The Comparative Public Policy doctoral program is designed to equip graduates to conduct research and teach at the university level in Comparative Public Policy and one other field chosen from Canadian politics, comparative politics, political theory or international relations.

Students take six courses, including three required ones. They then prepare comprehensive examinations in their two major fields, which they write in August of their first year and December of their second year. Students also fulfill a language requirement to demonstrate their competency in a language other than English which is relevant to their research. This is normally done before the approval of the thesis proposal.

The remainder of the program involves preparing a thesis proposal, and then completing and defending the dissertation, which must involve a comparison of two political systems, including those at the international and subnational levels.

A thesis proposal will normally be submitted in April of the student’s second year. The thesis should normally be no more than 60,000 words long, and it is expected that the thesis will be finished about two years after the proposal is approved. Overall, then, full-time students are expected to take about four years to complete the program. Part-time students may take up to eight years to complete the degree but are encouraged to finish in less time.

Admission to the PhD program will normally require a master’s degree in political science with an average of at least an A– (A minus). 

Applicants are encouraged to contact faculty members in the Department of Political Science regarding potential supervision. 

Required Application Documents:

Graduate Studies Online Application 

Applicants are required to complete the Graduate Studies Online Application which opens October 1st each year. In addition to the online application, applicants must also submit the required documents listed below. Some required documents must be submitted through the online application. 

Statement of Interest 

• An electronic statement of interest (approximately 500 words, single or double-spaced, maximum of 1 page). 
• The statement must be uploaded as a PDF attachment only through the online application system on the Upload Document 
• Your statement of interest is a crucial element of the application process. Comparative Public Policy applicants should highlight the comparative nature of their research and policy area which concerns them. International Relations applicants should identify the international, transnational or global elements of their research projects. 
• All applicants would benefit from indicating particular faculty members or research clusters that overlap with their projects. 

CV/Personal Resume 

• An electronic copy of your CV/Resume must be uploaded as a PDF attachment through the online application system on the Upload Document 

Official Academic Transcripts 

• Upload a scan of ALL official university transcripts completed to date to the application system. Remember to include a copy of the transcript key/legend or scale from the transcript. 
• Transcripts from institutions where you completed courses on Letter of Permission and/or as part of a Student Exchange Program must also be included. 
• If your institution produces electronic transcripts that can be sent directly to other institutions select this option. The issuing institution must send the official transcript directly to Manuela Dozzi by email at dozzim@mcmaster.ca 
• If the official language of instruction at your institution is not English, please include both the original language document and a certified English translation. 
• DO NOT submit an unofficial transcript or a student record print unless the document shows your full name, student number, the university name and contains all courses completed (and in progress) with grades. 
• If you receive an offer of admission further instructions will be given on how to submit formal official transcripts. 

Academic References 

• Three (3) confidential reference reports from instructors most familiar with your academic work 
• All referees are required to complete the e-Reference. 
• McMaster University uses an Electronic Referencing System (e-Reference). You will be required to indicate an institutional email address for each referee. Your referees will receive an email message asking them to complete an e-Reference. 
• If you need to change your reference or referee email address after submitting your application, you will need to contact the Department. 
• IMPORTANT: The system will send the e-Reference request to your references ONLY AFTER YOU SUBMIT your online application. This means that you will need to have completed AND uploaded your Statement of Interest and CV/Resume to your online application BEFORE you can click the “submit” button. References may require 2-4 weeks to complete the e-Reference reports. Referees MUST complete their reference report BY THE APPLICATION DEADLINE of January 14th. Please keep this in mind when you are working on your application. 
• If for some reason your referee is unable to use the Electronic Referencing System, you can download the Reference Form and send it to your referees for completion. Downloaded reference forms must be sent by the referee DIRECTLY to Manuela Dozzi by e-mail (dozzim@mcmaster.ca) or the mailing address below.  

English Language Proficiency (if applicable) 

• If English is not your native language, an official copy of your English Language Proficiency score or other evidence of competency in English is required. Such applicants are required to supply this evidence as part of your application. Applicants whose university studies were complete at an institution where English is deemed the official language of instruction may be exempted from this requirement (an official letter from the institution is required). 
• The English Proficiency exam must have been completed within 2 years of the application due date. 
• This requirement must be met prior to an offer of admission. There will be no exceptions to the language requirement. 
• The most common evidence is a score on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
• TOEFL: minimum score is 92 (iBT-internet based), 237 (computer based) or 580 (paper based). The McMaster University TOEFL/TSE Institution Code is 0936 and the Department Code for Political Science is 89.
• IELTS (Academic): minimum overall score is 6.5, with at least 5.5 in each section. 

NOTE: International students wishing to enter Canada on a study permit should also contact the nearest Canadian Embassy or Consulate for further information.

Application Fee 

The system will charge a $110 (Canadian) application fee. This fee is non-refundable and payable by credit card only. Once you have paid the application fee, please remember to return to the online application and click the “Submit” button. The application fee will not be refundable.  

How to Apply: 

Each applicant is required to complete the Graduate Studies Online Application which opens October 1st each year and submit the required application documents listed above to complete the application. 

Please note that all application supporting documentation must be forwarded to and received by our Department no later than January 14th for September admission only. 

ANY LATE OR MISSING DOCUMENTS WILL DELAY YOUR APPLICATION AND NOT BE REVIEWED BY THE DEPARTMENT’S ADMISSION COMMITTEE.  

If required, send all official documents (hard copy) to: 

Department of Political Science 

c/o Manuela Dozzi 

Kenneth Taylor Hall 527 (KTH-527) 

McMaster University 

1280 Main Street West 

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada 

L8S 4M4  

Application Deadline: 

• January 14, 2024 (for September 2024 admission) 

The Ellen Louks Fairclough Scholarship in Political Science 

The Ellen Louks Fairclough Memorial Scholarship in Political Science was established in 2004 to commemorate the life of The Right Honourable Ellen Louks Fairclough, P.C., C.C., F.CA., L.L.D., F.R.C.G.S., D.H., U.E., Canada’s first female federal cabinet minister and lifelong advocate for women’s rights. To be awarded to a student enrolled in a graduate program in Political Science who holds an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. Preference will be given to a student with an interest in Canadian public policy. 

The Political Science Travel Grant 

To support research and professional development by assisting graduate students with costs related to doing field-work or attending academic conferences. This grant is open to both MA (thesis option) and PhD students. There are two rounds of applications each year with the deadlines being October 15th and January 30th.  

The William Coleman Fund 

The William Coleman Fund was established in 2011 by Dr. William Coleman. To support Ph.D. students in the Department of Political Science who are conducting field research. 

To see additional information regarding awards and funding, please visit our Awards & Funding page.