Curriculum

The Public Policy PhD Program requires students to:

  1. Complete a set of core public policy course requirements: Political Economy of Public Policy, Ethics of Public Policy, Microeconomics.
  2. Complete disciplinary concentration and research methodology requirements, including sub-field requirements, in one of the following areas:
    • Economics
    • Political Science
    • Sociology
  3. Complete at least one course in each of above disciplines.
  4. Complete a DGS-approved course of study focusing on a particular policy area.
  5. Complete a yearlong (two-course) research seminar leading to the dissertation proposal.
  6. Complete the equivalent of 16 courses (minimum), equaling 48 credits.  Please see checklist below.
  7. Attain dissertation status, including meeting qualifying requirements and passing the preliminary exam, by the end of the third year.
  8. Pass a final examination, which consists of an oral defense of a dissertation to an approved supervisory committee. This is typically completed by the end of the fifth year.
  9. Regularly attend and participate in a weekly seminar in which faculty present their research as models of the kind of interdisciplinary work relevant to public policy.

Checklist of the 16 (minimum) required courses – 48 total credits

  1. Political Economy of Public Policy (PubPol 501)
  2. Ethics of Public Policy (PubPol 502)
  3. Microeconomics 1
  4. Microeconomics 2
  5. Disciplinary concentration 1 – Research Methods
  6. Disciplinary concentration 2 – Research Methods
  7. Disciplinary concentration 3 – Subfield Elective
  8. Disciplinary concentration 4 – Subfield Elective
  9. Disciplinary concentration 5 – Subfield Elective
  10. Policy area elective 1
  11. Policy area elective 2
  12. Policy area elective 3
  13. Non-concentration social science 1
  14. Non-concentration social science 2 for disciplinary concentration of Economics OR Elective for disciplinary concentration of Political Science or Sociology
  15. Dissertation proposal seminar 1
  16. Dissertation proposal seminar 2

For more information about the program contact:
Director of Graduate Studies
Attn: PhD Program
Department of Public Policy Studies
Sanford School of Public Policy
Duke University
Box 90243
Durham, NC 27708-0243
(919) 613-9214
E-mail: PPPhD@duke.edu

Fleishman Commons, Sanford Building
Fleishman Commons
Sanford Building