Public Affairs (PhD) - Public Administration

Program Overview

The Doctoral Program in Public Affairs at UCF is an interdisciplinary program that prepares students for academic, research, and leadership positions in public, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. The Public Administration Track emphasizes the historical evolution, theoretical challenges, and future directions of public administration, with a focus on developing students' analytical, research, and problem-solving skills. The program includes core coursework in public affairs substantive and methodological areas, a community-based research project, and a dissertation requirement.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Doctoral Program in Public Affairs is an interdisciplinary program that includes the professional and academic expertise of faculty in the fields of Criminal Justice, Health Management and Informatics, Public Administration, and Social Work. The Public Administration Track prepares students for academic positions in colleges and universities as well as research and leadership positions in public, nonprofit and for profit agencies and organizations. The Public Administration Track integrates the historical evolution of the public administration field, the current challenges in theory and practice in our increasingly interconnected society, and the future directions needed as a discipline and society to achieve responsive solutions to complex public problems.

Outline:

The program requires 60 credit hours beyond the master's degree, distributed as follows:

• Public Affairs Substantive Core (9 credit hours):
• PAF7000 - Foundations of Public Affairs: People, Places, Policies and Paradigms (3 credits)
• PAF7230 - Strategic Change and Management for Public Affairs (3 credits)
• PAF7317 - Social Inquiry and Public Policy (3 credits)
• Public Affairs Methodological and Statistical Core (18 credit hours):
• PAF7802 - Advanced Research Methodology for Public Affairs (3 credits)
• PAF7804 - Advanced Statistics for Public Affairs I: Multivariate Analysis (3 credits)
• PAF7805 - Advanced Statistics for Public Affairs II: Survey of Statistical Methods (3 credits)
• PAF7820 - Qualitative Methods for Public Affairs (3 credits)
• PAF7325 - Policy and Program Evaluation for Public Affairs (3 credits)
• One of the following:
• PAF7868 - Public Affairs Mixed Methods Research (3 credits)
• PAF7856 - Applications of Structural Equation Modeling in Public Affairs (3 credits)
• Community-based Research (3 credit hours):
• PAF 7947 - Public Affairs Community-Based Research (3 credits)
• Track Specialization (15 credit hours):
• PAD7026 - Advanced Seminar in Public Administration (3 credits)
• PAD7057 - Advanced Public Management (3 credits)
• PAD7827 - Network Governance (3 credits)
• Two additional elective courses from the following:
• PAD 7317 - Program Design and Management (3 credits)
• PAD 7707 - Advanced Research in Public Administration (3 credits)
• Methodological elective (3 credits)
• Directed independent study (3 credits)
• Other course approved by advisor (3 credits)
• Dissertation (15 credit hours):
• PAF 7980 Dissertation Research (15 credits)

Assessment:

• Research Proficiency Exam (RPE): Assesses a student's ability to integrate curriculum knowledge and apply it to community problem solving.
• Integrative Qualifying Exam (IQE): Assesses a student's ability to integrate curriculum knowledge and apply it to community problem solving.
• Dissertation: A significant research project that demonstrates the student's ability to conduct independent research and contribute to the field of public affairs.

Teaching:

• Faculty: The program draws on the expertise of faculty in Criminal Justice, Health Management and Informatics, Public Administration, and Social Work.
• Community-based Research: The Community-Based Research course provides students with the opportunity to work within an interdisciplinary team to apply their learning to a real community problem.

Careers:

• Academic positions in colleges and universities
• Research and leadership positions in public, nonprofit and for profit agencies and organizations

Other:

• Track Prerequisites: Applicants must hold a master's degree from an accredited institution, preferably in criminal justice, health, public administration or social work.
Applicants with a master's degree in a field not directly related to public affairs may be required to take courses at the master's level in preparation for doctoral level study. A maximum of 6 credit hours taken at the doctoral level may be considered for transfer.
• Grading: A grade of B- or better is required in all courses, including Substantive Core, Methodological Core and Track Specialization/Elective courses.
Students receiving a grade of C+ or below in the Substantive Core or Methodological Core courses must repeat the course and receive an acceptable grade prior to taking the Research Proficiency Exam and Qualifying Exam. Any student who receives more than one "C" in their doctoral coursework may be dismissed from the program.
• GPA: A minimum of 3.0 graduate status GPA and program of study GPA is required to maintain graduate student status and for graduation.
Students with a GPA less than 3.0 may be dismissed from the program.
• Failing Grades: Any student who receives an "F" grade in their doctoral coursework will be dismissed from the program.
• Faculty Advisers: Upon acceptance of a student into the program, the program director provides students with an initial orientation and a general advising session.
The Track Coordinator in conjunction with the PAF Director helps the student throughout the foundation stage of the program, assisting in the clarification of interests and goals and facilitating the introduction of students to faculty and research interests that can advance the student's program of study. Public Administration Track students will be advised by the Public Administration Track Coordinator. The Track Coordinator assists the student in selecting elective courses, finalizing the program of study, and facilitating discussion with faculty members who have similar research interests. Discussion and review of dissertation topics should take place with the faculty member who has agreed to chair the dissertation committee. The dissertation chair is to be selected by the student prior to commencing the dissertation prospectus.
• Candidacy Status: Students can officially obtain candidacy status when they have successfully completed all course work, passed the research proficiency and qualifying exams, formed their Dissertation committee, have no more than six required courses remaining (electives included) and all required paperwork has been completed and submitted.
In addition, students admitted to their UCF doctoral program in Fall 2011 or a later term must complete all CITI Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training. Once they have obtained Candidacy status, students can register for dissertation hours.
• Equipment Fee: Full-time students in the Public Affairs Program pay a $40 equipment fee each semester that they are enrolled.
Part-time students pay $20 per semester.