PDF version of this chapterDoctoral Degrees
The School of Policy, Planning, and Development offers the Doctor of Philosophy in Planning (Ph.D.), Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration (Ph.D.), Doctor of Planning and Development Studies (D.P.D.S.) and the Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A.). Students are no longer admitted to the D.P.A. program. The Ph.D. degrees are designed to prepare individuals for university level teaching and research. The D.P.A. and D.P.D.S. degrees are intended to develop a high level of conceptual and research competence in public administrators and practitioners in planning and development. The D.P.A. and D.P.D.S. are administered by the School of Policy, Planning, and Development; the Ph.D. is administered by the Graduate School and the faculty of the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. Ph.D. students must consult the Graduate School section of this catalogue for regulations and requirements pertaining to its degrees. Students should also consult the Academic Policies section of this catalogue.
Completion of the requirements for all of these degrees is assumed to take a minimum of three years of approved graduate study and research beyond the bachelor's degree. For the Ph.D. student, a minimum of 24 graduate units completed in residence on the University Park campus in Los Angeles is required. D.P.D.S. students are required to complete a minimum of 12 units at the University Park campus. Full-time study is represented by enrollment in eight units during the semester. Usually, the school and the student's guidance committee insist on a clear and mutually understood commitment of time and energy by the student to ensure significant involvement in the doctoral learning experience. For university policies regarding continuous enrollment, leave of absence and readmission, see the Academic Policies section of this catalogue.
Application and Admission
Admission to graduate standing for the Ph.D. or D.P.D.S. is recommended by the school's admissions committee acting under guidelines established by the Graduate School as outlined in the Graduate School section and the Graduate Admission section. In addition to those guidelines, D.P.D.S. students are expected to have a minimum of five years of substantial administrative experience. Students intending to apply should direct questions about the program and all materials for the admission application to Doctoral Programs, Office of Student Affairs, RGL 111, School of Policy, Planning, and Development, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0626.The deadline for applications for admission to the Ph.D. and D.P.D.S. programs is December 1. Applications for admission are made once each year for a fall semester admission.
Doctoral program applicants may be allowed to take master's level courses before the admission process is completed. Students may not take 600-level course work until after formal admission.
The admission decision for Ph.D. students is made using criteria which include verification that the applicant has a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, has maintained a high grade point average in the last 60 units of undergraduate work, and has earned a competitive score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Other elements of the applicant's educational and experiential background are also evaluated, including performance in other advanced degrees. D.P.D.S. applicants must also provide evidence of at least five years of practical administrative experience. The GRE and GMAT scores are neither accepted nor required for the D.P.D.S. program.
Each applicant should submit the following: (1) one copy of official transcripts of all previous college and university work (be sure that these official transcripts show an awarded degree where appropriate); (2) copies of GRE scores; (3) a 1000-word essay discussing the applicant's background and reasons for wanting to pursue a Ph.D. degree and identifying his or her personal, educational and professional goals; (4) an up-to-date resume, including academic and professional accomplishments; (5) three letters of recommendation, two from previous instructors, the other from an instructor or from a professional supervisor or colleague. The letters should indicate the applicant's academic and professional accomplishments and potential; (6) a completed USC Graduate Admission Application, along with the nonrefundable application fee; (7) a writing sample of approximately 1,000 words (in addition to the applicant essay); and (8) a completed School of Policy, Planning, and Development Supplemental Graduate Application. International applicants are asked to submit additional information. See the International Admissions section under Master of Public Administration in this catalogue. Applicants should carefully choose, and clearly state, the degree objective (Ph.D. or D.P.D.S.) for which they are applying, since different sets of admissions criteria exist for each of them.
