The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Political Science and International Affairs is administered jointly by the Departments of Political Science and International Affairs and is designed for students who wish to study politics in its many forms, but who also want to develop the analytic skills necessary to achieve mastery in their areas of study. The degree offers the opportunity to specialize in international relations, comparative politics, American politics, or political theory (including methodology).

The faculty, one of the most productive in the nation, has won numerous awards for research and teaching. The Departments of Political Science and International Affairs boast more than 40 tenured or tenure-track faculty members who specialize in the fields of American politics, law and courts, political theory, international relations and comparative politics. Faculty also frequently co-author papers with graduate students.

SPIA is home to two centers of interest to our graduate students: The Center for International Trade & Security (CITS) and the Center for the Study of Global Issues (GLOBIS). Our doctoral students have the opportunity to participate in important projects such as the Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI), co-founded by Dr. Chad Clay, and to work alongside faculty on NSF-funded grant projects.

We strive to support and reflect diverse voices, viewpoints, and experiences through our graduate cohorts. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and institutions and conduct holistic application review.

Questions about the program? Please email the Graduate Program Administrator, Dr. Megan Callaghan, or drop by a weekly Ask the Advisor session Tuesdays at 2pm EST to chat about the program.

Who to Contact

Dr. Megan Callaghan is the first point of contact for all general questions related to the MA, PhD, and MIP programs. She can answer questions about applications, funding opportunities, deadlines, faculty specialties, and other administrative issues. Due to the high volume of emails the Graduate Office receives, please review all the information on this page before submitting questions.

Dr. Geoffrey Sheagley is the graduate coordinator for American Politics and Political Theory & Philosophy. His grad office is Baldwin Hall 305E and he can be reached via email at [email protected] or phone at 706-542-4252.

Dr. Shane Singh is the graduate coordinator for International Relations and Comparative Politics.

Please do not send CVs, transcripts, or other materials for review prior to applying, as we cannot conduct preliminary material review. Please do not contact individual faculty members with questions about applications; refer all questions to Dr. Callaghan at [email protected].

Admission Deadlines

Our graduate programs admit for fall semester only. Please do not submit an application for spring or summer terms. 

We do not prescreen applications, and you do not need to send a CV or other materials prior to submitting your application. You do not need to have identified a faculty mentor to apply. Please do not send application materials directly to faculty.

Applications must be complete and ready for review in the Departmental Graduate Office by February 15th of the year for which you are applying.

FALL 2024 DEADLINES
December 1st: Priority deadline for those wishing to receive priority consideration for graduate assistantships. A brief grace period is available for letters of reference and GRE scores. The online application must be submitted by December 1.

February 15: Application deadline for ALL Fall 2024 admissions.

Please read and follow these instructions carefully to avoid delay in our handling of your application.

For further information about graduate programs or for answers to questions about your application, please email the Graduate Program Administrator at [email protected].

Required Materials

Our program conducts holistic application review and considers the applicant’s entire application when considering offers of admission. As such, there are no minimum requirements set by the program, and meeting or exceeding the program averages will not guarantee acceptance.

You must submit all application materials through the UGA Graduate School’s online application portal. Please do not submit application materials to individual faculty members or the Graduate Program Administrator, as we cannot prescreen applications. For detailed information, please see the Graduate School Admissions Requirements.

All applicants must submit the following:

1. Online Graduate School Application and fee ($75 domestic / $100 international). Please note that the Graduate School does not issue fee waivers based on financial need. Some applicants, such as McNair Scholars and veterans, may qualify for an application fee waiver: a full list of qualifying programs is here

2. One unofficial transcript from each institution of higher education attended, except the University of Georgia. University of Georgia transcripts are on file. You may upload transcripts through the application portal or mail them directly to the UGA Graduate School.

3. Official GRE general test score report. The UGA institutional code for ETS reporting is 5813.  No departmental code is required. The GRE is required for all applicants and cannot be waivedWe do not accept the LSAT, GMAT, or other standardized tests.

