Doctor of Philosophy International Studies (PhD)

GPIS is an interdisciplinary unit, offering advanced research and graduate training in global problems and transnational issues. Fields of concentration include Comparative Cultural and Political Studies, Conflict and Cooperation, International Political Economy and Development, Modeling and Simulation, Strategic Leadership, and U.S. Foreign Policy. 

Dr. Regina Karp
Graduate Program Director
7044 Batten Arts & Letters
757-683-5700

Graduate Program in International Studies 

Admission Requirements

All candidates for admission into the PhD must submit:

1. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (may be waived on a case-by-case basis for PhD applicants depending on prior qualifications at the master’s level).
2. Official transcripts of all undergraduate or prior graduate course work submitted directly by all universities attended.
3. An essay of not more than 500 words describing interest in and capacity for advanced training in global/transnational issues.
4. One example of writing or research (a paper submitted to a seminar, a publication or report, or another comparable example).
5. Three letters of recommendation addressing the candidate's capacity to undertake graduate work on international global issues.

Admission Standards

GPIS admits students for fall and spring semesters. We prefer applications to reach us by January 15 and October 15.  Applications outside these timelines will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

With the permission of the GPIS Director, individuals who want to begin graduate work but do not intend to finish their degree with GPIS or individuals who want to join GPIS at a later date, may be considered for taking graduate courses as non-degree seeking students.

GPIS offers a number of doctoral and master’s graduate assistantships and awards them on the basis of availability and competitiveness. Applicants who want to be considered for a graduate assistantship are advised to submit their application by the above deadlines.

Curriculum Requirements

The PhD requires 48 credits at the post-master’s level (courses at the 800 level). These 48 hours include a minimum of 12 dissertation credits. The 48 credits do not include any courses needed for demonstrating foreign language competency. 

Upon completion of coursework, PhD students must pass a written and an oral candidacy examination, submit a dissertation prospectus, write a dissertation, and undergo an oral defense of the dissertation.

PhD students will NOT be allowed to take more than nine credit hours per semester. Each required course must be completed with a grade of B (3.00) or above. PhD students must take 12 credit hours of core courses, 15 credit hours in the primary field of concentration and 9 credit hours in the secondary field, totaling 36 credit hours. Twelve credit hours of dissertation preparation credits must be taken to complete the credit hour requirement of 48 hours at the post-master's level (courses at the 800 level).

Fields of Concentration

Select two of the following six fields of concentration: Comparative Cultural and Political Studies, Conflict and Cooperation, International Political Economy and Development, Modeling and Simulation, Strategic Leadership, and US Foreign Policy. The primary concentration requires a total of five courses (15 credit hours) and the secondary requires a total of three courses (9 credit hours). Students must choose courses from the below lists as specified. IS 895 Topics in International Studies course may be accepted with the approval of the program director in coordination with the concentration coordinators. IS 868 Internship in International Studies, IS 897 Independent Research in International Studies or IS 898 Directed Research may be used only one time to satisfy an elective for primary or secondary concentration with the approval of the program director in coordination with the concentration coordinators. Courses not on these lists may be accepted with the approval of the program director in coordination with the concentration coordinators.

Comparative Cultural and Political Studies Concentration

Students must take IS 816 Theories of Comparative Sociopolitical Studies and IS 860 International Cultural Studies: History, Theory and Application and three additional courses for the primary concentration or one for the secondary concentration from the following list.

Conflict and Cooperation Concentration

Students must take IS 802 Approaches to Collective Security and four additional courses for the primary concentration or two for the secondary concentration from the following list.

International Political Economy and Development Concentration

Students must take IS 840 Political Economy of Development and four additional courses for the primary concentration or two for the secondary concentration from the following list.

Modeling and Simulation Concentration

Students must take MSIM 601 Introduction to Modeling and Simulation or MSIM 602 Simulation Fundamentals and four additional courses for the primary concentration or two for the secondary concentration from the following list. 

Strategic Leadership Concentration

Students must take IS 821 New World Order: Chaos and Coherence and four additional courses for the primary concentration and two for the secondary concentration from the following list.

US Foreign Policy

Students must take IS 834 U.S. Grand Strategy and IS 826 American Foreign Policy and World Order and three additional courses for the primary concentration or one for the secondary concentration from the following list.

Additional Requirements

Methodology Requirements

All PhD students must complete a sequence of two basic methods courses beginning with IS 600. Students holding an MA from another institution who enter the PhD program may present transcripts showing a B (3.00) or above, plus syllabi and other documentation, from a similar introductory methods course to be exempt from IS 600.

Language Requirements

PhD students must demonstrate reading competence in one foreign language other than English. International students who have English as a second language fulfill this requirement.

Foreign language competence can be demonstrated in one of two ways:

Candidacy Examinations

All PhD students must pass a written candidacy examination. Students who pass the written candidacy examination must then pass an oral candidacy examination.

The PhD candidacy examination may not be scheduled before students have completed all core and methodology requirements, nor may the PhD candidacy examination be scheduled prior to the last semester in which regular course work is taken. PhD students are also required to fulfill the foreign language requirement before taking the candidacy examination. PhD examinations are scheduled twice a year. PhD students failing the written examination on the first attempt may retake the written exam only once, no earlier than the following semester.

Dissertations

A dissertation is required of all PhD students. A dissertation prospectus will be prepared after the successful completion of the candidacy examination. If the student’s graduate committee approves the prospectus, the student will proceed to research and write the dissertation. An oral defense of the dissertation will be scheduled after a draft is approved by the committee.

Grade Requirements

PhD students will be graded on the traditional A, B, C, F scale (with pluses and minuses) in all courses. Pass/Fail evaluations will be utilized only in the case of registration for internships, independent research, directed research or dissertation research, or when specifically approved by the director.

Graduate students for whom grade point averages fall below 3.00 (B) will be placed on a probationary status. After two consecutive semesters below this average or the accumulation of two grades of “C” or below, the director will take under consideration, in consultation with faculty, termination of the student’s program.

Time Limit and Residency Requirements

The doctoral program must be completed within eight years of entry into PhD course work.

Transfer Credit

Twelve graduate credits earned at other institutions or at Old Dominion University may be applied toward the fulfillment of degree requirements. Transfer credit, including nondegree credit earned at Old Dominion, is accepted as degree credit at the discretion of the director.

Financial Aid

Full-time students are eligible to apply for university fellowships, graduate assistantships, and tuition grants which are awarded on a competitive basis.

Nondegree Students

Nondegree students must obtain the approval of the director before enrolling in graduate international studies classes.