What does it take to establish a successful identity and outcomes for a practitioner doctorate in public administration? In a memorandum to the Washington Public Affairs Center (WPAC), Frank Sherwood, its founding director, reflects on the experience of establishing the doctorate in public administration (DPA) at WPAC and the assumptions, practices, and resource issues associated with the program. Essential to maintaining program quality and keeping the degree within a practitioner focus are careful selection processes and dissertations that emphasize the student's personal learning and engagement with the research topic.
