Current Students

1.1. About this Handbook
1.2. About this Program
1.3. Mission, Vision, and Value of the PhD Program
1.3.1. Mission Statement
1.3.2. Vision and Values

2.1. Procedural Advisor
2.2. Supervisory Committee
2.3. Annual Reviews
2.4. Program Development Form (PDF)

3.1. Boise State Graduate Catalog
3.2. Credit Transfer
3.3. Course Planning
3.3.1. Couse rotation
3.3.2. Duration of Study
3.3.3. Directed Research
3.3.4. Grade Requirements
3.3.5. Retaking PUBADM Credits/Classes

4.1. Boise State Graduate Catalog
4.2. Comprehensive Examination Structure
4.2.1. Exam Questions
4.2.2. Grading
4.2.3. Graduate College Policy
4.3.1. Exam Assessment Protocol
4.3.2. Comprehensive Exam Assessment Rubric

5.1. Boise State Graduate Catalog
5.2. Dissertation Proposal Process and Structure
5.2.1. Dissertation Proposal Process
5.2.2. Dissertation Proposal Grade Structure
5.2.3. Dissertation Proposal Competency Review

6.1. Boise State Graduate Catalog
6.2. Dissertation Grading
6.2.1. Dissertation Defense and Final Oral Examination
6.2.2. Failure of the Final Oral Examination
6.3. Final Dissertation Approvals and Procedures
6.4. Policy on Dissertation Models
6.4.1. PPA PhD Student Profile
6.4.2. Traditional Format
6.4.3. Three-Essay Format
6.5. Sample Schedule for Writing and Receiving Feedback on the Dissertation
6.6. Dissertation Defense Checklist

This Handbook has been prepared as a reference guide for students in the PhD Program in Public Policy and Administration in Boise State’s School of Public Service. It outlines degree procedures, timelines, and requirements for students admitted to the PhD Program. These contents may be changed at the PhD Program Director’s discretion and superseded by other official Boise State University publications, Graduate College policies and handbooks.

This Handbook will answer frequently asked questions for students during the various stages of the Program from application through graduation and provides basic guidelines for you to use to track your progress through the Program. We encourage you to read this Handbook carefully and refer to it as you plan and make choices. Students should frequently meet with their advisors early in the Program for planning purposes, and then with their Supervisory Chair once they begin preparing for comprehensive exams and the dissertation proposal.

The policies and proposals in this Handbook frequently refer to these important resources:

• Boise State University Graduate Catalog and Graduate College website
• PhD Program Website

Graduate College Forms and PhD Program Forms are frequently updated, so students should always refer to these online resources for the most up-to-date information. Additional resources and procedures, such as student services and policies on plagiarism, can also be found online.

The PhD Program in Public Policy and Administration (PPA) is housed within the School of Public Service at Boise State University. The Program is designed to prepare students for senior level positions in public, non-profit, civic, and international organizations or positions in academic or research settings. The degree provides a sound foundation in current administrative practice in public administration and in the practice of public policy and management.

Students move through the Program in stages: application, coursework, comprehensive examination, dissertation proposal, dissertation writing, and dissertation defense. Faculty in the School of Public Service work closely with students, first as professors in seminars and coursework, then as procedural and supervisory committee members who mentor students through the exam and dissertation processes.

The study and practice of public policy and administration are inherently interdisciplinary, and students will have the opportunity to work with faculty from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds in the School of Public Service and beyond. Students explore various policy areas (e.g., environment, energy, housing, education, policing, and social welfare) using various methodological approaches (e.g., quantitative or qualitative, mixed methods) within adjacent fields of social science, such as public policy and administration, political science, criminal justice, economics, and psychology. For information on SPS faculty, please visit our website.

At the same time, the curriculum is organized to ensure that students receive a strong foundation in public management and policy analysis that will prepare them for careers in research and practice within public policy and administration. The culminating activity, the dissertation or the three-essay project, must be centered around this foundation.

1.3.1 Mission Statement

Along with the Mission, Vision and Values of the School of Public Service, the PhD Program’s mission is to encourage a life-long passion for learning by fostering academic excellence, an inclusive and welcoming environment, and creating ethics and values for public service. We aim to add value for students to become capable and responsible citizens of academia and practice. The PhD Program is devoted to promoting public service through the study of the theory and practice of public policy and administration. Students will conduct research on and study contemporary issues that are vital to our society. Students will develop comprehensive knowledge and competencies as well as leadership and management skills through scholarly activity, experiential learning, and applied research of government, governance, policy, and politics in the private, non-profit, and public sectors.

We will fulfill this mission statement by:

• Providing a positive learning environment for students
• Preparing students for professional and academic careers in public policy and administration.
• Providing well-prepared instruction with quality feedback whenever possible.
• Mentoring students on their professional progress and career opportunities and beyond.
• Providing and encouraging an interdisciplinary approach to create knowledge and understanding.

