phd in urban planning reddit

Phd in Urban Planning, but where in USA?

Hello everyone. I would like to do a Phd in Urban planning, researching specifically sustainable issues in cities. I am considering applying at columbia, princeton, harvard and yale. Could anyone recommend me any of these institutes or others, and why? Ok guys thanks a lot your help, it is very much appreciated.

I don't know much about programs back at the Ivy's, but USC in Los Angeles has a sustainable cities program between the planning and geography departments. http://www.usc.edu/dept/geography/ESPE/about_us.html

Columbia has a great urban planning division, by far the best of the Ivy's in my opinion, and Harvard offers a DDes (Doctor of Design).

univ. of maryland started their ph.d 2 yrs ago.

This same topic came up on Archinect a few months ago. You may want to do a search for that thread. There were several good comments, if I recall. Anyway, I strongly recommend Berkeley and MIT for their PhD programs. Both programs are very strong for sustainability issues. But I must admit my bias, as I received my MCP from MIT. An additional resource to consider: http://www.planning.org/institutions/phd.html

Ok guys thanks a lot for your help. Busy doing the applications right now. It is quite competitive because there's limited PhD positions available: on average less than 10% of all applications will receive on offer. By the way does anyone have some more information on Harvard's DDes (Doctor of Design) and how it is different from a PhD?

I'd look at Harvard's website for their published information. I'm not sure about the differences between the two, but in my experience comparing various professional doctorates to PhD programs, the first is usually shorter and with a professional focus for folks not interested in an academic career. My program offers both the professional doctorate, or DPDS (doctor of planning and devt studies) and a PhD. I opted for the second, for two reasons: 1) I wanted academic training as a scholar, and 2) I did not want to have to spend time explaining that a "DPDS" really IS a doctorate to all who would inevitably ask. Everyone already knows what a PhD is. You might think about this when weighing the DDes versus PhD.

As a PhD student, my opinion on the difference between DDes and a PhD is mainly on the choice of career upon graduation. I think if you want to be considered as a tenured track faculty, PhD seems to be a better way to go. I am also aquainted with DDes since I spent some time near that school. Like the PhD, DDes begins with coursework and there is a qualifying exams in the end. However, the PhD program that I am now in requires two other disciplinary minors plus two foreign language requirements. I don't think DDes requires that. Most folks tackle their exams at the end of the third year, while DDes does that at the end of the second. I do know of some DDes graduates who go on to academia. At the end of the day, it depends on who you worked with during this program and how your employment institution views the direction and quality of your dissertation. Another point: most of the time, PhDs are sponsored one way or another. From my understanding, DDes is mostly out of your own pocket. Good luck whatever it is!

Roef: I think you should improve your research. I don't think Yale even has a planning program and I'm not sure if Harvard offers a PhD in planning. As far as I know, which might be through a limited scope, people in the DDes program at Harvard don't do planning. Are you sure you want to apply for a PhD ...or have you looked into doing a Master's? You might also want to read the comments here: http://www.archinect.com/forum/threads.php?id=6330_0_42_0_C

Javier, yes you're right Yale doesn't have an urban planning department. However, Harvard does offer a PhD and DDes in Urban Planning. Apparently thet have about 3/4 Phd positions and last year they admitted 13 DDes. I really want to do research on a specific topic: cultural heritage as guiding principle for sustainability in cities. That's why I am particularly interested in architecture schools which have not only an urban planning department but also a historic preservation department. Also I am not very keen on doing another Master as I already have a MSc (TUDelft) and am doing a MArch (Bartlett) right now. Three would be pushing it :) Anyway, I would like to thank everyone for their help, it is greatly appreciated! And of course: any additional tips are more than welcome..

I stand corrected then... but are you sure those 13 DDes students are there for planning or is that the total DDes group? If you have studied in the UK before why don't you look into LSE? It sounds to me like should apply to Penn, Columbia, MIT...

roef- you got your msc from TUDelft? where did you get your undergrad from?---i have been trying to figure out if i will be able to attend there being that it is on the other side of the worldand cost alot of doe. i visited there last summer and it was beutiful but rather expensive to get an education--50,000 euros for my masters--i am currently in my 4th year of my undergrad taking a major urban design class. do you have any tips or hits to get by $wise more easily @ TUDelft. How much did you pay?

