Ph.D. in Public Policy Course Requirements
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy

Requirements and Regulations Specific to the Degree:

1. Program Requirements

   To earn the joint Ph.D., a student must satisfactorily complete these general requirements:

   • A core masters-level curriculum or its equivalent;
   • Seven core courses in the Ph.D. program;
   • Seven courses in two areas of specialization;
   • Full-time enrollment for one academic year;
   • Two doctoral qualifying examinations;
   • Defense of a dissertation.
   
   
2. Core Master's Program Curriculum

   The core master's program curriculum consists of nine courses in the following areas. Students may document completion of the core through coursework taken elsewhere or may select from the listed courses offered in the master's program at either institution. Alternative courses can be taken with permission of the program director.

   • Policy Analysis: Two courses covering the policy process, policy formulation and implementation, and an introduction to policy analysis. Options include: PAUS 8541, PAUS 8531, PUBP 6012, PUBP 6018.

   • Organizational Analysis: One course offering broad coverage of the theories and concepts of organizational behavior and administrative theory and the analysis of organizational processes. Options include: PAUS 8111, PUBP 6014.

   • Philosophical and Ethical Foundations of Public Policy: One course that covers in-depth the major ethical issues in policy analysis and administration. Options include: PAUS 8461, PUBP 6010.

   • Techniques of Analysis: Two courses that cover basic statistical analysis (descriptive and inferential statistics to include multiple regression analysis), research design, and an applied research experience. Options include: PAUS 8121, PAUS 8131, PAUS 8521, PAUS 8551, PAUS 8581, PUBP 6112, PUBP 6114.

   • Economics and Public Finance: Two courses that cover the theories and concepts of micro- and/or macroeconomics and an introduction to public finance. Options include: PAUS 8141, Econ 8450, Econ 8460, PUBP 6116, PUBP 6118.

   • Calculus: One course covering differential and integral calculus and matrix algebra. Options include: Econ 6030, Math 2211.
   
   
3. Program of Study
   1. Core Curriculum. Building on skills developed at the master's level, the core doctoral curriculum provides students with an in-depth survey of public policy theory and research; a firm grounding in the of philosophy of science; rigorous training in econometric and other quantitative methods, microeconomics, program evaluation, and policy analysis; practical experience in designing and conducting empirical research; and a capstone class to prepare for the dissertation. Core courses are generally offered once a year and can be taught on either campus. All courses are three semester hours. Students must earn a grade of "B" or better in all core courses to maintain their doctoral candidacy.

      Required courses (24 hrs.):

      • PAUS 9111/PUBP 8200 Advanced Research Methods I
      • PAUS 9121/PUBP 8205 Advanced Research Methods II
      • PAUS 9171/PUBP 8510 Logic of Policy Inquiry
      • Econ 8100/PUBP 8211 Applied Microeconomic Analysis
      • PAUS 9131/PUBP 8500 Research Seminar in Public Policy
      • PAUS 9141/PUBP 8813 Advanced Topics in Policy Analysis and Evaluation
      • PAUS 9151/PUBP 8520 Scope and Theory of Public Policy
      • PAUS 9181/PUBP 8590 Dissertation Colloquium
      
      
   2. Elective Fields. All doctoral students must complete a minimum of four courses (12 hours) in their major field of study and a minimum of three courses (9 hours) in their minor field of study. (At least one course in each field must be taken at the doctoral level.) At least one field must be chosen from the following specializations:
      • Environmental Policy
      • Health Policy
      • Information and Telecommunication Policy
      • Policy Implementation and Administration
      • Policy and Program Evaluation
      • Public Finance
      • Science and Technology Policy
      • Urban Policy
      • Urban and Regional Economic Development
      
      

      With the approval of the program director, students also may design a second field from courses taught at either university. The elective fields and courses available in these fields are listed below. Students may modify courses taken in a particular field with the approval of the program director.

   Environmental Policy.

   Environmental issues increasingly confront policy makers and affect economic development. This program of study is designed to prepare students to evaluate the impact of various environmental policies and acquire the necessary tools to develop new policies that address environmental issues and needs.

   Doctoral courses (choose at least one):

   • Econ 9310 Environmental and Resource Economics I
   • Econ 9320 Environmental and Resource Economics II
   • Econ 9520L Special Topics in Economics: Experimental Laboratory
   • PUBP 8540 Advanced Topics in Environmental Policy
   
   

   Master's courses:

   • PAUS 8271 Disaster Management
   • PAUS 8331 Urban Infrastructure Planning and Policy
   • PAUS 8371 Environmental Policy, Planning and Evaluation
   • PUBP 6300 Earth Systems
   • PUBP 6310 Environmental Issues
   • PUBP 6312 Economics of Environmental Policy
   • PUBP 6314 Policy Tools for Environmental Management
   • PUBP 6320 Sustainable Systems: Concepts and Measures
   • PUBP 6324 Environmental and Technological Risk Management
   • PUBP 6326 Environmental Values and Policy Goals
   • PUBP 6329 Environmental Policy and Implementation
   • PUBP 6330 Environmental Law
   
   

   Health Policy.

   The courses in this specialization link health-related research, policy, and programs by focusing on knowledge utilization, policy implementation, and outcome evaluation. Central issues are contributors to health, issues of equity, and understanding of social and economic contexts of health. Prerequisite: master's level health economics course (HA 8250 or equivalant).

   Doctoral course:

   • PAUS 9211 Applying Research to Policymaking: Examples from Health Care Policy
   
   

   Master's courses:

   • HA 8190 Health Policy and Ethics, or
   • POL 870 Studies in Public Policy: Health Policy and Politics
   
   

   Electives at Georgia State:

   • HA 8450 Legal Environment of Health Care
   • HA 8630 Managed Care and Vertically Integrated Systems
   • PSY 8200 Introduction to Community Psychology
   • SOC 7110 Aging Policy and Services
   • SOC 8430 Medical Sociology
   • HHS 8000 Trends Affecting Health Policies, Practices, and Laws
   • NURS 8000 Human Environment Interactions and Health
   • LAW 7239* Health Law: Liability and Bioethics
   • LAW 7240* Health Law: Regulation
   • LAW 7241* Seminar in Health Law
   
   

   Electives at Georgia Tech:

   • PUBP 6324 Environmental and Technological Risk Management
   • HS 4001 Introduction to Health Systems
   • HS 6000 Introduction to Healthcare Delivery
   • HS 6100 Healthcare Delivery Systems Models
   • HS 6200 Healthcare Financial Management
   • HS 6300 Healthcare Information Systems
   • HS 6400 Health Systems Practice
   • MGT 6788 Legal Issues in Biomedical Engineering
   • MGT 6789 Technology Transfer in Biomedical Engineering
     
   
   

   * Law courses have the first year of law school as a prerequisite, so they will not be appropriate for most students.

   Information and Telecommunication Policy.

   Advances in information technologies have presented governments with a wide array of opportunities and challenges. Students exploring this program of study will examine the dynamic pressures confronting policy makers. Included is coursework addressing the types of technological changes confronting and confounding mass communications policy and telecommunication policy. Fundamental to understanding the trajectory of information policy is grasping the emergence of the modern learning organization. This course of study includes assessing the implications of information policies developed by both the public and private sectors.

   Doctoral course (required):

   • PUBP 8803 Special Topics in Information and Telecommunication Policy
   
   

   Master's courses:

   • PUBP 6501 Information Policy and Management
   • PUBP 6513 The Politics of Communications Policy
   • PUBP 6514 Mass Communications Policy
   • PUBP 6530 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
   • PUBP 6534 Public Information Systems
   
   

   Policy Implementation and Administration.

   This specialization is designed to prepare students for research and practice that focuses on constitutional and political factors in policy design and implementation, relationships between organizational variables and policy design, and administrative strategies and policy tools that the public sector uses to accomplish its objectives.

   Doctoral courses (choose at least one):

   • PAUS 8471 The Future of Public Administration
   • PAUS 9331 Foundations of Public Administration
   • PAUS 9341 Policy Design and Implementation
   
   

   Master's courses:

   • PAUS 8031 Urban Political Economy
   • PAUS 8161 Public Budgeting and Finance
   • PAUS 8351 Local Government Management
   • PAUS 8421 Comparative Administrative Systems
   • PAUS 8431 Managing People and Programs
   
   

   Policy and Program Evaluation.

   This specialization is designed to prepare professionals for conducting evaluations and scholars to develop evaluation theory and study evaluation practice. Evaluation theory deals with the nature of public policies and programs; the philosophical roots of systematic inquiry into the processes and effects of policies and programs; the sources and nature of the process of valuing; and the use of evaluation findings. Evaluation includes a wide range of methods, e.g., field experiments for pilot projects, needs assessments, performance monitoring, and qualitative studies of implementation.

   Doctoral courses (choose at least one):

   • PAUS 9351 Workshop in Evaluation Practices
   • PAUS 9361 Doctoral Seminar in Evaluation Theory and Practice
   • PAUS 9371 Qualitative Research and Analysis
   
   

   Master's courses:

   • DSc 8840 Regression Analysis
   • DSc 8860 Multivariate Data Analysis
   • DSc 8880 Time Series Models
   • PAUS 8531 Policy Analysis
   • PAUS 8551 Survey Research Methods
   
   

   Public Finance.

   This specialization is designed to prepare students for research and practice that focuses on issues of public sector finance. In particular, the field will provide students with the theoretical and empirical tools necessary to analyze the adequacy of revenue and expenditure policies of federal, state, and local governments; the effects of tax expenditure policies on income and other disparities; and the fiscal role of governments at different levels.

   Doctoral courses (choose at least one):

   • Econ 9450 Advanced Public Economics I
   • Econ 9460 Advanced Public Economics II
   
   

   Master's courses:

   • Econ 8450 Issues in Public Programs and Tax Policy
   • Econ 8460 Economics of the State and Local Public Sector
   • PAUS 8161 Public Budgeting and Finance
   • PAUS 8261 Nonprofit Financial Management
   • PAUS 8351 Local Government Management
   • PAUS 8501 Managing Public Money
   
   

   Science and Technology Policy.

   Through this program of study students examine the interaction between science, technology and the policy process. Students will explore the range of policies used by the governments in promoting and regulating science, technology and innovation across the globe. Coursework will cover the sources and stimuli for innovation, the roles of universities, industry-government agreements, joint R&D ventures, and technology transfer. Students will also examine science and technology as social institutions. Particular attention is given to understanding the production and diffusion of scientific and technological knowledge.

   Doctoral course (required):

   • PUBP 8530 Advanced Topics in Technology and Science Policy
   
   

   Master's courses:

   • Econ 8700 The Economics of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
   • PUBP 6401 Science, Technology, and Public Policy
   • PUBP 6402 Research Policy and Management
   • PUBP 6414 Technological Innovation and Government Policy
   • PUBP 6415 Technology, Regions, and Policy
   • PUBP 6417 Critical Perspectives on Science and Technology
   • PUBP 6418 Comparative Science and Technology Policy
   • PUBP 6421 Development of Large-Scale Socio-Technical Systems
   
   

   Urban Policy.

   This specialization is designed to prepare students for research and practice that focuses on a variety of urban-related policy issues, such as social policy, institutional analysis, and urban development. Graduates should be able to design and evaluate policies affecting cities as well as administer policies in the public and nonprofit sectors.

   Doctoral courses (choose at least one):

   • PAUS 9311 Urban Development
   • PAUS 9321 Seminar in Urban Policy
   • PAUS 9341 Policy Design and Implementation
   
   

   Master's courses:

   • PAUS 8021 Urban Planning and Demography
   • PAUS 8031 Urban Political Economy
   • PAUS 8271 Disaster Management
   • PAUS 8311 Planning Theory and Analysis
   • PAUS 8331 Urban Infrastructure Planning and Policy
   • PAUS 8351 Local Government Management
   • PAUS 8611 Transportation Management
   • PAUS 8621 Urban Transportation and Land Use Economics
   
   

   Urban and Regional Economic Development.

   At the heart of this program is an exploration of government policies designed to stimulate economic development. Particular emphasis is given to exploring the competitiveness of small business and the modernization of manufacturers. Students will also explore the physical urban infrastructure such as water, sewer, transportation and waste disposal systems. They are also presented the policy tools for analyzing this class of public issue.

