The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Public Policy, Ph.D.

Program Overview

The Public Policy doctoral program is an interdisciplinary program focused on the study of policy development, implementation, and evaluation. It stresses the development of skills, tools, and specialties, as well as a theoretical understanding of them, that contribute to our understanding of the structure of institutional systems and sub-systems, and of how policy should be shaped within social, economic, and political environments.

The program prepares students to be researchers, decision makers, and policy analysts in local, state, or federal governments, not-for-profit agencies, for-profit institutions, and academia. The program emphasizes applied and empirical policy research grounded in an interdisciplinary theoretical foundation.

The core curriculum provides the skills needed to pursue varied policy domains, adapt to changing policy environments, and clearly communicate research results to shape policy outcomes. Students become versed in analytical techniques suitable for research and policy analysis to address substantive issues and problems in varied geographic and political contexts.

Public Policy, Ph.D. at a Glance

To fulfill the requirements for the Ph.D. in Public Policy, students must complete 29 credit hours of core course credit, at least 6 credit hours of advanced analysis coursework, 18 credit hours of dissertation credit (enrollment contingent on admission to candidacy), and a minimum of 12 credit hours for policy field courses. Students can complete the program with 65 credit hours, but will likely take more.

• Competitive Assistantships: Options Available
• Credit Hours: 65 Credit Hours
• Format: Qualifying Exams and Dissertation
• GRE scores: Optional