opps 50,000 euro's for my MSc

archiTEKE: my undergrad was at TUDelft too. a two year masters at TU will cost, if you're not from the EU, 8,150 euro per year. so I guess over two years including living expenses it could be 50,000. you can of course get a scholarship but i guess it's quite difficult. check at: http://www.tudelft.nl/index.cfm/site/Opleidingen/pageid/3D3DBEF3-802A-0DB6-3EE6DDCDF9369D19/index.cfm It is a lot of money though. I am not really sure if it's worth it. For me, being dutch, i only had to pay about 1,400 euro a year, and some of the living expenses were covered by the dutch state. It really depends what you're looking for in a school i guess. Are there any other schools in Europe your interested in? (for instance Berlage, Bartlett, AA, ETSAB, ETHZurich)

Block this user

Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?

This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.

• × Search in:
• All of Archinect

Archinect Partner Schools

Latest School Job Posts

• Professor of Practice in Architecture Tulane University
• Assistant/ Associate Professor of Architecture (Tenured- Tenure Track ) Tulane University
• Assistant Professor - Architectural Design University of Toronto

View more academic jobs

News from the Schools

• Planning and Design for Healthcare Facilities in Canada: Towards Healthy Aging-in-Place - Lecture by Dr. Henry Tsang Athabasca University
• New hub of making & creativity opens in Central London ahead of London Craft Week KLC School of Design
• University of Kentucky College of Design, Gray Design Building receives highest AIA Kentucky award University of Kentucky

View all   |   Schools

Upcoming School Events

• Design Agendas: Modern Architecture in St. Louis, 1930s–1970s Washington University in St. Louis Fri, Sep 13 '24 - Mon, Jan 6 '25
• Views of Planet City Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) Fri, Sep 13 '24 - Fri, Feb 14 '25
• Gallery Talk: The Persistence of Hand Drawing New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) Wed, Dec 4 '24 - Wed, Dec 4 '24

Top 25 Urban Planning Schools

In this list of the Top 25 Urban Planning Schools, we are going to take everything into account except the cost. (See our list of the Top 25 Most Affordable Urban Planning Schools if you are looking for affordability as the number one priority).

Accredited Urban Planning Schools

You should ensure that the graduate urban planning degree program you choose is accredited. Accreditation means that a program is recognized for its integrity, quality and performance. Standards and criteria have been established by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) , in conjunction with groups such as the American Planning Association (APA), APA’s American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (AISCP).

Not every state has a graduate-level PAB-accredited master’s degree program. There are currently a total of 78 master’s degree programs nationwide that have received PAB-accreditation. The ones listed below have all received this accreditation.

How We Chose the Top 25 Urban Planning Schools

As noted above, we took many factors into account in choosing the top 25 urban planning schools across the nation. These include:

• Accreditation . All of these programs have been accredited by the PAB and meet their rigorous standards for quality, integrity and performance.
• The programs below offer options to students, such as online, in-person, and hybrid learning.
• Internship . The programs below offer some type of internship, studio experience or field experience for students to gain real-world experience.
• Respectability and Recognition . The schools listed below are all highly respected, not only for their urban planning programs but also for other degree programs. You will likely recognize many of these schools.

Not every state is represented with a graduate urban planning degree program in the list below. The schools that have been listed, however, contain some of the highest quality, most well-recognized, and most highly respected programs in the country that will lead to jobs in urban planning. In no particular order, and without further ado, here are the top 25 urban planning schools.

University of Southern California , Los Angeles, CA

With a focus on social justice and data innovation, USC’s 48-credit MUP program has come to be known as one of the best nationwide. Students may participate in internships and planning studios to gain real-world experience. Online options are available, with a fully online Executive Master of Urban Planning offered. These reasons help to place this school on our list of top urban planning schools.

• Sol Price School of Public Policy
• Master of Urban Planning
• Arts & Culture
• Design of the Built Environment
• Economic Development
• Environmental Planning & Analysis
• House & Real Estate Development
• Mobility & Transportation Planning
• 93% of graduates secured employment within one year of graduation
• Marlon Boarnet, Chair, (213) 740-3696 or [email protected]

University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY

University at Albany’s MRP program offers students the Albany Visualization and Informatics Lab in which they can gain hands-on experience in regional planning research. This is one reason the program has landed on our list of top urban planning schools. The school’s interdisciplinary program emphasizes public involvement, creativity and sustainability.

