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Problem definition
Examine how a public problem is defined and measured. Assess whose needs are represented and what information is needed to understand the problem.
Ph.D. / DPA · Online
Learn to design and evaluate public policy. Build the research skills to compare options and support well-founded public decisions.
For policy professionals and public-service practitioners preparing for greater responsibility in analysis and evaluation.
From policy design to results
Policy analysis begins with understanding the problem and the likely effects of a response. Good analysis also considers whether a policy can be implemented as intended.
NMU’s Public Policy program develops your ability to evaluate those choices. Combine doctoral research training with the study of policy design and implementation.
Examine how a public problem is defined and measured. Assess whose needs are represented and what information is needed to understand the problem.
Compare policy options and the assumptions behind them. Explain how each approach is expected to produce results.
Assess costs and resource requirements alongside expected benefits. Consider whether institutions have the capacity to deliver the proposed policy.
Examine how policy becomes action. Understand how agency responsibilities and local conditions affect delivery.
Evaluate whether a policy achieves its objectives. Examine who benefits and how results differ across the people it affects.
Professional relevance
The U.S. Government Accountability Office evaluates federal programs and policies to inform congressional decisions. For fiscal year 2025, GAO reported:
GAO · Fiscal year 2025 results ↗
These agency results include improvements to federal operations. They illustrate the value of public-sector evaluation and are not NMU graduate outcomes.
Assess policy options and explain their likely effects. Present recommendations with a clear account of the supporting evidence.
Evaluate public and nonprofit programs against their objectives. Use findings to inform decisions about continuation or improvement.
Examine proposed policies and their resource implications. Prepare analysis that helps decision-makers assess trade-offs.
Contribute to policy research or assess the evidence behind funding proposals. Help institutions judge the results of their investments.
These are possible professional applications of the skills developed. Career progression depends on experience and employer requirements.
Advanced research in practice
Both pathways include 15 credits in research methods and an 18-credit dissertation. Learn to assess policy evidence and explain what it can support.
Assess whether observed results can reasonably be attributed to a policy. Distinguish its effects from other influences and state the limits of your conclusions.
Use research to compare likely costs and benefits. Make assumptions explicit so decision-makers can see how uncertainty affects a recommendation.
Combine quantitative and qualitative evidence to understand how delivery affects results. Assess whether findings from one setting apply in another.
GAO describes research and evaluation as tools for assessing program results and improving implementation. Doctoral research training develops your ability to assess the evidence they produce and use it responsibly. GAO · Evidence-based policymaking ↗
Ph.D. pathway
Conduct original research that contributes to knowledge of public policy and the institutions that shape it.
DPA pathway
Apply research to policy analysis and implementation in public-sector or nonprofit settings.
Foundational coursework differs by pathway and develops the scholarly writing and ethical judgment needed for doctoral research.
Complete PAM720 and PAM721, Current Issues in Public Administration Research I and II, for the Ph.D.; or DPA722 and DPA723, Current Issues in Public Administration Practice I and II, for the DPA. These courses total six credits. Select another 12 elective credits with faculty and advisors.
Work with your committee to develop and defend a proposal. Complete the study and present your findings in a written dissertation and final oral defense.
Research involving human participants requires Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval before data collection. Research also requires appropriate data access and protection of confidential information.
From coursework to defense
Coursework is online and asynchronous, with four instructional weeks in each monthly term. Students normally take one course per term.
An advisor helps you plan your studies from admission. Writing support and faculty office hours are available throughout your coursework.
After coursework, complete the candidacy examination and defend a proposal developed with your committee.
Obtain required ethics approval, carry out your research, and defend the completed dissertation before your committee.
Tuition
Per three-credit course for eligible geographic pricing zones. Additional fees apply.
Spread the cost of your doctorate across your studies. Pay for each course as you enroll, making tuition easier to manage.
The catalog lists a $20 application fee, $50 registration fee, and $200 graduation fee. Ask admissions for an itemized breakdown before enrolling.
Eligible first-time students receive a 50% tuition reduction on their first course, subject to catalog terms.
Rates are in USD. Source: NMU 2026–2027 catalog.
Your starting point
NMU reviews your academic preparation and readiness for doctoral study. Discuss how your experience and policy interests fit the program and which pathway supports your goals.
Before you decide
Public Policy emphasizes the analysis and evaluation of policy choices. Public Administration places greater emphasis on managing public organizations and services. The fields overlap, and both programs offer Ph.D. and DPA pathways in the School of Public Administration.
Doctoral study adds advanced research methods and a dissertation to your graduate preparation. Learn to assess policy evidence and conduct research that contributes to policy scholarship or informs practice.
The Ph.D. emphasizes original research that contributes to public administration and policy scholarship. The DPA emphasizes applied research in public-sector and nonprofit practice. Discuss your goals with admissions to choose the appropriate pathway.
The catalog allows up to six transfer credits, limited to approved electives. Courses are evaluated individually for equivalence. A prior master’s degree does not automatically shorten the program.
Asynchronous coursework lets you plan study around work, within published deadlines. Proposal and final oral defenses require scheduled participation. Completion depends on your progress through coursework and dissertation milestones; the catalog allows up to seven years from first enrollment.
The university catalog explains NMU’s status. NMU does not hold accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or CHEA. Check with an employer or receiving institution about acceptance for your intended use.
Public Policy · Ph.D. / DPA
Speak with admissions about your qualifications and whether the program fits your goals.
Fill out the form to get personalized guidance and explore how New Meridian University can support your doctoral goals.