other Resources

The Student Advisor
The Student Advisor (SA) is an advanced graduate student who assists students during
orientation, registration and graduation. The Student Advisor counsels students about course
selection and planning for the completion of MA and PhD requirements. The advisor may also
inform students about PhD field exams, MA paper and dissertation requirements, transfer of
credits, and various academic petitions. For more questions email polsciadv@newschool.edu.

The Faculty Advisor

The Faculty Advisor helps students in making course selections and other academic decisions,
and should be consulted routinely. All new students are strongly encouraged to meet with their
faculty advisor when they start the program and they must meet with their faculty advisors
before registering in the spring semester of their first year.

At orientation, the SA asks students to list three ranked advisor preferences. After collecting this
information, the SA assigns faculty advisors along with the Director of Graduate Studies, taking
into consideration the number of advisees that each faculty has at the moment and also
considering faculty on leave. A student is free to change his or her faculty advisor at any time
she/he thinks fit. Both MA and PhD students can request to change their advisor after their first
semester in the program, with the approval of their new faculty advisor faculty approval and by
communicating this to the Student Advisor by email.

Students experiencing problems or difficulties with their academic progress, or the New School
Administration, are invited to discuss them with the Student Advisor or their Faculty Advisor.

MA Advising
The main purpose of MA advising is course selection, degree progress, planning for PhD
applications (in the third semester), and MA final paper (in the fourth semester). MAs are asked
to confirm their MA final paper advisor in their third semester or early in the fourth.

PhD Advising
The main purpose of PhD advising is course selection (particularly in the first year), major/minor
selection and plans for required seminars and exams (in the first-second years), and proposal
planning (in the third year). Students should notify the SA who their dissertation chair will be at
the end of their second year (before they take the PhD seminar in their third year).
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 7

Departmental Policies of Note

Registration
Course registration is conducted online through the MyNewSchool portal. Before each
registration period, the student advisor sends an email containing general instructions and
relevant CRN codes as well as important deadlines for add/drop periods, refunds, etc. Please
read this email carefully!

All students should consult with the student advisor about course availability and selection. New
students should make an appointment to see the student advisor during registration. Continuing
students may conduct the registration advising process through email if they so wish. (Because
this process involves private information and data, the University requires that registration email
communication only be conducted through New School email addresses.)

Transfer of Credits
See the NSSR Academic Affairs website .

Waiver of Program Requirements

In some cases, equivalent courses can substitute for program requirements. Inquiries about
course substitutions should be made to the Director of Graduate Studies. Course substitutes are
not automatic. The student should provide a transcript carrying the grade for the course, an
official course description from the appropriate catalog, and a copy of the syllabus for the
course.

Academic Grievances
Procedures for academic grievances are provided in the NSSR catalog. Grievances concerning
departmental matters should be addressed to the Chair or the Assistant Dean of Academic
Affairs.

The Union of Political Science Students (UPSS)

The Politics Department's student association is called the Union of Political Science Students
(UPSS). Every Politics student is a member of the UPSS. Active student participation is key to
improving resources, funding, and educational access in the department.

UPSS officers are selected by lot from the entire Politics Department student body. The lots are
drawn once per semester. We use a lots system to encourage a democratic culture within the
student body and to spread departmental responsibilities equitably across both categories of
students in our department (MA and PhD).
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 8

The UPSS has eight officer positions: two co-presidents, one treasurer, two faculty
representatives, two Graduate Faculty Student Senate (GFSS) representatives, and one Dean’s
Advisory Council (DAC) representative.

The UPSS plays an active role in the Politics Department. Its activities include: organizing
conferences, co-moderating departmental town-hall meetings, participating in faculty hiring
decisions, making recommendations on curricular changes, making recommendations on the
department speaker series, and co-organizing departmental end of semester parties.

The UPSS holds general meetings once a month. All students in the department are invited by
email to attend these meetings.

You can reach the UPSS via email at: UPSS@newschool.edu.

Departmental Communication
As a Politics student, you will be assigned a New School email address and a mailbox with your
name in the space provided for it in the Politics department. Students should use their New
School email address for all correspondence with the department.

Announcements and other relevant information will be communicated by email. Listing of

lectures, conferences as well as funding opportunities such as research jobs, teaching positions
and fellowships, are continually shared in the department’s newsletters. Students are
encouraged to check their New School emails often for these communications.

