School of Urban and Public Affairs

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Ph.D. in Public and Urban Administration

Program Overview

The PUAD Ph.D. will have eight required core courses and three required research courses. The eight core courses will be taken in the first four semesters. Upon completing the eight core courses, the student will sit for one written comprehensive examination over material from those courses. The comprehensive examination will be an integrative exam that blends public policy issues with public administration. The new curriculum calls for only one written comprehensive examination. There is no written research proficiency exam.

Curriculum and Degree Requirements

Required Core Courses:

• URPA 5304 Urban Politics
• URPA 5305 Theories of Urban Societies
• URPA 5306 The Urban Economy
• URPA 5311 Social Policy Formation
• URPA 6320 Advanced Organization Theory
• URPA 6315 Public Administration Theory
• URPA 6326 Public Budgeting and Finance (new course).
• URPA 6349 Decision Making and Policy (new course).

Required Research Courses:

• URPA 5342 Strategies in Urban Research (to be renamed).
• CIRP 5346 Qualitative Research Methods.
• URPA 6301 Theoretical Foundations in Urban Affairs (to be renamed).

 Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation

Upon successful completion of the written exam the student will commence taking the three required research courses. In addition, the student will form a dissertation committee and, given the research topic and preparedness of the student, take courses that will contribute to the student writing a dissertation. The student will work with the dissertation committee to develop a dissertation proposal. The dissertation proposal presentation will meet the requirement of completing an oral examination. During the dissertation proposal presentation the student must demonstrate extensive knowledge of the literature on which the work is to be based as well as a thorough understanding of the research methodology.

A successful completion of the dissertation proposal will advance the student to the status of candidacy. Work will continue with the dissertation committee to the completion of the dissertation.

For more information, see Dissertation.