4. Personal Objective Form

5. Statement of Purpose. This document should, in general, be between 1-3 pages long and should address what you wish to study in our PhD program, why our program is a good fit for your research interests, and what your career aspirations are following the PhD. The best statements avoid broad generalizations, speak in concrete detail, and attend to fit between your research interests and those of our faculty.

6. Curriculum Vitae (CV)

7. Three academic letters of recommendation.
Letters should be submitted through the online application. The strongest letters will come from faculty who have taught you and/or supervised your academic work and can speak to your work ethic, academic interests and ability, and ability to succeed in a doctoral program. We strongly discourage submitting letters from elected officials and personal references such as clergy or friends.

8. Graduate Assistantship Application, if desired.

9. Writing sample. This should be an original research paper between 15-30 pages and should reflect rigorous research, methodology, and academic writing. Coauthored submissions are not accepted.

International applicants should consult the list of additional requirements. A list of country-specific requirements and waivers of English proficiency requirements may be found at the Graduate School’s website.

If you need to submit proof of English proficiency, you may submit one of the following:

TOEFL
The minimum TOEFL score for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia is 80, with no subscore lower than 20. It is highly recommended that international applicants have a combined score of at least 90. A list of country-specific requirements and waivers of English proficiency may be found at the Graduate School’s website.

IELTS
The minimum IELTS score for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia is 6.5 overall band score with no lower than 6.0 on any band. A list of country-specific requirements and waivers of English proficiency may be found at the Graduate School’s website.

Duolingo English Test

The Graduate School no longer accepts Duolingo English test scores for admission. You must submit a TOEFL or IELTS score.

Please upload all materials through the online application portal at gradapply.uga.edu. The departmental materials may be uploaded under the “Department-Specific” section. If you have difficulty uploading, departmental materials may also be emailed to [email protected].

For more information about the statement of purpose and letters of recommendation, see FAQs below.

Graduate Assistantships

The Graduate Program in Political Science and International Affairs is able to offer a number of graduate assistantships to qualified applicants. Graduate assistantships include a tuition waiver (students are expected to pay $25 in tuition per semester + student fees), stipend, partial health insurance subsidy, and a work commitment as either a teaching or research assistant.

You must apply for all assistantships through the Departmental Graduate Office. Do not contact the Graduate School about financial support. Most graduate assistantships come from departmental funding sources (SPIA assistantships). Students who receive support from the Graduate School must be nominated by their department and go through a competitive process.

To apply, fill out the Graduate Assistantship Application and submit with the rest of your program application.  All applicants who submit an assistantship application will be considered for funding.

Applicants whose files are complete by December 1st are guaranteed consideration for the first round of awards. Students not receiving support during the first round are eligible in subsequent rounds if funding is still available. Awards follow the following timetable:

February
Exceptionally well-qualified applicants are nominated for a limited number of Graduate School assistantships

Early March
Winners of Graduate School assistantships are notified.

Mid-March
The first round of SPIA graduate assistantships is awarded to students.

Mid-April
If there are SPIA graduate assistantships available after the first round, a second round of offers is made.

May
Awarding of SPIA assistantships continues until all funds are exhausted.

Other Funding Opportunities

The University of Georgia has established partnerships with six minority-serving institutions participating in the Graduate School FUSE Program (Facilitating Underrepresented Student Experiences). Applicants from these schools (Albany State University, Florida A&M University, Fort Valley State University, Morehouse College, North Carolina A&T State University, and Spelman College) may be eligible for several benefits, including an application fee waiver and consideration for Graduate School assistantships. Consult their website for full details.

The Graduate School participates in the Yellow Ribbon program, which provides additional funds for tuition and fee expenses that exceed those covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. If you wish to be considered for this program, please email Lisa Sperling at [email protected]. Requests for the academic year must typically be made no later than the preceding March (e.g., March 2023 for the 2023-2024 academic year).

We also encourage you to look for external sources of funding to supplement those we are able to provide. A few sources of interest are below.

