Our department offers a Master's Level Further Specialization Degree ("szakirányú továbbképzési szak") , two Master of Arts degrees, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science degree. Please click to quicklinks below to browse for more information.
Quicklinks: Master's Level Further Specialization, Master Programs, Doctoral Program in Political Science.
Master's Level Further Specialization
Master's Level Further Specialization in Comparative Political Science (One-year Program)
The Department of Political Science offers a Master's Level Further Specialization in Comparative Political Science degree, which is accredited in Hungary. The program is intended for students who have received their BA degree in the social sciences and humanities. The comparative methodology of the program aims not only to introduce students to current debates in legal, economics, philosophy or sociology studies but also establish dialogue among the disciplines in studying the classical questions of political science. The program places great emphasis on familiarizing students with analytic and debating skills enlisting both creative and writing tasks in the courses offered within the program. Candidates for the degree gather 60 ECTS from courses submit a thesis for defense and pass a comprehensive exam .
The Department of Political Science offers two Master of Arts degrees, the One-year Master of Arts in Political Science and the Two-year Master of Arts in Political Science. The One-year program is accredited in the US, while the Two-year Program bears Hungarian (EU) accreditation. Requirements for the two programs are very similar, but students of the Two-year Program must complete more credits, and while the length of the Master's Thesis for the One-year Program is approx. 15,000 words, the Two-year Program requires an approx. 18,000 words thesis. Both programs conclude with an oral defense of the Master Thesis, but students of the Two-year Program must also take a comprehensive oral exam on a set of questions from the discipline that are provided well ahead of the time of the exam.
Master of Arts in Political Science (One-year Program)
The program offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary curriculum in theory and research methods in contemporary political science. The one-year program is aimed for students who graduated a four-year BA degree. Specializations include a variety of fields such as: politics and economics of democratization in a comparative perspective, international development, comparative and European politics, current issues in the theory and practice of constitutional democracy, political theory, political sociology, and political economy. US standards in research and teaching are combined with the varied requirements of an international student body.
Master of Arts in Political Science (Two-year Program)
The two-year program specifically addresses the needs of students who have a three-year study background in political science (or a related discipline) and would like to gain comprehensive knowledge about contemporary political theory, European politics, and different research methodologies and empirical skills necessary for the practice of political science. At the same time, the high number and great variety of elective courses give students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge in different fields such as comparative politics, political economy, political communication, or political theory. Click here to read the Hungarian description of the program.
The PhD program in Political Science is primarily oriented towards academia, preparing graduate students for a career in research and/or university-level teaching and is administered by the Doctoral School of Political Science, Public Policy, and International Relations.
Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science
The Doctoral School is an academic community home to more than 50 permanent faculty members and over 70 doctoral students. The Doctoral Program in Political Science has been established by the Departments of Political Science, International Relations and European Studies, and Public Policy with the aim of contributing to a spirit of cooperation between faculty and students and foster the consolidation of a common academic community across the three departments. The PhD program aims to provide the theoretical and methodological groundings necessary to facilitate a broader comparative perspective which will mediate and engage scholarship and practices from both European and non-European contexts. The structure of the PhD program in Political Science is based on a system of ‘tracks’ (areas of specialization, or ‘majors’). The tracks represent academic fields/sub-fields or research areas that reflect the major strengths and interests of our faculty. The five tracks are: Comparative Politics, Political Economy, Political Theory, International Relations,Public Policy. Applicants can also apply to a Human Rights specialization, which is financed and governed through a special agreement with CEU Legal Studies Department. During their studies at CEU, doctoral candidates are actively introduced to research networks in their field through participation in major research projects in which CEU faculty are partners or lead personnel. Travel support from CEU for participation in major academic conferences and summer schools is offered, and there are opportunities to participate in graduate student workshops that the school regularly organizes in collaboration with some of the most outstanding European and American universities.