Requirements for the M.P.P./Ph.D. in Public Policy/Political Science

The Masters of Public Policy Program and the Department of Political Science now offer a dual M.P.P./Ph.D. Students would receive both an M.P.P. and a Ph.D. in Political Science within the same 72 credit hours that would be normally required for a Ph.D. in Political Science. Students who seek to earn the dual degree must apply to and be accepted by both the Public Policy and Political Science programs. (Students enrolled in the dual degree would not earn a masters in Political Science.) Students must meet all of the requirements in both programs. Requirements and descriptions of the programs are found on the Political Science and Public Policy program websites.

The dual program works if students choose to take several courses that can be counted towards both degrees. To accomplish this, students must choose Public Policy Processes and Institutions as their policy field in the M.P.P. program and Public Policy as either their major or minor field in the Political Science Ph.D. program. Students choosing the Public Policy Processes and Institutions field as their M.P.P. policy field would select three of the following courses:

PSc 210 American Political Processes
PSc 211 State and Urban Politics
PSc 213 Judicial Politics
PSc 217 Executive Branch Politics
PSc 218 Legislative Politics
PSc 219 Parties and Elections
PSc 221 Interest Group Politics
PSc 226 Politics and Organizations
PSc 228 Media and Politics
PSc 289 Foreign Policy and Decisionmaking
PSc 286, 288, 354 Special topics (when relevant and with advisor approval, e.g., a comparative public policy course when it is taught).

By choosing the Public Policy Processes and Institutions field as their M.P.P. policy field, a student pursuing a dual M.P.P./Ph.D. would be able to count up to three of the above Political Science courses as the three M.P.P. policy field courses. Students would also choose their M.P.P. electives in courses that would count towards their Political Science Ph.Ds. Several political science courses that are quite similar to required courses in the M.P.P. program would substitute for PPOL requirements. Students pursuing this dual degree would be able to complete all requirements for both the M.P.P. and Ph.D. in Political Science program within 72 hours of credit.

Anyone interested in pursuing this option should contact Hal Wolman, M.P.P. Director and Bruce Dickson, Graduate Advisor in Political Science. Students pursuing this program will be working closely with advisors in both programs.

Revised 1/30/2006