Fully Funded PhD in Public Policy at University of North Carolina

About PhD Program,

The Ph.D. in Public Policy at UNC Charlotte prepares students to be researchers, decision makers and policy analysts in local, state or federal governments, non-profits, industry, and academics. The intellectual focus of the Program is guided by three overarching themes:

1. Interdisciplinary Perspective:Effective policy analysis and policy formation are not informed by any single discipline. Rather, public policy requires knowledge of the historical, cultural, political, institutional, geographic, and economic dimensions of policy problems facing any community.
2. Applied and Empirical Policy Analysis: Public policy is an inherently applied endeavor that seeks practical solutions and cogent analysis. While theory informs all research and analysis, the purpose of policy research is to elevate public discourse and improve public decision-making.
3. Place-Based Research:To exercise applied policy analysis in an interdisciplinary context, policy research must be place-based. Real policy analysis, based on real data, applied to actual geographic and political settings is a strength of the Program.

The Public Policy at UNC Charlotte is an interdisciplinary program focusing on the study of policy development, implementation, and evaluation. It stresses the development of skills, tools, and specialties, as well as a theoretical understanding of them, that contribute to our understanding of the structure of institutional systems and sub-systems and of how policy should be shaped within political environments.

Our mission is to be leaders in public policy scholarship, to achieve excellence in public policy doctoral education and, through both, to advance the design and conduct of public policy application and research in a local, regional, state, national and international context.

Our vision is that political leaders, policy actors, and engaged citizens will come to Public Policy at UNC Charlotte, the state’s urban research university, for scholars who can provide reliable, innovative, non-partisan policy research, training and evaluation on issues of concern to the local, regional, state, national and international community.

• Commitment to openness, honesty, forthrightness, and the highest standards of integrity and ethical professional behavior in all that we do.
• Maintain a professional, collegial, respectful, and inclusive community.
• Promote communication, cooperation, and collaborations among faculty members and between faculty members and students in this interdisciplinary program.
• Promote the application of public policy scholarship and methods to the improvement of policy development, evaluation, and research.
• Support public policy students and faculty in their efforts to study, research, develop, apply, and teach the principles, findings, and methods of public policy scholarship.
• Value all types of high quality research from various disciplines be it qualitative, quantitative, lab-based, field-based, micro in-orientation, macro in-orientation, very basic, or very applied.
• Maintain and foster our interdisciplinary foundation.
• Commitment to thoughtfulness, reflection, flexibility, and the rigorous scrutiny of ideas.

View the Public Policy Doctoral Handbook

PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,   

Generally, application files considered for admissions will meet or exceed the following guidelines:

1. A master’s degree in a social science or other field related to public policy is required for admission to full standing in the Ph.D. in Public Policy. Students should have a GPA of at least 3.3 in their master’s degree coursework.
2. While students may provide scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections of the Graduate Record Examination, they are not required to do so.
3. Three strong, positive recommendations. Instructions for recommendations are included in the online application process. Personal letters of reference can be uploaded with your additional application documents. All letters should be written by individuals in a position to judge the applicant’s likely success in a Ph.D. level program. Letters should address the applicant’s suitability for a Ph.D. program and ability to complete the program in a timely fashion.
4. Admission to the program of students who are not native English speakers will require strong scores on the TOEFL or IELTS exams. The TOEFL exam of language ability is a required part of the application package for non-native English speakers. (If you have completed a degree where instruction is provided in English, we can waive this requirement.)
5. This program emphasizes the quantitative and analytical skills necessary to confront the challenges of contemporary policy dilemmas that communities face at the local, state, federal, and international levels. The Director and Admissions Committee give preference to applicants who show evidence of coursework or other experience that demonstrates a high level of skill in economics and quantitative analysis.

PhD Funding Coverage,

The Public Policy program’s goal is to provide academic year funding for all full-time students for five years provided that students maintain good standing in the program. Students will receive a Graduate Assistantship that typically pays $18,500 for the 9 month academic year. Typically students are assigned either to a faculty member to participate in research or teaching support or they may be assigned to other professional development activities (e.g., Research and Economic Development and Center for Graduate Life.) Often students are able to receive an assistantship and additional support for the summer. In addition, highly competitive students may be nominated for one of the competitive Fellowships through the Graduate School;

In addition to Graduate Assistantships, all students who are admitted by the preferred deadline of April 15th will be nominated for a Graduate School Tuition Award (GASP) Students who are on an assistantship and in good standing are eligible for up to five years of GASP support that provides full payment of tuition and health insurance.

There are a number of competitive awards that targets first year students. Students interested in being nominated for one of these Fellowships must submit their application by March 1st.

Application Requirement,

• The UNC Charlotte Graduate Admissions Application.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
• Three completed forms of reference from individuals who have taught or worked directly with the applicant.
• An essay that addresses professional goals and motivation for pursuing the degree, suitability for the program, career goals following the degree, and the policy specialty the applicant would pursue within the Program.
• TOEFL or IELTS scores (if the student is not a native English speaker).

For application materials and more details on admission requirements, please visit the Graduate School’s web site.

Application Deadline,

Mar 01, 2025

Application Fee,

Payment of the US $75.00 application fee using a credit card is required before the online application can be submitted.