Brief Introduction
The PhD Program in Comparative Politics (English) is delivered by the School of International Relations (SIR) at the University of International Business and Economy (UIBE). It is a full-time program of doctoral research in the academic study with an expected length of four years (students with specific scholarship shall finish the program in 3 years, but they can also apply for a self-paying extension up to 3 additional years).
The aim of this doctoral program is to cultivate world class political science and international relations researchers and leadership in global governance. SIRis dedicated to motivate students to do initiative explorationsand be capable to make through of the current researches. We hope the four-years study and research will help students advance their academic/professional careers in universities, institutions, governments, think tanks, IGOs and NGOs.
The School of International Relations,founded in 2006 at UIBE, now is one of the top political science and international relations research and education institutions in China with increasing international recognition and visibility. As of 2022, we host around 220 international students from more than 50 countries in BA, MA, and PhD programs.
Program Structure and Thesis
This program will last 4 years, and the maximum years are no longer than 6 years. For a student fulfilling the plan ahead of time with the thesis qualified for defense, and publishing at least 3 articles on international journals around the world, it can be allowed for defense, graduation and application of the degree ahead of time.
During the first year, students are required to attend research seminars and training modules (the requirement of credits shows below), which are designed to strengthen their methodological skills and background knowledge of specific topic related to their research interests. The students shall also learn Chinese during the first year (they must pass HSK III before graduation). By the end of the first semester, students will be assigned a supervisor, who is a specialist in their chosen research field.
At the end of the third semester, each student shall successfully stand for the comprehensive examination and be recommended for continuation in the program before undertaking thesis research. The purpose of the comprehensive examination is to ascertain a student’s knowledge and his/her preparedness for advanced research. The best preparation is extensive seminar work in the school, supplemented as necessary by independent reading and study. The specified examination content will be informed at the beginning of the third semester.
By the end of the second year, candidates are required to present a detailed research proposal. The proposal, which shall illustrate his/her command of the theoretical and empirical literature related to his/her topic, will be a clear statement of the theoretical and methodological approach the candidate will take. It will include a draft outline and work plan, which identify any periods of fieldwork necessary to the candidate’s research. This should demonstrate the coherence and feasibility of the proposed research and thesis.
When the proposal is approved, candidates will begin to conduct their research and write theses, and the minimum words are 60 thousands. However, during the second year, students may still be required to attend advanced training seminars on subjects ranging from interviews to academic writing for publication, whilst they fully explore the research. Candidates shall use part of or all of the second year to conduct fieldwork, and then they shall use the rest time to complete theses and oral defense. The specific timetable will be informed at the end of the third year. Usually the defense will be hold on the 8th semester.
Credit requirements
To obtain a PhD degree of Law, students shall complete 23 credits: Basic Degree modules (7 credits), Core Modules (13 credits) and Thesis (3 credits). For those who did not study Political Science or International Relations in their BA or MA programs, they shall complete additional 9 credits in Political Science and International Relations modules (Basic Theories Modules) to satisfy the qualification of a PhD candidate.