  • The Southern Regional Education Board offers a Doctoral Scholars Program Fellowship for students wishing to pursue a PhD. The deadline to apply is March 31. Find more information on eligibility at their website.
  • The American Political Science Association has a Minority Fellows Program open for application in both Fall and Spring. This fellowship is open to undergraduate seniors, recent graduates, and other individuals in the process of applying for a PhD program and who are members of an underrepresented racial or ethnic minority. See their website for more details.
Program Requirements

The PhD in Political Science and International Affairs is a degree program culminating in a doctoral dissertation. Assistantship offers are typically made for five years, and it is expected that students will complete the degree within that time. Active-duty service members seeking the PhD typically complete the degree within three years.

PhD students are required to declare a major field (minimum five courses) and minor field (minimum three courses) and must also take a course in a major field other than the fields in which they are sitting for exams (the “third-field course”, to be chosen in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator. Students also complete a four-course quantitative research methodology sequence. Coursework is typically completed within the first two years.

After all required coursework has been successfully completed, students sit for written and oral comprehensive exams in both their major and minor fields. A dissertation prospectus and doctoral dissertation must be successfully defended to complete the degree.

Please note that all coursework must be completed at UGA. The PhD program does not accept transfer credit from other institutions.

A complete description of PhD requirements can be found in the Graduate Handbook.

Degree Timetables

Click the link below to view the degree timetable for the PhD program which best suits you. All PhD students are expected to complete their doctoral degree within five years, with the exception of active-duty service members, who typically complete the degree in three years.

Degree Timetable for PhD Students with an MA from another institution

Degree Timetable for PhD students with an MA from UGA

 

Fields of Study

For the purposes of graduate instruction in Political Science and International Affairs, the curriculum is divided into fields.

Four major fields and nine minor fields are currently available within our program.

PhD students must prepare for both written and oral examinations in one major field and one minor field.

You can see the list of current graduate courses and past course archives here.

MAJORS

American Politics

A large proportion of research in political science draws its data from the American context.

Comprehensive examinations in this field will be constructed so that questions will require knowledge of two American Politics subfields: Government Institutions and Political Behavior. Students will be held accountable for basic works, as well as journal articles and major books published during the previous five years.

Students majoring or minoring in American Politics are required to take a core seminar: POLS 6100, Pre-Seminar in American Politics. Additional courses should be selected in consultation with the student’s major professor and advisory committee.

Comparative Politics

Using the comparative method, students working in this field examine such phenomena as behavioral patterns and systems, governmental institutions and structures, policy processes and outcomes, and political goals and strategies. These phenomena are considered both within and across national systems. Nation-states are taken as the primary, but not exclusive, units of analysis.

Students preparing for comprehensive examinations in this field should expect some general questions that deal with the comparative approach to politics: its evolution, its major practitioners, its leading conceptual frameworks or paradigms, its utility, its contributions, difficulties or problems in its application, and ways of surmounting these problems.

Students majoring or minoring in Comparative Politics are required to take a core seminar: INTL 6300, Comparative Analysis and Method. Additional courses should be selected in consultation with the student’s major professor and advisory committee.

International Relations

The field of International Relations focuses on the important agents and structures of international politics. These include nation-states, intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Studies in this field examine the preferences and strategies of these actors, as well as the nature of the economic, military, political, and social interactions among them.

In preparing for the comprehensive examination in International Relations, the student should seek to understand the major actors on the international scene, their policies, and the sources of cooperation and conflict. Comprehensive exam questions will test the student’s general knowledge of these matters, as well as proficiency in selected subfields.

Students majoring or minoring in International Relations are required to take the core seminar: INTL 6200, Pre-Seminar in International Relations. In addition, at least one course is recommended from each of the following subfields: International Cooperation, International Conflict, International Political Economy, and Foreign Policy. Additional courses should be selected in consultation with the student’s major professor and advisory committee.