Department Research Assistantships (RA)

Each year the Department hires a few Research Assistants (RAs) to work in close collaboration
with one or several faculty members. Research Assistantships consist of a stipend for up to 10
hours per week. Any student may apply, though preference is given to advanced students.
Interested students should also speak directly to the faculty member with whom they would like
to work.

Applications for RAs are usually due in March. Check the Department Newsletter and bulletins
from NSSR Academic Affairs for more information. Applications must be submitted via The New
School job application portal.

Other Resources

University Learning Center (ULC)

Should you find yourself struggling with writing, please visit the ULC located at:

66 W 12th St, 6th floor

New York, NY 10011
Learningcenter@newschool.edu
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 9

212 229 5121

Hours: Mon – Fri, 10 AM to 7 PM

Graduate students book their own 40-min appointments at: www.newschool.edu/writingcenter

Graduate writing tutors are specified by "GRAD" on the schedule.

 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 10

Master’s in Politics (MA)

Orientation
During Orientation, all incoming MA students will be assigned a faculty advisor. All MA students
must meet with their faculty advisor early in their first semester. They must also meet with their
faculty advisor before registering for the spring semester of their first year.

General Requirements
To earn an MA in Politics at the New School for Social Research, students are required to:
1. Complete 10 total courses (30 credits)*, including:
a. The First Year Politics Seminar
b. One Methods course
c. A minimum of 6 GPOL courses (18 credits), and up to 3 elective courses (9
credits) outside the Politics department (optional)
2. Maintain no less than a B (3.0) grade point average
3. Complete the Final MA Paper requirement

*MA students can transfer up to 3 credits (one course) from previous graduate work (Transfer of
Credit Petition).

Description of Required Coursework

First Year Politics Seminar (GPOL 5100)

Required for all MA candidates in the first year, the First Year Politics Seminar is designed to
introduce students to the work of the faculty in the Politics department, who give guest lectures
in the course and whose work students read. Through these interactions, students come to
understand contending concepts and core approaches in analyzing politics.

Methods Course
Students choose one of the following:
1. GPOL 6195 - Qualitative Methods
2. GHIS 6133 - Historiography and Historical Practice
3. NURP 5013 - Quantitative Methods
4. GHIS 6134 - Historical Methods and Sources

Note: Students wishing to satisfy this requirement with another course or transfer credits from
previous graduate work should contact the Politics Student Advisor. A list of available methods
courses across NSSR can be found here. The Director of Graduate Studies must approve in
advance any proposed course substitutions outside of NSSR.
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 11

The MA Paper
To receive the MA, students must fulfill the MA paper requirement. The MA paper is a
substantially revised course paper that is brought to a publishable level. The length should run
between 20-25 pages including the bibliography. The final MA paper should be submitted to the
faculty advisor by May 1st for Spring graduation, which means students should begin planning
for their MA Paper towards the end of their third semester in the program*. The step-by-step
instructions and approximate timeline are as follows:
1. Choose one of your final papers prepared for a course or seminar
2. Approach a Politics faculty member to act as an MA Paper Advisor no later than 3
months before the MA paper is due.
3. Inform the Student Advisor who is your MA Paper Advisor by February 15.
4. Appropriately revise the paper upon the advice of the faculty advisor.
5. Submit your revised final MA Paper by May 1.

*Students whose MA paper approval occurs over the summer, are eligible for summer
graduation, as long as all program requirements are met before August 31.

Note: The MA Paper Advisor will write an evaluation of the student's work, and will include a
recommendation as to whether or not the student has met the Department's expectations for the
MA degree. The three grades are: Pass with Distinction, Pass, and Fail. The rubric for the MA
paper assessment can be found here.

