PhD Admissions

In addition to completing the Graduate School requirements, applicants must also:

• Designate a disciplinary concentration. After selecting “Public Policy Studies – PhD” in the “Proposed Department/Program and Highest Degree Sought,” the next section of the application is “Intended Special Field.” Choose one: economics, political science, psychology or sociology.
• Submit a resume (not to exceed two printed pages)
• Submit a Statement of Purpose and Educational Objectives 

Please utilize this essay to discuss your goals in relation to Duke University. We are interested in your academic and professional experience, your intended course of study (including a disciplinary concentration and policy area focus) and your longer-term career objectives.

Yes. Please see our section on financial aid for funding and fellowship opportunities.

Explore the Graduate School's admission statistics for Public Policy candidates for information on scores, career outcomes and other data.

Most applicants wait until admission decisions are made before visiting our campus.

Personal interviews are conducted in February for a select group of students as part of the admissions process.

No, you may only apply to one of the programs.

Please contact the Public Policy PhD program coordinator with any questions.

Browse the Sanford faculty directory. Contact individuals whose research aligns with your interests.

Duke's University Program in Environmental Policy (UPEP) is a 5-year PhD program for intense research training, combining disciplinary specialization in economics or political science with an emphasis on understanding policy settings and the precise nature of the problem we hope to solve with policy.

UPEP applicants should apply directly to the Duke Graduate School. All doctoral students must enter the program in the fall semester. We welcome applicants from diverse academic, cultural, socioeconomic, and professional backgrounds. 

For prospective students interested in applying for the 2027-28 academic year, you should only apply to UPEP if you are interested in working with one or more of the following Nicholas School of the Environment faculty members: Elizabeth Albright, Lori Bennear, Yichun Fan, Bin (Richard) Mei, Brian Murray, Martin Smith, Kimberly Marion Suiseeya, Erika Weinthal, and Junjie Zhang. 

Admission to the UPEP is extremely competitive, with less than 10 percent of applicants typically offered admission. Applicants should have a record of high academic achievement and the potential to become leading researchers on environmental policy issues. Although the program’s admissions committee evaluates applicants from a comprehensive standpoint, successful applicants will likely have:

• High GPA and GRE scores.
• Personalized letters of recommendation that attest to the applicant’s scholarly ability.
• Research interests that overlap those of one or more UPEP faculty members.
• A personal statement that explains the applicant’s interest in pursuing an Environmental Policy PhD at Duke and preferred disciplinary concentration.
• Clearly specify the preferred concentration in the personal statement. Adequate preparation for PhD-level training in either economics or political science is an important consideration in admissions. 

No, but your chances of admission will increase if your application indicates that you have identified one or more faculty members in the Nicholas or Sanford schools whose research interests are similar to yours.  You are welcome to communicate with faculty members before you apply, but please note that they cannot tell you whether you will be admitted.  Admission decisions are made by the Duke Graduate School, as advised by the UPEP admissions committee, not by individual faculty members.

Will I be assigned an advisor if I am admitted?

Yes.  You will be assigned an advisor when you are admitted. 

Can I change my advisor?

Yes.  Contact the UPEP Director of Graduate Studies.

Can I work with only my advisor as a teaching assistant (TA), a research assistant (RA), or on my dissertation research?

No. TA assignments are made independently of advisor assignments, although you will likely serve as a TA for your advisor at least once. RAships depend on funding availability.  You can serve as an RA for either your advisor or another faculty member. UPEP students form dissertation committees consistent with Duke Graduate School rules, and members of the committee other than your advisor often play a large role in supervising aspects of the research.