School of Public Policy

Public Policy, Ph.D.

(703) 993-2280
spp@gmu.edu

The Ph.D. in Public Policy program is distinctive in its heavy emphasis on the combined influence of technology, culture, and institutions on public policy. Participants in the program investigate the increasing tensions created by technologically driven organizational change.

To investigate the policy issues associated with substantive policy areas, students develop in-depth understanding of American institutions, values, and culture; competence in research methods and advanced analytical methodologies; and a comparative, international perspective. At the time of admission, each student is assigned a faculty advisor who assists in the design and development of the student's program.

Admission Requirements

The program seeks students with exceptional potential for accumulating, sorting, analyzing, and communicating information and findings effectively. Public policy is inherently complex and value laden. In the end, high-quality policy analysis requires thoughtful and judicious management of complex and incommensurate information, both quantitative and qualitative. Potential students must be able to manage and integrate both kinds of information and produce persuasive, well-organized written syntheses and analytical insight.

The ideal Ph.D. program applicant has demonstrated capabilities in research and writing, basic mathematical skills roughly equal to the first semester of calculus, competence in statistics, some background in economics, and a theoretical and working knowledge of public policy processes. Applicants with strong records who are lacking in one or more of these areas may be admitted to the program and will receive assistance in making up the deficiencies.

The following items should be included with the application for graduate admission:

• Graduate application with application fee (no fee waivers).
• A two-page written statement of student's goals and interest in advanced study in public policy.
• A current resume or vita.
• A master's degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better, and two official transcripts of all university work. International students are also required to submit an evaluation and/or translation of all foreign-earned degrees.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the General Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) score results. (Exam scores should not be older than five years.)
• Two letters of recommendation. At least one recommendation should be from an individual who is qualified to attest to the candidate's academic potential.
• A writing sample (approximately 10-20 pages in length), such as a technical report, professional publication, or term or seminar paper.
• TOEFL scores (for international applicants) ­ with a minimum score of 600 (paper-based) or 250 (computer-based). Students may also be required to be tested by the English Language Institute.

Prospective students are encouraged to meet with the program director.

Deadlines

The application deadline for students seeking financial aid is April 1. The deadline for all other students is May 1 for the fall semester. Students interested in admission for the spring semester are encouraged to meet with the program director.

Degree Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 82 credits of course work, of which no more than 24 may be dissertation credits. Up to 30 credits from a prior master's degree may be applied toward the doctoral requirements at the discretion of the program director. Credit is not given for comprehensive examinations passed at other universities.

Specific course work requirements for the doctorate include five core courses (two in research and analytic methods and three in foundational policy topics), two semesters of participation in the research colloquium, two courses in an area of program concentration, and four advanced courses tailored to the student's research needs and interests. Courses are determined in collaboration with the student's advisor and usually are drawn widely from other programs throughout the university as well as the school.

At the completion of the first academic year of full-time study, students must pass a qualifying examination that evaluates their mastery of the first year's material and their ability to integrate that material in addressing important and complex public policy problems and issues. The program also requires that students pass a field examination structured around their specific field of proposed doctoral research, usually in the second or third year of study. Other requirements include the successful preparation and defense of both a doctoral research proposal and the ensuing dissertation.

A complete description of the program policies, procedures, and requirements is contained in the SPP Student/Faculty Handbook published each year.