A Policy Studies Program For The Real World

Transcription

1 A Policy Studies Program For The Real World In the Spring of 1999, Clemson University was granted approval by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education to offer Ph.D. and certificate programs in Policy Studies. The programs are interdisciplinary, building on traditional strengths at the university in terms of policy analysis as well as scientific and technical fields. Because of its interdisciplinary nature, the program is housed within the Graduate School and draws faculty from each of the five academic colleges on campus. Program Focus: As a land grant institution, Clemson faculty and students frequently participate in policy analysis and formulation working extensively within the state of South Carolina but also at the national and international level. The policy programs formalize within an academic program what has been an informal agglomeration of policy related work in the past. The four concentration areas of the program are: Environmental and Natural Resource Policy, Agricultural Policy, Rural and Economic Development Policy, and Science and Technology Policy. The core curriculum is interdisciplinary drawing heavily from the policy sciences including economics, political science/public administration, quantitative methods, and management science. For the Ph.D. program, core and enhancement courses come predominantly from these disciplines. Concentration and elective courses come largely from linkage disciplines related to the life and physical sciences, technology fields, and social sciences. Policy application is made through seminars, practicums, workshops, as well as in-house research activities. For the certificate program, students are required to take 5-6 courses (depending on their background) in the policy sciences and their concentration area. Profile of Prospective Student: Students generally come from one of two backgrounds. For three of the four concentration areas, a strong science /technology base is essential. Students from the social sciences or the humanities generally have some initial advantage in the core curriculum but will be required to take prerequisite courses in the sciences before taking concentration and elective coursework in these areas. Relationship to Other Academic Programs on Campus: There is overlap with a number of other disciplines on campus including economics; agricultural and applied economics; political science/public administration; city and regional planning; parks,

2 recreation, and tourism management, the sciences and engineering. The program makes use of faculty and courses taught in these and other programs. Prospects for Graduates: Graduates are expected to be employed in state and national government entities, think tanks, consulting firms, international lending institutions, and academia. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the program, students are well grounded in both the hard and policy sciences and capable of bridging the gap between science and technology and the policy realm. Analysts with this background are particularly valuable in an increasingly complex policy arena, and employment prospects are quite strong. Doctorate Curriculum: Core: Concentration: Enrichment/Electives: Dissertation: 33 hours 18 hours 12 hours 18+ hours Students entering the program with a master s degree may transfer up to 24 hours of relevant coursework toward degree requirements. Prerequisite coursework in economics, quantitative methods or scientific/technical foundation courses will not fulfill degree requirements. Normally, all entering doctoral students will satisfy the bulk of their core course requirements before enrolling in courses in the concentration. Each doctoral student, in consultation with the coordinator in the policy area of his/her choice and with the approval of his/her faculty advisor, develops a curriculum in one of following four areas: Environmental and Natural Resource Policy, Agriculture Policy, Rural and Economic Development Policy, and Science and Technology Policy. Courses for the concentration are selected from among intermediate and advanced graduate courses in the departments and programs at Clemson University.

3 Core Curriculum: ECON 823 Microeconomics for Public Policy EX ST 801 Statistical Methods I ECON Econometrics I PO ST 822 Policy Analysis and Political Choice ECON 605 Introduction to Econometrics EX ST 803 Regression and Least Squares Analysis ECON Econometrics II ECON 820 Public Finance AP EC 822 Contemporary Public Policy PO ST ganizational Theory and Public Management PO ST Internship in Policy Analysis PO ST 810 Political Economy for Public Policy PO ST 842 Ethics and Public Policy PO ST Policy Analysis Workshop PO ST Policy Analysis Seminar I PO ST 905 Policy Analysis Seminar II Certificate Curriculum: The certificate program generally takes one year and consists of 5-6 courses. Depending on a student s academic program, the faculty advisor along with the program chair, may allow coursework substitution of one or more courses taken as part of an appropriate graduate program. Otherwise, students seeking a Certificate in Policy Studies will complete the following foundation courses: Required PO SC 860: American Government ECON 899: Selected Topics in Microeconomic Theory for Public Policy Choose Three Courses PO ST 810: Political Economy for Public Policy PO ST 842: Ethics and Public Policy ECON 820: PO ST 822: Public Finance Policy Analysis and Political Choice Choose One Course Policy Course in Concentration Area Admissions Requirements: The policy studies program is rigorous and for students who have the potential for academic and professional success. For this reason, academic preparation, intellectual ability, experience and motivation are evaluated. The program is

4 committed to building a student body that is diverse in terms of gender, race, and ethnicity. For admission to the Ph.D. program, the admissions committee will consider the following: 1. A completed application form, 2. Quality of previous academic work, including a minimum GPR of 3.0 (on a 4.0 system) for both the bachelor s and master s degrees, 3. Official transcripts of all college work, 4. Scores on the Graduate Record Examination (verbal, quantitative, and analytical portions) and in the case of international students, scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination, 5. Three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant s academic and/or job performance, 6. A biographical statement, 7. A statement of interest, expressing the applicant s reasons for seeking the Ph.D. in Policy Studies or if applicable the Certificate in Policy Studies, and 8. A fit between the student s educational objectives and the program s policy domains. Applicants for the doctoral program are encouraged to demonstrate additional evidence of strong analytical and verbal skills, creativity, and commitment to the field of study. After the initial screening, the admissions committee reserves the option of interviewing applicants about their academic backgrounds, scholarly interests, and career objectives. Admission to the Certificate program is contingent on admission and satisfactory progress toward completion of another Clemson University master s or doctoral program. Financial Assistance: To attract high caliber graduate students, graduate research assistantships are available as well as the potential for salary supplements for externally funded projects. Assistantship appointments are for a period of one year and generally are renewable. In addition, students receiving assistantships pay reduced tuition and fees. Assistantships generally are available while students are taking classes and writing their dissertations. Research assistants work with faculty members on applications to policy thereby increasing their research experience. Decisions about awarding graduate assistantships are made in April for the Fall Semester and in early October for the Spring Semester.

5 Application Deadlines: The deadline for applications from domestic students is four weeks prior to registration. Registration is late August for the Fall Semester and early January for the Spring Semester. International students living abroad must have completed applications (including all supporting materials) to the Graduate School by May 1 for the Fall Semester and by October 1 for the Spring Semester. International students living in the United States do not require visa credentials until arriving on the Clemson campus. Application deadlines for these students are June 15 for Fall Semester and November 1 for Spring Semester. Questions? For more information and an application, contact: Dr. Bruce Ransom, Professor and Policy Studies Chairman Strom Thurmond Institute of Government and Public Affairs Clemson University Clemson, SC Telephone: 864/ bruce@strom.clemson.edu