The Harris School offers a program of studies leading to the award of the Ph.D. to qualified individuals interested in research-oriented careers focused on the substantive and institutional aspects of public policy studies. Within a framework emphasizing the acquisition of skills to design and conduct policy-relevant research, the program allows students, working closely with faculty members of the School and the University, to develop individualized and innovative courses of study leading to a Ph.D. in Public Policy Studies.

The Ph.D. program is administered by the Director of Graduate Studies (hereafter referred to as “the DGS”), who chairs the faculty Ph.D. committee. The committee is available to advise Ph.D. students concerning their course of study and research interests and to assist them in completing the program. Students must report to the Ph.D. Program Director, at least annually, on their progress in fulfilling the program's requirements.

The course of study leading to a Ph.D. in Public Policy Studies is intended to take at least four years. The University of Chicago prescribes the registration of Ph.D. students in a single doctoral registration status referred to by the year of study (e.g., PhD1, PhD2, PhD3).  

For further information on the University’s Single PhD Registration Policy, refer to https://studentmanual.uchicago.edu.

For further information on Harris Academic Policies and Standards, refer to Policies.

Requirements for the Ph.D. Program

In addition to the University’s requirements, the Harris School has its own requirements for coursework. All students beginning the doctoral program, who have not completed prior graduate coursework relevant to public policy studies, must complete a minimum of 8 courses in the first year and 6 courses in the second year, all for quality grades.

Students who enter the Harris School doctoral program with Ph.D. level coursework from another university or department may petition for a waiver for certain coursework. Waiver requests need to be submitted two weeks before the start of the term in which the class is offered.Those who enter with a master’s degree and wish to reduce the number of required courses need to submit a written petition no later than the end of their first quarter in residence. Having earned prior master’s degree in a relevant field does not automatically entitle a student to waive part of the course requirements of the Harris School.

Petitions to waive courses in the Harris School’s Ph.D. program must be first presented to the Program Director for approval. This petition must indicate the courses to be waived, and include documentation of how the material in the prior program meets the doctoral training requirements of the Ph.D. program in terms of both the breadth of the material covered in the courses being replaced, the depth of the material covered (theory, methods, or substantive material), and a demonstration that the student has performed adequately for a Ph.D. student. If the Program Director approves of the content of the petition, it is then reviewed by the DGS.

Each Ph.D. student will choose from a list of Areas of Focus (AOFs). These areas play several roles in structuring the curriculum, all of which are designed to better guide students through their preparation for the various job markets. First, each AOF will determine two of the eight first-year courses. Second, each AOF will determine the form of and preparation for the qualifying exam. Details about the curriculum for each AOF will be available in a separate document before the start of the Autumn quarter. The current set of AOFs is as follows:

  • Energy and Environment
  • International Development
  • Economics and Social Policy
  • Health Policy

Allowance will be made for switching from one AOF to another if a student’s interests change during the course of the program, as long as all requirements of the new AOF can be meet.

The faculty believe that teaching experience is an essential part of training for academic careers. As such, Ph.D. students are required to TA for six quarter-long courses. Normally, this will be done as two courses each in each of years two, three and four.

All Ph.D. students beyond the first year are required to regularly attend and participate in the Ph.D. workshop; all first-year students should attend the Ph.D. workshop if it does not conflict with classes. Each student is also required to attend at least one of the Public Policy and Economics Workshop, Center for Human Potential and Public Policy Workshop, or the Political Economy Workshops, based on the students’ research interest. Students are strongly encouraged to attend other workshops in their research areas including (but not limited to) the Health and Development Workshop, the Cultural Policy Workshop, and the Demography Workshop. A partial list of workshops may be found at:

By the tenth week of the spring quarter, each doctoral student is required to submit a completed satisfactory progress report form, provided by the School, to the Ph.D. Program Director. From year two onward, this report should also designate the student’s faculty advisor. By the summer quarter of each year, a review of the doctoral student’s progress will take place. The DGS will discuss the student’s progress in coursework and in fulfilling the program’s requirements and make a recommendation to the Ph.D. committee whether the student should continue in the program. The review conducted after the student’s second year also will determine whether the student’s academic performance warrants continuation in the Ph.D. program. Based on the student’s grades in courses taken during the first two years and on performance on the qualifying examinations, the faculty will determine whether a student will be encouraged to proceed to the dissertation phase of the program. Students will be notified of the faculty’s decision, in writing, prior to the fall quarter of their third year.