MA Degree Checklist
MA in Politics

First Semester @ NSSR

Faculty Advisor

Coursework

Title Course # Credits Semester Taken

First Year Politics Seminar (Required) GPOL 5100 3

Methods Course (Required) 3

Courses to be taken in Politics (Up to 12 credits, includes Methods course if GPOL)

 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 12

Electives Outside the Department (Optional – up to 9 credits)

Transfer Credits Accepted (Optional- up to 3 credits)

Total Credits 30

MA Paper

Date Taken Result

Sample MA Pathway
First Year

Fall Semester First Year Politics Seminar & 2 GPOL courses

* Meet with Faculty Advisor early in the semester

Spring Semester 3 courses (preferably 2 GPOL & 1 elective)

* Meet with Faculty Advisor before registration for next semester

Second Year

Fall Semester Methods course & 1 or 2 courses (GPOL or elective)

* Begin work on Internal PhD Application (if desired)

Spring Semester 1 or 2 courses (GPOL or elective)

* Complete MA Paper

Visual MA Timeline
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 13

Internal PhD Admissions

Eligibility
MA Students in Politics, Historical Studies or Liberal Studies are eligible to apply for internal
admission to the Politics PhD program.

Note that current MA students are ineligible to apply as external candidates. Do not submit your
application to the Office of Admissions!

Application Deadline
The deadline for submitting applications is December 15, 2021. It is advised that students start
their application process in their third semester in the program.

Application Materials
All application materials listed below must be sent to the Politics Student Advisor at
polsciadv@newschool.edu:
1. Application Form
The applicant must complete an “Application for Internal PhD Admission”. You can
request this form from the Politics Student Advisor.
2. Statement of Purpose
In this statement (not to exceed 1000 words), applicants should describe their interest in
pursuing a PhD, their primary intellectual concerns, and their potential research
question. Applicants should also identify 1-2 faculty members with whom they plan to
work if accepted into the PhD program. Applicants should attain Faculty support prior to
submitting the application for internal admission.
3. Curriculum Vitae
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 14

The CV should contain information about the applicant’s educational background,

professional and research experience, and publications or conference presentations, if
any.
4. Writing Sample
This should be a substantial paper and not a short review or exam. The MA Paper is
acceptable.

Other Information

Competitiveness
Internal PhD admissions are highly competitive. In general, the applicant should have a GPA of
3.7 or higher. Incompletes on the applicant’s transcript will reduce his or her chances of winning
admission. Applicants are not guaranteed a spot in the PhD program, and they should take this
into consideration as they consider their future PhD options.

Evaluation
Decisions on admission are based on a review of the applicant’s entire record. They are made
by the Politics Department faculty as a whole. A student’s application is subject to special
consideration by the faculty member with whom he or she intends to work.
Note that all internal admission to the PhD are provisional pending completion of the MA
requirements and continued good academic standing.
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 15

The PhD in Politics

Faculty Advisors
During the first week of the fall semester, new PhD students will be assigned a Faculty Advisor
from among Politics Department faculty. New PhD students must meet with their Faculty Advisor
early in the term, and again when they register for spring semester courses. After their first
semester, PhD students can request to change their Faculty Advisor at any time. To do so, they
must obtain from the new faculty advisor and then notify the Politics Student Advisor.

The Dissertation Committee Chair is not necessarily the same faculty member as the Faculty
Advisor. PhD students should think early in their program about contacting and establishing an
agreement with a faculty member who will agree to serve as their Dissertation Committee Chair.
The Politics Student Advisor will contact PhD students before the end of their second year to
confirm that a faculty member has agreed to serve as Chair of their dissertation committee.

General Requirements
To earn a PhD in Politics at the New School for Social Research, students are required to:
● Complete a total of 20 courses (60 credits).* The First Year Seminar is strongly
recommended but optional.
● Fulfill the Methods requirements
● Take two Field Seminars, one each in their major and minor subfields
● Complete the PhD seminar (Third year)
● Complete the Language Requirement
● Defend a dissertation proposal
● Complete and defend a dissertation

*May include 30 credits from NSSR MA or Transfer credits from previous MA work. For more
information on the Transfer of Credit process please see Academic Affairs website ( Transfer of
Credit Petition).

PhD Coursework

Recommended Course

First Year Politics Seminar (GPOL 5100)

Optional, but strongly recommended for PhD students. The First Year Politics Seminar is
designed to introduce students to the work of the faculty in the Politics department, who give
guest lectures in the course and whose work students read. Through these interactions,
students come to understand contending concepts and core approaches in analyzing politics.
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 16

Required Coursework

PhD Field Seminars

Students are required to take two Field Seminars in what will eventually become their major and
minor subfields of concentration. The four available subfields are:
1. American Politics
2. Comparative Politics
3. Global Politics
4. Political Theory

Politics Field Seminars are intended primarily for PhD students. MA students may be admitted
at the discretion of the faculty instructor. BA/MA students may be admitted in their MA year only,
at the discretion of the faculty instructor. BA students may not be admitted.