1.3.2. Vision and Values

As one of the few PhD Programs in the Western states, our vision is to educate and empower future leaders, foster a positive and constructive dialogue about pressing issues and problems in our community, and engage citizens and experts across sectors and areas. The Program is interdisciplinary and draws upon faculty from across the School of Public Service.

• Empower students to become innovative and responsive public service leaders within local, state, national, and global communities.
• Achieve national and international recognition for relevant theoretical and applied research.
• Promote and facilitate informed discourse and civic engagement across diverse groups.
• Serve as a recognized and trusted resource for policymakers searching for effective solutions to pressing public concerns.

The characteristics of how we do our work in the School of Public Service include:

• INTEGRITY Integrity is key to the work we do. We uphold the values of honesty and sincerity in our work, within and beyond the university.
• TRANSPARENCY Transparency and open communication foster a healthy organization that breeds risk-taking, creativity, innovation, and job satisfaction. It is with transparency that we communicate in the School.
• RESPECT & CIVILITY Collegiality, caring, tolerance, civility and respect of faculty, staff, students and our external partners are ways of embracing diverse backgrounds, traditions, ideas and experiences.
• COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Community engagement with our external environment is central to our mission of serving the State of Idaho, region, nation and global communities.
• COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS Collaboration and partnerships are keys to our success as we work together in scholarship and to enhance the education of students, allowing them to apply their knowledge and skills to the critical challenges facing the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
• CREATIVITY & INNOVATION Creativity and innovation are the hallmarks of the mission of the School, as we work to produce solutions to pressing and complex problems.

Upon admission to the Program, the program graduate coordinator will assign a temporary academic advisor to each student in order to advise on initial coursework. After taking coursework for a year or so, this procedural advisor and/or the Program Director will work with the doctoral student to identify a Supervisory Committee Chair with expertise in the student’s area of emphasis. From that time on, the Chair of the Supervisory Committee serves as the student’s principal advisor and will guide the student through the remaining coursework, the comprehensive exams, and the dissertation.

The major advisor (Supervisory Chair) is the primary mentor for the student and must be a member of the graduate faculty of Boise State with an endorsement to chair a supervisory committee from the Graduate College. The Supervisory Chair and students will fill out an Annual Self-Evaluation Form detailing their progress in the Program while also updating their Program Development Form (PDF) if need be. This process is outlined below.

The supervisory committee for students in the PhD program in PPA is composed of members of the Graduate Faculty who are appointed by the Graduate College and charged with the guidance of a student admitted to a specific graduate degree program. The committee consists of a major advisor who serves as Supervisory Chair plus at least two (2) but no more than four (4) additional members who are chosen to provide a broad range of knowledge and expertise to the student.

When assembling a supervisory committee, students should choose faculty members who will best be able to guide them successfully through the comprehensive exam, dissertation proposal, dissertation writing, and dissertation defense processes in Public Policy and Administration. Students are encouraged to consult with their procedural advisor and/or PhD Director. Following Graduate College policy, a majority of the committee members must hold appointments in the academic unit(s) responsible for the Program, which for PPA is the School of Public Service. Furthermore, each supervisory committee must feature at least one faculty member with expertise in Public Policy and Administration (i.e., either teaches or has taught in the MPA or PPA curriculum, or has disciplinary expertise or training in this area).

All committees and Chairships will need to be approved by the Program Director and the Graduate College through the Supervisory Committee Form, as required by the Graduate College.

It is important to note that it is possible that students may want to change their Supervisory chair as their research interests evolve. Students are encouraged to talk to the Program Director about these changes to help guide that process.

At the beginning of the Spring semester, students need to update their Program Development Form, and they must complete a self-evaluation as part of their Annual Evaluation. Annual Evaluation is an important process to assess student’s performance, identify areas of improvement, and set goals for progress in the future. Students should detail their progress and reflection in the self-evaluation. The advisor should take the Annual Evaluation as an advising opportunity and share any concerns with the Director. 

Both of these are due to their advisor (your dissertation chair, if you have one, and your procedural advisor otherwise) by February 1. 

The advisor will complete their evaluation of the student, and have a meeting to discuss the evaluation (unless the student chooses to waive the meeting after reading their comments and if the advisor indicates you are making good progress). Please note that if the student is evaluated as “Needs Improvement” or “Further Action Required” in any category, the student is required to meet with their advisor, and the Program Director is available to join that meeting at the request of the student or the advisor. 

This process should be completed by March 1, at which time the Program Development Form (PDF) should also be completed. The student should email these forms, cc’ing their advisor, to the Program Director and the program graduate coordinator to be placed in the student’s file.

