Study science, technology, and innovation policy at one of the world’s top technological institutions.
The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy is located in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts at Georgia Tech, offering distinct advantages for your doctoral study.
Examine emerging issues in environmental, health, and energy technologies, AI ethics, cybersecurity, internet governance, and more. Work alongside leading researchers in engineering, computing, and the sciences, and graduate with the technical skills and policy expertise to stand out in academia and the job market.
With the highest research expenditures of any university without a medical school, Georgia Tech provides a robust research environment and a passionate community focused on tackling today’s most complex public policy challenges.
The Carter School offers a Ph.D. in Public Policy and a Joint Ph.D. in Public Policy with Georgia State University.
Rankings and Attributes
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Top 10 Public University
by U.S. News and World Report
No. 1 Best Value Public College
by the Princeton Review
Guaranteed Funding
with all full-time Ph.D. offers
Four Core Research Areas
Academic Experience
Choose the Carter School for your Ph.D. in Public Policy to:
- Collaborate across disciplines with Carter School faculty in public affairs, public administration, political science, economics, philosophy, chemistry, physics, sociology, and geography.
- Gain analytical skill sets for policy design, implementation, and evaluation.
- Develop an independent research agenda and the expertise to contribute original scholarship in your field.
- Attend a nationally recognized graduate school, ranked No. 2 in Information and Technology Management, No. 10 in Environmental Policy and Management, and No. 23 in Public Policy Analysis by U.S. News & World Report.
- Work and study on a 400-acre tree-filled campus in the heart of Atlanta, with opportunities to connect and network with the many universities, organizations, and institutions in the city.
Funding and Support
The Carter School is committed to producing world-class researchers and provides all accepted Ph.D. students with four years of guaranteed funding, which covers tuition, a stipend, and health insurance during the fall and spring semesters.
While summer funding is not included in this guarantee, many doctoral students secure summer support through research or teaching assistantships. The School also provides funding for conference presentations.
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“Being part of the Ivan Allen College allowed me to pursue important, timely research projects that were multi-disciplinary and utilized both qualitative and quantitative skills. I have gained so many new skills and had the opportunity to independently apply them to my research interests!
“I loved the opportunities to engage with students from engineering, information technologies, policy, and international affairs, and each student brought these amazingly unique perspectives to problem-solving.”
— Zoe N. Gastelum, Ph.D. Public Policy '26
R&D Manager at Sandia National Laboratories
Career Outcomes
Graduates from the Ph.D. in Public Policy go on to positions as university faculty and senior research analysts in national labs, government organizations, and the private sector.
We maintain close ties with policy communities in Washington, D.C., and honor the Carters’ lifelong commitment to public service by training scholars who can advance research in public policy, contribute to interdisciplinary scholarship, and inform decision-making at the highest levels. You can find alumni of the program in positions such as:
- Assistant Director, Internet Governance Project
- Assistant Professor, The University of Texas at Arlington
- Assistant Professor, University of New Hampshire
- Associate Professor, Fudan University
- Associate Professor, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology
- CEO, Greenlink Analytics
- Chief Growth and Policy Officer, NRG Energy
- Director, Ministry of Science and ICT in the South Korean Government
- Head, Donald E. Stokes Library, Princeton University
- Manager of Energy Analytics, Meta Platforms
- Postdoc Fellow, Technology and International Security, UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Global Sustainability
- Postdoctoral Researcher, York University
- Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Chicago
- Pricing Design Manager, Georgia Power Company
- Principal, Boston Consulting Group
- Principal Analyst, Lead of Carbon Management Team at S&P Global
- Research Fellow, Inter-American Development Bank
- Senior Analytics Manager, Georgia Department of Community Health
- Senior Research Associate at the Center on Poverty and Community Development, Case Western Reserve University
- Systems Analyst, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
- Vice Rector for Research, Riga Stradiņš University in Latvia