Year One

At the beginning of the student’s first year, the DGS will assign a first-year faculty advisor to each student. Each student should outline a tentative plan for advanced coursework appropriate for his or her research objectives.

In addition to the eight courses for quality grade, each student must take the non-credit seminar Introduction to Graduate study in the Autumn of the first-year.

Courses taken by Ph.D. students during the first two years of the program are intended as preparation for a research career in public policy studies. All Ph.D. students must demonstrate mastery of the core subject areas of econometrics and economic theory, as covered in PPHA 42000, 42100, 42200, 44100, 44200, and 41501. They demonstrate this competence by passing the six core courses with an average grade of at least B+. Students who do not meet this GPA requirement in the first year will have the opportunity to take a qualifying exam during summer quarter. GPA minimum requirements for qualifying exam waivers by AOF can be found on the annual AOF document: 2023-24 AOF

By the end of the spring quarter of the first year, students, in consultation with the DGS, must identify at least one Harris School faculty member to act as an adviser for the qualifying paper. A second University of Chicago faculty member should also be identified to serve on the faulty committee for the paper.

Sample First-Year Course Schedule

Autumn

Winter

Spring

PPHA 42000: Applied Econometrics I

PPHA 42100: Applied Econometrics II

PPHA 42200: Applied Econometrics III

PPHA 44100: PhD Advanced Microeconomics for Policy Analysis I

PPHA 44200: PhD Advanced Microeconomics for Policy Analysis II

Elective

PPHA 41501: Game Theory

AOF course

AOF course

Qualifying Exam

Ph.D. students must pass a qualifying exam, as specified by their Area of Focus, by the end of the summer of their first year of study. This might be a GPA minimum in specified courses, a written exam, or some other assessment as determined by faculty in the Area. Students who do not meet the requirement will be removed from the program. Students can appeal removal by submitting an Appeal Form for Program Continuation to the Program Director 14 days before the start of autumn quarter of their second year of study at the latest; the request will be reviewed by the Ph.D. Committee and a decision, an Appeal for Program Continuation Outcome Form, will be sent to the student in writing.

Year Two

During their second year, Ph.D. students start the transition from coursework to dissertation research. In addition to the minimum of six courses taken for a quality grade and completion of a field, students must also complete a qualifying paper.

Qualifying Paper

Ph.D. students must complete the qualifying paper requirement according to guidelines prescribed by the Ph.D. committee and must present the paper in an appropriate University of Chicago forum. An acceptable qualifying paper will show evidence that the student is developing the capacity for formulating and conducting an independent research project and for creating a scholarly argument. Although co-authors are allowed per the approval of the student’s advisor, only one student may student submit this paper as a qualifying paper. There is no exception to the rule. All other student coauthors must send an email to the Program Director stating that they approve using the paper for that student's requirement; All faculty coauthors must send an email to the Program Director explaining how the student's contribution makes the submission appropriate. Ideally, the qualifying paper will constitute a step toward completion of the student’s dissertation proposal. The paper’s length should approximate that of a conference paper or a paper to be sent to a top journal in the student’s field.

Students are expected to complete this qualifying paper by the end of the summer of their second year of study. Completion for this purpose involves having both faculty members of the student’s qualifying paper committee indicate to the DGS that the work is adequate to meet the requirement on the Approval Form for Qualifying Paper. Students who need additional time for their paper may request an extension from the DGS in writing by September 1. Students who do not meet the deadline and do not have an extension are not in good academic standing, may be placed on academic probation, and risk dismissal from the program.

Reading and Research Courses

An individual reading and research course (PPHA 52000) provide a useful way to supplement scheduled courses. While the instructor and the student will determine the nature of each reading course, it is expected that the student will meet with the instructor at least three or four times during the quarter. It also is expected that the course will lead to a paper that has not been submitted previously in any other course. This course must be taken for a quality letter grade.  

Written consent of the instructor and approval by the Director is necessary for a reading and research course. Consent forms for public policy reading and research courses can be obtained online on the Student Affairs Office page.