After being admitted, students should schedule a time to meet with their procedural advisor to  fill out the Program Development Form. The PDF aids students, and their advisors in tracking and monitoring steps to be taken to make successful progress in the PhD Program, mapping out which courses the student will take when, given the student’s interests and the Program’s course offerings. Understanding which courses are required, course progressions (including co-requisites and prerequisites), and other program requirements can ensure students complete their coursework in a timely manner.

This document should be regularly updated and documented for the basis of advising and mentoring. Students submit the PDF directly to their advisor, the Program Director, and the program graduate coordinator. The PDF will then be reviewed and approved by the Program Director. Students who are formally scheduled with Graduate College to defend their dissertations are not required to submit the PDF in the same Spring semester.

According to the Boise State Graduate Catalog:

“The Program of study leading to a Ph.D. degree must satisfy the following minimum credit requirements: 66 total, at least half of which need to be earned in courses exclusive of dissertation. All credit applied to meet the credit requirements must be graduate academic credit except that a limited number of credits earned in undergraduate courses outside the major field of study are allowed (see Restrictions on Certain Courses). In all cases, at least two thirds of the total credit requirement must be earned at Boise State University after admission to the Program. All credit must be approved for application by the supervisory committee.”

Students who have not yet been admitted to the Program may take up to 9 credits of coursework with instructor’s permission, excluding 600-level seminar courses. Pending approval by the student’s advisor and the Program Director, these credits may be used toward the student’s total required credit hours for the PhD program and are considered part of transfer credits. These classes may be any combination of PUBADM 501, 503, or 500-level elective credits when space is available on the roster and with instructor permission.

“A Ph.D. student must be proficient in English and may be required to demonstrate a prescribed level of ability in one or more other languages. If language ability beyond proficiency in English is required, the means of verification are defined by the academic unit responsible for the Program… All Ph.D. programs must be consistent with the following restrictions. An academic unit responsible for a particular Ph.D. program may impose more stringent restrictions for that Program.”

In general, any course applied to a previously earned degree or certificate of any type at any institution cannot be applied to meet the credit requirements of a PhD degree. The only exception is a course applied to a master’s degree previously earned at a regionally accredited U.S. institution or non-U.S. institution approved by the Graduate College and the Registrar. Credit transfer is subject to the restrictions and guidelines established by the Graduate College and University Registrar.

The PPA PhD program allows up to 12 credits to be transferred according to the following guidelines:

• To request credit transfer, students should submit their transcript and the syllabi of the specific courses to be transferred to their advisor and Program Director.
• Courses being transferred should have been taken no more than ten years ago.
• Transfer credit must be graduate academic credit representing a grade of B or better, awarded by a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or by a non-U.S. institution of higher education that is approved for transfer purposes by the International Admissions Office. Continuing education units (CEU), non-academic credits, and undergraduate credits are ineligible as transfer credits.
• Culminating activity courses, courses where the grade is based only on attendance, and courses representing experiential learning, regardless of the level (undergraduate or graduate), are ineligible as transfer credit.
• Application for transfer credit must be approved by the graduate program, including the student’s Procedural Advisor or Supervisory Committee and PhD Program Director.
• Courses being transferred should be closely tied to our Program Learning Objectives.
• Courses taken to expand interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary educational experiences may be considered case by case, which should be approved by the academic unit and the Graduate College by an academic adjustment.
• Courses taken by the same instructors should be less likely to be transferred unless they are substantively and substantially different (courses on the same subject at different levels are not eligible).
• Undergraduate courses are not eligible for credit transfer.

3.3.1. Course Rotation

A course rotation form will be available on the program website whenever possible. The form will inform students about a list of courses, along with when courses can reasonably be expected to be offered. Students should understand that this is only tentative. Sometimes, events such as faculty sabbaticals or curricular changes may affect the predicted course rotation. Therefore, PDFs should be treated more as a map for navigating the curriculum than as a contract.

Students and advisors are also encouraged to consider graduate course offerings provided by the School of Public Service and the University in general, provided they satisfy the student’s interests and course of study. Students are allowed to take a maximum of 12 credits of electives outside the PPA program (as long as the rest of their credits come from the Program), and credits must be related to a student’s field of study. The PhD Program requires that classes taken outside the Program must be taken for a grade, and students must earn an A or B to have these credits count toward their PhD. See the University Registrar’s official grading system.

For all Boise State classes taken outside the School of Public Service, students must complete a petition. An Academic Adjustment Form is not necessary unless the Boise State credits are being used to substitute for an existing program requirement or to supplant a previously filed Candidacy Application. Students must have prior approval from their advisor and the program director to take such courses.