Transfer Credits
The application of any available transfer credits toward a graduate degree at USC will be determined by the faculty of the School of Policy, Planning, and Development, based on the semester units available for transfer as shown in the Transfer Credit Statement. Refer to Transfer of Course Work for more information.The procedures and conditions of transfer are the same as those for the master's degree programs given here with the following exception: transfer credits cannot be older than 10 years at the time of petition for transfer and must reflect current knowledge in the field. However, students entering with an appropriate completed graduate degree from an accredited institution may be eligible for admission to the D.P.D.S. and Ph.D. in Planning programs with Advanced Standing. Consult the Doctoral Program Director and the Graduate Admission section of this catalogue for further information.
Deferral of Enrollment
Admission to the university is granted for a specified semester, and it is expected that students will begin their programs during that semester. The school will normally allow students to defer their enrollment up to one year from the admission semester. Students who wish to defer enrollment should notify the school in writing no more than 30 days after the beginning of the semester of admission. Students who do not inform the school in a timely manner of their intent to defer enrollment may be required to reapply for admission.Please note that more stringent regulations apply to international students. See the Admission section of this catalogue.
Admission to Candidacy
Acceptance to graduate standing does not in itself imply that the student is admitted or will be admitted to candidacy for an advanced degree. Application for admission as a candidate for an advanced degree is a separate and subsequent step. See the Graduate School section of this catalogue.Admission of International Students
All international applicants for admission to doctoral programs should submit materials to Doctoral Programs, Recruitment and Admissions Office, RGL 111, School of Policy, Planning, and Development, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0626. See the Admission section of this catalogue.Screening Procedure
Ph.D. students are required to pass a screening procedure after completing the core courses. D.P.A. and D.P.D.S. students are required to pass a screening procedure after 16 units of course work. The procedure is designed to ensure that only those students who have demonstrated intellectual and scholarly potential continue in the program.There are differences between the screening process for Ph.D. in Planning, Ph.D. in Public Administration, D.P.A. and D.P.D.S. students. Students should consult the Director of Doctoral Programs for details.
Guidance Committee
A guidance committee assists the student in outlining an academic program leading toward the degree. This committee bears responsibility for counseling the doctoral student, for approving a course schedule and preliminary and qualifying examinations, and for recommending the student for admission to candidacy. After approval of the student's program and proposed time schedule, the program is submitted in writing to the Director of Doctoral Programs. This should be accomplished by the beginning of the second year, following successful screening.The guidance committee is to be established by the beginning of the second year and prior to starting course work in the area of concentration. The chair should have recognized expertise in the qualifying area and should be a regular participant in the qualifying examination committee for that area. The majority of the members of the guidance committee (typically at least three out of five) should be experts in the area in which the student is qualifying and should be regular participants in the qualifying examination committee. The remaining members should have a clear interest in this area.
Students will formalize their relationship with their committees through the development of a contract which specifies all courses completed, date of screening decision, the area of concentration, and which courses will be taken and when, in order to prepare for the area section of the qualifying examination. This contract will be signed by the student, the members of the guidance committee and the faculty doctoral advisor. It will be filed in the doctoral office.
Sustainable Cities Graduate Certificate in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Engineering
See the Sustainable Cities Program section.Doctor of Philosophy in Planning
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Planning degree is under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Students should also refer to the Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degree must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.
The Doctor of Philosophy in Planning emphasizes a rigorous program of advanced study and research, stressing qualitative or quantitative analysis and the theoretical dimensions of planned intervention and social change. Specialization and expertise in a substantive field such as transportation, history, housing, community development, environmental analysis, urban design, real estate development, social policy planning theory or international development is required.
