Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy

 

This program is currently only offered at the University of Saskatchewan campus.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy (PhD) offers learning and research opportunities for highly qualified students to advance knowledge and move the study of public policy forward. Students graduating from this program will be in a position to train the next generation of public service professionals and to conduct public policy and management research for government, business, think tanks, and other research organizations.

The PhD program is designed for completion in three years of full-time study. Students may also choose to study part time over a maximum of six years. In either case, the program involves a combination of course work (culminating in a comprehensive exam) and proposing, writing, and defending a dissertation. Students who are engaged in the program on a full-time basis can expect to receive financial support. The PhD program is currently being offered through the University of Saskatchewan campus only.

The school's faculty have significant research backgrounds and interests in three areas: health and social policy; science, technology, and innovation; and trade and transnational regulation. This provides opportunities for students to explore topics in areas such areas as higher education, health and social policy, Aboriginal Peoples and public policy, the social economy, international trade agreements, innovation and science policy, regulation, and economic and cultural development.

Core Courses

Students are required to complete nine credit units (three courses) from the following core set of courses:

  • PUBP 810 - Qualitative Methods and Research Design OR
  • PUBP 811 - Quantitative Methods and Research Design
  • PUBP 820 - Comparative Public Policy *
  • PUBP 830 - Decision Making in Organizations

* PUBP 820 can be satisfied by successfully completing one of the following courses - PUBP 812 (Aboriginal Peoples and Public Policy), PUBP 813 (Higher Education Policy), PUBP 814 (Social Policy: An Interdisciplinary Perspective), or PUBP 815 (Innovation Policy) offered at the University of Saskatchewan campus, or GSPP 822 (Comparative Public Policy) offered at the University of Regina campus. Students may also select a different  course with comparative policy content offered by either the University of Saskatchewan or the University of Regina and approved by the student's advisory committee.

Students who have taken one or more of these courses previously (i.e., in a master's program) will be required to substitute an additional course or courses. Students may take additional courses in a particular subject area if they wish, subject to the approval of their advisory committee.

Exams

Students entering the PhD program are required to pass a qualifying exam. This exam may be waived for students with a master's degree (with thesis) in public policy from a recognized university and for students with a master's degree (with thesis) in a cognate field (e.g., economics, political science, political sociology, public or educational administration). Normally this examination is administered within the first year, preferably within the first four months, of a student beginning the PhD program.

Students will complete a comprehensive exam following their prescribed course work. The comprehensive exam will involve the preparation of a paper and an oral exam. The paper will be linked to the research program that the student has identified. Following successful completion of the comprehensive exam, students will move to the development of a dissertation proposal, and upon its approval, to the dissertation research. Students will be given the option of using either the standard dissertation structure or the three-paper model.

Tuition

The tuition for the PhD program is $1,030 per term, and students are required to maintain continuous registration. With three terms a year, the cost is $3,090 per year plus applicable student fees. Students should plan on spending three to four years in the PhD program. Tuition and fees are subject to change.