Program Overview

Introduction to the Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Political Economy

The Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Political Economy is a comprehensive program that requires a minimum of 75 semester credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. The program is designed to prepare students for professional positions in research, teaching, and practice in fields related to public policy and political economy.

Mission and Objectives

The mission of the PhD program in Public Policy and Political Economy is to prepare students for professional positions in research, teaching, and practice in fields related to public policy and political economy. The program objectives include:

• Demonstrating the ability to apply social science and public policy theories and concepts
• Developing competency in advanced methods of social science and public policy research and analysis
• Developing basic skills in professional communication appropriate to the public policy and political economy research and analysis

Facilities

Students have access to the computing facilities in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and the University's computer labs. The school has four computing laboratories which house 24-30 computers each that are network linked and equipped with major social science software packages, including EViews, R, RATS, SPSS, and Stata. A geographic information system, the LexisNexis database, and Westlaw are also available for student use.

Admission Requirements

The PhD in Public Policy and Political Economy seeks applications from students with a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education. The admission requirements include:

• An undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.2
• A score of 160 Verbal and a score of 148 Quantitative on the GRE, or equivalent score on the GMAT
• Submission of all transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and a one-page essay outlining the applicant's background, education, and professional objectives

Prerequisites

While there are no specific course prerequisites, entering students will benefit from exposure to undergraduate courses in:

• Economics
• Political science
• Sociology
• Calculus
• Statistics
• Research design

Degree Requirements

The PhD in Public Policy and Political Economy requires a minimum of 75 post-baccalaureate graduate semester credit hours. Full-time students can complete the degree in an average of 5 years. The degree requirements include:

• Maintaining a 3.0 cumulative GPA in graduate courses
• Earning a grade of at least 3.0 (B) for all core courses
• Completing the following:
  • 33 semester credit hours of core courses
  • 12 semester credit hours of field courses
  • 6 semester credit hours of area of specialization
  • A Methods Qualifying Examination in Quantitative Methods and Research Design
  • Matriculation to the dissertation phase
  • Successful completion of a dissertation
  • Successful completion of 75 semester credit hours minimum, including electives

Program Structure

The program structure includes:

Major Core Requirements (33 semester credit hours)

• Six semester credit hours of coursework in Government and Public Policy
• Six semester credit hours of Theories of Political Economy
• Fifteen semester credit hours of Analytical Methods
• Six semester credit hours of Research Design

Field Courses (12 semester credit hours)

Students take a two-course introductory sequence in two of the following five fields:

• Development
• International Conflict and Security
• International Political Economy
• Social and Health Policy
• Business, Technology, and Innovation

Area of Specialization (6 semester credit hours)

The student takes at least six semester credit hours of additional coursework in one of the field areas.

Methods Qualifying Exam and Matriculation to the Dissertation Phase

To advance to the dissertation stage of the program, students are evaluated based on a Methods Qualifying Examination (MQE).

Dissertation Seminar

Students must register for a minimum of one semester after passing the MQE. The aim of the Dissertation Seminar is to assist students in the formulation of a dissertation topic.

Electives

Students take free electives in areas of interest to fulfill the 75-semester credit hour PhD requirement.