PhD in Public Policy and Political Science in Ann Arbor United States | University of Michigan Ann Arbor

The Joint PhD Program in Public Policy is a partnership between the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and multiple University of Michigan departments, including Economics, Political Science, and Sociology. Doctoral candidates fully engage with both their chosen academic discipline and the Ford School, immersing themselves in a cross-disciplinary policy environment. The curriculum includes mandatory coursework covering theoretical foundations, research methodologies, and specialized policy topics. During their first two years, students participate in biweekly seminars designed to expose them to practical policy research early in their studies. These sessions involve analyzing faculty research across all three disciplines, often with the authors present for discussion. By their third year, students develop an independent research project guided by dual faculty advisors - one from the Ford School and another from their home department.