The Program provides quite a bit of flexibility to students when it comes to the selection of elective courses in PPA that a student may take. The Program is more prescriptive, however, when it comes to the core curriculum and the methods sequence. Students, with their cohort, should plan to enroll in PUBADM601 during their first semester of admittance to the Program. With the exception of PUBADM 609, students must finish all core courses and the method sequence the semester before they take their comprehensive exams. Students can enroll in PUBADM 609 along with the Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation Proposal at the same time. More information about the methods sequence can be found on the Program’s website and the Program Development Form.

According to the Graduate College Catalog: “The minimum duration of study for the Ph.D. degree is three academic years beyond the baccalaureate degree. All requirements for a Ph.D. degree (including courses completed at another college or university) must be started and completed within a single continuous interval of no more than ten years. “

However, Boise State does not have a continuous enrollment policy, so students can stop out for a semester (for up to five total semesters), and they are still considered in good standing and can come back and enroll in a subsequent semester without penalty. It is important to pay attention to the time clock if you do pursue this option.

Students may complete up to 6 credits of Directed Research (PUBADM 696) as elective credits. In case a course concerning a specific topic is not offered, students may choose to work with a single professor (a member of the graduate faculty) to complete a research paper of publishable quality that includes original research. Directed Research requires a clear statement of a hypothesis or proposition, a review of the relevant literature, analysis, and synthesis of data or scholarly evidence, and inference of conclusions. Completion of an Application for Directed Research is required prior to the deadline specified in the University’s semester schedule. The application must include methods and outcomes (e.g., paper to be presented at conference; article to be submitted to journal). Signatures from the Professor, Advisor, and Program Director must be completed in the order provided on the form.

Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA every semester. If a student fails to meet the semester GPA requirement and the failure is the second occurrence since admission to the Program, the student will be administratively withdrawn from the Program by the Graduate College. If the student fails to achieve a program GPA of 3.0 or better, the student is ineligible for a degree. Students cannot list a course on the Application for Admission to Candidacy if it is graded lower than a C. Transfer courses can only be listed if they are a B or higher. If the student does not meet consecutive semester or overall 3.0 GPA requirements, the student may appeal for reinstatement through PPA and then through the Graduate Dean.

The graduate college policy limits students to retaking only certain credits and only with written approval from the Program, and limits the student to retaking a class only once. PPA does not generally authorize retaking a class. In general, students may not retake PUBADM courses regardless of whether the course was taken for graduate credits or taken as credits to be applied to an undergraduate program. If extraordinary circumstances exist, admitted PhD students may provide a written appeal of this policy to the Program Director within 30 calendar days of when grades were made available to students through myboisestate.edu. Students who register for a class without approval will be administratively withdrawn.

What’s the maximum number of dissertation credits you can take each semester?

12 credits

Can you take more than 18 dissertation credits that are outlined in the program development form?

Yes

Can I take dissertation credits in the same semester as other culminating activities (e.g. dissertation proposal, comprehensive exam)?

Yes, but students should make sure that they are in good standing to complete the milestones before their dissertation work and should do this in consultation with their Supervisory Chair and the Program Director.

Can I take advanced methods or theoretical courses before taking the basic or introductory methods and theoretical courses?

No. There are prerequisites for these courses so we can scaffold your learning to meet our program learning outcomes.

According to the Boise State Graduate Catalog, “A Ph.D. student must pass a comprehensive examination that assesses 1) depth and breadth of knowledge in the major field of study and in one or more related disciplines and 2) readiness to undertake dissertation research.”

The catalog continues, “Considerable autonomy is granted to the academic unit in the design, administration, and evaluation of the doctoral comprehensive examination for a Ph.D. student. However, the student must be in regular status and registered for at least one credit of 691 Doctoral Comprehensive Examination during the semester or term of the first attempt at the comprehensive examination, and the examination must be administered in time to process and submit the grade when grade reports are due in the Office of the Registrar. If the student passes the comprehensive examination, a grade of pass (P) is submitted for the PUBADM 691 credit(s). If the student fails the comprehensive examination, then the academic unit responsible for the Program follows the procedure described in Failure of the Comprehensive Examination (below).”

Doctoral students are eligible to sit for their comprehensive examination after having completed their coursework, but must complete the exam prior to completing 48 credits exclusive of PUBADM 693.

Beyond superior effort in coursework, students seeking the distinction of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Administration must successfully complete three tiers of assessment: a PhD comprehensive examination, an oral presentation of the student’s dissertation proposal, and the public presentation and defense of the dissertation.  The comprehensive exam for this degree marks the culminating event for the first stage of the PhD in Public Policy and Administration.

Faculty members in the PPA program have developed reading lists and core concept lists in Public Administration and Public Policy. These reading lists and core concept lists are available on the program website. Supervisory Chairs will ensure that students know about these resources so they can prepare for the comprehensive exam. Students are not to share the questions from their comprehensive exams with their fellow students so that the process remains fair for all students.