Students may receive academic credit for internships during their course of study. Consent forms are available online on the Dean of Students page. Requests to take internship courses must have the written consent of the faculty supervisor and the approval of the DGS. Internship course credit will be granted only after the faculty advisor has evaluated the written project and judged its academic caliber. This course must be taken for a quality letter grade. Consent is not required for summer internships.

Transitional Masters Degrees

Ph.D. students, whether recommended for continuation in the Ph.D. program or not, who have quality grades in 9 courses are eligible to receive an M.A. or 18 quality courses for a M.P.P. degree if those courses meet the requirements of the degree program. Students interested in petitioning for an M.A. should refer to the degree requirements of the Harris webpage for detailed information regarding specific requirements early in their program. Students who have met the specific requirements and wish to earn an M.A. or M.P.P. must complete the application to graduate for the M.A. or M.P.P at least one quarter before they apply graduate from the Ph.D. program. If a student wishes to earn another master’s degree they must make the request to the Dean of Students and the request must be approved by the faculty head of that department, the Ph.D. Program Chair, and the Dean of Students.

Thesis and Candidacy

By year three of the program, students are expected to be conducting research and writing their dissertations, presenting preliminary drafts of their dissertation work, and regularly attending at least two workshops.

Dissertation Committee

A Ph.D. dissertation committee of three or four current or emeritus faculty members from the University of Chicago, with academic interests related to those of the student, will guide and judge the student’s dissertation research. Faculty members who are not University of Chicago faculty or emeritus may not formally be a part of the dissertation committee. However, student may list them as fourth “readers” on their committee. These members have no voting rights on the committee. The participation of the Ph.D. dissertation committee members is essential to the decision-making process that eventually results in the awarding of the Ph.D.

The Ph.D. dissertation committee will be formed by the DGS in consultation with the student and the student’s faculty advisor. The chair of the student’s Ph.D. dissertation committee will thereafter be the student’s primary faculty advisor. At least two members of the committee, including the chairperson, must be current or emeritus members of the faculty of the Harris School. Doctoral candidates at the Harris School of Public Policy are expected to have members of the Harris tenure track faculty as dissertation committee chairs. For cases where Harris faculty members to not have sufficient expertise in a student's topic, then, with the approval of the DGS, a non-Harris faculty member may serve as dissertation chair. A current or emeritus member of the University of Chicago faculty who is not on the School’s faculty may be included on the Ph.D. dissertation committee. In special cases, a professor from outside the University may be asked to participate on a committee. The Director must approve the initial composition of the dissertation committee, as well as any subsequent changes. If a committee member leaves the University, the DGS and chair of the committee must approve for the member to remain on the thesis committee if he/she agrees. Forms for designating or changing committee members or the committee chair are available from the Program Director.

The University has prepared a toolkit about mentoring for faculty and graduate students. It can be downloaded here: Mentee Toolkit 

Dissertation proposal 

After successful completion of the courses in (Microeconomics, Game Theory, Statistics/Econometrics, and the substantive field) and the qualifying paper, a proposal for the dissertation must be defended publicly before the student’s Ph.D. dissertation committee and other interested parties in the University. The proposal must be submitted before a major part of the dissertation research is completed.  

Students are admitted to Ph.D. candidacy upon the approval of the student’s dissertation committee and the faculty Ph.D. committee after acceptance of their dissertation proposal. The proposal should be completed in time for a proposal hearing by the start of the autumn quarter of their fourth year to increase the prospects of progress on a strong dissertation before entering the job market.

The dissertation proposal and the dissertation itself should address policy-relevant issues and demonstrate mastery and originality in applying methodologies of policy research and analysis. The dissertation proposal should formulate clearly the scholarly purpose of the dissertation research and lay out as carefully as possible how that purpose is to be realized. It should constitute a statement of the reasons for proposing this research on this topic, using this approach, in light of the current status of research in this field.

A draft of the proposal will be read critically by the student’s dissertation committee, who will then discuss their critiques with the student. When all members of the committee signify in writing to the DGS that they believe the proposal is ready for hearing, a proposal hearing shall be scheduled. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain the form for approval of the proposal hearing from the Program Director.

It is the student’s responsibility to contact his or her dissertation committee and arrange a date and time for the proposal hearing. The date and time also must be cleared with the DGS and scheduled with the Program Director.

