Graduate students create custom Ph.D. programs
Students can choose 18 of 75 credit hours for specialization.
Published March 19, 2010
The Harry S. Truman School of Public Affairs unveiled an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program last fall, allowing students to have more control over specialization in their degree.
According to a School of Public Affairs news release, the interdisciplinary Ph.D. requires a broad knowledge base including study in political science, economics, management and various other fields involved with government and public policy.
Doctoral student Matthew Arbuckle said there are three fulltime students in the program but the department does not want to expand the program's capacity beyond its ability to provide quality education.
"I learned about the program through word of mouth and research," Arbuckle said. "What appealed to me about the program was its mix of public policy, political science and public management."
After admission to the program, students need 75 credit hours to receive their Ph.D. Other than the 45 hours in foundation and methodology courses, students must complete 18 hours in a specialization of the student's choice, as well as 12 hours in dissertation.
Students can specialize in public policy, public management, nonprofit organizations, rural development policy and organization studies.
"There are a lot of options available," said Michael Diamond, associate director of academic programs in the School of Public Affairs.
Like other public policy schools, such as the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan or Harvard University's Kennedy School, the Truman School Ph.D. program is taught by both the public affairs faculty and other social and natural sciences faculty.
"The nature of our interdisciplinary program brings together faculty from multiple disciplines in the social sciences who work together on research projects of relevance to the challenges of the day," Diamond said.
By collaborating with other fields of social and human sciences, the program wants to achieve a cross-pollination of ideas to solve society's problems.
The program is research-based and makes graduates potential faculty members, Diamond said.
"Though a few might work for public-policy think tanks, government agencies and NGOs," he said.
With interdisciplinary flexibility, students can choose their research topic.
"Choosing the topic of research is a dialogue between the faculty and the student," Diamond said. "Doing that, they will be addressing current issues facing society, under the supervision of advisers."
Doctoral student Maria Figueroa-Armijos said the structure of the Ph.D. program makes Truman School graduates more marketable when applying for positions at universities, government agencies, public policy think tanks and NGOs.
"My career goal is to successfully contribute to international development research and practices conducted by international organizations," Figueroa-Armijos said in a news release. "Accordingly, I am interested in working on issues about entrepreneurial initiatives that help advance sustainable agriculture research and practice, particularly in developing countries."
Diamond said the program will expand and it is important to promote it, show its flexibility and demonstrate how the program is addressing contemporary issues facing society.