DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (Ph.D.)
Program of Study
The Ph.D. program is built around the following four required core classes:
PAF 600 Seminar: Research Design and Methods. Advanced methods of research design and analysis. Prerequisites: formal graduate level course work in statistics and in research methods.
PAF 601 Seminar: Policy Analysis and Evaluation. Normative and conceptual issues of policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation; empirical approaches; and methods of program evaluation and policy analysis.
PAF 602 Seminar: Foundations of Public Administration. Ethical, social, legal, and philosophical foundations of public administration.
PAF 603 Seminar: Organization and Behavior in the Public Sector. Structure, organization, conduct, and performance of public sector institutions in the administration of public policy. Prerequisite: PAF 602.
These core courses usually are completed in the fall and spring semesters of the student's first year of residence.
The program consists of a minimum of 66 semester hours of graduate work beyond the master's degree. Of the 66 semester hours, at least 24 must be dissertation and research credit. A minimum of 30 semester hours of approved course work, exclusive of dissertation and research, must be taken at ASU after admission to the program. In addition to the four core courses, an approved program of study must have a course listed in each of the following areas: quantitative research methods, qualitative research methods, political economy, democratic theory and governance, and coursework in the student's areas of specialization to be determined in consultation with the student's Supervisory Committee for the Program of Study. For a list of approved Ph.D. courses, click here.
A student may take as many hours as the student and/or Program of Study Committee feel is appropriate, as long as the approved minimums are met. The program of study must be approved by the Division of Graduate Studies. Any deviations in coursework from that specified on the official program of study must be approved by the committee, the Ph.D. director and the dean of the Division of Graduate Studies.
It is the responsibility of the Supervisory Committee to advise and supervise the student through the completion of classes listed on the program of study, as well as to supervise the comprehensive examination process. View directions on submitting the doctoral program of study.
