Doctor of Philosophy in Public
Policy and Political Economy
Faculty
Professors: Sheila Amin Gutiérrez De Piñeres, Brian J. L.
Berry, Ronald Briggs (emeritus), Lloyd J. Dumas, Euel W. Elliott, Donald A.
Hicks, Irving J. Hoch (emeritus), Murray J. Leaf, Lawrence J. Redlinger,
Richard K. Scotch
Associate Professors: Bobby C. Alexander, Simon M. Fass, Jennifer S. Holmes,
Sheryl L. Skaggs
Clinical Assistant Professors: Rodolfo Hernandez Guerrero
Mission
Statement
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, applied social research
techniques, and professional communication skills. 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 School of Economic, Political and
Policy Sciences and University’s Computing Center. The School has two computing
laboratories that have over 50 computers that are network linked and equipped
with major social science software packages, including E-Views, R, Rats, SPSS
and Stata. A geographic information system, the Lexis
Nexis database, and Westlaw are also available for
student use. The University’s Computing Center provides personal computers and
UNIX Workstations. Many important data and reference materials are also
available online via the library and the school’s memberships in numerous organizations.
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 economics, political science, sociology, calculus, statistics, and research
design.
Degree
Requirements
The
PhD in Public Policy and Political Economy requires a minimum of 75
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, and earn a grade of at least 3.0 (B) for all 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 not 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 Methods
Qualifying Examination in Quantitative Methods and Research Design
•
Matriculation
to the dissertation phase
•
Successful
completion of a dissertation
•
Successful
completion of 75 credit hours including electives
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 6329 Ethics, Culture, and Public Policy
2.
Six hours of Theories of Political Economy
POEC 6312 Social Economic Theories
ECON 5321 Microeconomic Theory for Applications
or POEC 6390 Innovation and
Public Policy
3.
Fifteen hours of Empirical Methods
Methods
Core (Algebra-based or Calculus based)
Algebra-based
series
EPPS 6313 Introduction to
Quantitative Methods
EPPS 6316 Applied Regression
Calculus-based
series
EPPS 7313 Descriptive and
Inferential Statistics
EPPS 7316 Regression and Multivariate Analysis
Students are strongly
encouraged to take the calculus-based sequence, which is better preparation for
the methods qualifying exam and more advanced methods courses.
Students will also take at
least three additional courses from a set of courses 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:
Development:
POEC
6354 Theories and Issues of Development (Required), and:
Select
one of the following:
POEC/PSCI 6335 Institutions and Development
POEC 6360/ECON 6352 World Political Economy
POEC/PSCI 6362 Political Development
POEC
6364 Development Economics
POEC
6368 Population and Development
POEC
6392 Management and Practice of
International Development
International Conflict and Security (Select
two of the following):
POEC/PSCI 6361 Political Violence and Terrorism
POEC 6369 National and International Security Strategies and Policies
PSCI
6300 Proseminar in Comparative Politics and
International Relations
International Political Economy (Select two
of the following):
PSCI
6300 Proseminar in Comparative Politics and
International Relations
PSCI
6309 International Political Economy
PSCI
6316 International Organizations
POEC
6360/ECON 6352 World Political Economy
Social
Policy
SOC
6340 Domestic Social Policy
SOC
6350 Social Stratification
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 (6 hours)
The student takes at least six
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.
Methods Qualifying Exam and Matriculation to the Dissertation Phase
To advance to the
dissertation stage of the program, students are evaluated by the Program
Committee based on (a Methods Qualifying Examination :
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 workshop paper prepared for a research workshop offered in PPPE or a related
program that includes at least the following elements: a statement of the
question, a literature review, and a research design to address the question. .
The workshop paper will be
submitted to a committee appointed by the program director, who
will review the paper and advise the student of any deficiencies or potential
problems. The committee will assess whether the candidate’s workshop paper demonstrates
that the student has the skills and knowledge necessary to write a
dissertation. If the paper is assessed as satisfactory, the student will be 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 workshop paper requirement
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, 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 Master’s programs by completing the
appropriate degree requirements.
IV. Dissertation Seminar
Students
must register for POEC 8398 Dissertation Seminar for a minimum of one semester
after passing the MQE and workshop paper requirements. 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. The Dissertation
Seminar is to be taken as an independent study course under the supervision of
the student’s likely dissertation supervisor. Students seeking advising
concerning a suitable dissertation topic or appropriate supervisor are
encouraged to consult with the program director.
VI.
Electives
Students
take free electives in areas of interest to fulfill the 75-hour PhD
requirement.
Ph.D. students should note
that they are eligible to receive Master’s degrees offered by the School of
Economic, Political and Policy Sciences while they matriculate toward the
doctorate. These degrees include the Master of Public Affairs, Master of Public
Policy, M’S’ in Applied Sociology, M’S’ in Criminology, M’S’ in Economics, M’S’
in Geographic Information Sciences and the MS in International Political
Economy. Students interested in obtaining one of these degrees should consult
the catalog requirements or the graduate advisor.
