Research Paths

Political Studies

Courses and Research Areas

 

 

Below is the list of courses for the A.Y. 2026-2027.

 

 

Comparative Political Institutions & European Union Politics


The research area in Comparative Political Institutions & European Union Politics includes the comparative analysis of contemporary political systems, such as the functioning of parliaments, governments, courts and other political institutions, both in democratic and non-democratic countries, at the local, national and European levels, including processes of regime change.

 

NASP compulsory methodology courses  Syllabi Credits
Introduction to STATA  --- --
Statistics for the Social Sciences Syllabus 5
Statistics for the Social Sciences (Practical sessions)  --- --
Applied Multivariate Analysis for Social Scientists Syllabus 3
Qualitative Research Methods Syllabus 3
Research Methods in Social and Political Sciences  Syllabus 3
Process Tracing and Mixed Methods Syllabus 3  
     
NASP elective methodology course    
Measurement in the Social Sciences  Syllabus 3
or    
POLS elective methodology courses    
Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) Syllabus
Causal Inference in Social and Political Science
Syllabus 
     
POLS compulsory courses    
Logic and Epistemology of the Social Sciences  Syllabus  3
Thinking Like a Social Scientist  Syllabus  3
Game Theory Syllabus  3
Topics in Rational Choice Institutionalism  Syllabus 3
Political Philosophy Syllabus 3
Empirical Political Theory   Syllabus 3
     
POLS elective Courses    
Comparative Politics    3
Ph.D. students may select 1-2 courses from this list   3
     
Other activities    
Project Colloquium    3
NASP International seminars    3
Summer schools / Conferences   2  
Research project  
     
Transferable skills courses    
English for Academic Purposes for Social and Political Sciences Syllabus 3
Courses organized by the University of Pavia   3

 

Public Policy & Welfare State

The research area in Public Policy & Welfare State focuses on the analysis of policy change, policymaking processes, policy design & evaluation. Social, labour market, education and eco-social policies are at the core of this research track which aims at providing the conceptual, analytical and theoretical tools for the study of policy change and its main determinants, with particular regard to the key role played by political factors in shaping policy outputs.

 

NASP compulsory methodology courses Syllabi      Credits     
Introduction to STATA  --- --
Statistics for the Social Sciences Syllabus 5
Statistics for the Social Sciences (Practical sessions)  --- --
Applied Multivariate Analysis for Social Scientists  Syllabus 3
Qualitative Research Methods  Syllabus 3
Research Methods in Social and Political Sciences Syllabus 3
     
NASP elective methodology courses

 

 

Measurement in the Social Sciences Syllabus 3
or    
POLS elective methodology courses    
Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) Syllabus  3
Qualitative Comparative Research and Longitudinal/Life Course Studies Syllabus 2
Causal Inference in Social and Political Science Syllabus 3
     
POLS compulsory courses    
Logic and Epistemology of the Social Sciences Syllabus 3
Thinking Like a Social Scientist Syllabus 3
Game Theory Syllabus 3
Topics in Rational Choice Institutionalism  Syllabus 3
Political Philosophy Syllabus 3
Empirical Political Theory Syllabus 3
     
POLS elective Courses    
Ph.D. students may select 2-3 courses from this list   3
     
Other activities                                                            
Project Colloquium   3
NASP International seminars   3
Summer schools / Conferences  
Research project  
     
Transferable skills courses                                        
English for Academic Purposes for Social and Political Sciences Syllabus 3
Courses organized by the University of Pavia  

 

Public Opinion, Political Communication & Political Behavior


The research path in Public Opinion, Political Communication & Political Behavior delves into the analysis of the electoral processes, the role played by the main actors – such as political parties and candidates – involved, their communications strategies with citizens, and how the latter build, express and translate their political attitudes into electoral behavior.

