PhD in Public Administration
Requirements
The PhD program is designed to create critical thinkers, capable of doing leading-edge research and breaking new ground in their areas of expertise.
The curriculum features three core fields:
- Comparative Policy and Governance
- Organizational Studies and
- Applied Policy and Program Analysis.
The first year of the program is full-time and includes 10.5 units of coursework, a non-credit doctoral seminar and language training (if required for dissertation research). Students must be in residence to complete this part of the program.
First year
In residence at the University of Victoria
Four core courses in two of the three fields:
Comparative Policy and Governance
- ADMN 604 (1.5 units) Theories of Public Management
- ADMN 605 (1.5 units) Comparative Policy and Governance
Organizational Studies
- ADMN 607 (1.5 units) Organizational Behaviour and Analysis
- ADMN 645 (1.5 units) Organizational Theory and Change
Applied Policy and Program Analysis
- ADMN 620 (1.5 units) Policy and Institutional Design and Analysis
- ADMN 621 (1.5 units) Policy and Program Evaluation and Performance
Two methodology courses:
ADMN 602 (1.5 units) Research Methods in Public Administration, and a further graduate-level quantitative or qualitative methods course with the approval of the Graduate Advisor (1.5 units)
At least one elective course (1.5 units)
Students may take graduate-level courses offered by the School of Public Administration, the Department of Political Science, other UVic departments, or other universities with the approval of the Graduate Advisor.
ADMN 600 (0.0 units) Doctoral Seminar: students are required to register in this non-credit seminar for the duration of the PhD program
Second Year
- ADMN 693 (3.0 units) Candidacy Examination
Students write exams in each of their core fields
Third to Fifth Years
- ADMN 699 (30 units) Dissertation
Students undertake thesis work with the goal of getting to an oral defence in Year Five of the program.
