Courses and Policies
PUBLIC POLICY (PUBP)
Degree Conferred: Ph.D. (PUBP)
Degree Plan Worksheet: Public Policy Course Scheduler
This interdisciplinary policy program has a strong emphasis on public affairs and will train policy leaders to directly address the policy issues of the people of Arkansas, the region and the nation. The program provides a vehicle for the consideration of policy issues by students, faculty and the larger community. Therefore, students and faculty will participate in colloquia, projects and research which contribute to successful public policy. Leadership and administrative skills are included in the course of study, along with a strong emphasis on policy analysis which recognizes the complex nature of policy problems. Such an analytical approach will prepare students for work with governmental, educational, professional and private sector experts who must cooperate in shaping public policy.
Fields of Specialized Study: Education Policy, Family Policy, Community Development, Health Policy, Recreation Policy, Public Policy Leadership, Agricultural Policy. (Other specialization options are possible. Contact the program director for more information.)
Prerequisites to Degree Program: Applicants must have a Master's degree completed prior to beginning the doctoral program. The Master's degree should be relevant to the policy area of their specialization. For example, students with a Master’s in Geology might enter the Agriculture policy specialization, but not the Family policy specialization. If students enroll in classes designated to address deficiencies, students may enter specializations outside of their Master’s area. These decisions will be made by the program faculty. An application should include identification of the applicant's objectives and supportive background information including three letters of recommendation evaluating the applicant's ability to successfully pursue a Ph.D. A GPA of at least a 3.00 on a four point scale for all graduate course work is required.
Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree: In addition to the general requirements of the Graduate School, the doctoral program consists of a minimum of 65 hours including:
23 hours of core requirements
- Public Policy (PLSC 5163) [syllabus]
- Community Development
- Economics and Policy (Three hours. Some students may need to consider taking a lower level introductory class as a prerequisite if they have not had introductory economics coursework.)
- Law and Policy (PUBP 6023)
- Policy Implementation Leadership (PUBP 6103)
- Agenda Setting and Policy Formation (PUBP 6113) [syllabus]
- Capstone Seminar in Public Policy (PUBP 6134) [syllabus]
- Public Policy Pro-Seminar (PUBP 6001) [syllabus]
12 hours of methods
- Quantitative Methods (PUBP 6012)
- Qualitative Methods (EDFD 6533 or equivalent) [syllabus]
- Advanced Research Methods (Selected from approved courses)
12 hours of electives in area of specialization
18 hours of dissertation research. (PUBP 700V)
The following graduate courses, or their equivalents, in research statistics and research methods are considered prerequisites.
- Social Research Methods (for example: Research Methods in Political Science, Research Methods in Education, Advanced Social Research in Sociology)
- Statistics for Research (for example: Applied Data Analysis in Sociology, Inferential Statistics for Psychology, Statistical Methods in Statistics)
Concerning the courses required in the student's area of specialization, see program director for specialization requirements.
Qualifying Exams
After completing approximately two years of graduate study, and at least one year before completing all other requirements, the prospective candidate must take candidacy examinations covering both core and specialization studies. The examinations will be both written and oral. All students must demonstrate a capacity for research by writing an original dissertation on a topic in their area of concentration. The student's final examination will be an oral defense of the dissertation.
Courses: Public Policy (PUBP)
- PUBP 6012 Quantitative Methods
- PUBP 6023 Law and Public Policy
- PUBP 6103 Policy Implementation Leadership
- PUBP 6113 Agenda Setting and Policy Formation
- PUBP 612V Research Problems in Policy
- PUBP 6134 Capstone Seminar in Public Policy
- PUBP 700V Dissertation Research
- PUBP 604V Special Topics
Note: if a student feels that he or she has already taken a course or courses which meet the core requirements, there is a procedure for course exemptions and substitutions.