Public Administration and Policy, PhD

The mission of our PhD program is to prepare the next generation of leading scholars to advance theory, develop knowledge, and address pressing problems in public administration and public policy. The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Affairs prepares students to apply a rigorous scientific approach to behavioral, social, organizational, economic, and management problems in an increasingly complex and connected world. It offers advanced studies that prepare you to enter academia or join highly respected institutions involved in cutting-edge research in public affairs, policy, planning, and management/governance.

SPA provides a supportive scholarly community in which students develop their expertise. The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Administration and Policy is a cohort-based program that prepares students to conduct theoretically informed research using social science methods to build knowledge and inform public action. The PhD degree is designed for students who are committed to a four-year, full-time degree (2 years of coursework), or a five-year, part-time degree (3 years of coursework). The PhD program offers a flexible, interdisciplinary curriculum with strong faculty mentoring focused on rigorous analytical and professional training to bridge the gap between academic scholarship and real-world policy impact.

Many students in the PhD program are interested in academic careers. Others find work as researchers at think tanks, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Our doctoral program prepares future scholars and thought leaders to shape public policy through research, innovative teaching, and a deep commitment to public service. The PhD program emphasizes the generation of knowledge, theories, methodologies, and applications that advance public affairs, administration, and policy research. Overall, it is designed to train social science researchers interested in public administration or public policy.

The philosophy of the PhD program is that doctoral education should be about much more than coursework. Students enter the program as a cohort and begin engaging in research activities from their first semester. The ASU program provides a rigorous and comprehensive introduction to the research enterprise through research apprenticeship and collaborative opportunities. Throughout their degree, students work directly with nationally and internationally distinguished faculty on research, with the expectation that they contribute intellectually to both the PhD program and the academic community through presentations at national conferences and publication of articles in respected peer-reviewed journals related to their field of study.

ASU’s School of Public Affairs (SPA) stands out, locally, nationally, and globally as a leading scholarly community. We are among the leading schools in the nation, with unique strengths in public management, information technology, science and technology policy, local government management, emergency management and homeland security, nonprofit management, environmental policy, and urban policy.

The School of Public Affairs is rated #9 in the nation, and ranked as one of the top ten schools in 8 different research specialization areas. As part of ASU’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, the School is at the forefront of addressing the most pressing issues facing governments, nonprofits, and communities today.

As part of ASU, SPA doctoral students have opportunities to participate as scholars across a large and unique institution that has been rated as #1 in innovation by US News and World Report for eleven years in a row. Located in the heart of the Phoenix metropolitan area — one of the fastest-growing urban regions in the U.S.— ASU’s School of Public Affairs serves as a living laboratory for studying governance, innovation, and community change. The Phoenix metro area is home to over 4.8 million people and dozens of city and town jurisdictions.