Curriculum Requirements
The Doctor of Philosophy in Planning degree is administered by the doctoral committee of the school. Each student initially plans an interdisciplinary program comprising a set of core courses and two fields (inside and outside) of interest developed by the student with assistance from faculty advisors. The student must complete sufficient course work to prepare for written and oral qualifying examinations covering his or her field of interest. The student then completes the program with a dissertation which focuses on a research problem in an area related to planning or urban policy. The program requires the completion of 60 units of course work, comprising the following elements: Master of Planning core (12 units), doctoral core (12 units), methodology (4 units), fields of study (28 units) and dissertation (4 units minimum).Core Curriculum
| Doctoral core provides foundation in planning theory and research design | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PLUS 601 | Advanced Planning Theory I | 4 |
| PLUS 602 | Research Design | 4 |
| PLUS 605 | Advanced Planning Theory II | 4 |
Methodology
| select one methodology course: | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PLUS 608 | Advanced Research Methods in Planning: Survey Research Methods | 4 |
| PLUS 609 | Advanced Research Methods in Planning: Qualitative Methods, or another approved methods course from another academic unit at USC | 4 |
| PUAD 692 | Multivariate Statistical Analysis | 4 |
While a Master of Planning degree is not a prerequisite for admission, those students entering the doctoral program without a master's degree in planning will be required to complete 12 units of the 16-unit M.Pl. core curriculum: PPD 524 (2), PPD 525 (2), PPD 526 (2), PPD 527 (2), PPD 528 (2), PPD 529 (2) or PPD 530 (2). Students entering with an M.Pl. or equivalent degree will receive 20 units of advanced standing.
Screening Procedures
Prior to screening, the student should have completed the 12 units of the Doctor of Philosophy core. The student is also expected to have completed the research methods course.Prior to screening, each student prepares a resume and a preliminary statement describing the fields of specialization. After passing the written screening examination, the student meets with the faculty committee to discuss the proposal for course work, fields of study and research interests. Once the student passes screening, a guidance committee is formed and its chair serves as the student's principal advisor in preparing for the qualifying examination.
Guidance Committee
Following screening, each student selects a guidance committee, which officially oversees the development of the student's academic program through the qualifying examination. Five committee members are designated to provide guidance in the field developed by the student. A minimum of three members, including at least one tenured member, must be from among the faculty participating in this Doctor of Philosophy program, and at least one member must be from outside the School of Policy, Planning, and Development.
Fields of Study
Students will take course work in two disciplines or substantive areas according to particular interests and needs. There is ample opportunity to shape a degree program to each student's background, needs and interests, while drawing upon the diversity of resources available at USC. Twenty-eight units of course work are required for the fields of study. Students entering with a master's degree, whether in planning or another discipline, will receive eight units of advanced standing applied toward the field of study portion of the doctoral curriculum. Students are expected to actively participate in one of the three research workshops directed by faculty and to seek teaching experience.Qualifying Examination
The guidance committee prepares a comprehensive written examination covering the fields of study. The exact format for the written portion is determined by each committee in advance. Answers to the questions in the written portion are graded by all committee members. Following completion of the written portion, the entire committee conducts an oral examination of the student, focusing on material both complementary and supplementary to the written examination but relevant to the field and overall program selected by the student. Upon passing both portions of the qualifying examination, the student becomes a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.Transfer of Units
Graduate work may be accepted by transfer from approved graduate schools as determined by the USC Office of Academic Records and Registrar upon recommendation of the dean of the school.Students entering the doctoral program with a master's degree in a field other than planning or who have completed graduate course work may receive up to 12 units of advanced standing toward the Ph.D. in planning. Students entering with a Master of Planning degree or its equivalent may receive up to 20 units of advanced standing. In all cases, students must complete a
Some applicants for admission to the school will have been engaged in work in planning or closely related activities. Although this experience should be of benefit to the students involved, it cannot be considered equivalent to academic education.
Doctoral Dissertation
The dissertation is based on original research on a planning or urban/regional policy issue requiring an interdisciplinary perspective. The research is supervised by a dissertation committee of three or more regular USC faculty, at least one of whom must be from outside the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. A two semester minimum registration in PLUS 794 (2) is required of all candidates. Students must maintain continuous registration until completion of the dissertation.