• Department of Geography and Planning
• Master of Regional Planning
• Environmental & Land Use Planning
• Community Planning
• Transportation Planning
• 100% of graduates secured employment within one year of graduation
• Catherine T. Lawson, Director at (518) 442-4775 or [email protected]

University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, PA

U of P’s MCP program requires students to complete an internship within or outside of the Philadelphia region. This requirement helps to place the program on the list of the best urban planning schools in the nation. As the sixth largest city in the U.S., Philadelphia is an exciting city in which to study city planning, comprised of many diverse neighborhoods.

• Weitzman School of Design
• Master of City Planning
• Housing, Community & Economic Development
• Land Use-Environmental Planning
• Public Private Development
• Smart Cities
• Sustainable Transportation and Infrastructure Planning
• Urban Design
• 75% of students obtained planning employment within one year of graduation
• Lisa Servon, Chair, (215) 898-8329 or [email protected]

Harvard University , Cambridge, MA

Harvard’s MUP program administers joint degree programs with the Law School, the Harvard Kennedy School, and the Harvard Chan School of Public Health. Students may also cross-register in courses offered by neighboring Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This flexibility contributes to its place on this list of best master’s programs in urban planning. The school’s Community Service Fellowship Program provides summer internships in the U.S. and overseas travel grants.

• Graduate School of Design
• Master in Urban Planning
• Environment, Climate & Health
• International & Comparative Planning
• Real Estate & Urban Development
• Transportation & Infrastructure
• Urban Analytics
• 77% of graduates obtained planning employment within one year of graduation
• Ann Forsyth, Director at (617) 496-3587 or [email protected]

Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY

Hunter College’s MUP program does not offer specializations, but does require students to complete both a planning studio and an internship prior to graduation. These reasons help to place the school among our top urban planning schools. Students may design their own curriculum plan with the help of an advisor.

• Department of Urban Policy & Planning
• 87% of graduates obtained planning employment within one year of graduation
• Nicholas Dagen Bloom, PhD., Program Director at (212) 396-6077 or [email protected]

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL

The Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is one of the oldest and largest planning departments in the country, and on our list of top degree programs in the country. It offers joint degree programs with Master of Architecture, Master of Landscape Architecture, Master of Science in Civil Engineering, Master of Public Health, Master of Science in Recreation, Sport and Tourism, and Juris Doctor.  Internships are suggested and a capstone project is required.

• College of Fine & Applied Arts
• Land Use & Environmental Planning
• Community Development for Social Justice
• Local & Regional Economic Development
• Transnational Planning Stream
• Rolf Pendall, Head at (217) 333-3890 or [email protected]

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , New Brunswick, NJ

Students in the MCRP program at Rutgers must maintain a 3.0 GPA in order to graduate. This is one reason this program is on our list of best urban planning schools. Additionally, students must satisfy a professional report requirement. Between 40 and 50 MCRP degrees are typically awarded by Rutgers University each school year.

• Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
• Master of City and Regional Planning
• Community Development & Housing
• Design & Development/Redevelopment
• Environmental Planning
• International Development
• Transportation Policy & Planning
• Urban Informatics
• 97.5% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Kathe Newman, Program Director at (848)932-2799 or [email protected]

Cornell University , Ithaca, NY

Workshops and research projects are encouraged in Cornell’s MRP program, one of the reasons it is on our list of top urban planning schools. Internships are required, and study abroad opportunities are offered. Students must complete an Exit Project Paper prior to graduation, usually a professional report, research paper or master’s thesis.

• College of Architecture, Art & Planning
• Designing the City
• Economic Development Planning: Communities and Regions
• Land Use and Environmental Planning
• International Studies in Planning
• 100% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Jeffrey M. Chusid, Chair at (607) 254-5378 or [email protected]

Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA

MIT’s MCP program requires students to complete a studio or workshop in their second and third semesters. This plus the individuality of each student tailoring their own specializations helps place it on our list of top urban planning schools. Field work and internships are also encouraged. Dual degrees with Master of Science in Transportation and Master of Architecture are possible.

• School of Architecture & Planning
• Master in City Planning
• Specializations are tailored to each individual student and developed with an advisor
• Christopher Zegras, Dept. Head at (617) 452-2243 or [email protected]

University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL

The MUPP program at UIC requires that students complete an internship and a portfolio or thesis prior to graduation. This is one reason the school places among our top urban planning schools. A dual degree is available in Public Health. Other degrees offered by the college include Master of City Design and Doctorate in Urban Planning & Policy.

