PhD in Philanthropic Studies in Indianapolis United States | Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

Our PhD program prepares aspiring scholars and practitioners to perform groundbreaking research in philanthropy and allied fields. We integrate perspectives from both humanities and social sciences to equip you for making meaningful scholarly contributions.

Doctoral candidates in our program have explored diverse subjects such as philanthropic traditions through history, motivations behind charitable giving, nonprofit organizations' policy influence, foundation and faith-based program efficacy, and social movements' societal impact.

The program structure includes two years of on-campus classes, comprehensive examinations, dissertation proposal defense, followed by original research culminating in a final dissertation defense. Students typically complete coursework, exams, and proposal defense within three years of full-time study.

Each doctoral candidate must provide yearly progress reports to both the graduate program director and their research committee chair.