Ph.D. Degree Requirements
The Ph.D. program curriculum is designed to socialize students to the specific work, ethics and professional responsibilities in their area(s) of emphasis. Students will be required to engage in studies related to the history of knowledge and research methods appropriate to the fields of political science, public policy, and public administration. This will ensure that they are prepared with the requisite knowledge to view social and political phenomena in a scholarly manner once their doctorate is completed.
The table presented below outlines the required courses in scope and methods (POLS 801), as well as research, analysis and synthesis competencies (POLS 802, 803, and 761). Students will be required to complete these courses at the beginning of their doctoral studies, moving into the more field-specific training in the core seminars once they have sufficient understanding of these essential competencies. The program will consider the acceptance of well matched transfer credits from accredited graduate programs in similar fields of study, though any transfer of credits must be approved by the Graduate Director and the instructor of the course those credits are intended to replace.
|
Doctoral Competencies |
Required Course(s) |
|
Scope and Methods |
POLS 801 – History of Knowledge (Political Science and Public Administration) |
|
Research, Analysis, and Synthesis |
POLS 802 – Advanced Issues of Research Methodology POLS 803 - Quantitative II POLS 761 - Qualitative |
| Core Knowledge 9 credit hours |
POLS 711 – Seminar in American Political Institutions POLS 771 – Public Policy Process and Evaluation POLS 812 – Public Administration Core Seminar |
| Organizations and Management 6 credit hours |
POLS 724 – Organization and Management POLS 824 – Ethics and Political Thought |
| Electives 15 credit hours |
Five courses approved in the Study Plan |
| Dissertation Research and Writing 18 credit hours |
POLS 880 - Prospectus Prep Class POLS 898 - Dissertation Research |
| TOTAL | 60 Credit Hours |
Once core competency is developed in scope, methods, research, analysis and synthesis areas, students will have greater freedom in course selection, as well as the number of courses they take each semester. The flexibility of the curriculum design accommodates non-traditional students maintaining full-time employment as well as traditional students who make doctoral studies their primary professional focus. The non-traditional student will be able to take as few as one course per semester after their first semester is completed.
Major and Supporting Fields:
- American Political Institutions
- Public Administration
- Public Policy