Dr. Scott Desposato

Professor

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Biography

Scott Desposato is a professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of California San Diego, where he holds the Simón Bolívar Chair in Latin American Studies. He specializes in democratic institutions and representation, with a focus on ethical research practices. His research projects have explored a range of topics including redistricting in the United States, electoral rules in Latin America, and issues of gender and racial bias in elections. He has also studied party-switching politicians and the statistical methods used to analyze legislatures. Desposato has been active in the American Political Science Association, co-chairing a committee dedicated to developing new ethical research guidelines concerning human subjects. In 2020, he was awarded the Fulbright Scholar Award to conduct research in Brazil. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2001, focusing on Comparative Politics and Latin America.

Research Interests

Requirements for University of California, San Diego

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:85
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Duolingo
Overall Score
Required:120
Overall
Required:120
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in physical, biological, or earth sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Differential and integral calculus. One year of calculus-based physics with laboratory. One year of chemistry with laboratory.
Application Checklist
  • Statement of Purpose (max 2 pages)
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Application fee ($135 domestic / $155 international)
Specialization Notes

Administered by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Curricular groups include Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere (COAP), Geosciences (GEO), and Ocean Biosciences (OBP).