Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Political Economy
Faculty
Professors:
Sheila Amin Gutiérrez De
Piñeres, Kurt J. Beron, Brian J. L. Berry (Dean), Ronald Briggs, Marie Isabelle
Chevrier, Lloyd J. Dumas, Euel Elliott, Donald A.
Hicks, Irving J. Hoch (emeritus), Paul Jargowsky, Murray J. Leaf, Lawrence J.
Redlinger, Todd J. Sandler, Richard K. Scotch, Paul Tracy
Associate Professors: Bobby C. Alexander, Jennifer Smith Holmes, Simon Fass, Sheryl Skaggs
Clinical Assistant Professors: Kruti Dholakia
The
mission of the Ph.D. program in Public Policy and Political Economy is to
prepare our students for professional positions in research, teaching, and
practice in fields related to public policy and political economy, and in both
academic and nonacademic settings. We prepare students through instruction in
social science and public policy concepts, advanced methodological knowledge
and applied social research techniques, and professional communication. PPPE students and faculty are encouraged to
promote an inclusive and diverse environment that is committed to continued scholarship and service.
Objectives
•
Students will demonstrate the
ability to apply social science and public policy theories and concepts.
•
Students will develop competency in
advanced methods of social science and public policy research and analysis.
•
Students will develop basic skills
in professional communication appropriate to the public policy and political
economy research and analysis.
Facilities
Students have access to the computing faculties in the
Admission
Requirements
The
PhD. in Public Policy and Political Economy seeks applications from students
with a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college. An
undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.2, and a combined verbal and
quantitative GRE score of 1200, or equivalent score on the GMAT, are desirable.
Students may also wish to consider submitting their score from the writing
component of the GRE test as additional evidence of their writing skills.
Standardized test scores are only one of the factors taken into account in
determining admission. Students should also submit all transcripts, three
letters of recommendation, and a one-page essay outlining the applicant’s
background, education and professional objectives.
Prerequisites
While
there are no specific course prerequisites, entering students will benefit from exposure to undergraduate courses in the Economic,
Political and Policy Sciences, calculus,, and research design.
Degree Requirements
The PhD in Public Policy
and Political Economy requires a minimum of 90 post-baccalaureate graduate
credit hours. Full-time students can complete the degree in an average of 5
years.
Students
must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in their graduate courses in the degree
program, including core courses. If
placed on probation, students will have one semester to bring their cumulative
grade point average to a 3.0 or greater. Any student who receives two Cs will no longer be allowed to continue in
the program.
Students must complete
the following:
•
33 hours of core courses
•
12 hours of field
courses (six hours in two fields of the student’s choice)
•
6 hours area of
specialization (in one of the fields of the student’s choice)
•
A qualifying examination
in Quantitative Empirical Methods and Research Design
•
Portfolio submitted and
approved by Portfolio Committee
•
Matriculation to the
dissertation phase
•
Participation in
Dissertation Seminar
•
Successful completion of
a dissertation
The requirements are outlined in
further detail below:
I.
Core Requirements (33 hours)
Students complete a core sequence of
courses as follows:
1. Six hours of coursework in
Government and Public Policy:
POEC 6313 Public Policymaking and
Institutions
POEC 7318 Ethics, Culture and Responsibility
2.
Six hours of Theories of Political Economy
POEC 7317 Economics for Public
Policy
POEC 6312 Social Economic Theories
3.
Fifteen hours of Empirical Methods
EPPS 7313 Descriptive and
Inferential Statistics
EPPS 7316 Advanced Regression Analysis for the Economic, Political and Policy
Sciences
Students
will also take at least three additional courses from a set approved by the
relevant graduate program committee. Students may obtain a list of those
courses from the program office.
4. Six hours of Research Design
EPPS 6310 Research Design I
EPPS 6342 Research Design II
II.