Political Theory

This field encompasses both normative political philosophy and empirically oriented theory. Its leading questions concern the ends or purposes of political action, the nature of a good or just political order, the proper relationship of individuals to their political communities, and the appropriate criteria for evaluating and designing voting systems. Empirically oriented theory seeks to explain regularities in politics such as how and when political actors come into conflict or behave cooperatively.

There is no pre-seminar in this field, but rather a series of distinct courses. A major in Political Theory involves a combination of the three subfields below. A minor in Political Theory is built around the first two subfields. There is no major in Formal Theory, but a distinct minor is available. Students in Political Theory often take related courses in other departments, such as Philosophy and Economics.

History of Political Philosophy. In this subfield, it will be the student’s responsibility to become familiar with the most influential works of major political philosophers from Plato to Rawls, and to understand the importance of these works in the development of political thought. Attention is given to the distinctive ways that problems are resolved and concepts defined during the history of political philosophy.

Normative Theory. In this subfield, students address fundamental issues of justice, fairness, political legitimacy, and individual rights. Study in this subfield develops the student’s ability to assess the standard approaches and positions associated with leading political philosophers.

Formal Political Theory. Students will be expected to understand formal political theory, particularly rational choice theory, and applications that contemporary political scientists have developed to explain political behavior and to account for individual decisions and collective outcomes. Rational choice theory in general, social choice theory, game theory, and political economy are among the approaches that are relevant to this subfield.

MINORS

Because minor fields consist of a minimum of three courses, students have great flexibility regarding which courses can be approved for a minor. In fact, courses from several departments can often be included in a minor. Students’ choices must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator.

Minors are available for all major fields. The following minors are also offered:

Methodology Minor
This minor is designed by individual students subject to the approval of their advisory committee and the Graduate Coordinator. In addition to the methods core (POLS 7010, 7012, 7014, 8501), students complete three additional courses in advanced work such as directed readings and topics courses in Political Science and seminars in other departments such as Economics and Statistics. Qualitative Methods (INTL 8500) may count towards a methods minor. Additionally, one formal theory course may count towards a methods minor. Students may choose from POLS 8000 (Introduction to Rational Choice), POLS 8020 (Game Theory/Formal Analysis), or POLS 8030 (Spatial Voting Theory) if they would like to use this option. Note: Students matriculating in or after Fall 2023 may not double-count POLS 8501 towards the Methodology minor.

Law and Courts Minor
This minor reflects a methodologically diverse subfield that includes constitutional theory, philosophy of law, judicial politics, American constitutional development, comparative constitutional politics, international law, and law and society. Students can explore a wide range of issues pertaining to law, courts, and constitutional institutions. A total of three classes must be taken from: POLS 6440, 8410, 8430, 8450, or 8460; INTL 8220; or PADP 6490. These classes may not count for both major and minor areas, but should be taken in addition to major requirement courses.

Theory Minor
Students will be expected to understand formal political theory, particularly rational choice theory, and applications that contemporary political scientists have developed to explain political behavior and to account for individual decisions and collective outcomes. Rational choice theory in general, social choice theory, game theory, and political economy are among the approaches that are relevant to this subfield. In addition to  SPIA courses, students minoring in Formal Theory may take approved courses in other UGA departments, particularly Economics and Philosophy.

Normative Theory Minor: A total of 3 classes in Theory, 1 of which may be from the Formal Theory offerings.

Formal Theory Minor: A total of 3 classes in Theory, 1 of which may be from the Normative Theory offerings OR a total of 2 classes in Formal Theory and either POLS 8501 (MLE), POLS 8505 (Scaling), or POLS 8510 (Bayes).

Public Administration. This minor is offered in conjunction with SPIA’s Department of Public Administration and Policy (PADP). The required courses for this minor for PhD students in Political Science & International Affairs are PADP 6910 Public Administration and Democracy, PADP 6960 Public Management (formerly called Organization Theory), and PADP 8710 Ideas and Issues in Public Administration. There are two written components to this minor field exam: (1) a take-home written assignment, typically administered in the first 3 weeks in September; and (2) a solo-authored, publishable conference paper on a Public Administration topic. Both written components may be discussed in the oral exam. If the student’s major field has an embargo for the paper they are required to write for their comprehensive exam (e.g., International Relations and Comparative Politics), the Public Administration minor field paper is subject to the same embargo.

