Explore the Doctoral Program
Prepare for careers in multidisciplinary research environments.
Through courses and experiences, gain the knowledge and skills to conduct public policy and management research and inform practice.
Core Coursework
All doctoral students take core coursework on the professional and intellectual foundations of public affairs, public policy, public economics, organization theory and behavior, and research methods.
- PUBAFRS 8000: Public Policy and Management Foundations & Approaches
- PUBAFRS 8890.01: First Year Doctoral Seminar
- PUBAFRS 8890.02: Second Year Doctoral Seminar
- PUBAFRS 8890.03: Third Year Doctoral Seminar
- PUBAFRS 8030: Seminar in Public Policy & Analysis
- PUBAFRS 8050: Seminar in Public Sector Economics
OR
- PUBAFRS 6040: Public Budgeting and Finance
- PUBAFRS 8040: Seminar in Organizational Theory & Public Management
- PUBAFRS 8782: Policy Modeling Seminar
- Econometrics I & II (or equivalent)
- Two additional methods courses (qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods) aligned with student interests.
Specialized Coursework
In addition to core coursework, students take three or more elective courses within the Glenn College or across the university to develop specialized expertise in a focus area. Many students take additional specialized courses to obtain official graduate minors or interdisciplinary specializations. Please consult this page for a full listing of minors, interdisciplinary specializations, and certificates available to OSU graduate students.
- Public management
- Nonprofit management
- Education and workforce policy
- Housing and community/urban/economic development policy
- Social policy
- Energy and environmental policy and governance
- Food policy and food system governance
- Science and technology policy and management
- Criminal justice policy and management
- Economics
- Demography
- Statistics
- Demography
- Data-Driven Sustainable Energy Systems
- Quantitative Research Methods
Additional Degree Requirements
- First year paper: Student work closely with a faculty member on an empirical manuscript during their first year, and each student presents their completed paper during autumn of their second year.
- Candidacy Exams: Students take written and oral exams during the summer between their second and third years in the program. Passing these exams typically marks the completion of core coursework and the beginning of students’ dissertation research.
- Dissertation Proposal: Students defend their dissertation proposals by the end of the third year or the very beginning of the fourth year in the program.
- Dissertation Defense: Students complete the program with an oral defense of their completed dissertation, typically at the end of the fourth or fifth year.
Explore the Doctoral Program
Read more about Glenn College’s selective, research-oriented doctoral program: