Program Overview

Introduction to the Doctoral Program in Planning and Public Policy

The doctoral program in Planning and Public Policy at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy is designed to prepare graduates for a career in academia, research, and other professions. This program is multi-disciplinary and covers multiple elements of planning and public policy, including transportation, education, community development, social policy, workforce development and labor economics, gender and inequality, regional planning and development, public health and environmental planning, urban informatics, geographic information science, among many different topical areas.

Program Requirements

• The program requires a minimum of 72 doctoral credits for students holding a master’s degree.
• Students without a master’s degree must complete a minimum of 87 credits.
• The program includes required and elective classes, a comprehensive examination, and writing and defending a dissertation.
• The course of study takes a minimum of four years, but often five.

Admission Criteria

• The program is highly selective and uses a broad range of criteria in making admission and funding decisions.
• Applicants should have sufficient knowledge of basic quantitative methods, the ability to write, and some familiarity with their desired topic of study.
• A master’s degree (or its equivalent) is typically required before starting the program.
• In rare instances, exceptional students are considered after receiving only a bachelor’s degree.
• GRE scores are required, with preferred Quantitative GRE scores above 145 and Verbal GRE scores above 153.
• Non-native English speakers must take the TOEFL or IELTS, with preferred TOEFL scores above 105 and IELTS scores above 7.5.

Curriculum and Program Details

Program of Study

• Students are required to take three courses in theory (9 credits) and three courses in methods (9 credits) that exceed the requirements of coursework taken in completion of a master’s program in urban planning or public policy.
• Relevant theory and methods courses include:
  • Planning, Public Policy, and Social Theory (16:762:624)
  • Advanced Scholarly Research (16:762:626)
  • Advanced Qualitative Methods (34:833:628)
  • Discrete Choice Methods (34:970:630)
• The specific coursework in theory and methods, and more generally the classes taken by each doctoral student, must be approved by the Course of Study (COS) committee.

Core Doctoral Courses

• Planning, Public Policy, and Social Theory
• Discrete Choice Methods
• Advanced Qualitative Research
• Advanced Scholarly Research

Dissertation

• Doctoral (Ph.D.) dissertations should make an original contribution to planning and public policy through the rigorous analytical examination of theory and evidence supporting a significant argument or testing a relevant hypothesis.
• The dissertation may draw from a broad array of quantitative and/or qualitative methods reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of the field.

Doctoral Program Procedures

Transfer of Credits

• Graduate courses completed at other institutions may be accepted for credit toward the doctoral degree, subject to conditions outlined by the Graduate School-New Brunswick and the judgment of the doctoral program director.

Evaluation of Doctoral Students

• Student progress is evaluated by the doctoral program faculty at the end of each semester.
• Failure to maintain a semester average of 3.5 or a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 is cause for a student to be considered for dismissal.

Incomplete Grades

• A grade of Incomplete (IN) is given only when circumstances beyond the control of the student merit granting extra time for completing course requirements.

Advising

• The student may select his or her own adviser among members and associate members of the Bloustein School graduate faculty, upon mutual agreement.

Preparing for the Qualifying Exam

• At least one semester (preferably more) before students present themselves for the qualifying examination, they must select (in consultation with their advisers and approval of the doctoral program director) an examination committee of four members.

Qualifying Examination

• The qualifying examination comprises written and oral components in the following areas:
  1. Theory: of and in planning and public policy.
  2. Methods: including research design, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and advanced methods in the student’s field(s) of specialization.
  3. Major field: a primary topical specialization within planning and public policy, requiring broad familiarity with substantive literature that is central to the student’s anticipated dissertation research.
  4. Minor field: a second topical or substantive specialization closely related to the student’s anticipated dissertation research and defined so that the subject matter does not overlap with the major field (above); or a related field other than planning and public policy (e.g., civil engineering, computer science, economics, geography, political science, sociology, or another field) that the student can show is relevant to his or her degree program.

Dissertation Proposal

• Following successful completion of the qualifying examination, the student prepares a thesis proposal in consultation with his or her dissertation chair.

Dissertation Committee

• Upon approval of the thesis topic, a candidate, in consultation with the chair of the thesis committee and the doctoral program director, shall form a dissertation committee of four faculty members, including one member from outside of the Bloustein School.

Dissertation Review and Defense

• Upon completion of the first draft of the dissertation, and with the approval of the dissertation committee chair, the manuscript shall be circulated to the members of the dissertation committee for review.
• The dissertation shall be publicly presented and defended in an open public forum to be held at the Bloustein School.

Doctoral Program Resources

• Core Doctoral Courses
• Doctoral Students
• PhD Handbook
• Other Resources
• Forms and Bylaws

Conclusion

The Doctoral Program in Planning and Public Policy at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy offers a comprehensive and multidisciplinary education for students seeking to pursue a career in academia, research, and other professions. The program requires a minimum of 72 doctoral credits, includes a comprehensive examination and dissertation, and provides students with a broad range of knowledge and skills in planning and public policy. With its highly selective admission process and rigorous curriculum, this program is designed to prepare students for success in their chosen field.