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Graduate Program

Full- and Part-time Study Options Now Available

Our Program educates students in a range of methods and approaches to public policy analysis in a variety of policy areas with an emphasis on social policies. Full-time students will complete two years of core course work followed by full- or part-time study consisting of electives and dissertation research and writing. Part-time students will complete core courses in three years.

Our part-time program is described at the bottom of this page.  Beginning in fall 2010, for the next two years, we will broaden the part-time program on a trial basis to all applicants who are able to attend day-time classes and who wish to enroll as a part-time student.

Most students can complete the entire program, including the dissertation, in five to seven years.

Areas of Social Sciences for Student Research

• children, youth and family
• community development
• disability rights and policy
• dispute resolution
• economic development
• education reform
• environmental policy
• health policy
• homelessness and housing
• human rights
• immigration policies
• labor policy
• law and public policy
• mental health policy
• minority issues
• nonprofit organizations
• poverty reduction
• regional development
• welfare reform
• women's issues.

Available Concentration Areas

We offer concentrations in

• Dispute (Conflict) Resolution
• Special Education and Disability Policy
• Regional Economic Development
• Organizational and Social Development (under development)

Our Program's Distinguishing Features

Interdisciplinary Study:
The program provides a solid grounding in a wide range of political and economic philosophies and theories of public policy and emphasizes a commitment to multicultural perspectives and a focus on state and local policy issues.

Curriculum Design:
Our curriculum offers a solid grounding in a wide range of political and economic philosophies and theories of public policy and emphasizes a commitment to multicultural perspectives and a focus on state and local policy issues.

Small Classes:
UMass Boston’s Public Policy Program is dedicated to the personal and intellectual growth of a small group of students. A maximum of ten to twelve students are enrolled in a new cohort each year.

Financial Aid to all full-time students for three years:
We offer graduate student financial aid with full tuition waivers, health insurance, partial fee waivers, and stipends up to $15,000 per year to all full-time first and second year students with tuition waivers awarded in year three.

Public Policy Research Opportunities

Students and faculty in the program engage in research and policy projects closely connected with several University policy centers and institutes. These nationally and internationally known research centers provide students with opportunities for jobs, internships, and other types of assistance including possible dissertation data. Students also have access to activities, events, and presentations organized by these policy centers.

• Center for Social Policy
• Center for Democracy and Development
• Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management
• Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy
• Center for Survey Research
• Center for Social Development and Education
• Mauricio Gaston Institute for Latino Community Development
• William Monroe Trotter Institute for the Study of Black Culture
• Massachusetts Ocean Partnership
• Center for Rebuilding Sustainable Communities after Disasters

to name a few.

Students can also work on our McCormack Graduate School's Commonwealth Compact, a project organized by three of Boston's civic and business leaders, and supported by several dozen others, which is committed to develop concrete steps to make Greater Boston a desired destination for people of color, immigrants, and women, in the belief that their contributions will be vital to the region's social and economic future.

Degree requirements

• minimum 66 credits of course work
• comprehensive exams
• doctoral dissertation (minimum 10 credits) .

Part-time Program

The Public Policy PhD program has traditionally allowed only employees of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to apply for admission to the PhD program on a part-time basis.  Beginning in fall 2010, for the next two years, we will broaden the part-time program on an trial basis to all applicants are able to attend day-time classes and who wish to enroll as a part-time student.

All core classes are held during the day and require students to have flexible work schedules. Due to the sequence of the curriculum, the first semester requires completion of three courses: one and one-half days on campus. The remainder of part-time study requires the completion of two courses most semesters, typically two half days on campus.

The part-time schedule allows students to complete all core courses in three years. Completion of electives and dissertation research would typically begin in the fourth year. Timeline of course requirements.

Candidates for the part-time program are required to meet the same admissions standards as applicants for the full-time program.

Part-time students are not eligible for assistantship awards but state employees can use their state benefits to provide full tuition waivers; however, they must pay all associated fees. Complete list of fee charges.

Learning to Build an Equitable Society

Contact us via e-mail at public.policy@umb.edu for more information on our doctoral program and PhD courses, or see our PhD Program contact page for additional ways to contact us.

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