Phd programme

As a premier research university, Sciences Po places strong emphasis on training the next generation of academics through and for research. At the CGSG, the selection, integration, and professional development of doctoral students are not only central to our activities, but also an important source of our collective vitality and visibility.

Welcoming doctoral students also entails a number of shared commitments, including the obligation to participate in activities organized within the Centre, particularly the General Seminar on International Relations and Planetary Politics, which takes place on Tuesdays according to a programme announced before the beginning of the following term. A Doctoral Charter sets out the relationship between doctoral students and the CGSG.

Phd programme: support and supervision

At the CGSG, you will be primarily supervised by your PhD supervisor. You will also receive support from all members of the Centre, as everyone at the CGSG is committed to the quality of our doctoral training, to doctoral students’ development within the Centre, and to their professional success, both in France and abroad.

The doctoral training is supported by a range of resources designed to facilitate your journey within the CGSG:

• A workstation in a shared office.
• Logistical and financial support for events organized by doctoral students themselves.
• From their second year onwards, each doctoral student receives financial support to join a professional association in the discipline (EISA, ISA).
• Additional funding that tops up or complements support from other Sciences Po bodies. Eligible uses include attending conferences, conducting fieldwork, accessing software or databases, and undertaking methodological training, subject to agreement with the thesis supervisor.

Professional development and promotion of research

Life after the PhD is prepared for during the PhD. The CGSG therefore provides a range of tools and programmes designed to develop academic skills and interpersonal abilities, helping doctoral students make the transition to the professional world under the best possible conditions.

• Training in social science methods, theories, and epistemology.
• Introduction to research funding proposal writing through participation in a research team working on an ongoing call for proposals.
• Teaching and/or tutoring, individually or as part of a team.
• Publication support (editing for publication in English, dedicated workshops with editors of leading academic journals and university presses).
• Support in promoting and disseminating doctoral research, including through publication of the thesis or submission for national and international awards.
• Career development training, including guidance on navigating setbacks and non-linear career paths.
• Organization of mock job interviews, sharing of opportunities, and support in understanding recruitment expectations (academic positions, postdoctoral positions, competitive examinations, etc.).

CGSG members who can supervise doctoral research

• Thierry Balzacq, Professor
• Nicole Grajewski (*), Assistant Professor FNSP
• Ronald Hatto, Associate Professor FNSP
• Christian Lequesne, Professor FNSP
• Frédéric Ramel, Professor
• Horatia Muir Watt, Professor

(*) At Sciences Po, non-tenured Assistant Professors who do not hold an habilitation à diriger des recherches (HDR) may be authorized by the School’s Scientific Council to co-supervise a PhD thesis.