Field seminars are offered on a bi-annual basis. The Field Seminars offered during the
2021-2022 academic year are:

Spring 2022 ● Field Seminar in American Politics (GPOL 7000)

● Field Seminar in Global Politics (GPOL 7001)

It is anticipated that Theory and Comparative field seminars will be offered Fall 2022

Note: Although the field seminars are generally conceived of and designed as preparatory
courses for the Field exams, they should not be considered to be enough in and of themselves.
Because of that, students are strongly recommended to take at least two courses in their major
subfield of concentration and at least one course in their minor subfield.

Methods Requirement
All students are required to become conversant with methodological training which aligns with
the requirements of their research, to be determined in conversation with their committee chair
The process for fulfilling the PHD methods requirement takes place in two steps.

1) The student’s faculty advisor or Dissertation Chair suggests and approves methods training
most appropriate to the student’s project or trajectory of study. This training may include but is
not limited to: courses in qualitative and quantitative methods at NSSR, or elsewhere in the
Inter-University Doctoral Consortium; independent study with a professor on methods; IQMR
intensive summer course; or embedded methods training in elective courses appropriate to the
dissertation project.

2) At the time of the proposal defense, and to the satisfaction of the Dissertation Chair and
committee, the student must demonstrate sufficient understanding of methods relevant for the
project, and necessary for doing research and teaching in the field of study.
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 17

Note: A list of available methods courses, including information on previously available courses
through the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium, can be found here.

PhD Seminar
The PhD Seminar (GPOL 7300) provides an opportunity for advanced PhD students to work on
their dissertation proposal. The course, which extends over an academic year and meets once
every other week, is usually taken in the third year of the PhD program.

Admission to this course normally requires that the student has passed at least one field
exam.To prepare for the PhD Seminar, students should have a 10-page draft of a proposal
approved by their faculty advisor. Students may defend their dissertation proposals while taking
the PhD seminar.

Major & Minor Field Exams

Students must take a total of two field exams, one each in their major and minor subfields of
concentration. Students, who must be registered in the semester they take the exam, are
strongly encouraged to take their first exam in their second year, and complete both exams by
their third year in the program. Please see the projected PhD timeline below.

The form and content of exams vary by subfield and frequently have a ‘take-home’ component*.
A detailed description for each subfield exam is available here. Students need to register for the
exam and declare it as their major or minor subfield via a google form sent by the Student
Advisor at the beginning of each semester.

Instructions about exams scheduling will be sent out by a faculty member serving as point
person in each subfield. This point-person can also be contacted with exam-related questions.
The calendar for the Field Exams offered and Subfield Point-Persons during the 2021-2022
academic year are:

Semester Subfield Faculty Point-Person

Fall 2021 American Politics David Plotke

Global Politics Anne McNevin

Spring 2022 Political Theory Nancy Fraser

Comparative Politics Jessica Pisano

Exam Evaluation
The exam will be read and evaluated by a committee composed of all present faculty within the
respective subfield concentration. Exams will be subject to blind review (when possible).
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 18

Results will be released simultaneously to all graduate students taking exams within a subfield.
Students will receive an email notification of the results of their exam within one month after the
date on which exams are submitted.

Grades for field exams will be as follows:

Grade Evaluation

Pass with Distinction Excellent

Pass Accomplished command of a field

Low Pass General but uneven command of a field

Fail Inadequate understanding of the main elements of a field

The committee evaluating the exam assigns these grades, and they refer to the exam as a
whole. In addition, the committee will provide individual feedback, verbal or written, to the
student taking the exam.

Students who fail a field exam may retake the exam. However, students who fail the same field
exam twice—or students who fail two different field exams—will not be permitted to continue in
the program, except under exceptional circumstances approved by the Chair. Students who fail
an exam may appeal to the Department Chair for reconsideration, though this is unusual.

