Ph.D. in Urban Services

Urban Education Concentration

 

About The Program:

Old Dominion University's multidisciplinary Ph.D. in Urban Services develops leaders and problem solvers whose professional services will improve the quality of urban life not only in Eastern Virginia but also statewide, nationally, and internationally. Managing the complex educational, social, political, economic, managerial, and technological problems of contemporary urban society requires leaders with a broad, multidisciplinary understanding of theory, research, and field practice. This program integrates the instructional resources and research activities of the College of Education, the College of Business and Public Administration, and the College of Health Sciences to achieve this goal.

The curriculum is based on two principles. First, the theoretical framework for urban services is policy analysis. Students in the program develop the skills necessary to assemble and integrate qualitative and quantitative evidence affecting policy options. They learn to design viable programs, manage resources, and measure the effectiveness of service delivery to urban residents. Second, community needs determine the style and method of policy analysis. Because the public arena requires a pragmatic approach to such analysis, the Urban Services degree program maintains a close and continuous relationship with activities in the field. The program’s students and faculty work with urban decision makers to investigate a variety of policy problems.

Through the Urban Services program, individuals are thus offered the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to understand and stimulate constructive change in the broad range of interrelated policy issues and programs in urban education, urban management, and urban health services. Within the Urban Education concentration, students pursue a program of study that provides educational opportunities for careers related to the administration of school systems, community colleges and/or universities, or the administration of educational training units in industry, government, and community agencies.

Graduates of the program receive a Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Services and are prepared to assume influential roles in education, urban government, public service management, program planning, health care, and other areas related to service delivery in the urban environment.

Inquiries about admission to the Ph.D. in urban services program should specify the concentration of interest and be addressed to the Office of Admissions, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529-0050. Applications and credentials also should be submitted to the Office of Admissions.

For more information, please refer to the
2002- 2004 Old Dominion University catalog.