 

NASP compulsory methodology courses Syllabi    Credits       
Introduction to STATA  --- --    
Statistics for the Social Sciences  Syllabus 5    
Statistics for the Social Sciences (Practical sessions)  --- --   
Applied Multivariate Analysis for Social Scientists  Syllabus 3   
Qualitative Research Methods Syllabus 3   
Research Methods in Social and Political Sciences Syllabus 3
Process Tracing and Mixed Methods Syllabus
     
NASP elective methodology courses                        
Measurement in the Social Sciences Syllabus 3
or    
POLS elective methodology courses    
Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) Syllabus 3
Causal Inference in Social and Political Science Syllabus 
     
POLS compulsory courses                                   
Logic and Epistemology of the Social Sciences Syllabus 3
Thinking Like a Social Scientist Syllabus 3
Game Theory Syllabus 3
Topics in Rational Choice Institutionalism Syllabus 3
Political Philosophy Syllabus 3
Empirical Political Theory Syllabus 3
     
POLS elective Courses                                      
Comparative Politics   3
Ph.D. students may select 1-2 courses from this list   3
     
Other activities                                                 
Project Colloquium   3
NASP International seminars   3
Summer schools / Conferences  
Research project  
     
Transferable skills courses    
English for Academic Purposes for Social and Political Sciences Syllabus  3
Courses organized by the University of Pavia   3

 

International Studies

The research area in International Studies aims to provide the tools to interpret the international dimension of politics and the processes of mutual conditioning between the domestic and external spheres by discussing the main themes of the theory of International Relations and analyzing the most important sub-regional systems and the main international actors' foreign policies.

 

NASP compulsory methodology courses Syllabi      Credits     
Introduction to STATA  --- --
Statistics for the Social Sciences  Syllabus 5
Statistics for the Social Sciences (Practical sessions)  --- --
Applied Multivariate Analysis for Social Scientists  Syllabus 3
Qualitative Research Methods  Syllabus 3
Research Methods in Social and Political Sciences Syllabus 3
     
NASP elective methodology courses

 

 

Measurement for the Social Sciences Syllabus 3
or    
POLS elective methodology courses    
Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) Syllabus  3
Causal Inference in Social and Political Science Syllabus 
     
POLS compulsory courses    
Logic and Epistemology of the Social Sciences Syllabus 3
Thinking Like a Social Scientist Syllabus 3
Game Theory Syllabus 3
Topics in Rational Choice Institutionalism Syllabus 3
Political Philosophy Syllabus 3
Empirical Political Theory   Syllabus 3
     
POLS elective Courses    
War and Security in International Politics   3
Aseri Master's courses, offered by Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan   3
Ph.D. students select 1 course from this list   3
     
Other activities                                                            
Project Colloquium   3
NASP International seminars   3
Summer schools / Conferences  
Research project  
     
Transferable skills courses                                        
English for Academic Purposes for Social and Political Sciences Syllabus 3
Courses organized by the University of Pavia  

 

Political & Legal Philosophy


The research track in Political and Legal Philosophy offers a comprehensive study of contemporary debates in political and legal philosophy. It encompasses both the analysis and the history of political and legal concepts, principles, and theories, as well as their application to public issues of political and legal relevance.

 

POLS compulsory courses     Syllabi   Credits 
Logic and Epistemology of the Social Sciences Syllabus 3
Thinking Like a Social Scientist Syllabus 3
Game Theory Syllabus 3
Topics in Rational Choice Institutionalism Syllabus 3
Political Philosophy Syllabus 3
Empirical Political Theory Syllabus 3
     
Elective courses Syllabi          Credits       
Ph.D. students must acquire 30 credits through courses (or teaching units)    
selected among the following ones:    
     
Bioethics
Conflicts and political legitimacy        6+6 
Differences, inequalities and the politics of law  
Dirty-hands politics: war, terrorism, torture  
Ethics and ecosystems  
Facts, principles and hard choices  
Justice and international affairs  
Social justice in a global world  
The Western tradition: moral and political values       12 
Classics in political and legal philosophy Syllabus 10
     
Other activities                                                         
Project Colloquium   3
NASP International seminars  
Summer schools / Conferences  
Research project  
     
Transferable skills courses                           
English for Academic Purposes for Social and Political Sciences Syllabus 3
Courses organized by the University of Pavia   3

 

Topics in Rational Choice Institutionalism

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