Public Policy. This minor is offered in conjunction with SPIA’s Department of Public Administration and Policy (PADP). The required courses for this minor for PhD students in Political Science & International Affairs are PADP 8620 Policy Process, PADP 8670 Policy Analysis 1, and PADP 8630 Policy Implementation. If PADP 8630 is not available, students may take PADP 8640 Program Evaluation instead. There are two written components to this minor field exam: (1) a take-home written assignment, typically administered in the first 3 weeks in September; and (2) a solo-authored, publishable conference paper on a Public Policy topic. Both written components may be discussed in the oral exam. If the student’s major field has an embargo for the paper they are required to write for their comprehensive exam (e.g., International Relations and Comparative Politics), the Public Policy minor field paper is subject to the same embargo.

FAQs

If you have a question that is not answered below, please contact the Departmental Graduate Office at [email protected].

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • I missed the December 1 deadline. Will I still be considered for assistantships and other financial aid?

Yes. The priority consideration deadline is December 1, but we continue to consider applications received after that date for assistantships until all awards have been exhausted.

  • Are there minimum requirements for GPA, GRE, etc.?

Our program conducts holistic application review and considers the applicant’s entire application when considering offers of admission. As such, there are no minimum requirements set by the program, and meeting or exceeding the program averages will not guarantee acceptance. However, the Graduate School at the University of Georgia has the following minimum requirements:

GPA
The minimum undergraduate GPA standard for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia for applicants who do not have a prior graduate degree is 3.0. Successful applicants to our program typically have GPAs ranging between 3.5-4.0.

GRE
The GRE is required and cannot be waived, but the Graduate School does not set a minimum score. Successful applicants to our program typically have combined GRE scores ranging from 300-330, with a quantitative percentile above the 50th.

TOEFL
The minimum TOEFL score for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia is 80, with no subscore lower than 20. It is highly recommended that international applicants have a combined score of at least 90. A list of country-specific requirements and waivers of English proficiency may be found at the Graduate School’s website.

IELTS
The minimum IELTS score for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia is 6.5 overall band score with no lower than 6.0 on any band. A list of country-specific requirements and waivers of English proficiency may be found at the Graduate School’s website.

Duolingo English Test

The Graduate School no longer accepts Duolingo English test scores for admission. You must submit a TOEFL or IELTS score.

  • I am from a country where the primary language of instruction is English. Will you waive the GRE/TOEFL/IELTS?

The GRE is required of all applicants and cannot be waived, even if you are proficient in English, since it also provides important information on your quantitative preparation for graduate studies. The Graduate Program cannot waive language proficiency requirements such as TOEFL/IELTS scores. Please refer to the Graduate School’s country-specific requirements for information on whether you are required to submit TOEFL/IELTS English scores.

  • What should I include in my statement of purpose?

We are most concerned with your academic background, intellectual interests and professional plans. Your SoP should address why you are interested in graduate study at UGA, what your academic interests are, and how you plan to use your graduate degree in your future career. Please do not include material that is not relevant to your academic background or interest. Please limit the SoP to 2-3 pages. HarvardCornell, and Stanford all provide helpful information on crafting the SoP.

  • What kind of recommendation letters should I include in my application?

We require letters from professors who have taught you. Their letters should describe your academic work in detail so that the Graduate Committee can be assured that you can complete a rigorous graduate program. If you have done significant independent research, such as a thesis, the committee normally expects a letter from the professor who supervised that work. Letters from elected officials or “personal” references tend to be less valuable in determining your academic capability.  Letters from work supervisors are of little value unless your job entailed research.  In addition, letters from counselors, student affairs officers, and other non-faculty personnel on your campus generally provide little useful information for the committee. For those applicants who have been out of the academic setting for some time, getting letters from prior instructors can be difficult, but should be pursued nonetheless. In this instance, the committee will grant some flexibility, but once again, references must be able to address your academic and related abilities to some degree.