• College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs
• Master in Urban Planning & Policy
• Community Development
• Spatial Planning
• Urban Transportation
• Environmental Planning & Policy
• 84% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Nik Theodore, Head at (312) 996-8378 or [email protected]

University of California-Los Angeles , Los Angeles, CA

The MURP program at UCLA is one of the most published institutions in urban studies and urban planning, with faculty members having extensive experience. This is just one reason the program is on our list of top urban planning schools. Field work is required for students without industry experience. Joint degree programs exist with Juris Doctor, Business Administration and Latin American Studies, Public Health, and Architecture and Urban Design.

• Luskin School of Public Affairs
• Master of Urban and Regional Planning
• Community Economic Development and Housing
• Design and Development
• Environmental Analysis and Policy
• Regional and International Development
• Transportation Policy and Planning
• 92% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Chris Tilly, Chair at (310) 206-7150 or [email protected]

University of California-Berkeley , Berkeley, CA

Berkeley’s MCP program is internationally known for its innovative research and degree programs, landing it on our list of top urban planning schools. Students work on experiential learning and participate in international forums regarding critical issues. Faculty members have won many awards and are internationally recognized as top academics and researchers in the field of urban planning.

• Department of City & Regional Planning
• Environmental Planning & Healthy Cities
• 91% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Daniel Chatman, Co-Chair at (510) 642-2454 or [email protected]

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC

Students in the final year of UNC-Chapel Hill’s MCRP program must submit a professional master’s project in their area of specialization. This is just one reason this program has landed on our list of top urban planning programs. A problem-solving capstone workshop must also be completed prior to graduation.

• Master of City & Regional Planning
• Housing & Community Development
• Natural Hazards
• Real Estate
• 94% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Noreen Mc Donald, Chair at (919) 962-4781 or [email protected]

George Washington University , Arlington, VA

GWU’s Master of Professional Studies in Sustainable Urban Planning is a fairly young program, having been around for just 10 years. However, its focused interdisciplinary urban planning curriculum, proximity to access federal government agencies and officials in Washington, D.C. and great opportunity for networking and careers places this program on our list of top urban planning schools.

• College of Professional Studies
• Master of Professional Studies in Sustainable Urban Planning
• 99% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Sandra Whitehead, Program Director at (202) 994-2083 or [email protected]

Tufts University , Medford, MA

Tufts’ MA in EUP and MS in EPP programs allow for students to enroll full- or part-time, one of the reasons the programs have landed on our list of top urban planning schools. An internship is required, as is a capstone or master’s thesis, prior to graduation. Field projects are also offered to students, allowing them to work on real-world problems and challenges.

• Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
• Master of Arts in Urban and Environmental Policy
• Master of Science in Environmental Policy & Planning
• 96% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Julian Agyeman, Interim Chair at (617) 627-3394 or [email protected]

California State Polytechnic University , Pomona, CA

Cal Poly’s MURP program is one of the only PAB-accredited programs offering most of its classes in the evening hours, making it perfect for part-time students who work. This is one reason it has landed on our list of top urban planning schools. Planetizen has rated this program as the most diverse in the nation. Internships are optional but recommended.

• College of Environmental Design
• Master of Urban & Regional Planning
• Planning & Public Policy
• Entrepreneurship & Leadership
• 68% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Gwen Urey, Chair at (909) 869-2725 or [email protected]

Texas A&M University , College Station, TX

Texas A&M’s MUP program requires students to complete an internship prior to graduation, just one reason it’s on our list of top urban planning degree programs. It offers areas of emphasis or optional certificates in specializations. The school is located in one of the fastest-growing regions in the nation, making the program innovative and timely.

• College of Architecture
• Transportation and Active Living
• Resilient Communities
• Housing, Community and Economic Development
• Sustainable Urbanism
• Environmental Hazard Management
• Transportation Planning & Policy
• Historic Preservation
• Health Systems Design & Planning
• Facilities Management
• Andrew Rumbach, Coordinator at (979) 845-1019 or [email protected]

University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, MN

The University of Minnesota’s MURP program gives students the technical and analytical skills they need to develop strategic thinking about urban planning. This is one reason it’s included in our list of top urban planning schools. Graduates have had the highest passage rate in the nation on the AICP examination for the past ten years. Dual degrees are available in a variety of areas, including Public Policy, Master of Science in Civil Engineering, and Master of Landscape Architecture.

• Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs
• Land Use & Urban Design
• Self-Designed Concentrations
• 97% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Ryan Allen, Director at (612) 625-5670 or [email protected]

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

The MURP program at the University of Florida offers both on-campus and fully online options. It also offers concurrent degrees in Transportation Engineering and joint degrees in Juris Doctor and other areas. This is one reason this program has landed on our list of top urban planning schools. In addition to the concentrations listed below, certificates may be obtained in each area.

• College of Design, Construction and Planning
• Geographic Information Systems
• Wetland Sciences
• Kathryn Frank, Director at (362) 294-1485 or [email protected]

University of Massachusetts-Amherst , Amherst, MA

Students in UMass-Amherst’s MRP program must complete a thesis or capstone project prior to graduation, one of the reasons this program is on our list of top urban planning schools. Research and studio projects that students have completed in the past may be browsed online . The program may be completed in two years, or one year for those who have an undergraduate degree in Sustainable Community Development.

• of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning
• Community & Equity Planning
• Economic & Regional Development Planning
• Student Designed Concentration
• 85% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Mark Hamin, Program Director at (413) 545-6608 or [email protected]

University of Central Florida , Orlando, FL

UCF’s MSURP program offers students direct experience through the required studio and capstone courses, which must be completed before graduation. This is one of the reasons this school is on our list of top urban planning schools. The school also offers maximum flexibility, with classes offered in-person, online and in evening hours to fit all schedules.

• School of Public Administration
• Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning
• Classes offered in-person, online, and evenings
• 89% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Nasrin Lakhani, Manager, Academic Support Services, School of Public Administration, (407) 823-0912 or [email protected]

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

University of Michigan’s MURP program offers students a broad view of urban planning, with the opportunity to focus in one of nine areas. This is one reason it is included in our list of top urban planning schools. Critical thinking skills are emphasized. An Optional Practice Training (OPT) extension of 24 months is offered to students interested in practical work experience.

• Alfred Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning
• Social Justice & Urban Development
• Sustainability, Resilience, Adaptation, & Climate Change
• Applied Planning Skills
• Community and Economic Development
• Housing and Equitable Development
• Global and Comparative Planning
• Physical Planning and Design
• 83% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation
• Larissa Larsen, Chair at (734) 276-9038 or [email protected]

Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Iowa State’s MCRP program offers students optional internships and the chance to study abroad, two of the reasons it places among our top 25 urban planning schools. Dual degree programs are offered with architecture, business, landscape architecture, sustainable agriculture, sustainable environments, and urban design. An online master’s in Community Development is also offered by the school.

• College of Design
• Master of Community & Regional Planning
• Francis Owusu, Chair at (515) 294-7769 or [email protected]

University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA

UCI offers MURP students the opportunity to study abroad, as well as capstone courses that are required for practical experience prior to graduation – two reasons this school is included among our top urban planning schools. As no area of concentration is required, some students develop into urban planning generalists, while others choose a focus area of their own design.

• School of Social Ecology
• Virginia Parks, Chair at (949) 824-4384 or [email protected]

Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA

Georgia Institute of Technology’s MCRP program provides students with many opportunities for hands-on learning, one of the reasons it has placed among the top 25 urban planning schools. Full-time students are encouraged, but part-time hours may be accepted under exceptional circumstances.

• Environment and Health
• Housing and Community Development
• Land Use Planning
• Transportation
• 95% of graduates obtained employment within one year of graduation

Gulsah Akar, Chair at (404) 894-2351 or [email protected]

©2024 URBANPLANNINGDEGREE.COM All Rights Reserved.

About Us - Contact

Search Cornell AAP

Doctor of Philosophy in City and Regional Planning

Recent Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) graduates in city and regional planning have gone on to distinguished careers as professors at prestigious institutions; high level positions in the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank; and top spots in federal agencies and nonprofit research, policy, and cultural organizations.

CRP's program combines intensive Ph.D. seminars and an individualized program of study. Students interested in historic preservation planning may choose to focus their studies on that area. 

Only a small number of Ph.D. students are accepted each year, most of whom have a master's degree in planning. Students design their programs of study after choosing a doctoral committee of three faculty members representing their major (City and Regional Planning) and two minor fields. 