The comprehensive exam includes responses to three questions followed by an oral examination if the written responses are deemed satisfactory to move to the next stage. The examination will take place during the first week of classes in August for fall semesters and the first week of classes in January for spring semesters. Students are given one full week (seven days, from Monday, 8 a.m. to the following Monday, 8 a.m.) to complete the exams. Late submissions will not be accepted. In case of extenuating circumstances preventing the completion of the exam, students should promptly inform the Director.

Students may use any resources at their disposal to write the exam, but all submitted written and intellectual work must be completed by the student and only the student.  Plagiarism, relying on or paying others to do the work on the exam, or otherwise copying responses or material will result in a failed comprehensive exam, with no possibility of retake.

Responses to each of the three written exam questions (see below) are limited to 3,000 words each (for a total of 9,000 words, excluding bibliographic references).  All outside resources should be properly cited according to APA style.  Exams should be typed and double-spaced and submitted as Word documents to the Program Director (copied Program Coordinator) no later than 8 a.m. on the Monday at the end of the exam period. Students will also have access to the assessment Rubric and Reading List in advance of the exam so they can understand how they will be evaluated. The Reading Lists include foundational materials for guidance purposes, so they will not be updated every so often. Students are expected to catch up on the recent advancement of the scholarship by combining their course syllabi and their own research to successfully answer questions.

Students taking the comprehensive exam in a given semester will receive four questions (two Public Administration questions and two Public Policy questions) and will be expected to submit answers to three of those questions. If a student is emphasizing public administration, then that student will answer both Public Administration questions and will respond to one of the Public Policy questions (student choice). If a student is emphasizing public policy, then that student will answer both public policy questions and will answer one of the Public Administration questions (student choice).

The Comprehensive Exam Grading Committee, comprised of two members of the PPA faculty, will receive anonymized exam essays on the same Monday ending the exam period and complete grading within two weeks. The grading period can be extended or shortened depending on the number of students taking the exam. It remains a double-blind process until the written grading is completed, meaning that students do not know who serves on the Committee, and Committee members do not know who wrote the essay being graded.

Written exam assessment: The Grading Committee should indicate to the Program Director whether they would mark the exams as “pass with distinction,” “pass,” “low pass,” or “fail,” along with detailed feedback on each question. If the student receives a “pass with distinction” on all three questions, they do not need to take the oral examination. If all or part of the exam receives a “fail,” then the student fails the comprehensive exam. If they receive a “pass” on a question, then the oral defense of that question is optional per the judgment of the assessment committee. If they receive a “low pass,” an oral examination of that question is required. If there is disagreement about the assessments, the Program Director will appoint a third member to the Assessment Committee to determine the outcome of the written exam.

Oral examination. For those students receiving a “pass” or “low pass” on any of the questions, they need to take an oral examination based on the assessment feedback. Please note that the oral examination for students receiving a “pass” on the written question is at the discretion of the Grading Committee. Oral examinations will be scheduled soon after the initial written examinations have been graded and will last approximately 90 minutes. They will be closed to anyone except the Grading Committee and the student unless the Assessment Committee has requested the Program Director attend. Students are expected to effectively address all questions from the Grading Committee based on the feedback on each question.

When the oral exam is complete, the Grading Committee will compile exam results and communicate them to the Program Director in writing, indicating whether each of the three responses receives a “pass” or “fail.”  The Program Director will then communicate the results to the student. If a student clearly and distinctly passes all questions with satisfactory performance during the oral examination, then the Program will submit a grade of pass (P) for the PUBADM 691 credits, and the student is authorized to begin the dissertation phase of the Program. If a student fails part or all of the exam questions in conjunction with the oral examination, then the Program must follow the policy and procedures outlined in the Graduate Catalog at Boise State University, described below.

If the Grading Committee determines that the student fails the exam in its entirety, this failure of the comprehensive examination is documented by the submission of a Report of Failure of a Comprehensive Examination form to the Graduate College and by submitting the appropriate grade for the 691 Doctoral Comprehensive Examination. A comprehensive examination that failed on the first attempt can be repeated ONCE with entirely new questions, but only if a second attempt is requested and approved by the Program. Any request for a second attempt must be in writing to the graduate program coordinator and must be made within five (5) working days after the doctoral student has been notified of the failure. If a second attempt is not requested, or if a request is made but not approved by the Program, then a grade of fail (F) is assigned to the 691 credit(s), and the doctoral student is dismissed from the Program and Boise State by the Graduate College.

