The Ph.D. in Public Affairs and Policy is an interdisciplinary program designed to prepare individuals to pursue research, teaching, advocacy, public service, and/or consulting in a variety of settings ranging from universities to policy research organizations, public agencies, and private consulting firms. The degree may be pursued on a full- or part-time basis.
The degree program is offered through a collaboration between the Departments of Public Administration and Politics and Global Affairs in the Hatfield School of Government. Faculty members across the entire College of Urban and Public Affairs contribute expertise to the program as well.
The curriculum focus is governance, the integrated study of political, administrative, and policy processes. This curriculum is taught against the backdrop of globalizing economies and political systems seeking to recognize governance in a modern world characterized by both cooperation and conflict among the public, private, and non-profit organizations.
The doctoral program in Public Affairs and Policy is designed to enable students to approach governance as an applied area of knowledge in which theory informs and is informed by real-world practice.
Program Rules
A more comprehensive set of rules governing satisfactory completion of comprehensive examinations, presentation of dissertation, and timely completion of doctoral program requirements appear in the General Handbook for the Public Affairs and Policy Doctoral Program issued to incoming students and available upon request.
Limitation on graduate/undergraduate courses
Students in the PAP program are strongly advised to use no more than 12 credits of courses offered simultaneously at the 400- and 500-level in support of their degree programs. These courses must be an integral part of the student’s program, and courses with the same content must not be available on a purely graduate basis.
Limitation on by-arrangement courses
Admitted Ph.D. students may utilize no more than 12 credits of Research and/or Reading and Conference credits (501/601 and 505/605). In cases where more than 12 credits are needed because of the lack of regularly scheduled classes, the student must submit a written request waiver to their adviser for approval.
Continuous enrollment and leave of absence
All students admitted to the Ph.D. program in public affairs and policy must be continuously enrolled until graduation, except for periods in which they are absent for an approved leave. Taking a minimum 3 credits per term during the regular academic year will constitute continuous enrollment for students taking coursework. Taking a minimum of 1 credit of PAP 603 or PS 603 during the regular academic year will constitute continuous enrollment for students who have advanced to candidacy. Failure to register without an approved leave may result in termination of a student’s admission. Students may have no more than six terms of approved leave.
Grade requirement
Generally, a course is satisfactorily completed when a student receives a grade of B- or better. A C+ or below grade in a core course will not be approved for credit without special approval. The student must normally repeat this core course. To count toward the fulfillment of PAP elective or methods course requirements, PSU courses in which the student received a grade of C+, C, or C- must be approved by the PAP Director upon request of the Chair of the Field committee. A student who receives more than 9 credits of C+ or below in all coursework attempted after admission to the Ph.D. program will be ineligible to continue in the program.
At minimum, doctoral students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Failure to meet these minimum requirements places the student on academic probation. Students are disqualified from further coursework if these minimum requirements are not met after 9 additional credits of coursework, or after being placed on academic probation for a second time. Disqualified students may apply for readmission after one year.