  • Is there a minimum/maximum length for the writing sample? Is it acceptable to submit a co-authored paper?

The writing sample gives the admissions committee the chance to observe your own writing and research abilities. It is highly preferable to submit a writing sample of which you are the sole author. Exceptions may be made for published, peer-reviewed co-authored articles if you are the first/primary author. Please limit your writing sample to ~25-35 pages.

  • Do I need to secure a faculty advisor/supervisor before applying to the program?

No. Unlike admission to PhD programs in many other countries, for our program and those at many other US universities, you do not need to secure a faculty member to supervise your work before applying to study in our graduate program. We encourage our graduate students to take a variety of classes with a variety of faculty to identify those whose interests best match yours and with whom you can build a beneficial working relationship. Please do not send applications or application materials directly to faculty.

  • If I have a strong application, am I automatically admitted?

No. Our graduate programs are small and selective to enable faculty to focus on building strong, supportive relationships with our graduate students. Our program receives many more applications each year than we have available places. Thus, admission is highly competitive and is based on holistic, comprehensive review of your application materials.

CHOOSING A PROGRAM

  • How do I know whether to apply for the MA or the PhD?

The PhD accepts applications from applicants who have completed a master’s or professional degree (e.g., JD, MBA, MSW) as well as from highly qualified undergraduates who do not hold a graduate degree. If there is any concern about your preparation or readiness for doctoral study, the Graduate Committee may require you to complete the MA before applying to the PhD program.

  • I love politics, but I’m bad at math. Can I still apply?

We do not require a prior background in math or statistics to apply to the MA or PhD program. However, you will be required to take our research methodology course sequence, which focuses heavily on quantitative methods. Students should be prepared to engage with research design, probability, statistical software, and calculus-based modeling.

DECISIONS

  • How are admissions decisions made?

The six-member Graduate Committee considers your entire application file: previous academic record, GRE scores, personal statement, CV, writing sample, and recommendations. There are no “automatic” acceptance or refusal factors. The committee’s main concern is the likelihood that you will do well, not only in the graduate program you are applying for, but as a scholar and teacher once that degree is in hand. We also consider whether your interests are a good “fit” for the faculty, courses, and research centers available in the School of Public and International Affairs.

  • When will I hear whether I’ve been accepted for admission?

The Graduate Committee aims to send out decisions for first-round applicants (i.e., those who submitted a complete application by December 1) in late January and early February. Applications submitted after December 1 but before our February 15 deadline will be considered on a rolling basis. Applications submitted after February 15, or applications that remain incomplete after February 15, will not be considered.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

  • Can I attend the program on a part-time basis?

Although our graduate programs are not designed for part-time students, it is possible for students to take less than a full course load (three courses per semester), thus extending their time in the program.

  • Are graduate courses offered online or off campus?

All graduate courses are held on the UGA campus in Athens, GA. No online or distance learning options are available for the program.

  • Are classes offered in the evenings or on weekends for working professionals?

The graduate course schedule is not created for working students. Depending on the semester, there may be a course or two offered on a weekday evening, but this is not guaranteed. There are no courses offered on weekends.

  • What is the cost of tuition?

As of Fall 2023, the current cost of graduate study per credit hour is $370 (in-state) and $1,050 (out-of-state). Student fees are currently assessed at $695 per semester. 9 credits (3 courses) is considered a full-time course load for graduate students. A full-time student would thus pay $4,439 (in-state) or $12,593 (out-of-state) per semester for a 12-credit load, not including fees. More information about current tuition rates can be found on the Bursar’s website.

Placement

One of the key goals of the PhD program is to facilitate our students’ success in obtaining a job upon the completion of their degree. While many of our students pursue tenure-track jobs at universities, we also have a strong record of placing graduates in the public and private sectors as data analysts.

