Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy - Governance

Develop and lead policy solutions for some of government and society's most complex problems. The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Policy is a research-based program and is the highest degree awarded in public policy at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School. It denotes an advanced level of competence in scholarly research and communication. This program will provide you with an opportunity to expand your knowledge and acquire in-demand skills, contribute to the study of public policy, and master the theories, concepts and applications of policy within a government or organization. As one of Canada's leading schools for policy analysis and research, the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy is making a difference by concentrating its research capacity on areas related to innovation, science, technology, health, society and inequality, and governance. To ensure engagement in these areas of research, JSGS faculty are committed to encouraging student involvement in research projects, grant applications, seminar series, and other opportunities for knowledge translation.

Applicants to the PhD program must have a master’s degree in public policy, public administration or in a cognate discipline such as economics, political science, political sociology or educational administration, with a minimum average of 75 percent in that program.Please note that because the number of applications received greatly exceeds the number of available places, not all qualified applicants will be offered admission (we typically admit two to three students a year). Indeed, successful candidates will typically have an average well in excess of 80 percent (or lower first class).