Field Courses (12 hours)
Students
take a two course introductory sequence in two of the following five
fields. The fields and required courses are as follows:
Criminology:
CRIM 6311 Crime and Justice Policy
CRIM 6305 Law and Social Control
Development:
POEC 6354 Theories and Issues of
Development (Required), and:
Select one of the
following:
POEC 6364 Development Economics
POEC 6360 World Political Economy
POEC 6362 Political Development
POEC 6318 Population and Development
International Conflict and Security (Select two of the
following):
PA 6351 Introduction to Homeland
Security
POEC 6361 Political Violence and Terrorism
POEC 6367 Topical Issues and Conflict Resolution
POEC 6369 National and International Security Strategies and Policies
International Political Economy (Select two of the
following):
POEC 6360 World Political Economy
PSCI 6300 Proseminar in Democratization,
Globalization and International Relations
PSCI 6309 International Political Economy and Organization
Social Policy
SOC 6350 Social Stratification
SOC 6340 Domestic Social Policy
Students
may request that alternative courses be substituted in a particular field with
the approval of the program director. Moreover, students may, in consultation
with the Program Director, define a new field provided that appropriate
coursework is available in a coherent research literature is identified. *Note:
(1) Students may only count POEC 6360 World Political Economy as a field course
for either Development or International Political Economy, not for
both.
III.
Area of Specialization
The
student takes six to nine hours of additional coursework in one of the field
areas as defined above. The specific required courses are designated by the
faculty associated with that area of concentration and may be obtained from the
program office. The student completes a dissertation in one of the two fields
(see above) and must successfully defend the dissertation before a duly
constituted dissertation committee, in accordance with the requirements of the
University and the UT System.
IV.
Qualifying Exams and Matriculation to the Dissertation Phase
To
advance to the dissertation stage of the program, students are evaluated by the
Program Committee based on (1) a Qualifying Examination in Methodology and (2)
a portfolio consisting of papers written in core and field courses:
1)
A qualifying examination in methods:
This
examination will evaluate the students’ methodological skills in areas covering
probability, statistics, regression analysis and
research design. The exam will be graded by the Methods Examination Committee
as Unsatisfactory, Satisfactory or Excellent. The exam will be administered at
the end of a full time student’s first year, or the equivalent point in a part
time student’s career. A student receiving a grade of unsatisfactory may take
the exam for a second time at the start of the fall semester of the second
year. All students are required to take
the methods qualifying exam by the end of their second year to be allowed to
continue in the doctoral program.
2)
A portfolio consisting of papers written in core
and field courses that include the following elements:
a) Literature reviews written in the field
survey courses;
b) Empirical and/or methodological papers
written in the core methods courses
c) Research design projects
The
portfolio committee will review the portfolios, and advise students of any
deficiencies or potential problems. Upon completing the core courses and
achieving a grade of Satisfactory or Excellent on the Qualifying Examination,
the program committee will make a final evaluation of the student’s total
portfolio. The committee will assess whether the candidate’s portfolio
demonstrates the student has the skills and knowledge necessary to attempt to
write a dissertation. If all of the items in the portfolio are satisfactory,
the student is designated as doctoral level. Alternatively, the committee could
recommend remedial or additional work in a specific area and specify a time
frame for the completion of such work. A detailed discussion of the
portfolio requirements can be found in the PPPE Advising Guide. Students
are urged to read and make sure they understand what is expected of them. The
Advising Guide is available through the Public Policy and Political Economy
program office and on the program’s webpage.
If,
in the judgment of the committee, the student is not prepared to write a
dissertation or the student, the student will either be asked to complete
remedial work or will be designated as Masters level.
Receipt of a Masters level designation means the student is not allowed to
proceed to the doctoral stage. The student may continue taking courses and may
pursue one of the school’s Masters programs by
completing the appropriate degree requirements.
IV.
Dissertation Seminar
Students must register for POEC 8398
Dissertation Seminar for a minimum of one semester. The aim of the Dissertation
Seminar is to assist students in the formulation of a dissertation topic, and
prepare a dissertation topic for submission to a dissertation Committee and
defense of the proposal before the committee.
VI.
Electives
Students take free electives in areas
of interest to fulfill the 90-hour PhD requirement.
Ph.D.
students should note that they are eligible to receive Master’s degrees offered
by the