The dissertation committee members and the Harris School’s faculty will be notified of the time and place of the proposal hearing and each faculty member will receive a copy of the abstract. The initial part of the hearing is a public meeting.

An electronic copy (e.g., PDF) of the final proposal to circulate by e-mail, and a brief abstract (100-250 words) should be submitted to the Program Director 14 calendar days in advance of the scheduled hearing. The length of the proposal should be adequate to describe the research problem and its context, hypotheses, the state of the relevant literature, conceptual framework or model and the methods to be used (data and qualitative or quantitative analyses that are appropriate).

At the hearing, the student presents a summary of the proposal (generally lasting 45 minutes to an hour) and has the opportunity to hear and respond to faculty reactions. Immediately following the proposal hearing, the members of the student’s dissertation committee, the Director, and the other faculty present will evaluate the written proposal and the oral presentation. They then will vote privately on whether to approve the proposal. The dissertation committee will discuss the results of the hearing with the student and will suggest revisions to the proposal. If the proposal is not approved, the student will be required to submit a new proposal in a hearing at a later date. The chair of the dissertation committee will summarize the discussion and the decision in writing and submit it to the DGS.      

Human Subjects Research Issues (IRB) for Ph.D. Thesis

If your study involves research with human subjects, then it may require review by the Institutional Review Board (the IRB is a University committee that protects the rights of research participants). A student who does not have an approval or exemption from the IRB by the time of the thesis proposal hearing must submit a memo to the chairperson of the Ph.D. committee informing him/her of progress to that date and either plans to complete the IRB process or an explanation of why the research is not human subjects research that requires IRB review. Some projects that only involve secondary data analysis do require IRB review. If your study only involves secondary data analysis, refer to the IRB document 'Guidance on Secondary Analysis of Existing Data Sets' [link]. If you are unsure whether your research will require IRB review, contact the SBS IRB office. The SBS IRB office can be reached via email at sbs-irb@uchicago.edu, and the IRB has a lot of information on their website at sbsirb.uchicago.edu.

Admission to Candidacy

The Harris School grants admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. to a student who has completed all necessary coursework, passed the required AOF qualifying examination, completed the qualifying paper requirement, and successfully defended the dissertation proposal.

Dissertation Research

Dissertation research for a degree in Public Policy Studies may appropriately be conducted in a library, archive, research center, or other thesis-specific research site in or outside of Chicago. Many fellowship sources exist, and the student is urged to plan ahead and apply for these fellowships well in advance. These fellowship sources often have deadlines for applications nine months or more before the funding is available. Students who are receiving a Harris School fellowship stipend are expected to be in residence during the academic year (autumn through spring quarter). Exceptions must be approved by the DGS.

The dissertation research period generally is spent in residence at the Harris School where students can participate in workshops, seminars, etc., and, through such participation, discuss and refine their research design and findings.

During the period of dissertation research and until the Ph.D. is completed and awarded, doctoral students must be registered continuously in the University. Those who will be conducting research away from Chicago for extended periods of time must make registration plans with the Dean of Students Office prior to departure. Students are advised that serious financial problems may arise through failure to do this. Loan repayment schedules may be affected, for example, and other consequences may follow if students fail to make necessary arrangements.

Dissertation Defense

It is the responsibility of the student to plan and coordinate a date and time for the dissertation defense with the dissertation committee. The date and time must be cleared with the DGS and scheduled with the Program Director. 

In addition to materials distributed to dissertation committee members, the student must submit the approval form for dissertation defense hearing, an electronic copy (e.g., a PDF) of the dissertation and abstract (100-250 words) to the Program Director 14 calendar days prior to the defense date. The electronic copy will be circulated to the faculty and students with the notice of defense time and date.  

The dissertation defense is a public meeting of faculty and students, directed by the chair of the dissertation committee. It consists of an opening statement by the candidate, questions and comments by the faculty (both those from the dissertation committee and others), and a general discussion. The opening statement, generally, 30 minutes to an hour in length, should cover such points as: (1) the nature of research in the field before the dissertation work was conducted; (2) the nature of the present findings; (3) the original contribution to the fields in theory, methods and/or findings; and (4) implications of the findings for public policy studies more generally; (5) directions for future research.

