Course: DPhil Politics
The first year of DPhil training is intensive but prepared me well for the next steps of my research.
Arthur
The DPhil in Politics is a three- to four-year course of full-time doctoral study, or six to eight years of part-time study, which is intended for students who would like to undertake detailed research in preparation for an academic career in political science or political theory. Note that the part-time option is not a distance-learning programme; part-time students are required to attend face-to-face teaching in Oxford on one or two separate days each week during term.
The DPhil in Politics is intended for students who would like to undertake detailed research in preparation for an academic career in political science or political theory.
At DPIR we look to teach you how to be rigorous in your research methods, and support you to produce high-quality and enquiring, original research. As a DPhil student, you will be at the heart of the Department’s research community and you will have rich opportunities for connecting with fellow-students, postdoctoral fellows, and academic staff involved in disciplinary and cross-disciplinary research.
How to look for information on the course
Further information about this course (including entry requirements) is on the University of Oxford Politics DPhil course page.
This webpage aims to give you a flavour of the Politics DPhil and its student and alumni community. You can also explore political theory research at DPIR and research in comparative politics and government at DPIR, for an idea of the cutting-edge research methods, questions and themes explored by our academic networks.
ox.ac.uk
politics.ox.ac.uk
politics.ox.ac.uk
Research examples
You can explore current Politics DPhil students research and profiles, with the ability to filter and view students who specialise in political theory or students who focus on comparative politics and government. Examples of previous successful theses are also listed below.
- Resuscitation of German Strategy
- Economic Reforms in Saudi Arabia: Transformation of the Rentier State
- On Cultural Rights
- "This is People's Water!": Water Services Struggles and the Emergence of the New Social Movements in Mpumalanga, Durban; 1998 2005
- Chinese Nationalism and Chinese Foreign Policy Making: A Camouflage?
- The Quest for Land Reform: Forced Removals, Land NGO's and Community Politics in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, c.1950 to 2000
- Property and the Power to Say No: A Freedom based Argument for basic income
- Bringing Desert into Liberal Egalitarian Justice
- Blame Avoidance and the Politics of Public Inquiries in the UK 1984 2003
- A Justified Claim? Reparations, Historical Injustice and the Case of American Slavery
- The Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the European Union and its Agenda Setting Powers
- Social Democracy in Latin America. The Post Transition Politics of the Left in Chile and Uruguay
- Islamic Doctrines of Citizenship in Liberal Democracies: The Search for an Overlapping Consensus
- Immigration Policy and Party Organization: Explaining the Rise of the Populist Right in Western Europe
- Anarchism and Political Theory: Contemporary Problems
- Magic Numbers? Women, Men and the Representation of Women in the British Parliaments
- The Political Economy of the Budget Making Policy in Venezuela, 1974-1999
- New Party Success and Failure in Japan: The Experiences of the Liberal Party, 1998 2003
- The Concept of Luck and Responsibility in Contemporary Theories of Justice
Graduate stories
Javier
Studying at Oxford has been a life-changing experience. My path through the DPhil has been both incredible challenging and super rewarding. The University gives you all the tools necessary to shine, the DPIR in particular is quite special. In it, world class research and teaching is led by remarkable students and professors.
DPhil Politics students and alumni
The majority of graduates from our DPhil programmes move on to careers in academia. But there are other career paths: some proceed to careers in the law; in public service, whether with national civil services or international organisations; in thinktanks or NGOs; management consultancy, the media, banking, and business. Whatever the career choice that those who gain a DPhil make, the combination of intense preparation, closely-focussed analytical abilities, rigorous research methods, and clarity of exposition are qualities which are as desirable in many other demanding professional careers as they are necessary in academia.
Applying to Oxford
Detailed information regarding the application process are available on the University's Politics DPhil course page.
You are advised to review the profiles of academic staff before you apply as successful applications always depend on the DPIR's capacity to offer appropriate supervision. You must identify one or two potential supervisors and state their names in the ‘proposed supervisor’ field on your application form. However, you do not need to contact academic staff members before you apply.
Please read about funding options and find links to further University guidance on our graduate fees and funding webpage.
politics.ox.ac.uk
politics.ox.ac.uk
