Policy Studies PhD

Learn more about the School of Public Policy and Democratic Innovation. 

The PhD Policy Studies program is Canada’s first and only interdisciplinary doctoral program in policy. Societal need for policy research has grown in response to the realities of the knowledge economy and the complex policy challenges facing communities, cities, regions, nations and the world. Traditional policy fields are increasingly interconnected, have domestic and international dimensions and involve policy actors from the public, non-profit and private sectors. These innate features of public policy require interdisciplinary knowledge and research collaboration across disciplinary boundaries. 

Our program is structured within three broad fields: Social Policy; Immigration, Settlement and Diaspora Policies; and Public Policy and Administration. While these streams form the foundation of inquiry, our students are tackling policy issues related to a range of policy domains, such as health policy, environmental policy, Indigenous governance, food policy, housing policy, urban policy, labour policy, and accessibility policy, among others.

This interdisciplinary program is designed to prepare a new generation of researchers for positions in academe and the public, non-profit and private sectors at the local, regional, national and international levels.  Please explore our site or contact us to learn more. 

Program Highlights 

• Our program faculty include over 60 affiliated faculty from research departments in the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Community Services, the Ted Rogers School of Management, and The Creative School.
• The PhD Policy Studies program is housed in the School of Public Policy and Democratic Innovation, and emerging initiative in the Faculty of Arts.
• The PhD Policy Studies program is building strong connections with the Bridging Divides research program. Many of our students are affiliated or directly supported by this innovative interdiscplinary research hub at Toronto Metropolitan University.
• The PhD Policy Studies program is proud to be ranked one of Toronto Metropolitan University's most diverse graduate programs.