PhD in Public Affairs
Program Overview
If you are interested in an academic career in public policy, public administration, or public management, or if you are interested in a research related career in a think tank, non-governmental organization, or a government agency, a PhD in Public Affairs is a good choice.
Students in our program take core courses in public policy, public administration/management with flexibility to take a variety of courses at the University of Missouri on subjects tailored to their own interests and career goals.
“The Truman School offers doctoral students the opportunity to collaborate with a multidisciplinary and diverse group of faculty and scholars in a vibrant intellectual community.” –Dr. Bryce Reeder, PhD Program Director
Our program trains students in state-of-the-art methodologies such as experiments, policy analysis tools, spatial econometrics, and techniques to collect and analyze big data (including automated data collection and text analysis). We are looking for promising students to help us answer important research questions with the most advanced techniques.
At Mizzou, we provide opportunities for collaborative research projects with faculty members who are experts in their area. Our School features professors who publish their research in top academic journals and university presses, edit leading journals in the discipline, and teach classes in their area of expertise. The result is that our PhD students consistently publish in top academic journals while in graduate school. Nationally, it is somewhat rare to see students graduate with multiple publications, both solo and co-authored with faculty members; at Mizzou, it is the norm.
Coursework in our program consists of small seminars, allowing for intensive study of public affairs concepts and research, close interaction with faculty, and individual attention to student progress. Advised by graduate faculty, students at MU are encouraged to become active scholars capable of conducting independent analysis and research of political and social phenomena.
The PhD program in Public Affairs maintains a low graduate student to faculty ratio, a commitment to student success, and a high rate of retention and graduation.
We prepare the next generation of scholars. Our interdisciplinary Ph.D. prepares graduates for careers in teaching, research and applied research settings in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
The Truman School is deeply interdisciplinary. The diverse academic training of our faculty gives students an opportunity to explore many theoretical and methodological perspectives and multiple ways of thinking about social science research.
Program Info
Admissions to PhD Program
Funding & Assistantships
Application Information
On the Market
PhD Coursework
Program/Field of Study
Students in our PhD program in Public Affairs have the opportunity to define and refine their research focus through close collaboration with our diverse faculty. Our experts specialize in a wide range of areas, including education policy, management, early childhood development, water resources, rural economics, health, non-profit management, and philanthropy. One of the key advantages of our program is the flexibility to tailor your research interests, guided by faculty who are committed to helping you make a meaningful contribution to the field.
While our program cannot encompass every facet of public affairs, we collaborate across the University of Missouri to provide access to a broad spectrum of resources and expertise. Unlike political science, which has clearly defined subfields, public affairs offers a more adaptable framework, allowing for a wide range of research interests. Explore the breadth of expertise at the Truman School to find your unique path in public affairs research.
Explore the expertise in the Truman School.
The doctoral degree requires a minimum of 72 hours of course credit including reading and research hours.
Students typically take comprehensive exams in the spring of the third year. After passing the comprehensive examination, students work on independent research and a dissertation under the advisement of a doctoral committee.
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Learn More"If you decide to pursue a graduate degree, you should pursue it at a place where you feel supported, where you feel like you will have people to help you in those challenging moments, and where you feel confident that you will accomplish your academic goals."
PhD Placement
Our assistance to students doesn’t end when the student gets their PhD. Each student pursuing a job on the academic job market goes through the placement program, where we review job market materials, discuss strategy, and offer interview prep. We also offer seminars on how to succeed in non-academic careers, and have placed recent graduates in all levels of government, think tanks, and the private sector.
The Truman School is extremely proud of its recent placement efforts (see below). In addition to placing students in tenure-track professor positions in research-dominated universities, we have an excellent track record in students gaining employment at small state universities and liberal arts colleges. Professors in the latter type of universities can engage in their teaching passions while still having the opportunity to conduct research.
Tenure-track Assistant Professor Placement Institutions:
- Knox College
- Anderson University
- University of Louisiana-Lafayette
- Luther College
- Mount St. Mary's University
- Texas Tech University
- University of Macau
- University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley
- Lincoln University
- Baylor University
- State University of New York—Geneseo
- University of South Carolina
- Arkansas State University
- University of Stavanger (Norway)
- Georgia Southern University
- University of Reading (UK)
- University of South Carolina—Aiken
- University of York (UK)
- State University of New York—Geneseo
- University of South Carolina
Post-Doctoral Fellowships Placement Institutions:
- Stanford University
- University of Kentucky
- Dartmouth College
- Korea University
- University of Georgia
- Ohio State University
- University of Gothenburg
- Arizona State University
- University of Copenhagen
- Columbia University
- Vanderbilt University
At a Glance
Our Program
17 students
in the PhD in Public Affairs public relations
35 students
in the PhD in Political Science
7 students
authored or co-authored 15 publications in 2023-24