Overview

Political science is one of the oldest social science disciplines. It examines how people in societies organized into states live together and resolve or fail to resolve their conflicts. Politics is the art of influencing others as well as arriving at consensus. It is a widespread phenomenon that one encounters at all levels of society (family, school, government, and the like) as well as between states.

The discipline of Political Science from Bilkent University which studies systematically the recurring patterns of events in politics, is divided into five subdisciplines: political theory, comparative politics, international relations, national (Turkish) politics and public administration.

A candidate for the Ph.D. degree must:

Successfully complete the core curriculum for Ph.D. Degree at the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. There are two elective pools in the core curriculum.

Successfully complete the course requirements for the Ph.D. degree by earning at least 24 credits in total including two restricted electives and one unrestricted elective courses with at least 3 credits.

Show competence in the written and oral comprehensive examinations after completing all credit requirements and the seminar course in the curriculum. Students with a Master's degree must take the comprehensive exam within the first five semesters. Students without a Master's degree must take the comprehensive exam within the first seven semesters.

Submit a detailed Ph.D. dissertation proposal within six months after successfully passing their comprehensive examinations.

A paper based on the candidate's thesis must be accepted or published in a reputable journal before the dissertation can be defended.

Submit and successfully defend a Ph.D. dissertation that represents an original contribution to knowledge in the field.

Programme Structure

Courses included:

Research Methods and Academic Publication Ethics

Academic Practices

Pre-Thesis Seminar

Ph.D. Dissertation

Research Methods Electives

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 60 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-15 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-05-15 00:00:00

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

87

Schedule TOEFL®

Credits

194 ECTS

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Taipei, Taiwan

Disciplines

Political Science

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Academic requirements

GRE^®

Required

GMAT

Required

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

87

Schedule TOEFL®

Other requirements

General requirements

Proof of Degree: Ph.D.: graduate degree if already obtained (application requirement: MA/MSc thesis)

Transcripts: Ph.D.: undergraduate & graduate transcripts (most recent one available at the time of application)

Statement of Purpose: M.A.: 500 words max. (reasons for applying to M.A., research and career interests) Ph.D.:1000 words max. (reasons for applying to Ph.D., research interests)

Letters of Recommendation: M.A. and Ph.D.: 3 (uploaded to the system)

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Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

16950 USD / year

≈ 16950 USD / year

Additional Details

National tuition: 360,900 TL

Living costs

Taipei

Taiwan

26343 - 35750 TWD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Political Science.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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