Saint Louis University's public and social policy doctoral program provides a Catholic, Jesuit education to prepare students to engage with significant social and political problems. The program prepares students to tackle some of the biggest problems of the times, including persistent poverty both in American cities and in poor countries around the world, urban renewal, racial and ethnic inequality, and health disparities. SLU's Ph.D. in public and social policy prepares students for scholarly and leadership roles in government, universities, research and public service organizations by providing them with multiple disciplinary perspectives, advanced methodological skills and the ability to conduct original research in an academic or applied setting. Students will learn how quality research can inform both basic and policy-related questions, and they will have the ability to share their knowledge with both academic and non-academic audiences. Graduates from the public and social policy program have gone on to become leaders in the private and public sectors, excelling in such areas as business, commerce, governmental affairs, health and human services, criminal justice and academia.