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Description
The Ph.D. in Public Affairs at the University of Central Florida provides a unique focus on public policy, planning, and administration. This interdisciplinary program draws from the strengths of faculty in four disciplines (Criminal Justice, Health, Public Administration, and Social Work) in order to prepare graduates for careers in academic, research, or senior-level management positions. The integration of this dynamic mix of students creates a stimulating environment in which to examine contemporary organizational, community, and regional problems and issues.
The mission of the program is an important one: The College of Health and Public Affairs interdisciplinary doctorate is the premier program in public affairs education. A compentency-based curriculum develops a new breed of leader with integrity, credibility, and expertise in academic and professional settings. More specifically, the program creates an environment for interdisciplinary study that enhances student understanding of the myriad of important and interrelated public affairs issues that are confronting all communities. Too often, in the past, the interrelated problems of crime and justice, health services and social welfare delivery, and the administration of organizations that deal with these problems have been approached in a discipline-specific and fragmented way. By providing an integrated, broad-based theoretical and methodological foundation, the program works to prepare its graduates to hold leadership positions in the field of public affairs.
Degrees OfferedDoctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs Admission
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions and Registration section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. Please be sure to submit all requested material by the established deadline(s).
Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs
The program will match career goals of students through the interdisciplinary nature of course content, the interaction with faculty from all four disciplines, and the flexibility inherent in the choice of electives. Those seeking advancement within public agencies or nonprofit organizations can choose a mix of electives, including course work from other UCF programs, while those seeking to teach at the college or university level can concentrate their course work more within a single discipline.
To accommodate the needs of both traditional students and working professionals, Public Affairs students may pursue the program on a full-time (9-12 credits per semester) or part-time (6 credits per semester) basis. Financial support is available for selected full-time students.
Admission Requirements
Students applying to the Ph.D. program must have completed their master's degree prior to entering the program.
Applications for admission into the Ph.D. program in Public Affairs may be submitted online at www.graduate.ucf.edu. Admission decisions will be made only once per academic year. A complete packet for admission includes all of the following:
- An official admission application form
- Official copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts
- Official results of the Graduate Record Examination or GMAT, taken within the last five years, and sent from the Educational Testing Service or the Psychological Corporation directly to UCF. Students whose scores fall within the top 50 percentile on either of these standardized tests will be competitive.
- A narrative statement of 1000 words or less describing the applicant’s educational expectations, career aspirations, level of computer skills, and any special qualifications or experiences that may enhance the overall learning environment of the program
- A current resume
- Three letters of reference from professionals who can assess the applicant’s ability to succeed in a doctoral program
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS - In addition to the admission application above, please review and submit required documents show below no later than the International Applicants deadline.
- International students and students whose native language is not English must score at least 220 (computer-based test; or equivalent score on the paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
- A course-by-course transcript evaluation is required of all students who attended a college/university outside the United States. Transcript evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only. Visit either website for instructions to submit transcripts.
- UCF accepts only international students in good status with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. Applicants seeking F or J visas should see the UCF International Services Center website (www.intl.ucf.edu) for additional information. All other international applicants must submit proof of good immigration status with their application. Proof of immigration status can be a valid visa, a permanent resident card, or USCIS documentation of immigration status.
Transfer Credit
Course work accepted for transfer must be part of an approved plan of study for a doctoral program at UCF or elsewhere. The acceptance of transfer credit will be determined by the Ph.D. Coordinator on a case-by-case basis. A maximum of six hours may be transferred.
Assignment of Faculty Advisers
Upon acceptance of a student into the program, the PAF Program Director will provide an initial orientation and general advising session. The Director will continue to advise the student throughout the foundation stage of the program assisting the student in the clarification of interests and goals and facilitating the introduction of the student to faculty with research interests that can facilitate the student’s program of study. In addition, the Chairperson from one of the participating departments (i.e., Criminal Justice, Health, Public Administration, and Social Work) will help the student select elective courses, finalize the program of study, and facilitate the discussion and review of dissertation topics. The dissertation chair should be selected by the student prior to the completion of the candidacy proposal.
Application Due Dates
All students applying for fellowships or assistantships must apply by the Fall Priority deadline date.
