The Public and Urban Policy program at The New School is interdisciplinary, and students have considerable freedom to design a course of study that fits their research and professional interests. We encourage the exploration of alternative theoretical perspectives and the use of a wide range of research methodologies in the search for solutions to tough policy problems. Our program is allied with the social science doctoral programs of The New School for Social Research, and the Milano School participates in the New York Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.

The Public and Urban Policy PhD program graduated its first class in 2004. Our graduates are working as tenure-track faculty members, researchers in leading consulting firms and international organizations, and policy analysts in local and national government agencies. While our current students have diverse backgrounds and research interests, they share a commitment to social change and to critical interdisciplinary approaches that enable the development and implementation of public policies.