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.