The Ph.D. in Public Policy at UNC Charlotte is an interdisciplinary program focusing on the development, implementation, and evaluation of policy solutions to public problems. It stresses the development of applied analytic tool skills, advanced cognitive abilities, and topical specialties allowing students to tailor the program to the policy field of their interest.

Graduates are expected to advance in careers that contribute to society through the application of their training. Career options include policy analysis, program evaluation, policy development, decision-making and academia in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors at the local, state, national and international levels.