Defense of the Dissertation
Oral defense of the dissertation before the dissertation committee is usually made on a preliminary draft.Format for Theses and Dissertations
All theses and dissertations submitted in fulfillment of requirements for graduate degrees must conform to university regulations with regard to format and method of preparation. See Regulations for Format and Presentation of Theses and Dissertations available from the Graduate School, Grace Ford Salvatori 315.General Requirements
Refer to the Graduate School section in this catalogue for policies regarding time limits, leave of absence, scholarship standing and probation.Sustainable Cities Graduate Certificate in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Engineering
See the Sustainable Cities Program section.Doctor of Planning and Development Studies
Planning and development are critical concerns of the nation and the world at the end of the 20th century. Whether redesigning the health care system, reproducing economic innovation in our central cities, or facilitating economic and social relationships across the globe, planners and developers are on center stage.
Leading the way into the next century will be a group of experienced practitioners who have updated and expanded their professional achievements by developing additional conceptual and research competency through the Doctor of Planning and Development Studies (D.P.D.S.).
The goals of the program are: to create a unique educational environment that will forge these professionals into a cadre for urban change; to develop urban professionals who can merge development and planning tools to design new integrative policy planning and implementation systems; to establish a set of new problem solving paradigms for examining and altering planning and development decision-making and to equip professionals with sophisticated analytical tools and a sharper cultural awareness so they can practice planning and development anywhere in the world.
Admission
The program is intended for people with considerable professional experience and intellectual interests. Requirements for admission include: GPA of 3.0 (A = 4.0) for all post-high school academic work, and, for international students, submission of TOEFL scores; five letters of recommendation, including at least one academic and one professional; five or more years of professional experience; a resume and, if appropriate, a portfolio; and a study prospectus detailing a proposed field of study. Guidelines for preparing the prospectus are included in the application package. Additional requirements for international students are listed under Admission of International Students. The GRE and GMAT are neither accepted nor required for the D.P.D.S. program. EachApplicants are expected to hold a master's degree in architecture, landscape architecture, public administration, real estate development, urban/city/regional planning, urban design or a closely related field. Applicants with master's degrees in other fields will be expected to complete foundation courses prior to entering the degree's core classes.
Upon admission to the program, each student will be assigned a faculty advisor who will oversee his or her program.
Curriculum Requirements
The Doctor of Planning and Development Studies is administered by the School of Policy, Planning, and Development for full-time and part-time students. The D.P.D.S. requires completion of 60 units of course work comprising the following elements:| Requirements | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation courses | 20 | |
| Core courses | 8 | |
| Methods course | 4 | |
| Field of study | 20 | |
| Conspectus Preparation | 4 | |
| Planning, design and development project | (minimum) 4 | |
Foundation Courses
Up to 20 units of foundation courses are required. These courses may be taken from the school's master's degree programs or, with prior approval, from other USC graduate degree programs. Students who hold a related master's degree may be admitted with advanced standing. Students are required to complete 36 units of course work and 4 units of PLUS 694 (project units).| Required Courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| PLUS 603 | Planning and Development Paradigms | 4 |
| PLUS 623 | Politics of Planning and the Urban Environment | 4 |
Conspectus Preparation | ||
| PLUS 692 | Conspectus Preparation | 4 |
Methods
A student's methods course should be approved by the student's Professional Advisory Committee. Possible courses include:| PLUS 608 | Advanced Research Methods in Planning: Survey Research Methods | 4 |
| PLUS 609 | Advanced Research Methods in Planning: Qualitative Methods | 4 |
| PLUS 612 | Analysis of Quantitative Data for Planning and Development | 4 |
| PPD 627 | Design Skills for Urban Planners | 4 |
| PPD 632 | Planning Analysis and Evaluation | 4 |
Screening Process
As quickly as possible, the student will form a Professional Advisory Committee consisting of the student's advisor and two other school and/or USC faculty and up to five professionals whose activities are related to the student's. This committee shall oversee the student's program to its conclusion.At the completion of no more than 16 units beyond the foundation courses and/or PLUS 603 and PLUS 623, students will complete a written examination which will consist of responding to a short list of specific planning and development problems using appropriate professional paradigms. The student will then meet with the Professional Advisory Committee to formally review the student's progress toward the degree.