• Ph.D. in CRP Curriculum and Requirements
• CRP Ph.D. Student Profiles

• Dean’s Letter
• Administration
• Student Work
• Media Archive
• Master of Architecture
• M.S. Advanced Architectural Design
• M.S. Computational Design Practices
• M.S. Critical, Curatorial & Conceptual Practices
• Ph.D. Architecture
• New York/Paris
• Intro Program
• M.S. Architecture and Urban Design
• M.S. Urban Planning
• Ph.D. Urban Planning
• M.S. Historic Preservation
• Ph.D. Historic Preservation
• M.S. Real Estate Development
• Initiatives
• Exhibitions
• Publications
• Academic Calendar
• Hybrid Pedagogy Guide
• Policies & Resources
• Career Services
• Student Organizations
• Avery Library
• Arthur Ross Architecture Gallery
• Making Studio
• Output Shop
• Preservation Technology Lab
• Thinking About Applying
• Application Process
• After You’re Admitted
• Tuition & Aid

Ph.D. in Urban Planning

• dissertations
• alumni placement

The Ph.D. in Urban Planning is focused on training individuals for future careers as teachers, researchers, policy-makers, and business entrepreneurs in and near the field of urban planning—in academia, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and think tanks. The program equips students with the theoretical and methodological expertise to address important contemporary issues, such as climate change and adaptation, built environment transformation, immigration and migration, housing and community development, and poverty and inequality. It is a highly competitive doctoral program, accepting only three candidates each year.

We welcome prospective students from a wide range of backgrounds, and value strong abilities for critical thinking and independent research. In reviewing applications, the Ph.D. faculty make decisions collectively, based on students’ academic preparation, topical areas of interest, and experience with analytical. We encourage students to explore various directions of intellectual growth after enrollment.

The Ph.D. in Urban Planning is a program within the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) while the actual degree is granted by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).

Admission for 2025

• The application deadline for 2025 admissions is December 12, 2024.
• For additional information on the application process and requirements, please see the GSAS website.
• Hiba Bou Akar
• Hugo Sarmiento
• Anthony Vanky
• Tom Slater , Program Director

Upon entering the program, each student consults with the program director for the duration of their coursework. The program director’s role is to provide independent guidance and mentorship on all aspects of student life. Students meet at least once each semester with the program director to discuss their academic progress and future plans.

By the date of the comprehensive examination and prior to submitting their dissertation prospectus, each student selects a dissertation advisor (also known as sponsor), to act as a guide during the course of dissertation research and for the dissertation defense. During this or any other time, students are still able to draw on the mentorship of other Ph.D. faculty.

Fall 2024 Courses

Related events, other urbanism programs at gsapp.

Current Students

Doctor of philosophy in urban studies and planning, funding and responsibilities for dusp doctoral students, degree requirements, sample schedule by milestones, important early dates (guide by semester), past dissertations, additional resources.

Building 7, MIT

The Department of Urban Studies and Planning offers a degree in a Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Planning which is an advanced research degree in planning or urban studies and is focused on training individuals for research and teaching in the areas of applied social research and planning.

Daniel Engelberg

Enjoli Hall

Carmelo ignaccolo.

Aarthi Janakiraman

Justin Kollar

Kevin Lujan Lee

Arianna Salazar Miranda

Chenab Navalkha

Soyoung Park

Lidia Cano Pecharroman

Benjamin Preis

Gokul Sampath

Wonyoung So

Andrew Stokols

Anna Waldman-Brown

Lizzie Yarina

The Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Planning program emphasizes the development of fundamental research competence, flexibility in the design of special area of study, and encouragement of joint student/faculty research and teaching. The program is tailored to the needs of individual students, each of whom works closely with a custom ecosystem of scholars in their field and a mentor in the Department.

DUSP graduates are well prepared for (and go on to work in) a wide range of careers in academia, government, and industry.

Admissions for the doctoral program emphasizes academic preparation, professional experience, and the fit between the student's research interests and the department's research activities. Nearly all successful applicants have previously completed a master's degree. Admission to the doctoral program is highly competitive. 

Core criteria and guidelines for doctoral admission decisions:

• Application strength: cohesiveness of statement, compelling research topics, preparedness for doctoral level work.
• Alignment with Departmental research priorities: achieving racial justice, tackling the climate change, enhancing democratic governance, and closing the wealth gap
• Could an applicant work with more than one DUSP faculty on their committee?
• Does applicant have a strong match with at least one lead faculty?

