The Ph.D. Program in the Department of Public Administration and Policy is a full-time, cohort-based degree that prepares students for careers in research and teaching in the fields of public administration and public policy. From the first day of orientation to the final dissertation defense, each student works one-on-one with a faculty mentor to develop the skills needed for a career in academia. By the time they graduate, virtually all of our students have presented their research at key conferences and published their work in peer-reviewed academic journals. Our philosophy is that doctoral education should be about much more than coursework. Our program provides a comprehensive, multifaceted introduction to the research enterprise and what it means to be a scholar in public administration and public policy. Students entering with a master's degree should be able to finish in 4 years. Those entering without a master's degree should be able to finish in 5-6 years