Doctor of Philosophy in the Field of Public Policy and Public Administration

The PhD in public policy and public administration is a 72-credit program offered through GW's Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration (TSPPPA), which is situated in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. The curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary, applied research in public policy and public administration and related subfields as it prepares students for traditional faculty or public-policy and public administration research positions. The program is designed to develop a range of competencies needed to undertake sophisticated research in public policy and public administration. Core courses cover multiple academic disciplines, including politics, economics, and quantitative and qualitative methods in policy research.

Built upon the diversity and strengths of academic departments and faculty distributed throughout TSPPPA and the university community, the program offers an exceptional education across these disciplines. Program graduates pursue careers in teaching and research related to public policy and public administration and as policy researchers and analysts in government, the nonprofit sector, and the private sector. Some hold administrative positions in these sectors, and many are closely involved in the development and evaluation of public policies and programs.

Trachtenberg School classes are held on GW's Foggy Bottom Campus. Most classes are in the evenings, allowing full- and part-time students to pursue their degree while working.

Visit the program website for additional information.

Visit the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences website for application requirements.

Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:

Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Office of Graduate Studies
The George Washington University
801 22nd Street NW, Phillips Hall 107
Washington DC 20052

For additional information about the admissions process visit the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Frequently Asked Questions page.

Contact for questions:

askccas@gwu.edu
202-994-6210 (phone)
Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday

 The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs.

The requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Program.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required
Core Courses
PPPA 6014	Microeconomics for Public Policy II *
PPPA 8100	Seminar: Literature of Public Administration *
PPPA 8101	Research Methods *
PPPA 8105	Public Finance and Human Capital
PPPA 8174	Seminar: Public Management
PPPA 8190	Philosophical Foundations of Policy and Administrative Research
PPPA 8191	Dissertation Workshop
PSC 8229	Politics and Public Policy *
One of the following to fulfill the intermediate quantitative course requirement:
DNSC 6274	Statistical Modeling and Analysis
ECON 8375	Econometrics I
ECON 8379	Laboratory in Applied Econometrics
PPPA 6013	Regression Methods for Policy Research *
PSC 8102	Empirical Political Analysis
One of the following to fulfill the advanced quantitative course requirement:
DNSC 6275	Advanced Statistical Modeling and Analysis
ECON 8376	Econometrics II
ECON 8377	Econometrics III
PPPA 8022	Econometrics for Policy Research
One of the following to fulfill the qualitative course requirement:
EDUC 8122	Qualitative Research Methods
EDUC 8131	Case Study Research Methods
HIST 6030	History and Its Uses in International Affairs
PPPA 8023	Mixed Methods in Research Design
PSC 8104	Qualitative Research Methods
PUBH 8417	Qualitative Research Methods and Analysis
SOC 6232	Qualitative Methods
Additional requirements
A written qualifying examination covering designated core courses. *
A minimum of 12 credits and satisfactory completion of a field examination in one of the following fields: Education policy; budgeting and public finance; program evaluation; science and technology policy; public and nonprofit management; and social policy. **
Dissertation research
PPPA 8999	Dissertation Research (taken for 6 to 12 credits)

 *Course is covered by the core comprehensive examination.

**The social policy field has four subfields, each with specific requirements: gender and social policy, poverty and inequality, ethnicity and public policy, and urban policy.