Immediately following the hearing, members of the student’s dissertation committee and the other faculty members present will meet in closed session to evaluate the dissertation and its defense. The results of this evaluation will be announced to the candidate immediately following the meeting. At this point, it would not be unusual for a student to be asked to undertake revisions or additional work based on the collective assessment of the faculty. Such work would be carried out under the supervision of the student’s dissertation committee members. Final approval for award of the Ph.D. is granted after those revisions and any additional work is completed to the satisfaction of the dissertation committee.

Ph.D. students are encouraged to visit the University’s dissertation secretary (located in JRL 309) well in advance of the dissertation defense. The University has strict standards concerning the format of the dissertation, and the candidate should incorporate them into the dissertation manuscript as it is being prepared.  

Convocation

Convocation occurs the last day of spring quarter. Graduation requirements include completion of course requirements, successful completion of qualifying exams, approval of the qualifying paper, and the dissertation committee’s signed approval of the dissertation. The student must be in full-time academic status in the quarter in which he or she graduates, which excludes Pro Forma status.

Doctoral candidates who submit their approved dissertation by Friday of the first week of a quarter and apply to graduate in that quarter will not be registered as students in that quarter.

The student must apply to graduate online (my.uchicago.edu). This must be done no later than 5:00 pm on the first Friday of the quarter in which the student plans to graduate. The Program Director will notify the student of any incompletes and missing grades remaining on the student’s transcript, GPA requirements, and deadlines for completion of present and past course work.

All grades for graduating students are due at the end of the 10th week of the quarter in which they plan to graduate; grades for courses taken in prior quarters which replace an incomplete or blank must be turned in by the end of the 9th week of that quarter.

The deadline to withdraw from convocation is the Friday, 5:00 p.m., fifth week of the quarter. After that date, the student will be assessed a $50 fee by the Bursar’s office.

In addition to the above information, Ph.D. students must fulfill the requirements for depositing the dissertation with the University dissertation secretary (see previous section). Outcomes can be found here: Ph.D. placements

Financial Aid

Entering Ph.D. students may be eligible to receive up to five years of full financial support, in the amount of tuition plus a stipend. All Ph.D. students are expected to make efforts to obtain financial support for their studies from non-Harris School sources, including the research centers and projects of the University. The combination of Harris School support and that from external sources should enable students to receive financial support for their entire program of doctoral studies.

The Harris School provides financial support for its Ph.D. students in the form of tuition fellowships and fellowship stipends. The exact terms of the award are specified in the award letter sent to each admitted student. The terms of the letter may vary from student to student.

Acceptance of an award constitutes permission for the School to furnish reports of academic progress to the donor of the fund from which the award was made. A student receiving an award from a source outside the University must notify the DGS and the Ph.D. Program Director of that fact. In such a case the School reserves the right to make an appropriate adjustment in its own offer of award, including withdrawal of its offer if the outside award is substantial. The student’s total financial aid will not be lowered by the receipt of outside funds.

Harris School financial support will be awarded according to the following criteria:

  • Students must be in full-time academic residence defined as working for remuneration for no more than 19.5 hours per week while classes are in session during the academic year. A student who finds it necessary to discontinue studies during any quarter will be expected to refund any stipend money awarded for that quarter.
  • Students may receive stipends only when in residence at the University. Students in pro forma status are not eligible for stipend support. Any requests for exception to this policy must be submitted in writing to the Program Director for approval by the DGS of the Ph.D. program.
  • Students receiving sixth year funding are obligated to TA for 3 courses.
  • Students receiving stipends from the Harris School cannot receive remuneration (TAships or hourly work at the University) for more than 19.5 hours per week during the fall through spring terms that they receive stipend support. If they do so, their stipends will be reduced accordingly. Students who did not receive stipends from the School may work for 19.5 hours per week during regular academic year.

Leaves of Absence

Leaves of absence can be requested by and granted to students in the Ph.D. program subject to the conditions and procedures described below. Note, however, that such leaves do not extend a doctoral student’s eligibility for full-time student status beyond the total of twelve years from entry into the Ph.D. program. Students entering the Ph.D. program in 2016-17 and beyond will be subject to a University-wide 9-year limit on registration. Students who entered a Ph.D. program prior to summer 2016 will continue to be allowed to register for up to 12 years from matriculation. While on leave, students do not receive fellowship stipend funding, but an external funder may choose to still disburse a stipend.

