Experiences

Academic Specialization

MITTENSS Fellows will complete an academic specialization that is comprised of the following 18 credits: (Please know some of these courses will be cross-listed; students may take such courses under any associated alpha code so long as it remains at the doctoral level.)

1. Declare intention to pursue a specialization in education policy and social sciences prior to start of 3rd year in Ph.D. program.
2. All of the following policy implementation courses (3 credits each for a total of 6 credits):
   1. EAD/PLS 932 Education Policy Implementation
   2. EAD/PLS 933 Evaluation of Education Policy Implementation
3. Take one of the following education policy related courses (3 credits each):
   1. EAD 948 Advanced Economics of Education
   2. EAD 949 Advanced Seminar in Education Policy
   3. EAD 907 Education Policy for Immigrant and English Language Learner Students 3
   4. EAD 967 Policy Development and Analysis in Postsecondary Education
   5. EAD 926 School Finance
   6. EAD 925 Policy and Practice in Education
4. At least two of the following social science courses (3 credits each for a total of 6 credits):
   1. EAD 948 Advanced Economics of Education
   2. EC 880 Labor Economics I
   3. EC 881 Labor Economics II
   4. EC 835 Public Expenditures II
   5. PLS 811 Proseminar in Policy Analysis
   6. PLS 821 State Government and Politics
   7. PLS 822 Urban Government and Politics
   8. PLS 820 Proseminar in American Politics
5. No course may be used to satisfy both of the requirements in (3) or (4)
6. At least one of the following econometric methods courses (3 credits each):
   1. EC 823 Applied Econometrics
   2. EC 821A Cross-Section Econometrics I
   3. EAD 946B Econometric Analysis for Education Policy
7. Maintain minimum average GPA of 3.5 across all of the courses.
8. Submit a policy brief summarizing research findings on education policy evaluation or implementation.
9. Submit a dissertation that, in the judgment of the student’s dissertation committee, represents the integration of education policy and social sciences and the student’s primary field and includes research that is relevant to practical issues in U.S. education.

Research Assistantships

MITTENSS Fellows will work with a core faculty member as a research assistant for two years.

Practical Assistantships

Following the research assistantship, fellows will participate in an apprenticeship for one year with one of our partner organizations. These partners, which each make policy in different areas of education, are the Michigan Department of Education, the Detroit Public Schools Community District, MSU’s Institutional Research Division in the Office of Planning and Budget, and the MSU Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education’s office.

Training Events

Doctoral students in the program will also participate in related seminars, invited speaker events and a summer research workshop.