The objective of the Doctoral School is to attract students interested in research and keen to go on to dissertation work. Its organisation by discipline is a key element in helping students acquire perfect command of at least one discipline, together with a solid grounding in all the different dimensions of research: methodology, theory, case studies, etc.

This training for research also entails integrating doctoral students into one of Sciences Po's many research centres in the framework of writing their dissertation. It gives them the opportunity to participate in ongoing research projects, attend specialised seminars and meet research teams.

For several years now, Sciences Po has been endeavouring to help doctoral students and PhD graduates work in conjunction with international research networks. To this end, the Doctoral School and the Sciences Po Center for the Americas have set up a program of US PhD bursaries. Every year, 10 doctoral students are invited to work in the social sciences research centres of a number of North-American universities. They also have the possibility of working towards a dual PhD, with Columbia in political science and the Institut Max Planck in Cologne in political science and sociology. In return Sciences Po admits foreign students in the framework of these high-level partnerships. The programme is supported by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.