Training the Next Generation of Teaching Professors: A Comparative Study of Ph.D. Programs in Political Science

Abstract

In this article, we investigate the graduate curricula of political science programs and 122 Ph.D.-granting political science programs in the United States and how they seek to prepare political science teachers.We first investigate whether the department offers a dedicated political science course at the graduate level on college teaching, and whether the presence of this class correlates with the size of the department, the size of the university, the ranking of the department, and so on. We find that whether a program offers a graduate course on teaching is inversely related to the research productivity of a department, and that departments at public institutions are more likely to offer such courses than are departments at private institutions. Second, we conduct content analysis of a sample of syllabi from departments that offer such courses to ascertain the kinds of topics that are covered. Finally, we briefly describe some model programs that seek to prepare graduate students for teaching careers that integrate graduate student teacher training throughout the Ph.D. program.I n this article, we investigate the graduate curriculum of political science programs across 122 Ph.D.-granting political science programs in the United States and examine whether the programs offer a graduate course on teaching political science. Little or no systematic work has been conducted that investigates the proportion of Ph.D. programs that overtly prepare their graduates for teaching in the profession. In conducting such an examination, we first investigate whether the department offers a dedicated course at the graduate level on college teaching, and whether this offering correlates with the size of the department, the size of the university, and the ranking of the department, among other factors. Second, we conduct a content analysis of a sample of syllabi from departments that offer such courses to ascertain the kinds of topics that are covered. Finally, we briefly describe some model programs that seek to prepare graduate students for teaching careers that integrate graduate student teacher training throughout the Ph.D. program. This project purports to fill an important gap in our understanding of how our discipline as a whole trains future political science teachers. LITERATUREOver the years, there has been an increasing call to improve the quality of graduate education in the social sciences. In particular, many studies have indicated that in the social sciences, graduate programs have failed to adequately prepare doctoral students for the changing character of higher education, particularly in terms of teacher training for careers at institutions that emphasize undergraduate teaching. Indeed, there is considerable evidence that most available faculty positions are located at institutions that primarily focus on teaching. T h e P r o f e s s i o n .. ......................................................................................................................................................................

Best practices in professional development in graduate education

“…From that same pool, only 41% of the graduate schools actually require students to attend these courses' (cited in Buehler and Marcum, 2007 p.22). More recent figures compiled by Ishiyama et al (2010) found that of the 122 Ph.D. granting political science departments in the US [practitioner programs excluded], 41 had a graduate level course on teaching political science, of these, 28 required that some of the students took the course. For 13 of them participation was optional.…”

“…For 13 of them participation was optional. This is a potential problem for the discipline when we consider that up to two thirds of all new jobs in the discipline in the US are teaching positions (Ishiyama, 2010 This European trend has been led by Belgium, Ireland, the UK and the Nordic countries (Pleschová and Simon, 2013;Renc Roe and Yarkova, 2013). Pleschová and Simon's research highlights 'the positive impact of teacher training on the quality of teaching and learning as well as the positive valuation of training by more than two-thirds of PhD students in our sample' and concludes that teacher training should be more 'widely available' (Pleschová and Simon, 2009 p.233).…”

“…The graduate instructors' levels of responsibility increase as they progress in their studies, for example in year four they are assigned a course to teach. Also the assignments are devised in accordance with the needs of the graduate student and not the faculty/department and they choose their 'apprenticeship' course (Ishiyama et al, 2010;Ishiyama et al 2013).…”

“…These figures are higher in political science where 72% of doctoral graduates become faculty (Nerad and Cerny cited in Ishiyama et al, 2010) and 'only 26 to 35 per cent of faculty positions in political science are located in doctoral granting departments' (Ishiyama et al, 2013 p.34) It is recognized that the approaches, techniques and tools used in the professional development of undergraduate students may not be 'as well suited for graduate students' in terms of preparing them for an academic career (Obst et al 2010 p.571). This chapter explores developments in the professionalization of graduate education with reference to best practices in North America and Europe.…”

Profile of Contributors to the American Political Science Review, 2010

“…(Ballard & Mitchell, 1998;Boncourt, 2007, pp. 283-284;Erne, 2007;Garand & Graddy, 1999;Hesli et al, 2012;Hix, 2004;Ishiyama et al, 2010;Kaba, 2012a, pp. 28-29;Katz & Eagles, 1996;Lowry & Silver, 1996;Lopez, 2003;Mann, 1998;Masuoka et al, 2007ab;McCormick & Rice, 2001;"Political Science Ranked in 2009," 2013Schmidt & Chingos, 2007).…”