Design and the Built Environment, PhD

Program Description

The PhD program in Design and the Built Environment aims to prepare the next generation of academics and professionals to address diverse and complex issues involving the built environment. The program leverages the complementary strengths of architecture, landscape architecture, and related fields. Students select a research area addressing the faculty expertise and program assets in the School of Architecture. Theoretical, historical, and methodological underpinnings are offered. The program covers contemporary and emerging issues of the built environment, connecting students to real-world applications. Graduates are prepared to find employment in academia, industry, government, and public and private research entities. 

The PhD program is a cross-disciplinary doctoral program, with a minimum of three years (61 credits) or four years (87 credits), depending on the track. Students are expected to complete core courses, elective courses, comprehensive exams, and dissertation research. In most cases, students enter the program with a master’s degree in architecture, landscape architecture, or a related field and discipline.

The doctoral program has two different tracks to earning a PhD:

• Common Track: 61 credits beyond a master’s degree
• Foundational Track: 26 credits beyond a bachelor’s degree + 61 credits of the Common Track