PHD in Public Administration

The department’s areas of expertise are

• state-building and comparative development
• social modernization and New Institutional Economics
• public administration and bureaucracy
• organizational design and behavior
• civil society and NGOs
• local government
• civil service reform
• administrative law
• human rights law
• human resource management
• public policy of Kazakhstan
• social policy
• healthcare delivery and reform
• education and science policy
• industrial policy
• oil and gas policy
• natural resource management
• immigration studies
• human geography and urban design
• sustainable development and green economy
• taxation and customs administration
• public management
• fiscal governance
• contracting out and New Public Management
• project management and evaluation
• gender and women’s leadership
• e-government and technology for sustainable development

The program prepares graduates for top-rank careers as:

• Policy advisers and analysts to governments and international development institutions
• Head of Research Units in private and public organizations
• Faculty members in academic institutions
• and in managerial positions combining roles in strategic decision-making, research and research
  administration

Admission to the PhD program is highly competitive. Admission is granted to candidates deemed most likely to
complete and benefit from the program. The final decision on admission is based on a comprehensive assessment of
the applicant’s overall qualifications, motivation, determination and commitment to the program.

1. Completed graduate degree

• Copy of a diploma confirming the completion of a graduate degree “master”
• Copy of transcripts (diploma supplement) with grades

2. Possession of the valid international certificates proving the knowledge of the English
   Language

• IELTS – at least 5,5
• IELTS INDICATOR– at least 5,5
• TOEFL ITP – at least 460 баллов
• TOEFL IBT – at least 46
• TOEFL PBT – at least 45
• CEFR level – В2

PHD candidates who have received master degrees from the universities
located in the countries where English is the state or official language, and
these universities have specialized accreditation from the accreditation
agencies officially recognized by OECD member states, are exempted from
English proficiency requirement. In this case candidate’s master degree
diploma should be no older than 5 years.

3. Additional consideration by a selection committee:

• The graduate GPA shall be 3.0 and above or more than 69% equivalent when converted into a scale
  comparable to the KIMEP grading scale
• A typed statement of purpose of up to 500 words that states the applicant’s academic and professional
  interests; how the applicant will benefit from the PhD program professionally and personally; the
  applicant’s strengths and qualities that will enable them to complete a rigorous doctoral program.
• A 2-3 page research proposal: In this proposal, the candidate should lay out the general idea of their
  intended research and some indicative description of the method they intend to use. The candidate should
  demonstrate familiarity with current research, the ability to identify open research questions and the
  ability to create an original research proposal.
• An interview with program admissions committee where admissions committee may consider additional
  evidence of excellence or aptitude such as prior publications of work experience and have the final
  decision making authority on the recommendation of the candidate for admission to PHD program

Application package shall consist of the following:  

• Application form
• Copy of passport or of State ID
• Digital photo with a resolution of 300 ppi (pixels per inch) with a size of no less than 8 MP
  (Megapixels) in JPEG format with low compression (high quality)
• Copy of a document on completion of Master degree
• Professional CV
• Valid results of International Language Proficiency Tests (copy of IELTS certificate or original
  certificates of  TOEFL)
• Medical certificate  – Form # 086-U or its equivalent for foreign citizens
• Two professional letters of recommendation

• List of relevant publications and sample publication (if available)
• Upon own discretion, an applicant may include other documents that he/she believes are relevant
  for inclusion into the application package, such as copies of certificates, awards, and honors in the
  applicant’s sphere of interest, particularly ones received at national and international level.

Copies of documents have to be submitted to the Admissions Office together with originals. After
authentication, originals of documents are given back to the owners.