Course work in the School is organized on a multidisciplinary and policy-oriented basis. Faculty members are drawn from political science, economics, sociology, geography, public administration, planning, and related fields. In addition, students have numerous opportunities to work on community and policy-related research and service projects undertaken by the school through its various centers. Students may also work in public and voluntary agencies through the school's internship program. The School is internationally recognized for its integration of theory and practice -- the "Delaware Model" of public affairs education. 

The admission policy of the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy seeks to foster a heterogeneous student body in terms of age, sex, race and cultural background. The School, therefore, uses several criteria in assessing a prospective student's motivation, interests, and ability to perform successfully in its graduate programs. The qualifications of each applicant are considered in the context of the student's unique background, accomplishments, and interests. While the five degree programs are aimed at students with different career goals, the admissions committees consider these criteria when evaluating all applicants: 
 

1. Genuine interest in and motivation to undertake academic work in urban affairs, public policy, public administration, or environmental and energy policy, as evidenced by application material and, if possible, an interview with the program director, or a member of the program admissions committee. 
2. The ability to complete a graduate degree program successfully, as reflected in prior academic work, and letters of recommendation from faculty, Graduate Record Examination General Test scores, and examples of academic or professional written work of the candidate. 
3. Ability to apply previously acquired competencies to problem areas, community, or organizational needs as measured by contributions in and the nature of professional work experience, volunteer service and/or internships with assessments by faculty, professionals, and/or community leaders. Indicators of the quality and extent of previous professional work experience suggestive of the capability for a public service career are particularly important with regard to admission to the M.P.A. program. 
4. For students whose first language is not English, a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required. 

Admission is selective and competitive based on the number of well-qualified applicants and the limits of available faculty and facilities. Those who meet stated minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths. 

PH.D. PROGRAM 

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is conferred in recognition of breadth of scholarly attainment and of demonstrated power to investigate problems independently and effectively. In approaching the problems of an urban society, students are expected to develop theoretical and substantive skills. The doctoral program is interdisciplinary and seeks to prepare students for research, teaching, and public policy problem-solving careers. 

The structure of the program includes theoretical, policy, and methodological core courses, intensive study in an area of research and specialization, and the completion of a dissertation demonstrating the student's capacity for independent research. 

During the first year, students enroll in the 15-credit core curriculum that includes theory and policy proseminars in  governance, planning and management,  technology, environment, and society, social and urban policy, and courses in research methods. In the second semester, students are also required to take a seminar, Processes of Social Inquiry (3 credits), which examines issues of evidence, inference, and measurement in the social sciences and encourages critical perspectives toward social science methodology. 

Upon completion of the first-year theory and policy core requirements, students must pass a qualifying examination covering the proseminar areas and the methodological work in the first-year courses. This testing procedure places emphasis on the interconnected nature of the core and establishes a means to measure competency in basic theory and methodology. 

During the second year of study, the student concentrates on the research specialization. Areas of specialization in the Ph.D. program reflect research concentrations in the school, and programs of study in each area are tailored to meet student interests and research objectives. The primary areas of specialization are (1) technology, environment and society and (2) governance, planning, and management and (3) social and urban policy. These areas contain a number of subspecializations which may become the focus of student work. Upon approval of a doctoral research paper, the student is admitted to doctoral candidacy and begins work on a dissertation. 

The M.A. program has an emphasis on planning and policy analysis, incorporating a strong basis in analytical research methods. The coursework provides a solid grounding for careers in policy analysis and planning. The 36-credit-hour program can be pursued full or part time. Students can select from three concentrations: energy and environmental policy, historic preservation, and community development and nonprofit leadership, or students may specialize in a particular policy area of their choice such as urban and regional planning, housing policy, and nonprofit leadership. Each student completes an analytical paper or thesis in his or her area of specialization. 

The program in public administration is jointly offered by the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy and the Department of Political Science and International Relations. The Master of Public Administration degree focuses on preparation for career positions in government and nonprofit organizations. The objectives of the program are (1) to foster a professional focus and approach to public administration; (2) to provide graduates with specific competencies for public management; and (3) to contribute to the effectiveness of public service through the development of close professional relationships between local, state, federal, and nonprofit agencies and the University of Delaware. 

