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Program Description

The Ph.D. in Public Policy prepares students to be researchers, decision makers and/or policy analysts in academia, local, state or federal government and not-for-profit institutions.  The Program stresses applied and empirical policy research that is grounded in an interdisciplinary theoretical foundation.  Thus, students will become both versed and versatile in analytical techniques suitable for research and policy analysis to address substantive issues and problems in the context of urban regions.  Thus the intellectual focus of the Program is guided by three overarching themes:
 

Interdisciplinary Perspective: 

Effective policy analysis and policy formation is not informed by any single discipline.  Rather, public policy requires the acknowledgment of historical, cultural, political, institutional, geographic and economic dimensions of urban places.

Applied and Empirical Policy Analysis: 

Public policy is an inherently applied endeavor that seeks practical solutions and cogent analysis.  While all research and analysis is informed by theory, the purpose of policy research is to elevate public discourse and improve public decision-making.

Place-Based Research: 

To exercise applied policy analysis in an interdisciplinary context, policy research must be place-based.  Real policy analysis, based on real data, applied to actual urban settings is the strength of the Program.