The following data are from institutional responses to NASPAA’s Fall 2009 Enrollment and Academic Year 2008-2009 Degrees Awarded Survey, administered by NASPAA in Spring 2010. The data reflect only survey-participating institutional members. Of the 268 NASPAA institutional members as of spring 2010, 189 responded to the survey as of July 1, 2010. Of the 189 responses, 185 were valid, giving the survey a response rate of 69 percent.
Doctoral Degrees AY 2008 - 2009
(N=185) (Response Rate=69%)
Degree Programs Offered Fall 2009
| Degree Type | Program Offered by Respondent |
Percent of Respondents |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | 52 | 28.3 |
| Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) | 5 | 2.7 |
| Total Program* | 57 |
* Not all NASPAA programs offer doctoral level degrees and this result is based on the feedback that NASPAA received for the survey only.
Doctoral Program Highlight
About 28 percent of the respondent programs offer Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Public Policy or related disciplines. About 3 percent of the responding programs offer Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) degrees.
Doctoral Student Enrollment Fall 2009
| Degree Type | Enrolled Full-Time |
Percent Full-Time |
Enrolled Part-Time |
Percent Part-Time |
Enrolled Total |
| DPA | 82 | 30.1 | 190 | 69.9 | 272 |
| Ph.D. | 1,240 | 60.5 | 808 | 39.5 | 2,048 |
| Total Enrolled | 1,322 | 57.0 | 998 | 43.0 | 2,320 |
Enrollment Highlight
About 61 percent of Ph.D students enrolled full-time; about 70 percent of DPA students enrolled on a part-time basis
Degree Awarded AY 2008 - 2009
| Degree Type | Degrees Awarded by Respondents |
Percent of Degree Awarded by Respondents |
| Ph.D. | 251 | 92.6 |
| DPA | 20 | 7.4 |
| Total Degree Awarded | 271 |
Degree Awarded Highlight
271 doctoral candidates received their doctoral degrees in Public Policy/Public Affairs or related disciplines. About 93 percent of the degree granted are Doctors of Philosophy.