The Doctoral Program at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service is designed to provide students with the theoretical and methodological training needed to perform original research in public policy, management or finance. Many students will specialize in a substantive area such as health, urban policy, non-profits, welfare, education, or international development. Doctoral students are encouraged to design a plan of study that draws from several disciplines and to take advantage of course offerings at Wagner and NYU's other graduate schools. The program emphasizes teaching and research experience and provides many opportunities for students to become active in the classroom as teaching colleagues and lecturers and/or to participate in research projects with individual faculty or through our affiliated research centers.
The program prepares graduates for careers at academic institutions, in think tanks, research firms, and research units of public, quasi-public and private organizations, as well as for other positions with substantial responsibilities for the supervision and administration of research.
Critical milestones in the Doctoral Program include advanced coursework, a preliminary qualifying examination, three comprehensive field examinations (including one in research methods), participation in the NYU Wagner Research Colloquium, and a dissertation based on independent and original research defended before a faculty committee.
The program has considerable flexibility in terms of course selection and preparation for these milestones. Thus, faculty advisors play a pivotal role in the doctoral education process. For an overview of advisement relationships in the Doctoral Program, please visit the student advisement Web page.
Keri-Nicole Dillman (PhD '07)
Diana Silver (PhD '07)
Amy Chepaitis (PhD '07)