   Doctoral courses (choose at least one):

   • ECON 9300 Seminar in Urban Economics
   • PUBP 8550 Advanced Topics in Urban and Regional Economic Development Policy
   
   

   Master's courses:

   • Econ 8300 Urban Economics
   • PAUS 8021 Urban Planning and Demography
   • PAUS 8031 Urban Political Economy
   • PAUS 8311 Planning Theory and Analysis
   • PAUS 8321 Economic Development Policy and Planning
   • PAUS 8331 Urban Infrastructure Planning and Policy
   • PAUS 8621 Urban Transportation and Land Use Economics
   • PUBP 6600 Foundations of Local Economic Development Planning and Policy
   • PUBP 6602 Economic Development Analysis and Practice
   • PUBP 6604 Methods of Urban Policy Analysis and Planning
   • PUBP 6606 Urban Development Policy
   
   
4. Full-time Residency Requirement

   Before taking the final written qualifying examination, a student must complete one year (two consecutive semesters) of full-time residency. For this requirement, full-time enrollment is 12 credit hours per semester and must include 3 credit hours of research assistantship or directed research experience. In addition, throughout the period before completing the prescribed coursework, a student must take at least 12 credit hours in every twelve-month period.

5. Joint Enrollment Residency Requirements

   Students must satisfactorily complete (with a grade of "B" or better) at least 9 credit hours of coursework taught by Georgia State faculty and at least 9 credit hours of coursework taught by Georgia Tech faculty (exclusive of dissertation credit). Courses taught jointly by Georgia Tech and Georgia State faculty may be counted toward fulfillment of either requirement. Courses that are simply cross-listed in both schools will not meet the standard of being jointly taught.

6. Doctoral Qualifying Examinations

   Students must pass all parts of a comprehensive qualifying examination within one year of completing the prescribed coursework. The comprehensive qualifying examination will consist of:

   1. Written Qualifying Examinations. Students will take two written examinations, one in the theory and methods of public policy studies and one in their major area of specialization (elective fields). Examinations will be given twice per year, and students must notify the program director in writing of their intention to take the examinations one month before they occur.

   2. Oral Qualifying Examination. At the discretion of the Examining Committee, an oral examination may be required as part of the qualifying examination process prior to a determination as to whether the written examination is satisfactory.

   3. Students will only be permitted a second attempt to pass any qualifying examination they fail upon the recommendation, by majority vote, of the group of faculty members who graded the examination. A maximum of two attempts is permitted.
   
   
7. The Dissertation

   The dissertation allows the Ph.D. candidate to demonstrate his or her ability to conduct a research program leading to a significant contribution to the candidate's discipline. Students must obtain approval of their dissertation proposal within one calendar year after completing all prescribed course work.

   1. The Dissertation Committee. After successfully completing the two qualifying examinations, the student forms a Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee consists of a chair plus at least four additional members. At least three members must be core faculty of the joint doctoral program, meaning faculty of the School of Public Policy or the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. The committee must include at least one member from each School. Students are encouraged to include outside members on their committees as appropriate. Students will choose a committee chair with the advice and approval of the program director and will choose the remaining members of the committee with the advice and approval of the committee chair and program director. Once the committee is chosen, the student may change the membership of the committee only with the advice and approval of the program director.

   2. The Dissertation Proposal and Oral Defense. In consultation with the Dissertation Committee, the student will develop a dissertation proposal. The proposal should include a summary of the following: the purpose of the study; the nature of the subject to be investigated and its importance; a brief review of the literature; the nature of the hypotheses to be developed or tested; the empirical methodology, techniques, and data sources, if any, to be used; and a time frame for completion of the dissertation. Normally, the proposal should not exceed 40 pages.

      The student will present and defend the dissertation proposal in a public presentation which will be open to faculty and graduate students from both schools and announced two weeks prior to the date it is scheduled. The Dissertation Committee will question the student in a two-hour oral examination, then vote to determine if the student has a satisfactory research topic and design. A unanimous decision by the student's Dissertation Committee is required. The approving members and readers will sign the dissertation proposal defense approval form. Upon submission of the proposal defense approval form, the student is admitted to candidacy for the degree.

      Submission of the approval form does not constitute a contractual agreement between the students and the Dissertation Committee. It is within the scope and function of the Dissertation Committee to recommend modifications to the research as it proceeds.

   3. The Dissertation Defense. When the candidates' Dissertation Committee judges that the dissertation is complete, the student must defend it orally in a final dissertation defense, subject to rules governing Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia State University graduate study. At least two weeks before the final dissertation defense, the student must submit an abstract of the dissertation to the program director, who will issue an announcement of the scheduling of the candidate's dissertation defense. Any interested faculty member or graduate student may attend the examination and participate in the discussion. At the completion of the oral defense, members of the dissertation committee will vote on the dissertation's approval or disapproval. Unanimous approval is required.
   
