Policy Studies, Ph.D.

Two fundamental characteristics will underlie all of the aspects of the program:

1. A multidisciplinary approach for studying public issues, the policy making process, problem-solving, and public policy analysis.
2. The synthesis of core competencies in a policy domain leading to rigorous original research.

The core courses for the program are designed to expose and assist students with developing fundamental and rigorous quantitative and qualitative analytical skills necessary for effective policy analysis. he core curriculum consists of an interdisciplinary approach to developing competencies in the study of the public policy process and public policy analysis. The core includes coursework in methods (both quantitative and qualitative), the policy process, and policy theory. In addition to the core curriculum, students also acquire expertise in a policy domain, through a concentration.  The concentrations are currently undergoing revisions, however they include: health policy; environmental and natural resources; regional community development & entrepreneurship; law & justice; homeland defense & security; communications law & policy; and, the policy process.

Policy Studies Ph.D. students are immersed in a course of study which focuses on the policy making process and state-of-the-art policy analysis methods and techniques, equipping them with the capacity to conduct high level policy research that provides useful information to decision makers and advances the body of knowledge about important policy concerns.  Ph.D. graduates are expected to assume research positions in public policy “think tanks” and other policy research organizations; serve as officials in governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations involved in public policy; or, academia.  Program alumni have done all of the above. Clemson’s Ph.D. in policy studies will provide students with a set of research, analytical, and management skills that are transferable across public, private, and nonprofit sectors as well as academic and non-academic settings.

In the Spring of 1999, Clemson University was granted approval by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education to offer Ph.D. and certificate programs in Policy Studies. The programs are interdisciplinary, building on strengths of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS). In 2016, the program was moved from the Graduate School to CBSHS, and in 2017 to the Department of Political Science. Faculty associated with the program come from departments in CBSHS, as well as other departments across Clemson University.

Program Focus: As a land grant institution, Clemson faculty and students frequently participate in policy analysis and formulation working extensively within the state of South Carolina but also at the national and international level. The policy programs formalize within an academic program what has been an informal agglomeration of policy related work in the past. The program is currently developing a new set of concentrations, including:

• Natural Resource and Environmental Policy;
• Health Policy;
• Regional Community Development Policy & Entrepreneurship;
• Law and Justice Policy;
• Communications Law and Policy;
• Homeland Defense and Security Policy; and,
• The Policy Process.

Core Curriculum: The core curriculum is interdisciplinary drawing heavily from the policy sciences including economics, political science/public administration, quantitative methods, and social sciences. Concentration courses come largely from linkage disciplines related to each of the concentrations. Policy application is made through seminars, practicums, workshops, as well as in-house research activities.

Profile of Prospective Student: Students generally come from one of two backgrounds. For some concentration areas, a strong science base is essential. For other concentrations, a strong social science background is essential.

Relationship to Other Academic Programs on Campus: There is overlap with a number of other disciplines on campus including economics; agricultural and applied economics; political science/public administration; city and regional planning; parks, recreation, and tourism management; public health sciences; sociology, anthropology and criminal justice; and, communications. The program makes use of faculty and courses taught in these and other programs.

Prospects for Graduates: Graduates are expected to be employed in state and national government entities, ‘think tanks’, consulting firms, international lending institutions, and academia. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the program, students are well grounded in both their concentration area and policy sciences, and capable of bridging the gap between policy theory and the policy-making realm. Analysts with this background are particularly valuable in an increasingly complex policy arena.