Three types of leave of absence are available to students in the Ph.D. program.

  • A student who has completed three or fewer years in this status may apply to the DGS and the Program Director for a leave of absence of up to four academic quarters. Upon returning from such a leave, the student will be required to register until the requirement of four years of registration in that status has been fulfilled.
  • A student may apply for a leave of absence only if temporarily incapacitated by major illness or injury. Applications for such a leave must be endorsed by the DGS and Dean of Students Office. A student may take such a medical leave of absence for no more than four academic quarters.
  • A student who becomes a parent during his or her doctoral program may request a one-quarter Parental Relief Leave of Absence to care for the new child, and pregnant students for whom it is medically necessary, may request a Parental Relief Leave of Absence during pregnancy. Such leaves may be granted by the Dean of Students Office of the student’s school or division. Students are still eligible for University benefits during a Parental Leave of Absence. https://studentmanual.uchicago.edu/university-policies/graduate-student-parent-policy/

Disciplinary Procedures

The disciplinary committee of the Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies operates as part of the University’s disciplinary system, described in the Student Information Manual. Students should familiarize themselves with the material in this manual.

When a question of possible misconduct arises that, in the judgment of the Student Affairs Office in the School, is substantial enough to warrant convening a disciplinary committee, the DGS will appoint a committee. The committee will consist of the DGS (or his/her appointed representative), two faculty members from the School, one person from the Office of the Dean of Students in the University (who serves as a non-voting member) and, if the accused person so wishes, a student in the School elected by the student body of the School or a member of the elected representatives of HSO. The Student Affairs Office in the School also is present as a non-voting member of the committee.

The Student Affairs Office in the School will inform the student in writing of the disciplinary questions raised and of the committee’s meeting time and place. The accused student may bring individuals who have direct knowledge of the situation under discussion as well as someone to provide support. The student should, however, be prepared to speak to the committee on his or her own behalf. The accused student may wish to provide the committee with a written statement. In advance of the meeting, the student will be provided with all of the written material furnished to the committee. If the committee wishes to hear from other individuals during the proceedings, the accused student may choose to be present when those individuals are heard.

Disciplinary sanctions available to the committee are those set out in the Student Information Manual. https://studentmanual.uchicago.edu/area.

When the committee has reached its decision, the student will be informed of the decision as soon as possible; a confirmatory letter will be sent to the student, DGS and the Office of the Dean of Students in the University will be informed of the action.

If the committee imposes a sanction, the student may have the committee’s decision reviewed on one or more of the following grounds: if 1) prescribed procedures were not followed; or 2) the sanction will have unforeseen consequences for the student that are harsher than intended; or 3) that new and substantial evidence, unavailable to the committee, bears importantly in the student’s favor.

For a review, the student must make a request in writing to the Office of the Dean of Students in the University not more than 15 days following the written notification of the decision of the School’s committee. A review board convened by the Dean of Students in the University or his/her appointed representative, one member of the School’s faculty and a student from the School conduct the review. The student presents to the review board written materials that support his request for review. He or she may be granted an additional 15 days to prepare these materials.

The review board, whose decision is final, does not conduct a rehearing of the matters that came before a disciplinary committee. Nor does the student ordinarily appear before the board, although the board reserves the right to ask the student to appear in order to clarify aspects of his/her request. The board, acting on the basis of the student’s written materials may sustain or reduce the sanction; or, if satisfied that new and material evidence not available to the committee might have resulted in a different decision, may require a second hearing.

Grievance Procedures

https://harris.uchicago.edu/student-life/dean-of-students-office/policies

University Policies

General links to the University Student Manual:

Program Contacts

Students with questions about requirements or milestones may contact Program Director Barbara Williams (barbaraw@uchicago.edu) or Director of Graduate Studies Professor Steven Durlauf (sdurlauf@uchicago.edu).

Students can also contact the Harris Dean of Students, Kate Shannon Biddle (kbiddle@uchicago.edu).  Your contact at UChicagoGRAD is Amanda Young, Associate Director, Graduate Student Affairs (amanday@uchicago.edu).