Price School of Public Policy
Doctoral Degrees
Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Management
Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Development
The Price School offers two Ph.D. programs. Both the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Public Policy and Management and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Urban Planning and Development degree programs are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Students should also refer to the Graduate and Professional Education and Graduate School sections of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.
The Ph.D. programs in the Price School both emphasize rigorous programs of advanced study and research, stressing qualitative or quantitative analysis and the theoretical foundations of their field of study. The programs are designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop their own specialization and expertise in either major field — public policy and management or urban planning and development — while also offering them a breadth of knowledge in an especially rich intellectual environment.
Curriculum Requirements
The Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Management and the Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Development are administered by the doctoral committee of the school. The Ph.D. program in Public Policy and Management requires the completion of 60 units of course work, comprising the following elements: master’s core in a substantive field (15–17 units), theoretical core (11–12 units), methodology (10–12 units), field/specialization courses (12 units), teaching seminar (2 units), research seminar (4 units) and dissertation (4 units minimum). The Ph.D. program in Urban Planning and Development requires the completion of 60 units of course work, comprising the following elements: master’s core (14–16 units), doctoral core (8 units), methodology (10–12 units), field/specialization courses (16 units), teaching seminar (2 units), research seminar (4 units), and dissertation (4 units minimum).
Ph.D., Public Policy and Management
Core Curriculum
| Theoretical core (11–12 Units)* | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 711 | Theoretical Foundation of Public Management | 4 |
| PPD 712 | Seminar in Public Policy | 4 |
| PPD 715* | Political Economy and Institutional Analysis | 4 |
| Methodology (10–12 Units) | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 706 | Paradigms of Research and the Design of Inquiry | 4 |
| PPD 558 | Multivariate Statistical Analysis, or | |
| ECON 513 | Practice of Econometrics | 4 |
| One additional methods course selected with qualifying exam committee approval | 2-4 | |
Field Courses (12 units)
Students select 12 units of field courses which can be used to develop disciplinary expertise related to specialization interest or additional methodological expertise. Fields are developed with qualifying exam committee approval, can include any combination of the Price School and outside courses and are unique to each student.
Research Seminar (4 units)
Students will take PPD 710ab (2 units each, 4 total units), the Price School research seminar course.
Teaching Seminar (2 units)
Students will take two semesters of the teaching seminar, PPD 700ab (1 unit each, 2 total units).
Students entering the doctoral program without a relevant master’s degree in public administration or public policy or a related field will be required to complete prerequisites (15–17 units) relevant to their program.
For the Ph.D. in Public Policy and Management, possible courses include:
| PPD 500 | Intersectoral Leadership | 2 |
| PPD 501ab | Economics for Policy, Planning and Development | 2-2 |
| PPD 525 | Statistics and Arguing from Data | 2 |
| PPD 540 | Public Administration and Society | 4 |
| PPD 542 | Policy and Program Evaluation | 4 |
| PPD 555 | Public Policy Formulation and Implementation | 4 |
Ph.D., Urban Planning and Development
Core Curriculum
| Theoretical core (8 units) | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 713 | Advanced Planning Theory | 4 |
| PPD 714 | Advanced Urban Development | 4 |
| Methodology (10–12 units) | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 706 | Paradigms of Research and the Design of Inquiry | 4 |
| Two additional methods courses selected with qualifying exam committee approval | 6-8 | |
Specialized Field Courses (16 units)
Students take a minimum of four courses to develop their specialized area of study. Courses may be taken in the Price School or other USC units. Students, working with their qualifying exam committees, have considerable flexibility in forming specializations.
Research Seminar (4 units)
Students will take PPD 710ab (2 units each, 4 total units), the Price School research seminar course.
Teaching Seminar (2 units)
Students will take two semesters of the teaching seminar, PPD 700ab (1 unit each, 2 total units).
Students entering the doctoral program without a relevant master’s degree in urban planning or a related field will be required to complete prerequisites (16–18 units) relevant to their program.
For the Ph.D. in Urban Planning and Development, possible courses include:
| PPD 500 | Intersectoral Leadership | 2 |
| PPD 501ab | Economics for Policy, Planning and Development | 2-2 |
| PPD 524 | Planning Theory | 2 |
| PPD 525 | Statistics and Arguing from Data | 2 |
| PPD 526 | Comparative International Development | 2 |
| PPD 527 | The Social Context of Planning | 2 |
| PPD 533 | Planning History and Urban Form | 2 |
| PPD 634 | Institutional and Policy Issues in Transportation | 4 |
Admission with Advanced Standing
Students entering the doctoral program with a master’s degree from an accredited institution in public management/administration, public policy, planning, or urban development or related field may be admitted with advanced standing to either Ph.D. program. In the Public Policy and Management program, students must complete a minimum of 39–41 units of doctoral classes beyond that graduate degree, exclusive of 794ab doctoral dissertation units, for a minimum of 43–45 semester units. In the Urban Planning and Development program, students must complete a minimum of 40–42 units of doctoral classes beyond that graduate degree, exclusive of 794ab doctoral dissertation units, for a minimum of 44–46 semester units. Additional course work may be required if deemed necessary by the student’s faculty following the screening examination.
A maximum of 6 units of transfer credit may be applied toward a doctoral degree with advanced standing. Only course work not used to complete the master’s degree described above is available for transfer credit. No exceptions are allowed.
Qualifing Exam Committee
Students will form an initial qualifying exam committee by the end of the first fall semester, which officially oversees the development of the student’s academic program through the qualifying examination. Five tenure or tenure track 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 Price School of Public Policy. Students should refer to the Graduate School section regarding the qualifying exam committee and the outside member. The complete qualifying exam committee must be in place no later than the third semester.
Screening Procedures
Students must have a 3.3 overall GPA in first-year courses to continue in the program.
Work Plans
At the end of each spring semester, the student submits an academic work plan for the coming year to his or her qualifying exam committee chair. The plan should include courses, degree progress, seminar attendance and what was learned from those, and a research plan that articulates the major research questions being explored. At the conclusion of year one, the chair reviews and approves the work plan and at the end of year two, the chair reviews the work plan and the second year paper.
Qualifying Examination
The qualifying exam committee prepares a comprehensive written examination covering the fields of study. 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. The qualifying exam will occur in the fall of year three.
Proposal Defense
Students are expected to have a proposal defense within one year of passing the qualifying exam.
Doctoral Dissertation
The dissertation is based on original research. 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 Price School of Public Policy. A two-semester minimum registration in PPD 794 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. Regulations for Format and Presentation of Theses and Dissertations is available from the Graduate School, Grace Ford Salvatori 315, or online at the Graduate School Website.
General Requirements
Refer to the Graduate School section in this catalogue for policies regarding time limits, leave of absence, scholarship standing and probation.