Public Affairs and Policy Degree Requirements

General Degree Requirements

Award of the Ph.D. is the culmination of a sequential process of coursework, comprehensive examinations, and the research, writing, and defense of a dissertation. First-year students take a series of courses commonly referred to as “the core”. During their second (and third) years, students complete their field and research methods coursework. A two-part comprehensive examination is administered beginning in the second year of full-time or full-time equivalent enrollment. After the completion and defense of a dissertation proposal, students advance to Ph.D. candidacy. The last remaining requirement is the dissertation. 

In general, students pursuing the PAP degree on a full-time basis would be expected to complete the degree in five years. While core coursework dominates the first-year of study, usually one elective is taken each quarter. In the second and third years, electives and research methods courses dominate. 

In addition to completing the degree requirements, students may also engage in teaching or research not directly related to their doctoral program of study. These are intellectually enriching experiences, but may also extend the length of time it takes to complete the degree. 

Core Courses

In general, two of the following core courses are offered each term (credit hours in parentheses). Some are restricted to PAP students, while others also admit graduate students at the master’s level. 

Research Method Course

Coursework in research methods is normally completed concurrently with field specialization coursework. Approved substitutes for methods coursework will be listed in the PAP Course Planner each year. 

§May substitute another graduate-level course in basic quantitative methods with approval such as PA 551. Students in the Economics and Public Policy track are required to take EC 570. 

Electives

The remaining 12 credit hours of required research methods coursework are electives and are chosen in anticipation of the research skills necessary to complete a dissertation in the student’s field of specialization. A variety of courses are offered in the College and in the University that will satisfy this requirement, including courses on qualitative methods, advanced statistical modeling, and operations research.