American Government - Field Requirements
Introduction | Field Requirements | Faculty
- Division of Substantive Areas
- Field Requirements
- Examination Requirements
- Evaluation of Examinations
Division of Substantive Areas
A. The following fields will be designated as areas of specialization:
- National Political Institutions - Legislative, Executive, Judicial, Bureaucracy, Parties and Interest Groups, Electoral Process
- Public Opinion and Political Behavior
- Public Policy
- Intergovernmental, state, and local politics
- Public Law
B. A Ph.D. candidate with a separate examination field in PA/Policy or Political Behavior may not select comparable areas (i.e. Public Policy, Public Opinion and Political Behavior) for specialization on the American Government Exams.
C. There is no core reading list for students preparing for major or minor field examinations in American Government. Students work with their examination committee, as well as other faculty in American Government, to prepare reading lists appropriate to their professional needs and interests.
Field Requirements
A. All students choosing American government as an examination field must take the graduate seminar in American Politics, POS 6045, and Political Behavior (POS 6207). This rule applies whether a student chooses American Government as a major or minor field. However, students choosing American Government as a third (write-off or second minor) field may take Political Behavior (POS 6207), but are not required to do so.
B. All students choosing American Government as a major field must additionally complete the research seminar in American Politics, POS 6714, and one other course in the political behavior field (to be approved by the student's supervisory committee).
Examination Requirements
A. A student majoring in American Government must answer questions in three (3) substantive areas on the Ph.D. Preliminary Examinations. Students majoring in American Government must answer a broad question in the substantive area of National Political Institutions [I-A(I) above]. One other question must come from sub-areas (2)- (5) listed in [I-A above]. The third question may come from a sub-area in (2)-(5), or may be chosen from a sub-field in [l-A(l) above]. IN NO INSTANCE CAN QUESTIONS DUPLICATE OR SIGNIFICANTLY OVERLAP IN SUBJECT MATTER NOR CAN THEY SIGNIFICANTLY OVERLAP OR DUPLICATE QUESTIONS FROM OTHER EXAMINATION FIELDS. They may, however, approach similar topics (for example, political parties and elections) using very different literatures, theoretical constructs, and methodologies.
B. Students minoring in American Government are required to answer two (2) questions on the Ph.D. Preliminary Examinations. Students minoring in American Government may choose a broad question in the substantive area of National Political Institutions II-A(I) above] for the examination, but are not required to do so. Minors may take their examination questions in any two sub-fields from [I-A(1) - (5) above], but IN NO INSTANCE CAN QUESTIONS DUPLICATE OR SIGNIFICANTLY OVERLAP IN SUBJECT MATTER, NOR CAN THEY SIGNIFICANTLY OVERLAP OR DUPLICATE QUESTIONS FROM OTHER EXAMINATION FIELDS. They may, however, approach similar topics (for example, political parties and elections) using very different literatures, theoretical constructs, and methodologies.
C. Previous questions are available to candidates as they prepare for examinations.
Evaluation of Examinations
A. For purposes of writing and grading Ph.D. examinations in American Government, a three-person examination committee will be established, composed of members of the American Government Committee. Candidates will choose one member, while the American Government Committee will appoint two or, if appropriate, more. The representative from American Government on the candidate's supervisory committee will become chair of the student's Ph.D. American Government examination committee
B. The examination committee will work with the student prior to the examination to confirm areas of concentration, and otherwise counsel the student in preparation for the examination. This includes delineation of appropriate, detailed, specialized reading lists.
C. It is the responsibility of the candidate to arrange for the composition of his/her examination committee, and to consult with it on a regular basis as he/she prepares for examinations.
D. The examination committee prepares and evaluates the candidate's examination in American Government.
E. The procedures for evaluating each candidate's examination are as follows:
- Each essay answer will be evaluated by each member of the examination committee according to the standard 4-point scale used at the University of Florida (decimal interpolations are possible).
- Members of the examination committee then meet to discuss each essay, arrive at an average grade for each question, and an average for the entire examination, again using the standard 4.0 scale.
- To pass the examination, a minimum grade of 3.0 is required. Examinations receiving a grade of 3.5 or higher will be awarded a "high pass" on the examination. Those receiving less than 3.0 will constitute a failing grade.
F. A failed examination must be entirely repeated. A student may not repeat the examination more than once. Failure of the second exam results in termination from the program.
