The PhD program (offered on the Denver Campus) requires an intensive commitment of time and effort. It is designed to serve:
- people who seek to further the field of public administration, public policy and public management through teaching and research
- scholar-practitioners working in government, private sector organizations concerned with government and nonprofit organizations
- policy analysts in government, private sector organizations and nonprofit organizations.
In this program, you will acquire the skills for an expanded leadership role in public affairs. The program will help you master the scholarly theory, concepts and research skills required to teach other practitioners, and provide the skills necessary to research and analyze complex public sector challenges. As in every SPA program, theory is closely tied to practice and emphasizes skill development. A minimum of 66 semester hours of credit is required, which includes at least 30 hours of doctoral dissertation credits.
Upon completion of the program, you will have demonstrated:
- Extensive background knowledge and analytical skills in areas relevant to public administration, public management, and public policy, specifically:
- The historical and comparative foundations of public administration
- Contemporary literature, concepts, and theories of public management
- Contemporary literature, concepts, and theories of public policy
- Emerging topics of public administration, policy, and management
- Advanced social science research methods and tools used in public affairs research
- The ability to effectively communicate your knowledge and skills orally and in writing
- Your ability to formulate and implement a high-quality research design and effectively analyze and communicate the results of their research to your peers and to faculty
Contact Doctoral Program Director, Tanya Heikkila or SPA@ucdenver.edu for more information.