Student Resources
Public Policy Program Handbooks
UMass Boston Student Resources including University forms
Career Resources for Students
Writing Resources for Students
Dissertation resources and style guides
General Writing and Writing Policy Papers
Public Policy Program Student Resources
Student Handbook and program forms (PDF)
UMass Boston Student Resources
Academic Calendar
Office of Student Life
Use your student ID to purchase discount tickets for airlines, museums, local cinemas and other cultural events. All work and no play ......
Frequently used web links
- Bookstore (phone: 617-287-5090)
- Email accounts
- Graduate Student Assembly (GSA)
- Graduate Writing Center
- Search A-Z (UMass Boston web sites, people and departments)
- Public Policy Degree Application form: MS degree
- Public Policy Degree Application form: PhD degree
- Incomplete Grade Agreement form (130KB pdf)
- Leave of Absence form (164 KB pdf)
- Transfer Credit form (55 KB pdf)
- Statute of Limitations Extension request form (71 KB pdf)
Career Student Resources
Resume or CV for a PhD candidate in Public Policy 
See sample for all-but-dissertation students
Career Resources
How to create an effective CV and conduct a job search
How to organize/write headings for your CV
Tips to make your CV stand out
Sample CVs, Resumes, Cover Letters and Thank you Letters
Academic Job Search Portfolio: How To Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy
Career Services at UMass Boston
Career Plannning Seminars on interviewing tips, networking, resumes, cover letters and much more
Items available at Career Services Library
Job postings/job banks
- AEA (American Economic Association)
- American Sociological Association (membership required)
- APPAM (Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management)
- APSA (American Political Science Association)
- Chronicle of Higher Education
- Higher Ed Jobs.Com
Writing Resources for Students
American Psychological Association (APA) Style
- Writing Effective Policy Papers by Young and Quinn (2002)
Table of Contents (pdf)
Chapters, appendices and references (113 pp; pdf)
Structural and Textual Elements (p. 51; pdf)
- Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams (Longman Publishers, 2004)
Samples pages: part 1 (pdf, 1.28 MB) part 2 (pdf, 1.62 MB)
For details on how to form a dissertation committee, deadlines and other policies related to your dissertation, please see our Student Handbook.
- The Finish Line: A Collection of Tips on the Dissertation Process (ed. Barbara Graceffa)
- UMass Boston Style Guidelines
- Dissertation pre-submission checklist
- Sample Dissertation Cover and Signature Pages
- Public Policy Checklist: Timelines and Steps in the Dissertation Process, Graduation Paperwork, Fees and Deadlines
We have several books available to borrow on writing winning grant proposals as well as a collection of materials from various sources.
Professional Organizations
Professional Organizations
- AEA (American Economic Association)
- American Sociological Association
- AERA (American Educational Research Association)
- APHA (American Public Health Association)
- APPAM (Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management)
- APSA (American Political Science Association)
- ASPA (American Society for Public Administration)
- ASA (American Statistical Association)
- Law and Society Association
- NASW (National Association of Social Workers)
- NEA (National Education Association)
Learning to Build an Equitable Society
Contact us via e-mail at public.policy@umb.edu for more information on our program, or see our PhD Program contact page for additional ways to contact us.
. .STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
“I am 100% fulfilled. It has exceeded my expectations. It has been a very satisfying experience. In this program, students develop a tool box to do with what they want to do. We can now take our instincts and passions to apply these tools outside the classroom.”
-- Heike Boeltzig, post-residency student
Research Associate
Institute for Community Inclusion
"I found the answers to many of my questions on the web site. It was the most helpful web site I have encountered during the graduate school application process".
--Response to admissions marketing survey, 2008