Field of Study
In consultation with their faculty advisor and Professional Advisory Committee, students will craft a field of study related to the professional arena of practice. The field may or may not reflect standard academic boundaries, such as transportation and land use planning. Students should take advantage of USC's resources in developing the field, especially taking into consideration the relationship of practice to theory and context. Twenty units of course work are required for the field of study, 8 of which may be taken outside the School of Policy, Planning, and Development.Conspectus Preparation
In PLUS 692 students complete a professional conspectus that defines their field of study, its structure and place within professional practice, and other related questions. The conspectus will be presented to the student's Professional Advisory Committee for acceptance. Only after it is accepted may the student proceed to the Planning, Design and Development Project.Planning, Design and Development Project
The capstone project of the D.P.D.S. is the student's completion of the Planning, Design and Development Project (PDDP). The PDDP is a study of an aspect, site, issue or other such element of professional practice. Each PDDP should be designed to present an innovative or original contribution to the practice of planning and development. The parameters of the PDDP are intentionally left wide, allowing the project to be produced as solely text, or text in conjunction with film, computer program, design or another multimedia format.The PDDP is supervised by the student's Professional Advisory Committee. Students must maintain continuous registration in the PLUS 694 series until completion of the PDDP. Upon completion of an approved draft of the PDDP, students will present their findings in an open session, but the Professional Advisory Committee is the sole evaluator.
General Requirements
This degree is administered by the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. At least 24 units must be fulfilled in residence at USC. The total length of the study must not exceed six academic years. Students are encouraged to actively participate in a non-credit School of Policy, Planning, and Development doctoral workshop. Policies regarding time limits, leave of absence, scholarship standing, academic warning, and other issues not directly addressed are consistent with those of the Graduate School. Please consult the Academic Policies and the Graduate School sections of this catalogue for additional information.Sustainable Cities Graduate Certificate in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Engineering
See the Sustainable Cities Program section.Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration
Residence
In order to receive the Ph.D. the student must complete a minimum of 60 units of graduate work at USC and other institutions. Ph.D. students may be authorized to transfer into the Ph.D. program a maximum of 30 graduate units completed at other universities. A minimum of 24 graduate units completed in residence on the University Park campus in Los Angeles is required. Usually the school and the student's guidance committee insist on a clear and mutually understood commitment of time and energy by the student to ensure full-time involvement in the doctoral learning experience.Time Limit
See the Requirements for Graduation section of this catalogue for the time limit for completing all requirements for the Ph.D.Course Requirements
Doctoral students are required to complete a minimum of 60 acceptable graduate units before receiving the Ph.D. These 60 units may include a maximum of eight dissertation units, PUAD 794 Doctoral Dissertation. The 60 units must include at least 32 units of course work at the 600 level or above (PUAD 700ab, PUAD 791ab, PUAD 675, PUAD 685, PUAD 695 and PLUS 602 plus three courses [12 units] for an area of concentration), allowing a maximum of 8 units of PUAD 790 Research but excluding 794, and must be completed prior to the qualifying examination. In addition, students are required to complete four units of course work in the statistics course PUAD 692 Multivariate Statistical Analysis.Students will be expected to meet the requirements for their qualifying area during their second year in the program (including the summer subsequent to their second year). An area will be constituted by three or more doctoral level courses (seminars, either within the School of Policy, Planning, and Development or elsewhere at USC, or PUAD 790). A research apprenticeship in the area of specialization will also be required in addition to course work. The faculty has specified a fixed set of areas in which students can qualify.
Additional Requirements
Statistics and Research Methodology
Ph.D. students must demonstrate competence in statistics and research methodology by successfully passing PPD 525 Statistics and Arguing from Data, PLUS 602 Research Design and PUAD 692 Multivariate Statistical Analysis. A student's guidance committee may also require additional course work in this area. This requirement must be satisfied prior to the qualifying examination.Foreign Language
The purpose of the foreign language requirement is to provide students with language tools needed for scholarly research. Each Ph.D. student is required to demonstrate a reading knowledge of one language other than English. Any foreign language for which the USC Testing Bureau provides a standardized examination, as well as a number of other languages, is acceptable. A minimum score of 500 is required.In cases of nonstandardized language examinations, the student's guidance committee will give specific approval for the language and for the method of testing. The testing method approved by the guidance committee must approximate the level of attainment required for successful completion of the GSFLT examinations.