If the request is approved by the Program, then the second attempt must occur within twelve (12) months after the first attempt, and an incomplete grade (I) is assigned to the 691 credit(s) until the result of the second attempt is known. If a second attempt is not made within twelve (12) months after the first attempt, or if the second attempt failed, then a grade of fail (F) is assigned to the 691 credit(s), and the doctoral student is dismissed from the Program and Boise State University by the Graduate College. Any extension to the twelve-month limit on the second attempt must be appealed using a Graduate Appeal Form, and must be approved by the graduate program coordinator (the Program Director in the PPA case)  and by the Dean of the Graduate College.

PhD in Public Policy and Administration Comprehensive Exam Assessment

View the Comprehensive Exam Assessment rubric document

According to Boise State’s Graduate Catalog, “A Ph.D. student must prepare a dissertation written in clear and effective English that embodies the results of his or her original scholarly research.  A dissertation proposal must be approved in advance of the dissertation research by the supervisory committee. The dissertation proposal presents the background, objectives, scope, methods, and the timelines of the dissertation research. Substantive work done by the student prior to the appointment of the supervisory committee or work represented by credit other than 693 Dissertation (such as 596 Independent Study and 696 Directed Research) is not acceptable for the dissertation under any conditions.”

Regarding the registration for Dissertation credit, the catalog continues,

“A Ph.D. student must register for at least one credit of 693 Dissertation in any semester or session in which the student is engaged in dissertation activity, including the semester or session of the final oral examination, regardless of the number of 693 Dissertation credits already accumulated by the student.

The dissertation entails original research conducted by the student at the doctoral level in a manner that meets rigorous peer-reviewed standards. The dissertation proposal should be prepared and presented within a year of the student’s successful comprehensive examination, but before substantive advanced coursework or research in the student’s dissertation area commences. After the student submits a formal dissertation proposal to the Supervisory Committee, then upon review and approval of that proposal, the Supervisory Committee authorizes the student to schedule a formal oral presentation.”

For the role and expectations of the Dissertation Chair, please refer to Dissertation Chair Orientation.

Written proposal

Students should work closely with their Supervisory Chair in order to determine an appropriate timeline for submitting the 30-50 page written proposal to their committee and receiving feedback before the oral defense.  Generally speaking, if a student’s written proposal contains serious problems or deficits, these should be addressed before the oral defense is scheduled.

Scheduling the oral defense

Once the committee has provided feedback and agreed that the student is ready to schedule the oral defense, the student should work with the Supervisory Chair and the Program Director to schedule the defense.  The defense is not open to the public, although other SPS faculty members may be invited to attend, provided all committee members and the student approve and have a good justification for the invitation.

Oral proposal defense structure

Students should prepare an approximately 30-minute oral presentation for the committee, followed by an approximately 30-minute question-and-answer and/or discussion period.  The student will then be asked to leave the room so the committee can deliberate.  Once the committee has made a decision (pass, pass with conditions, fail) the student should be invited back in and informed of the decision.  Any conditions, plan for progress, and timeline should be communicated then. The Supervisory Chair is responsible for communicating the outcome of the defense to the Program Director, and providing a copy of the Dissertation Proposal Competency Review form (below) to the student, committee members, Program Assistant, and Program Director for inclusion in the student’s file.

Pass

If all committee members agree that the student has passed without conditions, the student is approved to begin work on the dissertation writing process, in consultation with the Supervisory Chair and committee.

Pass with conditions

If the committee agrees that the student passes but must meet certain conditions to proceed, those conditions should be clearly articulated on the Dissertation Proposal rubric, along with a plan of action, including a timeline, for how the conditions will be addressed.  The Supervisory Chair is responsible for communicating expectations and updates with the rest of the committee, the student, and the Program Director.

Fail

If the committee believes the student has failed the Dissertation Proposal, the student, Supervisory Chair, and Program Director should schedule an in-person meeting to map out a course of action. This should include creating a process for providing appropriate and constructive feedback to the student and a timeline for rescheduling the proposal defense, if appropriate.

Dissertation Proposal Competency Review

All committee members may fill out this form, but the Supervisory Chair is responsible for synthesizing feedback onto one form for submission. Copies of the master form will be given to the student, committee members, Program Coordinator, and Program Director following the defense.

If Pass or Pass with Conditions, the student is ready to submit the Application for Admission to Candidacy (AAC).

According to Boise State’s Graduate Catalog, “The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is the most advanced research degree awarded by the University. It requires a demonstration of expertise in a major field of study, a working understanding of one or more related disciplines, independent research leading to a significant and original contribution to knowledge, and (in some cases) proficiency in one or more foreign languages. Recipients of the Ph.D. degree generally engage in careers of active scholarship in a wide variety of employment settings.”

