Public Affairs Ph.D.

The degree will prepare individuals to study issues facing society in the context of public, private, and nonprofit organizations and institutions. Students entering the program will have the ability to follow two career paths: 1) to conduct research, consult, and serve as analysts within and to organizations; or 2) to enter the academic world at the college or university level.

The degree program is designed to promote scholarship and innovation in public affairs. The degree program will provide for significant interaction between students and faculty in learning, research, and application of expertise to public issues. In addition, the degree will prepare those students interested in entering the academic world with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be successful teachers and researchers at the college and university level.

The program will provide students with carefully supervised teaching experience as graduate assistants; offer mentoring in research and publication through graduate seminars; and mentor them in attending professional meetings and presenting papers.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the program is done only in the fall semester. Applicants should check the School of Environmental and Public Affairs and the Graduate College web sites for the specific application deadline, http://sepa.unlv.edu/ and http://graduatecollege.unlv.edu/

Admission requirements include:

1. Completed Graduate College Application.
2. An earned master’s degree (or another advanced graduate degree, i.e. J.D.) from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.50.
3. Three letters of recommendation including one letter from an individual who can evaluate the applicant’s ability to conduct graduate work at the Ph.D. level. A second letter of recommendation must come from someone who has supervised the candidate in a work setting.
4. A current resume.
5. A statement of purpose explaining the applicant’s career goals and why the doctorate would enhance the likelihood of achieving those goals. The statement should also explain why the applicant believes that he or she is qualified to conduct academic work at the advance graduate level. Finally, the statement should address the specific area of specialization the student would like to emphasize.
6. A writing sample from previous graduate work or a significant publication completed in the work setting that is directly attributable to the applicant.
7. A satisfactory GRE score (the expected minimum score is a combined 1,000 for the verbal and quantitative sections; equivalent LSAT scores would be acceptable).
8. Students may be asked to meet with a member of the admission committee for a personal interview.