Public Affairs and Administration

Discipline Coordinator

Nick Peroff, (816) 235-2341, peroffn@umkc.edu

Public Affairs and Administration is a discipline in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program administered by the School of Graduate Studies.
Note: The discipline-specific requirements listed here are in addition to the requirements listed in Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Application Procedure and Minimum Criteria for Admission and Minimum Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Academic Regulations and Degree Requirements earlier in this section.

Discipline-Specific Admission Requirements

The public affairs and administration (PAA) discipline in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program is designed to prepare students for research careers in universities, public and nonprofit agencies, or for other roles in which research training is needed. Successful applicants must show evidence of a strong interest in and ability to successfully engage in research, and when appropriate, exhibit promise as skillful teachers. Individuals who earn a Ph.D. in PAA may find positions as faculty members in colleges and universities, or research scientists in public, private or nonprofit organizations. Some graduates have become successful consultants and others hold administrative positions.

The PAA doctoral faculty does not regard research based on large numbers of cases and advanced statistical techniques as the only acceptable form of research. The faculty does expect all Ph.D. students to be competent in quantitative research and to complete an empirical study for the dissertation. The PAA faculty prefers to admit as coordinating discipline students those who have already earned a master's degree. Students with a bachelor's degree who are admitted will be expected to complete the M.P.A. as part of their Ph.D. program.

Applicants are expected to submit scores for the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Exmination (GRE). Applicants must also submit official transcripts of coursework from all colleges and universities attended. No specific grade-point averages (GPA) are required. Admission is based on an applicant's overall record of academic achievement and the doctoral faculty's judgment of the applicant's likelihood of successfully completing the Ph.D. We expect that those admitted will have scored well on the GRE and have high GPAs.

Applicants should pay particular attention to the narrative statement that accompanies their application. The PAA doctoral faculty gives substantial weight to this statement. It should provide a clear description of the applicant's intellectual interests, how those interests evolved and should desribe the research direction(s) that the applicant intends to pursue. A good statement also discusses the fit between the applicant's interests and the resources available at UMKC (for example, it might identify faculty with whom the applicant hopes to work). Narrative statements need not be limited to one page. Applicants should provide a writing sample (such as a master's thesis or a paper from a graduate seminar) that illustrates writing skills and a potential for scholarly work. Applicants are also encouraged to seek letters of recommendation from people who can address their potential for engaging in scholarly research.

The PAA doctoral faculty seeks to admit only students whose research interests fit the interests and capabilities of the doctoral faculty. We admit only students for whom a member of the doctoral faculty has agreed to serve as interim adviser, and after the student's plan of study is completed, that faculty member should also be willing to serve as the chair of the student's supervisory committee. This commitment from a member of the PAA doctoral faculty applies to all applicants, whether seeking PAA as the coordinating discipline or co-discipline. Those who desire PAA as the coordinating discipline should have at least one additional PAA doctoral member agree to serve as a member of their supervisory comittee, thus, we strongly recommend that applicants communicate with PAA doctoral faculty about their interests and attempt to secure commitments from faculty to serve as adviser or committee member. Since applicants are reviewed beginning in mid-March, applicants should contact faculty by e-mail, telephone or in person before that time.

Suggested Compatible Co-disciplines

Core Program Requirements

• PA 5510 Research Methods in Public Administration
• PA 5525 Financial Accountability and Policy Development
• PA 5526 The Politics of Administration
• PA 5530 Capstone Seminar in Public Management
• PA 5544 Public Policy Evaluation and Analysis
• PA 5548 Leadership for Public Service
• BMA 5513 Economic Policy and Managerial Control -or-
  BA 5501 Economics for Administration

• PA 5610 Inquiry in Public Administration and Affairs
• PA 5620-A Literature of Public Affairs and Administration (emphasizing public administration and public policy)
• PA 5620-B Literature of Public Affairs and Administration (emphasizing organizational studies)
• PA 5630 Learning in Public Affairs and Administration
• PA 5631 Teaching in Public Affairs and Administration
• PA 5650 Advanced Research in Public Affairs and Administration (an optional independent study course for preparing a dissertation proposal)

For those students with PAA as a co-discipline, the core requirements are:

• PA 5525 Financial Accountability and Policy Development
• PA 5526 Politics of Administration
• PA 5610 Inquiry in Public Affairs and Administration
• PA 5620-A Literature of Public Affairs and Administration (emphasizing public administration and public policy)
• PA 5544 Public Policy Evaluation and Analysis
• PA 5548 Leadership for Public Service
• PA 5620-B Literature of Public Affairs and Administration (emphasizing organizational studies)

Other Discipline-Specific Special Requirements

Each student, before taking the comprehensive examination, must pass three "disciplinary area" exams. The exams are developed, administered and evaluated by committees of PAA doctoral faculty in each area, where the areas are (1) public administration and policy analysis, (2) organizational studies and (3) inquiry, research methods and statistics. Guidelines about preparing for the disciplinary examinations in organizational studies and inquiry, research methods and statistics are available. Ask your adviser for copies.

Dissertation

To successfully complete the Ph.D. program, each student must write a dissertation based on empirical research that constitutes a contribution to knowledge. Students with PAA as their coordinating discipline are expected to write dissertations that include some consideration of public management or public policy issues. The minimum number of hours for a doctoral dissertation with PAA as the coordinating discipline is 12, though some committees may require more. Ask your adviser for details.

Comprehensive Examination Guidelines

The examination for students with PAA as their co-discipline consists of two areas:

1. Public administration and policy analysis
2. Organization studies