Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy - Policy Process and Governance

Policy Process and Governance research examines fundamental questions about how individuals, institutions, and interests shape representation, equity, efficiency, and accountability in public policy. Researchers in this area study all stages of the policy process including agenda setting, policy design, policy diffusion, policy adoption, implementation, program evaluation, and policy feedbacks.
Policy process studies address diverse topic areas such as election and voting policy, judicial influence over policy, policy framing and agenda setting, state policy and representation, and the role of multi-level governance (federalism) in shaping politics and policy. Students interested in topics related to agenda setting and issue framing may also gain applied experience in survey research and experimental research throughPOLS-Labor through applied studies conducted by faculty. Students with interests in policy process and governance are encouraged to develop skills in advanced statistical methods, causal inference, and/or analytics for large, complex data to prepare them work as researchers or analysts in a wide range of career settings.

The Ph.D. in Public Policy is an interdisciplinary program focusing on the study of policy development, implementation and evaluation. It stresses the development of skills, tools, and specialties, as well as a theoretical understanding of them, that contribute to our understanding of the structure of institutional systems and sub-systems and of how policy should be shaped within political environments.

The following are general guidelines for successful admission into the Ph.D. in Public Policy degree program:
A master's degree in a social science or other field related to policy studies with a GPA of at least 3.3 is required for admission to full standing in the Ph.D. in Public Policy program.
Students with baccalaureate degrees may be admitted on a conditional basis if they have an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5 and are currently enrolled in a master's level program at UNC Charlotte in a field related to policy studies. However, such students will not formally be admitted to the Ph.D. program until completion of the requirements for the master's degree.
Admission to the program requires strong scores (at least at the fiftieth percentile) on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the GMAT. The GMAT/GRE can be waived if one of the following conditions are met:
Master's degree from a college or university accredited by an accepted accredited body with a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0, AND a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all Economics and/or Statistics courses completed at the undergraduate and/or graduate level, AND at least two years of relevant, professional work experience, OR
Completion of at least 9 credit hours in the UNC Charlotte Graduate Certificate in Public Policy Research and Analysis program with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.33.
The waiver must be requested from the Public Policy Doctoral Director via email when submitting the completed application. Please include PPOL GRE Waiver in the subject line. All GRE/GMAT waivers are at the discretion of the Public Policy Doctoral Director. If candidates are unable to secure the GRE/GMAT waiver, they will be required to submit official GRE/GMAT test scores with their application.
Three strong, positive letters of recommendation, at least two of which must come from faculty in the student's previous academic programs. All letters should be written by individuals in a position to judge the applicant's likely success in a Ph.D. level program. Letters should address the applicant's suitability for a Ph.D. program and ability to complete the program in a timely fashion. Letters from the student's master's level program are preferred.

For non-native English language speakers: official and satisfactory scores on the English language proficiency scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are required. A minimum score of 83 on the Internet-based TOEFL or a minimum overall band score of 6.5 on the IELTS is required for admissions consideration.

Admission to the program of students who are not native English speakers requires strong scores on the TOEFL exam. The TOEFL exam is a required part of the application package for non-native English speakers.
Students entering the program are expected to remedy any coursework deficiencies identified by the Admissions Committee and Program Director in the first semester after enrolling in the program. The amount and kinds of remedial coursework required for the program depends on the background of the student and are established by the Admissions Committee and the Program Director. Possible deficiencies are indicated in the prerequisites for the required core courses of the program. This program emphasizes the quantitative and analytical skills necessary to confront the challenges of contemporary policy dilemmas that communities face at the local, state, federal, and international levels.