Fields of Study

Columbia political scientists study real-world questions, using methods ranging from ethnography, historical process-tracing, archival research, and interviews, to quantitative data collection, complex statistical analysis, lab and field experiments, and game-theoretic modeling. The department is proud of its reputation for employing empirically rigorous and diverse methods to address large and fundamental problems facing society.

Many faculty members in the department work in more than one of the traditional subfields. The faculty also includes scholars who focus on political methodology and political economic theory.

Students and faculty participate in a number of ongoing research seminars and workshops sponsored by the department, the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP), and other university departments, institutes, and centers. Details about those most commonly attended by department members can be found here.

Department faculty often engage students to participate in their research projects, providing students opportunities not only to learn but also to contribute to knowledge in their field. Participation in collaborative research with faculty offers students in-depth training and mentoring and frequently lays the foundation for professional collaboration that extends beyond the student's time at Columbia.

Students may not serve as Principal Investigators in sponsored research at Columbia University. Those applying for research funding should seek a faculty member to serve as Principal Investigator for the sponsored project. More information about the PI role is available here.

Please click here to see a list of selected faculty-student research collaborations.