All courses are offered in-person at the University of Washington in Seattle. Ph.D. students are expected to be in residence in Seattle while taking or teaching classes. Students with financial support from the university must take a full credit load.

Ph.D. students have the choice to get a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management degree upon successful completion of the first two years of coursework, qualifying exam, and major area paper.

Before starting at the Evans School, incoming students must have prior graduate coursework in calculus and participate in our week-long math camp.

The Ph.D. degree requirements include: 

  • Qualitative and quantitative methods (2) 
  • Structural inequality (1) 
  • Area of specialization (3) 
  • Qualifying exams taken in the summer after first year of the program.
  • Major area paper
  • Teaching assistantship
  • General exam to propose dissertation
  • Dissertation work
  • Final exam to defend dissertation