11.001J    Introduction to Urban Design & Development

11.002    Making Public Policy

11.005    Introduction to International Development

11.200    Gateway I

11.201    Gateway II

11.202/203    Microeconomics

11.205/11.188    Introduction to Spatial Analysis

11. 220   Quantitative Reasoning  

11.222    Introduction to Critical Qualitative Methods 

• Cross-cutting substantive areas – research of interest to multiple DUSP program groups and strategic priorities
• If you reach out to a faculty member directly and they have not responded before you complete your application, please note that no response does not reflect a judgement. Faculty have many time commitments and may be unable to answer your request quickly.
• Please do note DUSP students offer Peer Application Support Services (PASS) , supporting students who may face structural barriers in applying, including (but not limited to) international applicants, first generation college students, and applicants who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, queer, disabled, and/or a person of color. 
• Faculty members do on occasion recruit students for their externally funded research, but those student's admission is still decided by committee.  

Learn more via the Admissions page, here.

Each doctoral student has an assigned faculty academic advisor with whom they should develop a plan of study. All faculty are concerned with promoting good personal and academic relationships between students and advisors. Faculty advisors are responsible for: approving the registration for the doctoral student at the beginning of each semester, reviewing the student's progress, meeting with their advisee on a regular basis, and alerting the student and Department Headquarters if any issues arise concerning satisfactory progress towards completing the student's degree requirements.

If the student is nonresident, the student and faculty should communicate on a regular basis with each other concerning the progress being made, the timing to be determined jointly by the student and faculty member.

Advisees may request switching advisors. Initiating a change in advisors is the responsibility of the student. The student should:

• Talk to the other faculty member about her/his willingness to serve as a doctoral advisor;
• Inform the current advisor about the desired change in advisors (ideally the decision would be made in discussions with the current and future advisor);
• If the issue becomes complicated, discuss the move with the Head of the PhD Committee;
• Inform the Doctoral Program Academic Advisor .

Addition resources for roles, relationships, and advising best practices may be found here . Student support resources may be found here . Additional information on doctoral student advisee/advisor relationship may be accessed via the DUSP Handbook.

The Department admits five to seven students a year to the doctoral program. All admitted students receive funding for five academic years, including the option of summer work. In addition, some students are admitted with five academic years of funding as part of a research project sponsored by a faculty member and/or external funding.

Departmentally-funded students commit to completing five teaching assistantships and three research assistantships during their time as students at DUSP. The department also issues a call for optional funded summer work during the spring term. 

For more detailed information regarding the cost of attendance, including specific costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing and food as well as transportation, please visit the SFS website .

Required Coursework

In their first (fall) semester, students are required to take 11.233. There are no exceptions nor substitutions to this requirement. The output of this class is a research proposal that can form the basis for the required first-year research paper.

The Doctoral Research Seminar focuses on writing a research paper - the first year paper (FYP) - on a subject of the student's choice. The paper's purpose is to assess the student's ability to independently make a reasoned argument based on evidence that they have collected and to allow the student to work closely with a faculty advisor.

Students are expected to finish the paper in the spring of their first year, and students CANNOT register for their third semester of courses until this paper has been completed.

Methods Courses

All PhD students must complete one graduate-level class in quantitative methods and one graduate-level class in qualitative methods from a list of approved subjects by the end of their fourth semester. Enrolled doctoral students may consult the PhD Wiki pages for community collected information on methods courses of interest to DUSP PhD students:

• Quantitative Methods Courses
• Qualitative Methods Courses

In addition, students are strongly encouraged to enroll in DUSP's Advanced Seminar on Planning Theory (11.930).

Field Exams (General Exams)

General Exams will ordinarily be taken either in late spring of the second year or in early fall of the third year. These examinations contain a written and an oral component. All PhD students are expected to prepare for an examination in two fields. The first field is theory oriented and must be a discipline or equivalent systematic approach to social inquiry. The second field is typically customized to student specializations.

• City Design & Development
• International Development
• Urban Information Systems
• Public Policy and Politics
• Health and Global Communities
• Urban History
• Urban and Regional Economics
• Urban Sociology
• Environmental Planning and Natural Resource Management
• Housing and Real Estate Development
• Labor and Employment Policy
• Neighborhood and Community Development
• Negotiation and Dispute Resolution
• Planning in Developing Countries
• Regional Development
• Transportation and Land Use

Dissertation  

Summary and Full Dissertation Proposal

Within three months after successful completion of the general examinations, each PhD candidate is expected to submit to the PhD Committee a five-to six-page preliminary dissertation research proposal summary.

