The Status of Doctoral Programs in Public Affairs and Administration

Abstract

At least 72 doctoral programs in public affairs and administration, almost all Ph.D.s, now exist in the United States. The number of doctoral degrees awarded by NASPAA institutions grew from 169 in 2003 to 208 in 2006, according to Public Administration Times. The National Research Council formally recognized the Ph.D. in “public policy, public administration and public affairs” as a field in its 2006 Assessment of Research Doctorate Programs. In the context of this momentum, it is important to assess the current status of Ph.D. programs in public affairs and administration. The purpose of this article is to provide that snapshot of the field, with particular attention to trends and questions grounded in data collection.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marc Holzer

Marc Holzer is dean and Board of Governors Professor of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers-Newark. His research interests include public performance measurement and reporting, public service, and comparative public administration.

Hua Xu

Hua Xu is an assistant professor in the department of public policy and administration in the College of Public Service at Jackson State University, Mississippi. He currently teaches graduate courses in research methods and health care administration. His research interests include public affairs education and curriculum design, comparative public administration, public finance and budgeting, and public performance measurement. He may be contacted at [email protected].

Tiankai Wang

Tiankai Wang is an assistant professor in the MPA program at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. He earned his Ph.D. in public administration from Rutgers-Newark and his MBA from Tianjin University in China. His research interests include fiscal transparency, municipal bond issuance, and public management.