“Original research carried out by a student at the doctoral level is documented by a dissertation. A dissertation is characterized by a clearly stated proposition or hypothesis that is investigated using analysis and synthesis of data or other scholarly evidence. The dissertation must demonstrate mastery of the relevant literature and the ability of the student to independently and successfully address a substantial intellectual problem with concepts and methods that are accepted in the major field of study.”

Registration for Dissertation Credit, the catalog continues, “A Ph.D. student must register for at least one credit of 693 Dissertation in any semester or session in which the student is engaged in dissertation activity, including the semester or session of the final oral examination, regardless of the number of 693 Dissertation credits already accumulated by the student.

The student cannot undertake the final oral examination unless enough 693 Dissertation credits have been accumulated to meet the degree requirement for such credit. The student is not required to register for 693 Dissertation credit in the semester or session subsequent to the semester or session in which the Graduate College receives the format review copy of the dissertation and the Final Reading Approval pages signed by the chair of the supervisory committee (or designee). The student must submit the format review copy and the signed Final Reading Approval pages to the Graduate College no later than the last day of the final exam week of the semester or session. Failure to meet this deadline will require the student to register for at least one credit of 693 Dissertation in the subsequent semester or session.”

“All 693 Dissertation credits are graded in-progress (IP) until a final grade of either pass (P) or fail (F) is assigned by the academic unit responsible for the Program. A grade of pass (P) is assigned to all 693 credits if the final oral examination is passed, and a grade of fail (F) is assigned to all 693 credits if the student fails the final oral examination.”

According to the Boise State Graduate Catalog, “A Ph.D. student must pass a final oral examination that rigorously and deeply probes the ability of the candidate to describe and defend all aspects of the dissertation research in both a public setting and in a private conference with experts.”

“The final oral examination for a Ph.D. student (also called a defense) must consist of three sequential parts in which the student presents and defends the dissertation research: 1) a public presentation, 2) a public question and answer session, and 3) a private question and answer session with a committee of experts known as the defense committee. The final oral examination should occur no later than the date specified in the academic calendar; this date is set to allow time for final revision and processing of the dissertation so that a student who passes the final oral examination has a reasonable chance for graduation in the same semester or session.

Announcement of the public presentation to the university community is required and should precede the presentation by at least two weeks. The defense committee must include the entire supervisory committee plus a nonvoting graduate faculty representative (GFR) appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College. The GFR must be a member of the Graduate Faculty and a member of an academic unit not represented on the supervisory committee. The GFR conducts all three parts of the final oral examination according to procedures established by the Graduate College.”

While GFR representation is mandated by the Graduate College, having a “external examiner” present is left up to individual program discretion.  Students in PPA are not required to have an external examiner attend or be involved in the dissertation defense.

The catalog continues, “The result of a final oral examination for a Ph.D. student can only be reported as pass or fail. The determination of pass or fail is by a vote of the voting members of the defense committee with a simple majority determining the outcome unless the academic unit responsible for the Program requires a unanimous vote for pass. If a tie vote occurs, then the student is considered to have failed the final oral examination. A result of pass is immediately documented by the signatures of the voting members of the defense committee on the Defense Committee Approval form that is to be bound with the paper copies of the thesis. A result of fail is immediately documented on a Report of Failure of a Final Oral Examination form that is submitted to the Graduate College by the GFR. See Failure of the Final Oral Examination (below).”

“Failure of a final oral examination (any attempt by a Ph.D. student) is documented by submission of a Report of Failure of a Final Oral Examination form to the Graduate College and by submitting the appropriate grade for 693 Dissertation as described in this section. A final oral examination that is failed on the first attempt can be repeated once, but only if a second attempt is requested by the student and approved by the academic unit responsible for the Program. The request by the student for a second attempt must be in writing to the head of the academic unit and must be made within five working days after the student is notified of his or her failure. If a second attempt is not requested by the student, or if a request is made by the student but not approved by the academic unit, then a grade of (F) is assigned to all 693 credits, and the student is dismissed from the Program by the Graduate College. If the student’s request is approved by the academic unit, then the second attempt must occur within twelve months after the first attempt, and IP grades are maintained for all 693 credits until the result of the second attempt is known. If the student does not make a second attempt within twelve months after the first attempt, or if the student fails the second attempt, then a grade of (F) is assigned to all 693 credits and the student is dismissed from the Program by the Graduate College. Any extension of the twelve-month limit on the repeat attempt must be approved by the academic unit and by the Dean of the Graduate College.”

After the Supervisory Committee has approved the dissertation as a final version, the student will work with his or her Supervisory Committee to schedule the final oral examination in which the student will defend the dissertation.