One-Year Research Apprenticeship
Students will be required to complete a research apprenticeship during their second year. The apprenticeship will be with a member of the school's faculty. It should be initiated during the spring semester prior to enactment to adequately plan the experience.The apprenticeship requirement will be a minimum of one academic year of work involving a minimum of three hours per week. Since students will enter the program with varying experience and skills in research, the apprenticeship will be broadly construed to include library research, data entry, assistance with grant proposal preparation and work on publications in progress. Students will be required to keep a log of their work with full entries concerning the type and amount of work accomplished each week.
Evidence of successful completion of the research requirement will consist of a descriptive and evaluative statement of the student's research responsibilities and activities, signed by both student and advisor, and the work log.
One-Year Teaching Apprenticeship
Students will be required to complete a teaching apprenticeship during their third year. The apprenticeship will be with a member of the School of Policy, Planning, and Development full-time tenure-track faculty. It should be initiated during the spring semester prior to enactment so that the student may participate in course planning. The requirement will be a minimum of one academic year of work involving a minimum of three hours per week. Students will be expected to sit in on some, but not all, sessions of a specific class taught by the faculty member with whom they are working. They should also meet regularly with this faculty member to discuss how he or she developed the design for the course, the preparation of lectures and teaching plans, the grading process and other elements of the teaching process. The faculty member may assign the student responsibility for one or two class sessions, or portions of sessions, with an evaluative discussion to follow. The student may also be assigned to assist with the preparation for specific classroom exercises. Students will be required to keep a log of their work with full entries concerning the type and amount of work accomplished each week.Evidence of successful completion of the teaching requirement will consist of a descriptive and evaluative statement of the student's work and activities, signed by both student and advisor, and the work log.
Guidance and Dissertation Committee
In concert with the Ph.D. student the school recommends to the Graduate School for approval a five-member guidance committee, one member of which must be from outside the school. When the guidance committee recommends the student for candidacy and a dissertation topic is approved, the guidance committee is replaced by a three-member dissertation committee, one member of which must be from outside the school.The guidance committee is to be established by the beginning of the second year and prior to starting course work in the area of concentration. The chair should have recognized expertise in the qualifying area and should be a regular participant in the qualifying examination committee for that area.
The majority of the members of the guidance committee (typically at least three of the five) should be experts in the area in which the student is qualifying and should be regular participants in that qualifying examination committee. The remaining members will have a clear interest in this area.
Students will formalize their relationship with their committees through the development of a contract which specifies all courses completed, date of screening decision, the area of concentration, and which courses will be taken and when, in order to prepare for the area section of the qualifying examination. This contract will be signed by the student, the members of the guidance committee and the faculty doctoral advisor. It will be filed in the doctoral office.
Qualifying Examination
The objective of the qualifying examination is to evaluate the student's knowledge and to serve as an instrument to demonstrate competence in the core areas of public administration and the student's chosen field of concentration in preparation for candidacy. The qualifying examination consists of written and ral segments which the student takes when the guidance committee is satisfied with the student's preparation in the examination area. Qualifying examinations are scheduled once each year during September or October. The oral phase of the examination must be completed within 60 days following the written segment. Students will be required to pass a qualifying examination that consists of two distinct parts which they can separately pass or fail. They can pass both, fail both, or pass one and fail the other. Ultimately, both parts of the examination must be passed in order to qualify. Failure on one of the two parts of the examination does not require retaking both parts. Only the part failed (core or area examination) must be redone.The first part is the core examination. This examination will be collaboratively designed by the instructors of the four core courses and oriented toward testing students' ability to integrate material from these courses. With PLUS 602 Research Design as part of the core, a portion of this examination will focus on methodological issues. The examination will be administered during two full-day sessions.
