For students with an MPA or MPP Course-Based Completion Requirements

Completion Requirements

  • 67 total quarter credit hours (82 quarter credit hours without an M.P.A. or M.P.P. from a regionally accredited university)
    • Core courses (20 cr.)
    • Specialization courses (15 cr.)
    • Foundation Research Sequence (12 cr.)
    • Dissertation (20 cr.)
  • Professional Development Plan and program of study
  • Four Ph.D. residencies to equal a minimum of 16 units 

Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of your time to completion, call an enrollment advisor at 1-866-492-5336

Core Courses

Course Code Course Title Credits
PPPA 8000  Foundations for Doctoral Study  1 
PPPA 8111  Leadership and Organizational Change  5 
PPPA 8115 Writing a Quality Prospectus 5
PPPA 8112  Governance and Public Policy  5 

Choose one of the three following to complete the Core Courses Requirement

Course Code Course Title Credits
RSCH 8450 Advanced Mixed Methods Reasoning and Analysis 4
RSCH 8350 Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis 4 
RSCH 8250 Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis 4

Specialization Courses

Course Code Course Title Credits
PPPA xxxx Specialization Course 1 5
PPPA xxxx Specialization Course 2 5 
PPPA xxxx Specialization Course 3 5

Foundation Research Sequence

Course Code Course Title Credits
RSCH 8100P Research Theory, Design and Methods 4
RSCH 8200P Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis 4
RSCH 8300P Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis 4

Dissertation

Course Code Course Title Credits
PPPA 9000 Dissertation 20

Compare—Mixed-model format

The Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration program offers two formats: course-based and mixed-model. If you want to work closely with a faculty mentor and focus your research on a subject area about which you are passionate, the mixed-model format may be for you. Compare for yourself.

Course Descriptions