PhD in International Relations

Doctoral students shape a curriculum based on their interests within Fletcher’s primary doctoral fields of study:

• Comparative and Regional Studies
• Gender and Intersectional Analysis
• Human Security and Humanitarian Affairs
• International Business
• International Development and Environmental Policy
• International Security

Regardless of their choice of field, all students pursue foundational courses in international relations theory, comparative politics, and research methodology.

Students also supplement their primary field of study with a second field that can be self-designed or selected from the Fletcher School’s full list of fields of study. The student’s primary and secondary fields of study form the basis for their comprehensive exams.

Students seeking additional opportunities to individualize their studies may cross-register for up to a quarter of their classes at another graduate school at Tufts University or at Harvard University.

Students who have received their master's degree at another institution generally pursue twelve courses (36 credits) at Fletcher, with limited opportunities to have prior coursework applied to their degree. Those who possess a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD) generally pursue an additional four courses (12 credits), for a total of twenty courses for the two degrees.

Comprehensive Exams

Doctoral students demonstrate mastery of their subjects through comprehensive examinations, composed of a written exam in each of the two fields of study and an oral exam that integrates the material from the two areas. Students generally sit for their comprehensive examinations within a year of completing their coursework.

Developing and Writing a Dissertation

Once they have passed their comprehensive exams and achieved PhD candidacy, students propose, research, and write a dissertation. The completed dissertation should bear evidence of independent research and constitute a substantial contribution on the subject. When the dissertation is complete, the PhD candidate participates in a public oral defense of the dissertation.

Additional Degree Requirements

In addition to the exam and dissertation requirements outlined above, doctoral students must:

• Demonstrate proficiency in a second language.
• Submit a master's thesis for evaluation by a Fletcher faculty member. This could be a master's thesis written prior to enrollment at Fletcher or a thesis written during the first year at Fletcher.

Admission to the Fletcher School PhD Program is a highly competitive process. The PhD Admissions Committee seeks students with a history of academic success and the potential to achieve their research and career goals in the future.

Master’s Degree: Prospective students must have a master's degree in a field that is relevant to international relations and directly related to the applicant's proposed doctoral studies. The applicant's master's degree must come from a program that required at least three semesters of full-time study (not including internships or language study) and at least twelve courses in which the applicant earned a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher. Applicants should also have at least basic proficiency in a second language, which may be English for non-native English speakers.

Professional Experience:  In addition to a strong academic background, successful applicants generally have professional experience that they can draw upon from work prior to their master’s degree or between their master’s degree and PhD studies.

Doctoral Research Topic: Applicants are strongly encouraged to ensure that their research can be supported by a member of the Fletcher faculty. Even among highly accomplished applicants, the selected research topic must be one in which a professor can advise the student in their specific field. Reaching out to faculty members during the application process is not required but can be a useful way of ensuring that there is a good match with a potential advisor. The final match between admitted students and faculty advisors will be made through the application review process. Adjunct and visiting professors cannot serve as PhD advisors.

Applicants with questions about the admissions process are encouraged to email the Office of Admissions or the PhD Program Director.

Fletcher graduates go on to become respected leaders in academia and research, as well as the non-profit, government, and private sectors. They produce research and policy that contributes substantively to the theory and practice of international affairs and builds on Fletcher’s long-standing reputation as a hub for meaningful discourse on complex issues.

Fletcher faculty and the Office of Career Services  support Fletcher graduates with career advice, professional development, and general assistance.

Careers in International Relations

Fletcher's Office of Career Services works with PhD students interested in a career in international relations practice. Our graduates have pursued careers at a wide range of institutions and organizations.

Careers in Academia

For PhD students focused on the academic job market, Fletcher offers support at a variety of levels. To develop teaching skills, students can participate in Tufts University’s three-week summer intensive Graduate Institute for Teaching and co-teach a class with a faculty mentor. Many students have also developed and taught classes in the University’s Osher Institute or Experimental College. 

Fletcher's PhD program is a full-time, on-campus program that does not offer either part-time or remote-study options. Students are generally on campus for three years or until they have defended their dissertation proposal. After that, they may choose to move elsewhere to research and write their dissertation.

Once students have completed their coursework, they generally take one year or less to complete their comprehensive exams and an additional year or less to prepare a formal dissertation proposal. After the proposal has been approved, researching, and writing the dissertation averages about three years, but the time needed depends on how many other activities the student is pursuing in addition to their dissertation.

No. Although Fletcher PhD students may wish to pursue teaching or research opportunities within Fletcher or elsewhere at Tufts University, with only a few exceptions, Fletcher scholarships come with no teaching, research, or other work obligations.