A PhD in Political Science offers an in-depth exploration of political systems, governance, public policy, and international relations. Designed for individuals passionate about understanding and shaping the political landscape, this advanced program provides rigorous training in research methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and critical analysis.

PhD candidates will engage with complex political questions, contribute original research, and develop expertise in areas such as comparative politics, political theory, and global governance, preparing them for careers in academia, public service, or policy advising. See below for our areas of expertise.

Canadian Politics

The study of Canadian politics at McMaster University explores all facets of the Canadian political system, from the institutional and constitutional foundations of Canada to critical questions about Canadian political life. This program, part of our Canadian Politics PhD track, focuses on core political institutions such as Parliament, political parties, the electoral system, federalism, and the courts. Additionally, students can explore key topics in Canadian politics, including Indigenous Politics & Indigenous-state Relations, Quebec Politics, Political Economy, Social Policy, the Politics of Migration & Citizenship, Regionalism, and the Politics of Gender, Race & Class. Our Doctoral Studies in Political Science program is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of these areas, preparing students for in-depth Political Science research and professional paths in academia or public policy.

We offer graduate instruction and supervision in many of the core foci of Canadian politics, including the central institutions of the Canadian state, law & public policy, Indigenous politics, political behaviour and public opinion, social policy and the welfare state, and Canadian political economy. Our Canadian Politics PhD program is designed to provide comprehensive training in these areas.

Our faculty is methodologically diverse, with the ability to support and train students in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method research. We prepare students in the fields of theories and approaches to Canadian politics and policy, public administration, and Canada in comparative perspective. This ensures that our graduates are well-equipped for advanced Political Science Research and careers in academia or public policy.

PhD students can combine Canadian politics with Comparative Public Policy or International Relations, along with courses in related fields such as Comparative Politics, globalization, and the internationalization of public policy. Our Doctoral Studies in Political Science program prepares graduates for careers in Canadian universities and colleges, as well as federal, provincial, and local public services.

Explore our expert supervisors in Canadian Politics.

Comparative Politics

Comparative Politics is the systematic study and comparison of diverse political systems, processes, and patterns in the world. Comparativists compare to draw attention to the similarities and differences to explain significant political changes and developments. The focus on methodology is unique among other Political Science subfields.

Our faculty is committed to teaching and research excellence. We are eager to mentor and guide students passionate about pursuing studies in democratization, authoritarianism, gender, human rights, ethnic minority representation, digital technology, and parties and elections in regions such as Asia, Latin America, and North America. Our Doctoral Studies in Political Science program prepares graduates for careers in Canadian and overseas universities, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and public services. This comprehensive training ensures that students are well-equipped for advanced Political Science Research and professional roles in public policy and administration.

Explore our expert supervisors in Comparative Politics.

Comparative Public Policy

McMaster is one of very few universities, in Canada and internationally, to offer a PhD in Comparative Public Policy. To robustly examine and explain policy dynamics and change, students are trained in the comparative method and are required to examine a policy issue in at least two political jurisdictions. These jurisdictions may be states, but they could also be at the subnational or international level.

Public policy addresses fundamental questions of ‘who gets what’ and ‘who benefits’. It can explore the big picture of how power operates in societies or involve exploring the intricate details of complex policy processes and outcomes. Our faculty has the capacity to supervise students engaged in mainstream policy studies, as well as projects employing various critical approaches to policy. We prepare students in the fields of theories and approaches to Comparative Public Policy, public administration, and the internationalization of public policy. We highly value the opportunity to integrate Comparative Public Policy with courses in related areas like Comparative Politics, globalization, and the internationalization of public policy.

The program prepares graduates for careers in Canadian and overseas universities, international organizations, and federal, provincial, and local public services. Our graduates have secured positions at numerous Canadian universities and within federal and provincial public services, ensuring they are well-equipped for advanced Political Science Research and professional roles in public policy and administration.

Explore our expert supervisors in Comparative Public Policy.

International Relations

McMaster has nine full-time faculty members who specialize in teaching and conducting research in International Relations. Our PhD International Relations program’s strengths are in the fields of Canadian Foreign Policy, Critical International Relations Theory, Critical Security Studies, Global Governance, Global Political Economy, and Politics of the Global South.

McMaster’s PhD is one of the strongest Critical International Relations programs in the country. Critical IR approaches reveal the unequal power relations of world order and seek to challenge those conditions. We draw on a wide variety of theoretical traditions including constructivist, ecological, feminist, historical materialist, post-colonial, and post-structural approaches.

Faculty members have overlapping interests in alternative diplomacies, citizenship studies and transnational social movements, climate change, International Political Economy, International Relations Theory, Global Governance, post-colonialism, and Politics of the Global South.

PhD students are encouraged to take advantage of the activities of the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition, as well as our annual student-focused Mapping the Global Dimensions of Policy conference.

Explore our expert supervisors in International Relations.

Political Theory

Political Theory is the study of the philosophical foundations of political ideas, norms, practices, and institutions. It examines the nature of concepts such as power, the state, justice, equality, government, and civil society, and considers – from a critical standpoint – the ethical grounds of contemporary social and political life.

Our faculty have particular expertise in critical theory, decolonial, postcolonial, and anticolonial political thought, theories of nationalism and collective identity, political founding and constituent power, political theories of race, gender, and empire, and critical theories of cosmopolitanism and international relations. We are happy to supervise doctoral projects in these and related areas.

We provide students with a strong foundation in historical and contemporary scholarship in Political Theory and focus on the development of core skills (critical thinking, analytical reasoning, writing, oral expression) and academic professionalization. We encourage collaboration with other subfields within and beyond Political Science and are supportive of interdisciplinary projects.

Explore our expert supervisors in Political Theory.