Degree Requirements

These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and the Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.

Master of Arts in Political Economy and Public Policy

The Graduate Program in Political Economy and Public Policy does not admit students whose objective is a master's degree. However, if a student accepted into the program does not have a master's degree, it is strongly recommended that he or she complete the requirements for the M.A. in the process of work toward the Ph.D. degree. This involves 32 units of approved course work and satisfactory performance on a comprehensive examination.

Doctor of Philosophy in Political Economy and Public Policy

Course Requirements

The minimum number of course credits required for the Ph.D. is 62 units (15 courses), exclusive of 794 Doctoral Dissertation. Each student must satisfy (a) core requirements and (b) area requirements.

A. Core requirements include 34 units (9 courses) as follows:

Economic Theory (3 courses, 12 units) -- ECON 500 or 503, 501 or 505, 527 or 528 or 529.
Political Theory (1, 4-unit course) -- POSC 530 or 650 or 660.
International Political Economic Theory (1 course, 4 units) -- IR 500 or 501 or 541.
Methodology (8 units) -- ECON 511 and POSC 600.
Political Economy (2 courses, 6 units) -- PEPP 539 and 695.

B. Area requirements: The Ph.D. candidate elects option 1, 2 or 3.

Option 1: Comparative and Developmental Political Economy (6 courses, 24 units from a and b)
a. Comparative/Developmental Economics (3 courses, 12 units) -- ECON 541, 546 or 547, and one of the following: ECON 546 (if not taken above), 547 (if not taken above), 534, 604 and 644.
b. Comparative/Developmental Politics (3 courses, 12 units), selected from two emphases.
Theory Emphasis -- POSC 520 and any two of the following: POSC 640, 695; IR 526, 545.
Area Emphasis -- POSC 520 or IR 545 and two courses from any single group below:
Middle East and North Africa -- POSC 535; IR 581, 583
Europe -- POSC 630; IR 543, 552
Communism -- POSC 631, 637, 633; IR 563, 570
Latin America -- POSC 632; IR 555, 556
Asia and the Pacific -- POSC 633, 634, 637; IR 563
Africa -- POSC 636, IR 557

Option 2: Politico-Economic Institutions and Processes (6 courses, 24 units from a and b)
a. Economic Analysis and Public Policy
ECON (3 courses, 12 units), selected as follows: ECON 534 and any two of the following: ECON 512, 657, 660, 666, 680, 681.
b. Politics and the Policy Process
POSC/IR (3 courses, 12 units), selected as follows: POSC 510 or IR 521 and any two of the following: POSC 510 (if not taken above), 546, 556, 566, 610, 611, 612, 618, 620, 621, 622, 641, 670; IR 506, 517, 521, 524, 543, 547, 599.

Option 3: International Political Economy (6 courses, 24 units from a and b) a. International Political Economy
ECON (3 courses, 12 units), selected as follows: ECON 546, 547 or 650, and any one of the following: ECON 546 (if not taken above), 547 (if not taken above), 534, 541, 644, 651, 753.
b. International Relations
IR/POSC (3 courses, 12 units), selected as follows: IR 541* and any two of the following: IR 505, 506, 542, 543, 544, 545, 550, 553, 599; POSC 670.

*If this course has been taken to fulfill a core requirement, one or more of the courses listed should be taken.

C. Elective Course: One approved four-unit graduate course. (May be economics, international relations, political science or outside these departments).

Screening Procedure

The screening procedure, administered prior to completion of 24 units of study, includes review of course grades and may also include written and oral examinations in economic and political theory and in research methods. Normal preparation would include 24 units (six courses) drawn from the core requirements described above. If the student successfully completes the screening procedures, he or she continues toward the Ph.D. degree.

Foreign Language/Research Tool Requirements

The student is expected to complete the language/research tool requirement of the program. Normally, this is fulfilled by successful completion of the methodology component of the core requirements. A knowledge of one major foreign language is required if it is necessary for the student's major area of specialization or research.

Guidance Committees

The guidance committee, established upon successful completion of the screening procedure, consists of five members, one representing economic theory and the history of economic theory, one representing political thought and the history of political thought, one representing the student's major area of concentration from the Department of Economics, one representing the student's major area of concentration from the Department of Political Science or the School of International Relations, and one serving as an outside member of the committee from an outside department. The guidance committee helps the student plan a program of study, recommends proper preparation for the qualifying examination, and administers the oral portion of the examination.

Qualifying Examination

The student is examined in economic theory and political theory (including the history of economic and political theory) and in a major area of concentration. Written examinations are composed by faculty from the Departments of Economics and Political Science and/or the School of International Relations in the relevant areas of study. The oral examination is administered by the student's guidance committee. At the oral the student must present a brief prospectus of a dissertation proposal and be ready to propose a dissertation committee.

Dissertation Committee

Upon passing the qualifying examination, a student is admitted to candidacy. After admission to candidacy, the student is expected to register for 794 Dissertation for a minimum of two semesters and to register in 794 each semester, excluding summer sessions, until the dissertation and all other degree requirements are completed. In addition to the primary chair from one of the three departments, the dissertation committee is composed of a secondary chair from the other department of major concentration and a third faculty member who will serve as outside member.

Defense of the Dissertation

When the dissertation committee agrees that the student has essentially completed the research and a satisfactory draft of the dissertation has been written, the oral defense is scheduled. If the dissertation committee agrees to pass the student, all suggested extensions, modifications, and corrections are incorporated into the final draft which must be approved by all members of the committee.

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Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995
Joye Day
day@mizar.usc.edu