Recent graduates have obtained tenure-track positions at universities such as University of Missouri-St. Louis, North Dakota State University, University of Connecticut, University of Nebraska, University of Idaho, Auburn University, and Texas Tech University. Graduates have also taken prestigious post-doctoral fellowships through Duke University and through the American Political Science Association Congressional Fellows Program. Students have also found success in the private sector, working as data analysts for companies such as Luckie Advertising and Meta.

Based on a survey of recent graduates, 85% of graduates were employed full-time after graduating, 7% were in post-doctoral positions, and 7% were self-employed.

Please see our list of PhD students currently on the market.

Recent placements of our program graduates include:

Morgan Barney (PhD 2023)
ECS Federal

Chun Young Park (PhD 2023)
Assistant Professor, Nazarbayev University

Ryan Liou (PhD 2023)
Lecturer, Wabash University

Shanshan Lian (PhD 2023)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute for Human Rights at the University of Alabama – Birmingham

Jake Truscott (PhD 2023)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for C-SPAN Scholarship and Engagement at Purdue University

Mariliz Kastberg-Leonard (PhD 2023)
Assistant Professor, Northwest Missouri State University

Yuan Wang (PhD 2022)
Assistant Professor, Ripon College

Neil Williams (PhD 2022)
Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Douglas Atkinson (PhD 2018)
Assistant Professor, Brigham Young University

George Williford (PhD 2021)
Data Scientist, Meta

Linan Jia (PhD 2022)
Assistant Professor, Beijing Foreign Studies University

Adam Rutkowski (PhD 2022)
Assistant Professor, Troy University

Aaron Hitefield (PhD 2022)
Assistant Professor, Whitworth University

Jakub Wondreys (PhD 2021)
Research Fellow, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany

Joshua Jackson (PhD 2020)
Criminal Justice Research Manager, Arnold Ventures

Naji Bsisu (PhD 2020)
Assistant Professor, Maryville College

Annie Watson (PhD 2020)
Assistant Professor, Middle Georgia State University

Ethan Boldt (PhD 2019)
Assistant Professor, Endicott College

Laine Shay (PhD 2018)
Assistant Professor, Texas A&M – Corpus Christi

Stephen Bagwell (PhD 2019)
Assistant Professor, University of Missouri-St. Louis

Austin Doctor (PhD 2019)
Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Jason Byers (PhD 2019)
Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut

Filip Viskupic (PhD 2019)
Assistant Professor, South Dakota State University

Sarah Hunter (PhD 2019)
Lecturer, Clemson University

Gordon Ballingrud (PhD 2018)
Instructor, Texas Christian University

Carolin Maney Purser (PhD 2017)
Social Research & Evaluation Center, LSU

Ryan Williamson (PhD 2017)
Assistant Professor, University of Wyoming

Chase Meyer (PhD 2017)
Lecturer, University of South Carolina

Anthony Kreis (PhD 2016)
Assistant Professor, Georgia State University College of Law

Hongyu Zhang (PhD 2016)
Assistant Professor, UNC-Wilmington

David Hughes (PhD 2016)
Assistant Professor, Auburn University at Montgomery

Florian Justwan (PhD 2015)
Assistant Professor, University of Idaho

Sarah Fisher (PhD 2015)
Assistant Professor, Emory and Henry College

Chris Hare (PhD 2015)
Assistant Professor, University of California, Davis

Joel Sievert (PhD 2015)
Assistant Professor, Texas Tech University
Postdoctoral Fellow, Duke University

Kayce Mobley (PhD 2015)
Assistant Professor, Pittsburgh State (Kansas)

Rachel Bitecofer, (PhD 2015)
Assistant Director, Wason Center for Public Policy
Lecturer in Government, Christopher Newport University

Phillip Marcin (PhD 2015)
Lecturer, University of Akron

Current Students

Current students should consult the MA/MIP/PhD Resource Hub on elc.uga.edu for access to important forms, policies, opportunities, and other information. The Graduate Handbook is also an important resource. Students should refer to the version of the handbook active in the year in which they matriculated.