Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration

The mission of the Ph.D. program in the KU School of Public Affairs and Administration is to provide advanced graduate education in theory and research in order to prepare students for academic and research careers in public administration, as well as professional careers in advanced practice of public administration.  Doctoral students in public administration complete seminars and independent research courses to build competency in public administration history, theory, methodology, discipline specialization, and complementary cognate field in preparation for degree milestones and future contributions to the academy. 

The Public Administration Ph.D. program prepares researchers to enter academia or pursue careers that involve cutting-edge and innovative research in public affairs, policy, planning, and management/governance.