The curriculum of the 42-credit Master of Public Administration degree is divided into core subjects, area of specialization, and an internship and writing requirement. Areas of specialization include state and local management, fiscal and resource management, human resources management, international and development administration, community development and nonprofit leadership, health policy and management, and environmental and energy management. The core curriculum deals with ideas and concepts related to public administration, human resources management, public financial management, management decision making, organizational theory and administration, public economics, and public management statistics. All M.P.A. candidates are expected to complete an internship (unless it is waived by the Internship Coordinator and the M.P.A. Director) and to prepare and defend an analytical paper which is ordinarily based on the internship experience. Typical internships are in local, regional, and state agencies, in community organizations, in nonprofit institutions, and as assistants to public officials in the state and region. Upon approval of the faculty, students may pursue a thesis in lieu of an internship. 

Thegraduate program in Environmental and Energy Policy prepares students to contribute to the improvement of environmental and energy policy through the development of an interdisciplinary understanding of the interactions of society, resources, and the environment.  The program is administered by the College of Human Resources, Education and Public 
Policy with the support of its Center for Energy and Environmental Policy and interested faculty and research centers of the Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resource, Arts and Science, Engineering, and Marine Studies. 

Two graduate degree programs are offered:  the Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental and Energy Policy and the Master of Science in Environmental and Energy Policy. 

The 36-credit hour Master of Science in Environmental and Energy Policy (M.S.E.E.P.) can be pursued full or part time.  The M.S.E.E.P. degree program prepares graduates to assume positions in policy analysis, planning and administration in the public, private, and non-profit 
sectors or to move on to continue graduate study in the environmental and energy policy field at the doctoral level. 

Students may choose among 5 concentrations offered through the M.S.E.E.P. program: Sustainable Development; Political Economy of Energy and Environment; Disasters and Public Policy; Energy Policy; and Environmental Policy. 

M.S.E.E.P. students complete 21 credits of required courses  including two policy courses (taken in the first year), two methods courses, a six-credit social science requirement, and a three-credit science and public policy requirement.  Students take an additional 15 credits of concentration or specialization electives, including the three-credit analytical paper or six-credit master's thesis. 

Students may choose among 5 concentrations offered through the Ph.D. program: Sustainable Development; Political Economy of Energy and Environment; Disasters and Public Policy; Energy Policy; and Environmental Policy. All Ph.D. students complete a 21-credit core course curriculum. This includes six credits of advanced theory, six credits of methodological course work, a six-credit social science requirement, and three credits in science, engineering and public policy. In addition, students in the Ph.D. normally take 15 credit hours in their area of concentration or specialization, including the 3-credit Doctoral Research Paper, and enroll for 9 credits of doctoral dissertation. All Ph.D. students must successfully pass a Qualifying Examination administered at the end of the first year of doctoral study. 

In the first year, students complete two 3-credit seminars in advanced theory.  In addition, during the first year students fulfill a social science requirement by completing two courses selected from a list of 45 graduate courses ranging from environmental ethics to electricity policy and planning.  Students also complete a 3-credit science, engineering and public policy requirement. Or students may substitute a 3-credit graduate course (including a tutorial course) in a natural science- or engineering-related topic to meet the science, engineering and public policy requirement. 

Qualifying Examinations in Theory, Methodology and Policy Analysis will be conducted in June and also during the Winter Term. Students who have completed all first-year required courses take the next available Qualifying Examination. The examination emphasizes the interconnected nature of theory, methods and policy analysis and serves as a diagnostic of the student's preparedness to develop doctoral-level, interdisciplinary research advancing the field of energy and environmental policy. 

The second year of the Ph.D. program is devoted to course work that prepares the student to conduct doctoral-level research in their intended area of research concentration or specialization.  Students are responsible, in consultation with their Guidance Committee, for selection of an area of research concentration or specialization (15 credit hours). Upon approval of the doctoral research paper, the student is admitted to doctoral candidacy and begins work on a dissertation.