The second part is the area examination. The area examinations will be collaboratively designed by the relevant qualifying area committee to test the student's competence in his or her qualifying area (depth, breadth, integrative and analytical capabilities). The examination will be administered during one full-day session.
The qualifying examination will be held in September or October, with the expectation that students will take it at the beginning of their third year in the program. The two components of the examination must be taken concurrently. The student must be adequately prepared to take both components, rather than taking the core examination one year and the area examination the next year. Both examinations will be administered during a one-week period.
Since the results of the examination will not be known before the deadline to register for classes in August, students should register for PUAD 794a Doctoral Dissertation. Any student not passing the examination would then drop PUAD 794a and prepare to retake the examination.
The process of grading examinations will be accomplished in two ways. For the core examination, the process will be centralized by having the grading done by a committee comprising the four core course instructors. For the area examinations, responsibility for the grading will stay with the guidance committee. Oral examinations will be required only for the area examination. The core section of the examination will be evaluated entirely on the written work. Upon passing both the core and area portions of the examination, the student will be expected to reduce the guidance committee to a dissertation committee. See General Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree.
Areas of Concentration
There will be four areas from which students may select a specialization in which to qualify: public policy, public management and organization, health policy and management, and comparative and international development.The specification of required courses to fulfill each of these areas of specialization will be the responsibility of each qualifying area committee of the faculty. These may include seminars offered within the School of Policy, Planning, and Development if there is a sufficient number of students specializing in a given area to make such a course viable. Otherwise, courses may be identified in other departments of the university which would be appropriate, and PUAD 790 Research may be designed to serve this purpose.
Dissertation
The candidate must research and write a dissertation. Working with a faculty director and with other members of the dissertation committee, the candidate must register for PUAD 794 Doctoral Dissertation for at least two semesters after admission to candidacy. University policy requires these registrations to be during either the fall or spring semesters. A candidate who is actually working on a dissertation with faculty assistance during a summer will be allowed to register one time only for two units of PUAD 794 that summer. See the Graduate School section of this catalogue.Defense of the Dissertation Proposal
After the successful completion of the qualifying examination, the Ph.D. student will be required to present and formally defend a complete research proposal for the dissertation. The proposal will be circulated for review and evaluation by the dissertation committee. Following faculty evaluation, students will be required to have a formal defense of a dissertation proposal with their dissertation committee. This proposal should include the literature review, methodology, research design and instrumentation (if applicable). The proposal defense will be conducted with the entire dissertation committee present and will thoroughly examine the feasibility, significance and originality of the proposed research. After this step has been completed, further work leading to the completion of the dissertation is authorized.Format for Dissertation
See the Graduate School section of this catalogue.Oral Defense of the Dissertation
After the dissertation committee has approved the dissertation in substance, the candidate must defend it before the committee and other interested doctoral program faculty and colleagues. Successful completion of the oral defense marks the ultimate step for the candidate within the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. The candidate must be certain that the dissertation also meets specific university requirements before acceptance by the Graduate School. See the Graduate School section of this catalogue.Sustainable Cities Graduate Certificate in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Engineering
See the Sustainable Cities Program section.Doctor of Public Administration
Residence and Unit Requirements
Note: Students are no longer admitted to the Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A.) program.To receive the D.P.A. the student must complete a minimum of 60 units of graduate work at USC and other institutions. D.P.A. students may be authorized to transfer a maximum of 24 graduate units completed at other universities into the D.P.A. program. A minimum of 24 graduate units must be completed at the University Park campus or the Sacramento Center within two calendar years. Full-time study is represented by enrollment in 8 units during the semester. See Residence Requirements for additional information.
The school and the student's guidance committee insist on a clear and mutually understood commitment of time and energy by the student to ensure significant involvement in the doctoral learning experience.
