This program been placed on moratorium
PSU has made the difficult decision to place the PAP Ph.D. program on moratorium, effective Spring 2025. This means that we will be suspending admissions for new students until further notice.
The suspension of admissions will allow us to explore ways to strengthen and restructure the program to ensure its sustainability and alignment with evolving academic and professional landscapes. Keep an eye on this page for future developments in our doctoral program.
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.” Depending on whether students enroll in the program on a part-time or full-time basis, students complete their field and research methods coursework during their second (and third) years. A two-part comprehensive exam is administered, with Part A administered after completion of the core coursework and Part B administered after completion of field and research methods coursework. 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 can expect to complete the degree in approximately five years.
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.
Fast Facts
- 93 total credits
- Part-time and full-time enrollment possible
- A multidisciplinary degree program which draws on the strengths of Political Science and Public Administration as well as other disciplines within the larger College of Urban and Public Affairs
- A limited number of Graduate Research Assistant positions available each year
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.
| PS 585 | Political Theory and Governance (4) |
| PAP 614 | Contemporary Governance (3) |
| PAP 616 | Policy Process (3) |
| PS 520 | American Political Institutions (4) |
| PS 569 | Comparative Political Institutions (4) |
| PAP 613 | Organization Theory and Behavior (3) |
Research Methods Courses
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.
| PS 593 | Philosophy of the Social Sciences (4) |
| PAP 690 | Research Design for Politics and Policy (4) |
| PS 591 | Testing Theories in Political Science (4) |
| | 12 additional credits of research methods electives |
Research Methods 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 mixed methods research.
Field Electives
Choose 4 of the following 10 courses:
| PS 511 | Advanced Overview of Political Science |
| PS 515 | Comparative Public Policy |
| PS 531 | State and Local Politics |
| PS 546 | National and International Security Policy |
| PS 576 | Politics of Inequality in the U.S. |
| PA 513 | Administrative Ethics and Values |
| PA 514 | Global Leadership and Management |
| PA 521 | History and Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector |
| PA 534 | Administrative Law |
| PA 561 | Intergovernmental Relations |
| | Select 3 additional graduate-level field electives from across the University |
Dissertation (27 credits)
Students must register for a minimum of 27 credits of PAP 603 or PS 603 to represent the work of researching and writing the doctoral dissertation.