Program Description

The PhD in Public Affairs program is a rigorous, research-oriented degree offered through the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences.

The skills and knowledge gained in the Public Affairs doctoral program will allow students to interface between the traditions of public management, public policy and organizations, while providing a strong theoretical and a practical appreciation for the challenges of maintaining and building institutions of governance and a civic culture in a complex democratic world.

Graduates of the PhD program will be prepared for research-oriented careers in academia, policy analysis, executive public and nonprofit management.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program seek positions such as: professor, researcher and policy advisor in government sector.

Marketable Skills

Review the marketable skills for this academic program.

Application Requirements

Degree requirements: The program only admits students who have completed a master’s degree from an institution of higher education. It is preferred that the master’s degree is in public affairs or social science.

GPA: A graduate GPA (grade point average) of 3.0 or better is expected.

Test score required: Yes

Minimum verbal score of 156 and quantitative score of 152 on the GRE.

Letters of recommendation: 3

A Curriculum Vitae (CV) and three letters of recommendation from individuals (faculty, employers, community leaders, teachers, etc.) who are able to judge a student’s probable success in graduate school are required. The CV and the letters should be uploaded online.

Admissions essay required: Yes

Prospective students must complete the University’s online graduate application and submit a narrative outlining 1) academic interests, 2) current or long-range interests in research, teaching, or other professional objectives, 3) description of publications or other scholarly endeavors, and 4) listing of academic and professional organizations and fellowships, scholarships, or other honors received.

Deadlines: Due to the cohort nature of the PhD program in Public Affairs, admissions are limited to the fall semester only. The application deadline for students seeking funding through assistantships is January 15. University deadlines apply.

About the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences

Every new generation inherits a world more complex than that of its predecessors, which prompts a need for new thinking about public policies that impact people’s daily lives. In the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS), we examine the implications of innovation and change for individuals and communities. The social sciences are where the world turns to for answers to the important issues of today and the future such as education and health policy, financial crises, globalization, policing, political polarization, public management, terrorism, and the application of geographical information sciences to study social, economic and environmental issues.

As an undergraduate in EPPS, you will have the opportunity to work with professors who are probing issues that will affect your future. You will develop the vital skills you need to thrive in a rapidly evolving, highly competitive job market. EPPS will prepare you for careers in government, non-profits and the private sector that enable you to make a real difference in the world of today and tomorrow. EPPS is at the forefront of leadership, ethics and innovation in the public and nonprofit sectors. Our students and faculty look forward to new opportunities to study and address the complex and evolving issues of the future. Research informs much of the instruction. The school has four centers of excellence:

• Center for Global Collective Action
• Texas Schools Project
• Institute for Urban Policy Research
• The Negotiations Center

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts: Criminology, economics, geospatial information sciences, international political economy, political science, public affairs, public health, public policy, sociology

Master of Science: Applied sociology, criminology, economics, geospatial information sciences, international political economy, social data analytics and research

Master of Arts: Political science

Master of Public Affairs: Public affairs

Master of Public Policy: Public policy

Doctor of Philosophy: Criminology, economics, geospatial information sciences, political science, public affairs, public policy and political economy

Certificates

EPPS offers the following 15-hour graduate certificates, which generally can be completed in one year of part-time evening classes:

• Economic and Demographic Data Analysis: focusing on the understanding and application of quantitative analysis of demographic and economic data.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS): focusing on the application of GIS in government, private sector and scientific areas.
• Geospatial Intelligence: focusing on the application of geospatial ideas and techniques to national security and other intelligence activity.
• Local Government Management: designed to broaden knowledge of important issues and approaches employed by professional local public administrators.
• Nonprofit Management: designed to provide an overview of the nature and context of nonprofit organizations and develop competencies needed by nonprofit managers.
• Program Evaluation: designed to provide students the opportunity to gain competencies in the design and implementation of program evaluations in fields such as education, health care, human services, criminal justice and economic development.
• Remote Sensing: focusing on remote sensing and digital image processing.