Dissertation

Dissertation Proposal
Upon satisfactory completion of the preceding requirements, students proceed to the
preparation of their dissertation proposal with the advice and guidance of a faculty advisor. The
dissertation proposal is usually 15-30 pages long. Students must answer the following
questions:
● What is the question? What is the problem or puzzle you intend to investigate?
● What contribution would your answer make to the relevant literature?
● How do you intend to research your question?
● What methodology will you employ?
● Why should students of politics and the wider academic community care about your
findings? In other words, so what?

Samples of previous Dissertation Proposals in all subfields are available from the Student
Advisor.
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 19

Proposal Defense
When the dissertation proposal is complete to the satisfaction of the supervising faculty, the
student will defend it in an oral examination before a dissertation committee (see committee
formation guidelines below). The student must submit a copy of the dissertation proposal to all
committee members prior to the proposal defense.

The proposal defense cannot occur before the completion of the field exams and it must be
completed within one year of completing the PhD Seminar and/or within four years of beginning
the PhD program.

To arrange for the proposal defense:

1. Schedule the Exam
Consult with your Dissertation Chair and Silvina Palacio to arrange a date and time with all
dissertation committee members. The Department Secretary will coordinate faculty schedules
and arrange room reservations.

2. Inform Student Advisor

Inform the Politics Student Advisor so that he/she may fill out the appropriate paperwork for the
chair of the committee, subsequently submitted to the Registrar’s Office.

The Language Requirement

PhD students must demonstrate reading knowledge in an appropriate foreign language chosen
in consultation with the dissertation Chair. The language requirement should be fulfilled within 6
months of completing the proposal defense.

The examination, administered by the department, consists of a two hour translation of a 2-4
pages social science text from the chosen language into English. A dictionary may be used. In
order to pass, the student’s English translation should demonstrate a comprehensive
understanding of the text and convey its substance.

Students whose undergraduate education was in a language other than English may request to
be exempt from this requirement if that language is appropriate for their research.

To schedule the Language exam or request an exception please contact Silvina Palacio and fill
out the corresponding form.

PhD students can receive tuition remission for relevant language courses offered at the New
School. See the NSSR Office of Academic Affairs for further information on applying for
language courses tuition remission. Available language courses can be found here.

Dissertation Committee
To form their Dissertation Committee, students should first determine a Committee Chair (or
Dissertation Chair) from among the Politics Faculty. Students should consult with their
Dissertation Chair in forming the Dissertation Committee.
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 20

All Dissertation Committees are subject to the approval of the Department Chair.

At the proposal defense stage, PhD committees must have at least three committee members,
two of whom must be members of the Politics Department. The third member can be faculty in
the Politics Department, other NSSR departments or faculty at other universities.

Should the need arise for a student to change the chair of the dissertation committee, in the first
instance they should contact the Director of Graduate Studies to discuss the proposed changes,
or the Department Chair if the Director of Graduate Studies is sitting on the committee in
question. The student should notify the Student Advisor of any changes.

For the dissertation final defense, students must have at least four committee members. One
must be an external faculty member from outside of the department and discipline. The external
member may come from other NSSR departments, The New School, the
Inter-University Doctoral Consortium, another accredited U.S. university, or an international
university.

Students who do not choose an external dissertation committee member will be assigned an
NSSR “Dean's Representative,” who will take part in the dissertation final defense only. See the
NSSR Graduation and PhD Guidelines for more information regarding the Dean’s
Representative selection process and instructions for petitioning for one.

Students in the Politics PhD and Historical Studies Minor must have a History faculty serving in
their committees, either as Chair or committee member.

PhD Candidacy
The PhD student formally becomes a PhD candidate (ABD) once they have successfully
completed 60 course credits, passed the field exams and passed the proposal defense

If they wish, Phd candidates may apply for the MPhil Degree. Contact the student advisor for
more information.

Students who fail their proposal defense twice may apply for the MPhil Degree but are not
entitled to continue on for the PhD.

Writing and Completing the Dissertation

As their central project within the PhD program, students must research and write a dissertation.
The dissertation establishes their ability to do substantial and original scholarly work. The
dissertation is written under the supervision of the chair of the committee, with appropriate
assistance from other committee members. Given the variety of forms of inquiry, it is not
possible to specify a standard length or format for the dissertation.