It is important for the student to keep in mind that a grade of pass (P) in all 693 credits is not sufficient to satisfy the dissertation requirement for a Ph.D. degree and does not clear a student for graduation. A dissertation that has been successfully defended by the student at the final oral examination must also be granted final reading approval by the major advisor (chair of the supervisory committee), and must pass the format review of the Graduate College. The dissertation in final form must also be approved by the Dean of the Graduate College, and because the dissertation is expected to be available to other scholars and to the general public, the entire dissertation must be archived and made publicly accessible. Please refer to Theses and Dissertations in the Graduate Academic Regulations section of this catalog.”

The dissertation for PPA should demonstrate the student’s mastery of best practices in research for public policy and administration and should reflect original research that advances policy and/or public administration scholarship. Students should work with the Program Director and their supervisory committee to ensure adequate progress.

6.4.1. PPA PhD Student Profile

The PhD program in Public Policy and Administration (PPA) primarily admits students interested in conducting applied policy analyses in the fields of public administration and/or public policy.  As a result, the majority of our students enroll in the Program in order to master applied research skills that will enable them to advance in careers they already have, or because this training will open up additional career opportunities for them.  At the same time, PPA faculty expect, and the Graduate College policies and procedures clearly articulate, that doctoral candidates will conduct independent research, using evidence, that makes a contribution to the state of knowledge in their chosen field:

Original research carried out by a student at the doctoral level is documented by a dissertation. A dissertation is characterized by a clearly stated proposition or hypothesis that is investigated using analysis and synthesis of data or other scholarly evidence. The dissertation must demonstrate mastery of the relevant literature and the ability of the student to independently and successfully address a substantial intellectual problem with concepts and methods that are accepted in the major field of study (2016-17 Graduate Catalog). 

6.4.2. Traditional Format

Given the PPA PhD student profile, in practice, faculty in Public Policy and Administration advise the majority of PPA PhD students to write their dissertations in what might be considered a traditional or “monograph” format.  This format often includes sections such as an introduction, literature review, methodology, presentation of data, and discussion of implications.

3-Essay Format Justification:  However, there are rare cases in which a student would be better served by an alternative dissertation model.  For example, although the student profile described above is the most common in PPA, occasionally the Program admits students who have, or over the course of their studies develop, an interest in careers in academe or other organizations where peer-reviewed research is expected.  In these cases, it may best serve the student and his or her committee to adopt a 3-essay model, with the outcome being that a student would be able, at some point, to turn these essays into peer-reviewed articles.

6.4.3. Three-Essay Format

The student’s Supervisory Committee is largely responsible for ensuring the student is doing quality, doctoral-level research.  The PPA PhD program Director and Graduate College Dean and staff perform checks to ensure policies and procedures are being met.  As a result, committees are responsible for ensuring that all dissertations meet the requirements stated above in the Graduate Catalog, regardless of format.

However, the PPA program has agreed on some general guidelines for students wishing to adopt the 3-essay alternative format:

• The doctoral candidate and his or her committee must have articulated an appropriate and convincing reason for adopting the 3-essay format (e.g., the student is interested in applying for a position where having publication-ready chapters will make the student more competitive on the job market).
• The 3-essay format typically consists of an introduction, a minimum of three related essays (each of which is of publishable quality in a peer-reviewed journal), and a conclusion, along with whatever other materials committees may deem necessary.  Committees should take into careful consideration the student’s training, abilities, and timeline before agreeing to a 3-essay format.
• The decision to use the 3-essay format needs to be approved by the Program Director.
• In PPA, the expectation is that the student will be the sole-author of each of the three essays.  However, the Program may make rare exceptions to this rule, such as when a student is working on a collaborative project (as is often the case with funded research) where other contributors need to be acknowledged as secondary authors.  Even in these cases, though, students and their committees must be able to demonstrate that the bulk of the research and writing was conducted independently by the student, and students must be first-author on all work submitted for the dissertation.  Authorship agreements must be approved by the student’s supervisory committee and the Program Director.
• Each of the 3 essays in the dissertation will need to feature the elements of a typical peer-reviewed article in the student’s discipline.  Elements in one essay may not be repeated (i.e., cut and pasted) into another essay, though some overlap in sections such as literature review or methodology may be expected, as they would for any scholar publishing multiple pieces in the same area.  In short, committees must ensure that students working under the 3-essay format are completing independent, quality work that they agree is potentially publishable according to standards of peer-review.

The schedule drafted by one of our first graduates (Dr. Stephanie Lenhart) provides an example of a schedule a student might create in concert with their committee for writing and receiving feedback on the dissertation.  Note that graduate student deadlines, time for faculty reflection and feedback, revision time, and a few “slack” weeks are built into the schedule.

List of Chapters

• Introduction
• Frame and research question
• Methods
• Context
• Interaction Among Fields and Legitimate Authority
• Social Practices and Strategies
• Discussion/Conclusions: The Formation of a Western RTO and a Change in Discourse

View the Dissertation Defense Checklist document for more details (Google Doc)