The Sustainable Development Policy, Economics and Governance (SDPEG) Ph.D. program offers a transdisciplinary doctoral education in the policies, practices and theories of sustainable development. By offering a core curriculum that includes applied policy and economic analysis, governance and process design, social science methods, and professional skills development, the program produces graduates capable of conducting original, applied research that is designed to support sustainability and resiliency across social, ecological, and technical systems.
This degree will prepare students to assume positions as policy leaders in government, higher education, public and private sector organizations, non-governmental organizations, and research institutes with the expertise and vision to inform local, state, national, and international policy.
Faculty
Asim Zia, Director and Professor of Public Policy and Computer Science
Travis Reynolds, Associate Professor
Dan Tobin, Associate Professor
Trisha Shrum, Assistant Professor
Sarah Heiss, Associate Professor
Anaka Aiyar, Assistant Professor
Joe Ament, Assistant Professor
Kate Mays, Assistant Professor
Edward McMahon, Adjunct Associate Professor
Stephanie Seguino, Professor Emerita
Gregory Rowangould, Associate Professor
Donna Ramirez-Harrington, Associate Professor
Elizabeth Doran, Research Assistant Professor
Jane Kolodinsky, Professor Emerita
Christopher Koliba, Professor Emeritus
Degree Requirements
Milestones, Guidelines and Timeline to Degree Completion
Minimum Degree Requirements
The degree requires a total of 75 credits. A minimum of 51 credits must be completed in residence. The residency requirement is completed by courses that:
1. are taken for graduate credit through the University of Vermont, and
2. are taken after the student has been admitted to the Graduate College.
The program’s course of study includes:
1. 15-credit core
2. Up to 24 transfer credits from prior master’s degree (12 out of 24 transferable credits must meet pre-requisite requirements in statistical methods, research methodology, economics, and policy process theory)
3. 15 credits of a pre-approved Certificate of Graduate Study or a customized sequence of advisor-approved graduate level elective courses
4. 21 dissertation research credits
15 credit core includes:
CDAE 7710 | Sustainable Development Policy & Governance | 3 |
CDAE 7700 | Political Economy of Sustainable Development | 3 |
PA 6080 or PA 6110 or EDRM 6310 | Decision Making Models or Policy Analysis & Program Evaluation or Qualitative Methods or equivalent | 3 |
CDAE 7991 | Internship | 3 |
CDAE 7000 | Doctoral Seminars (3, 1-credit offerings) | 3 |
Total Credits | 15 | |
Doctoral students enrolled in the program are encouraged to pursue one of UVM’s certificates of graduate study including, but not limited to: Ecological Economics, Community Resilience and Planning, Agroecology, Public Health, Sustainable Enterprise, Complex Systems and Data Science, and any relevant new certificate programs; or any 15-credit sequence of electives with adviser permission.
Requirements for Advancement to Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Students will advance to candidacy following completion of the core curriculum, passage of a written and oral comprehensive exam, passage of the written dissertation and oral dissertation defense exam, and acquisition of teaching experience in the field of sustainable development policy, economics and governance. A GPA of 3.0 must be maintained.
Admissions Information
Applications for fall 2025 are due January 15, 2025 and will be reviewed after that date.
Admission will be contingent upon funding and alignment of research interests with faculty that are accepting students.
Application can be accessed here.
Admissions Requirements:
- Master’s degree in public policy, public administration, economics, natural resources, engineering, ecology, food systems, political science or a closely related field, including social sciences, professional fields, and STEM
- Completion of graduate level course in statistical methods (can be completed as part of Ph.D.)
- Completion of graduate level course in research methodology (can be completed as part of Ph.D.)
- Completion of graduate level course in economics (can be completed as part of Ph.D.)
- Completion of graduate level course in policy process theory (can be completed as part of Ph.D.)
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae
- In the application Statement of Purpose, please identify 1 to 2 potential advisers from the SDPEG faculty list.
- Applicants must submit evidence of experience and success in the research process such as writing sample(s), and/or evidence of research experience(s) (e.g., theses, term papers, class projects, research reports and/or other descriptions of past research experience from academic or professional lives).
- The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is optional.
- For international students whose native language is not English or who have not completed undergraduate or master’s degrees in English, scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo must be submitted.