There are a number of resources available for technical help in writing the dissertation. The
American Political Science Association website provides a good starting point for locating some
of these resources. The APSA also offers a Dissertation Improvement Grant ( see here).
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 21

The NSSR Style & Formatting Guidelines can be found at the bottom of this page.

Dissertation Defense
After receiving approval from the dissertation committee, the student will present an oral
defense of the dissertation in accordance with procedures of the Department and the New
School for Social Research.

The Dissertation Defense consists of an oral defense of the student’s research findings. Please
note that a student should contact Ellen Freeberg to secure the participation of a Dean’s
Representative for the Dissertation Defense if needed (additional information on getting a
Dean’s Representative assigned can be found here.

Please follow the same procedures as outlined above for the Proposal Defense in regards to
arranging for a time and a place for the Dissertation Defense, as well as for completing the
necessary paperwork.

Final Submission & Dissertation Reader

Students are responsible for submitting a completed copy of their dissertation to the New
School for Social Research. After the defense, please upload your final dissertation here to be
revised by the dissertation reader and approved by the NSSR Office of Academic Affairs.

The Dissertation reader is an individual from the NSSR Office of Academic Affairs who looks
over the dissertation to make sure that it is in compliance with NSSR style and format
guidelines. Students should write their dissertation in the Chicago Manual of Style. You can
consult the NSSR Style and Dissertation Guidelines here.

Research with Human Subjects

Please see the information on Research Integrity available here.

Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (IUDC)

The Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (“the consortium”) affords students who are eligible
and obtain the necessary approval the opportunity to take graduate courses at selected
universities in the greater New York area. The consortium has been in existence for over 25
years and offers an enormous array of courses and opportunities for contact with faculty and
students in your field.

NSSR students may apply to take consortium courses once they have completed one year of
full-time coursework (18 credits) at The New School. Note as a doctoral consortium not all IUDC
schools approve MA participation.

There is a limit of 12 credits that can be taken through the consortium. However, the consortium
is only to be used to provide courses not offered at The New School and which directly pertain
to your graduate studies and research projects.
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 22

If you have completed 18 credits and you wish to take consortium courses, you should consult
with your Advisor about your program of study. You must register both at The New School for
the Anthropology consortium and at the host school for the particular course. See the IUDC
website for information on how to register.

The following programs participate in the consortium: Columbia Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences, CUNY Graduate Center, Fordham University, NYU Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences, Princeton Graduate School, Rutgers University, Stony Brook University, Teachers
College of Columbia University, and The New School for Social Research.

Please beware of requesting an incomplete in a Consortium course. It often takes much longer
to resolve these and receive a grade from the host school.

PhD in Politics with a Specialized Minor in Historical Studies

A student may opt to earn their PhD in Politics with a specialized minor in Historical Studies.
Interested students should discuss this with their PhD supervisor and the Chair of the Historical
Department before declaring the minor.

Note that the specialized minor has its own requirements that must be fulfilled along with the
Politics PhD requirements
1. Complete GHIS 6133 - Historiography & Historical Practice and GHIS 6134 - Historical
Sources & Methods (which can be taken as electives towards Politics PhD).
2. Pass a Historical Studies Field Exam in addition to Politics Exams.
3. Have at least one Historical Studies Faculty Member on the Dissertation Committee for
the Defense.

PhD Degree Checklist

Note: This check-list does not include all the coursework taken at NSSR.
PhD in Politics

First Semester @ NSSR

Faculty Advisor

Coursework

Title Course # Credits Semester Taken

Major Field Seminar (Required) 3

Minor Field Seminar (Required) 3

PhD Seminar GPOL 7300 3

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Electives (Up to 15 credits - or 18 for Political Theory Majors)

Methods (as required)

Transfer Credits Accepted (Optional- up to 30 credits)

Total Credits 30

Non-Course Requirements

Date Major Field Exam Taken Result

Date Minor Field Exam Taken Result

Date Language Requirements Fulfilled Result

Date Dissertation Proposal Defended Result

Date Dissertation Defended Result

Dissertation Committee
 2021-2022 Politics Student Handbook 24

Dissertation Chair

Committee Member #2

Committee Member #3

Committee Member #4

Dean’s Representative

Visual PhD Timeline