Guidance and Dissertation Committees
For the D.P.A. student, a three-member guidance committee is chosen, one member of which may be from outside the school. After the committee recommends the student for candidacy following completion of course work and appropriate examinations, the guidance committee is replaced by a three-member dissertation committee.Statistics
D.P.A. students must demonstrate competence in statistics by successful completion of PPD 404x Statistics for Policy, Planning, and Development with a grade of C or better or successful completion of the school's Statistical Competence Examination with a score of 80 percent or better.Course Requirements
All doctoral students are required to complete a minimum of 60 acceptable graduate units before receiving the D.P.A. These 60 units may include a maximum of eight dissertation units, PUAD 794 Doctoral Dissertation. Further, these 60 units may include up to 24 transfer units for the D.P.A. student. This transfer work may not be more than 10 years old at the time of petition for transfer. However, students entering with an appropriate completed graduate degree from an accredited institution may be eligible for admission to the D.P.A. program with Advanced Standing. A minimum of 36 units of course work beyond that graduate degree, exclusive of 794 Doctoral Dissertation, will be required for the degree. Consult the Doctoral Coordinator and the Graduate Admission section of this catalogue for further information. The 60 units must include at least 28 units of course work at the 600 level or above, allowing a maximum of 8 units of PUAD 790, but excluding PUAD 794.D.P.A. students are required to complete 16 units of 600 level course work: PUAD 600 Seminar in Public Administration (eight units) and PUAD 685 Seminar on Organizational Behavior in Public Systems and PUAD 695 Seminar in Administrative Theory (each 4 units). D.P.A. students must complete eight units of these required courses prior to the preliminary screening process.
Comprehensive Examination
After core course work is completed, the student must pass a comprehensive written examination which integrates the content of PUAD 600, PUAD 685 and PUAD 695. An oral examination may be required if it is thought necessary.Research Methodology
D.P.A. students must demonstrate their competence in research methodology by completion of PUAD 691 Seminar in Research Methods and a research design or report read by at least two members of the faculty.Policy Analysis and Quantitative Methods
D.P.A. students must demonstrate competence in policy analysis and quantitative methods by completion of PPD 554 Public Policy Formulation or PPD 557 Quantitative Analysis I, or by successfully passing examinations that cover the content of these courses, or by one course and one examination.Fields of Specialization and Qualifying Examinations
In consultation with the faculty advisor and the guidance committee, the student will select two fields in which to qualify by passing written and oral examinations on the content of these fields. The faculty advisor and guidance committee will assist the student in selecting course work to prepare for qualifying examinations.The qualifying examinations are administered once a year in September or October. The oral phase of the examination must be completed within 60 days following the written segment.
Time Limit
The time limit for completing all requirements for the D.P.A. degree is eight years from the first course at USC applied toward the degree. An academic department may grant an extension of one year at a time for a maximum of two years. See Time Limit for Degree Completion.Dissertation
The candidate must research and write a dissertation. Working with a faculty director and with the other members of the dissertation committee, the candidate must register for PUAD 794 Doctoral Dissertation for at least two semesters after admission to candidacy. University policy requires these registrations to be during either the fall or spring semesters. A candidate who is actually working on a dissertation with faculty assistance during a summer will be allowed to register one time only for two units of PUAD 794 that summer. See the Graduate School section of this catalogue.Defense of the Dissertation Design
After the successful completion of the qualifying examination, the D.P.A. student will be required to present and formally defend a complete research design for the dissertation in a meeting with all dissertation committee members participating. The design will be circulated for review and evaluation by the dissertation committee. After this step has been completed, further work leading to the completion of the dissertation is authorized.Oral Defense of the Dissertation
After the dissertation committee has approved the dissertation in substance the candidate must defend it before the committee and other interested doctoral program faculty and colleagues. Successful completion of the oral defense marks the ultimate step for the candidate within the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. The candidate must be certain that the dissertation project also meets specific university requirements before acceptance by the Thesis Editor. See the Graduate School section of this catalogue.Note: The School of Policy, Planning, and Development will not be admitting anyone into the D.P.A. program for the 2004-2005 academic year.