   
8. Regulations for the Degree
   1. Joint Oversight. An Admissions and Coordinating (A & C) Committee, consisting of six tenure-track faculty, three from Georgia State University and three from Georgia Institute of Technology, has jurisdiction over and is chiefly responsible for policy relating to admissions, program curriculum, rules and regulations, and operations of the joint degree program. Members of the A & C Committee are selected by the faculties of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and the School of Public Policy, in accordance with their procedures and bylaws.

   2. Scholastic Warning and Termination. The doctoral grade-point average (GPA) is defined as the GPA for all courses numbered 6000 or higher taken after admission to the doctoral program. Each student must maintain a 3.00 doctoral GPA (B average). (The doctoral GPA could differ from the GPA calculated by the universities and reported on the student's official transcript, since the university GPA could also include the grades from any graduate courses numbered 6000 or above taken at Georgia State or Georgia Tech before admission to the doctoral program.)

   3. Standards of Performance. To continue in the program, a student must make reasonable and timely progress toward the degree in terms of course work completed and examinations. A determination that a student is not making satisfactory progress and should be terminated from the program may be made at several points in his or her program, including failure to achieve and maintain a doctoral GPA of at least 3.00, failure to pass 12 credit hours within a twelve-month period, failure of the comprehensive qualifying examination, or failure to successfully defend a dissertation proposal or dissertation. In all such cases, a recommendation of dismissal must be made to the Admissions and Coordinating Committee, which will review the case and issue a final decision regarding termination from the program.

   4. Petitions. Where a student believes that unusual circumstances invalidate any of the regulations or requirements relating to the degree in his or her particular case, the student may write to the A & C Committee and request exemption from or change in the policy. The petition by the student must be submitted with accompanying justifications. In all such cases, the A & C Committee will review the case and issue a final decision regarding the petition.

   5. Appeals. All student appeals regarding grades and other faculty actions affecting students will be adjudicated through the appeals process governing the School where the action occurred. If the appeal concerns an A & C Committee action or other joint program action, the student must appeal the action first to the faculties of both schools (with approval from both required to overturn the action), then to the graduate committees of both institutions (with approval from both required to overturn the action).

   6. Time Limits for the Degree. These time limits should be interpreted as the maximum amount of time students may take to complete each of the degree requirements. It is anticipated that most students will complete the requirements much earlier than the maximum time limits specified below:
      1. All required course work and both written examinations must be completed within four years from the semester of entry into the doctoral program.

      2. Both qualifying examinations must be successfully completed, the Dissertation Committee must be appointed, and the dissertation proposal must be defended and approved within one year after completion of course work.

      3. All requirements for the degree, including the dissertation, must be completed within seven years from the semester of entry into the doctoral program.

Doctoral Assistantships

Doctoral students in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies are eligible for Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs) and Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs). All students who receive an assistantship stipend also receive a tuition waiver.

Almost all doctoral students requesting it receive some type of financial assistance. After admission to the doctoral programs, the Office of Academic Assistance will inform newly admitted students who are seeking a GRA or GTA of the type and number of appointments, if any, which they have been awarded.

Second-year students and beyond are also eligible for research and teaching assistantships, and the program has a history of continuing to fund students who are demonstrating progress in the program at a level of support equal to or greater than what they received during the first year.

Students hired as graduate research assistants work with faculty members in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies on research projects in their area of interest. (Students in the joint Ph.D. in Public Policy may also work with faculty in the School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech.) The partnerships between the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, its research centers and a number of nonpartisan, nonprofit research organizations give students working as GRAs the opportunity to perform research which can have immediate application to problems of city, county, state, and federal policy makers. Additionally, a number of GRAs have been involved in international policy projects, most recently on tax reform in Russia and environmental issues in South America.

For further information or to apply for a research or teaching assistantship in the school, contact the Office of Academic Assistance.

Profile of Accepted Applicants: Ph.D. in Public Policy

To provide guidance in assessing your possibility of admission to the Ph.D. program in Public Policy, a profile of recently accepted applicants follows. Meeting this profile will not guarantee admission. Admission is not precluded if the profile is not met. This profile is provided to encourage you to consult with the Office of Academic Assistance or the program director prior to submission of your application if you have concerns regarding the competitiveness of your academic credentials.