Sample PhD Tracks

All of our PhD students, regardless of disciplinary concentration or policy area focus, will generally spend their first two years of the program taking classes – a combination of public policy core courses and electives. Students usually spend their third year writing and defending their dissertation proposal, supported by a Research Seminar in Public Policy. The fourth and fifth years are typically devoted to writing and defending the dissertation. Below are illustrative graduate student career paths, to provide a better idea of what your five years at Duke will encompass.

Sample Path 1: Disciplinary Concentration in Economics, Policy Focus in Health

 

Fall

Spring

Year 1
  • Political Economy of Public Policy
  • Microeconomics I
  • Econometrics I
  • Ethics of Public Policy
  • Microeconomics II
  • Econometrics II
  • Health Policy Elective

Theories of Public Policy Qualifying Exam

Year 2
  • Health Policy Elective
  • Economics Field Elective
  • Economics Field Elective
  • Political Science Elective
  • Health Policy Readings Course
  • Economics Field Elective
  • Sociology Elective

Economics Qualifying Exam or Paper

Health Policy Qualifying Exam or Paper

Year 3
  • Research Seminar in Public Policy

Working on dissertation proposal
  • Research Seminar in Public Policy

Preliminary examination, including defense of dissertation proposal

Year 4

Write dissertation

Year 5

Complete and defend dissertation

Note:  A student admitted to the economics concentration who lacks preparation must take prerequisites before taking the microeconomics sequence.

 

Sample Path 2:  Disciplinary Concentration in Political Science, Policy Focus in Globalization and Development

 

Fall

Spring

Year 1
  • Political Economy of Public Policy
  • Microeconomics I
  • Political Science Research Methods
  • Ethics of Public Policy
  • Microeconomics II
  • Political Science Research Methods
  • Globalization & Development Elective

Theories of Public Policy Qualifying Exam

Year 2
  • Globalization and Development Elective
  • Political Science Field Elective
  • Political Science Field Elective
  • Sociology Elective
  • Globalization & Development Readings Course
  • Political Science Field Elective
  • Open Elective

Political Science Qualifying Exam or Paper

Globalization & Dev. Qualifying Exam or Paper

Year 3
  • Research Seminar in Public Policy

Working on dissertation proposal
  • Research Seminar in Public Policy

Preliminary examination, including defense of dissertation proposal

Year 4

Write dissertation

Year 5

Complete and defend dissertation

 

Sample Path 3:  Disciplinary Concentration in Sociology, Policy Focus in Social Policy

 

Fall

Spring

Year 1
  • Political Economy of Public Policy
  • Microeconomics I
  • Sociology Research Methods
  • Sociology Theory Course
  • Ethics of Public Policy
  • Microeconomics II
  • Sociology Research Methods
  • Social Policy Elective

Theories of Public Policy Qualifying Exam

Year 2
  • Social Policy Elective
  • Sociology Field Elective
  • Sociology Field Elective
  • Social Policy Readings Course
  • Sociology Field Elective
  • Political Science Elective

Sociology Qualifying Exam or Paper

Social Policy Qualifying Exam or Paper

Year 3
  • Research Seminar in Public Policy

Working on dissertation proposal
  • Research Seminar in Public Policy

Preliminary examination, including defense of dissertation proposal

Year 4

Write dissertation

Year 5

Complete and defend dissertation