Curriculum
The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Public and Urban Policy is conferred for completion of 60 graduate credits, passing of the qualifying examination, and approval of a written dissertation that advances knowledge in the field. The 60 credits normally
consist of up to 30 credits earned in the student's master's degree program and at least 30 credits taken in residence in the PhD program.
Students must take six core courses, one foundation course in a social science discipline, two research methods courses, and the Dissertation Seminar. A full-time graduate student takes at least nine credits (three courses) each semester. You can study
part-time but must take a minimum of six credits (two courses) per semester to remain in good standing.
Students should refer to the official Schools of Public Engagement catalog to confirm degree completion requirements and should review their academic progress regularly with their faculty advisors.
Core Courses | Credits |
| 3 |
| 3 |
|
|
Required Courses |
| One social science foundation course | 3 |
| Two research methods courses | 6 |
| Four electives | 12 |
| Credits earned in the student’s master’s degree program | 30 |
| Total | 60 |
Social Science Foundation Course
Students must complete a course in one of the social science disciplines: anthropology, economics, politics, or sociology. This is usually an upper-level course offered by the equivalent department of The New School for Social Research,
but students can review other options with their faculty advisors.
Research Methods Courses
In consultation with their advisor, students must complete one course in quantitative methods and one in qualitative methods.
Electives
Students complete any four doctoral-level courses approved by the student's advisor. Electives can include courses offered by other divisions of the university.
Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive exam is taken after successful completion of coursework. It consists of a qualifying paper and a weekend take-home qualifying exam. The qualifying paper is a critical survey of the literature on a specific public policy issue, which
must be approved by the student's advisor. The qualifying exam consists of questions that are tailored to each student and are designed to show the student's understanding of the essential theoretical, institutional and empirical content covered in
the program's core courses. Students who pass the comprehensive exam earn the Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) degree and are eligible to proceed to the dissertation stage.
Students must complete 60 credits before they are eligible to take the qualifying examination.
Dissertation
A dissertation proposal is developed in consultation with the student's faculty advisor and dissertation committee. A Public and Urban Policy doctoral dissertation can take the form of either a single book-length manuscript or a set of three papers (normally
40-70 pages each, inclusive of figures, tables, endnotes, and references). In either format, the dissertation must present original material that advances knowledge about important public policy problems.
Transfer Credits
Of the 60 credits required for the PhD, a maximum of 30 can be transferred from other graduate schools, provided the courses are deemed relevant to the Milano Public and Urban Policy program. At least 30 credits (10 courses) must be taken in residence.
Students who wish to transfer credits earned at a graduate school outside of the United States must provide a course-by-course evaluation of their international transcripts prepared by a NACES-approved evaluation service. The evaluation must be received
before courses can be reviewed for transfer of credits.