U.S. Applicants
| Program(s) |
Fall Priority |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
| Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs |
Jan 19 |
Jul 15 |
Nov 1 |
|
International Applicants
| Program(s) |
Fall Priority |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
| Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs |
Jan 15 |
Jan 15 |
Jul 1 |
|
International Transfer Applicants
| Program(s) |
Fall Priority |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
| Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs |
Jan 19 |
Mar 1 |
Sep 1 |
|
Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs
Students must complete 57 credit
hours beyond the master’s degree, including fourteen courses (42 credit hours)
above the master’s level distributed in the following manner: (1) a five-course,
15-credit interdisciplinary core; (2) a three-course, 9-credit research tool;
and (3) a six-course, 18-credit interdisciplinary specialization component that
will be tailored to meet students’ individual goals. Fifteen credit hours of
dissertation must also be completed. Students not holding advanced degrees in Criminal Justice, Health, Public Administration, or Social Work may be required to take additional course work.
A maximumm of 6 credit hours of either Independent Study or Doctoral Research may be used for electives.
Any student who receives a grade of "C+" or lower may be reverted to nondegree-seeking status and will have to repeat the course and obtain a grade of “B-” or better prior to taking the qualifying examinations. No course may be repeated more than once.
A minimum of a 3.0 GPA in the specified graduate program of study is required to maintain graduate student status and for graduation.
Required Courses—18 Credit Hours
- PAF 7000 Foundations of Public Affairs (3 credit hours)
- PAF 7110 Ethics and Social Justice in Public Affairs (3 credit hours)
- PAF 7230 Strategic Change and Management in Public Affairs (3 credit hours)
- PAF 7300 Policy Analysis in Public Affairs (3 credit hours)
- PAF 7982 Dissertation Seminar in Public Affairs (3 credit hours)
Research—9 Credit Hours
- PAF 7802 Advanced Research Methods in Public Affairs (3 credit hours)
- PAF 7804 Advanced Quantitative Methods I (3 credit hours)
- PAF 7XXX Advanced Quantitative Methods II (3 credit hours)
Interdisciplinary Specialization—18 Credit Hours
Students can choose from a wide variety of elective courses in Criminal Justice, Health, Public Administration, Public Affairs, and Social Work.
Dissertation—15 Credit Hours
- PAF 7980 Dissertation Research
Minimum Hours Required for Ph.D.—57 Credit Hours
Qualifying Examination
Following successful completion of
the required foundation and research courses, a student is required to pass
a qualifying examination. This examination will test the student’s knowledge
of the material in the foundation and research courses. The examination will be given
once each fall and spring semester. The exam may also be given at the end of
the summer term per the discretion of the Program Coordinator. Students are given two opportunities to pass all sections of the exam. Students who fail any section twice will be dropped from the program. However, prior to being officially dropped, students will be given the opportunity to appeal.
Candidacy Examination
Students officially enter candidacy when:
- All course work is complete.
- The student has passed the qualifying exam.
- The student has successfully completed the candidacy proposal.
Financial Support
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Financing Grad School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Key points about financial support:
- If you're interested in financial assistance, you're strongly encouraged to apply for admission early. A complete application for admission, including all supporting documents, must be received by the priority date listed for your program under "Admissions."
- You must be admitted to a graduate program before the university can consider awarding financial assistance to you.
- If you want to be considered for loans and other need-based financial assistance, review the UCF Student Financial Assistance website at http://finaid.ucf.edu and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Apply early and allow up to six weeks for the FAFSA form to be processed.
- UCF Graduate Studies awards university graduate fellowships, with most decisions based on nominations from the colleges and programs. All admitted graduate students are automatically considered in this nomination process. To be eligible for a fellowship, students must be accepted as a graduate student in a degree program and be enrolled full-time. University graduate fellowships are not affected by FAFSA determination of need.
- Please note that select fellowships do require students to fill out a fellowship application (either a university fellowship application, an external fellowship application, or a college or school fellowship application). For university fellowship applications, see Financing Grad School.
- For information on assistantships (including teaching, research, and general graduate assistantships) or tuition support, contact the graduate program director of your major.
Contact Info
Thomas Wan, Ph.D., Professor
Phone Number: 407-823-3678
phdpa@mail.ucf.edu
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Graduate Students