• The proposal should include the dissertation topic, the importance of the topic, the research method, the types of information to be used, the means of obtaining the required information (surveys, statistical testing, literature, etc.), and a selected bibliography.
• The preliminary dissertation proposal must be approved and signed by the dissertation advisor on the student's committee. The dissertation committee must be chaired by a member of DUSP and include at least one other member of the MIT faculty.
• Membership of the general examination and dissertation committees need not overlap.

Within one year after passing the general examinations, the student must submit a full proposal to their dissertation committee and for approval by the PhD Committee. Full proposals should expand upon the topics covered in the preliminary proposals and must be signed by all members of the student's dissertation committee. An external reviewer will be invited to provide feedback as well.

• In this proposal (usually 25-30 pages in length), the student should provide details on the research design and preliminary ideas (e.g., hypotheses) that will guide the research effort. They should also discuss the relevant literature and potential data sources.
• All students are expected to organize a colloquium in which they discuss their dissertation proposal before their full committee, the external reviewer, and other interested members of DUSP and MIT more generally. The student is expected to notify all DUSP members of the time and place of the colloquium and the dissertation proposal cannot be approved until the colloquium has been held. No colloquia will be held during the last two weeks of the semester, or final exam week, or during the summer. 

Oral Dissertation Defense

After the dissertation committee and the student indicate that the dissertation is completed, the committee chair will ask for the student to appear for an oral examination. The oral examination will customarily last for two hours and will be attended by all members of the dissertation committee. Other faculty and/or students may be allowed to attend the oral examination at the discretion of the dissertation committee. If revisions, normally slight, to the dissertation are suggested by the committee, the committee chair may be solely in charge of approving the revised document. If major revisions are needed, all members of the committee need to review the revised document, and, in some cases, another oral examination may be required. 

Guidelines for preparation of the dissertation document are available from DUSP's PhD Academic Administrator. The student must follow these guidelines carefully. All final dissertation document are submitted electronically. Students will be removed from the degree list for graduation if the appropriate dissertation documents are not met by the deadline set each semester by DUSP. All PhD dissertations are graded on a satisfactory basis. 

Written Dissertation Options 

In addition to the traditional monograph (i.e. a book-length manuscript), students may opt for a three-paper dissertation. 

The three-paper option is based on three related publishable papers and is designed to be used in situations where the thesis material is better suited to three papers on the same general topic rather than turning the dissertation into a book. A dissertation cannot be comprised of essays on three totally separate topics.

• Both the summary and full dissertation proposal are still required, with a dissertation committee consisting of a chair and two readers. The three-papers option should represent different aspects of the same topic.
• A student wishing to submit a three-paper dissertation should propose this plan at the time they submit the initial dissertation summary proposal or, if a decision to do so is made only subsequently, the student should indicate this plan as part of the full dissertation proposal that is submitted to the PhD Committee in advance of the Dissertation Proposal Colloquium.
• One paper in a three-paper dissertation may be co-authored. In such cases, as part of the full Dissertation Proposal, the student should explain the rationale for the proposed co-authorship. The PhD committee representative charged with evaluating the dissertation proposal will be asked to review this to determine the significance of the student's role in the collaborative paper. If there is a change in the plan for co-authorship after the Dissertation Proposal Colloquium has taken place, this must be cleared with the PhD Committee.
• In meeting the criterion of “publishable papers,” the dissertation may include a paper that has been previously published, as long as this paper has been completed as part of the student's doctoral program at MIT.
• A student's First Year Paper may not be used for one of the three papers submitted for the dissertation, unless it has been significantly revised and updated.
• Finally, the three-paper dissertation itself must contain a section that explains how the three papers are related.

A note on completing your dissertation during the summer:

Please be aware that most DUSP faculty are on nine-month contracts, and are not paid to teach or work with students during June, July, and August. Accordingly, any student seeking to complete PhD thesis work over the summer in order to be placed on the September degree list must be certain about the willingness of the advisor and readers to take on this responsibility. Any student seeking this arrangement must submit a form signed by all members of the advising team, attesting to their willingness and summer availability. This form should be submitted to the PhD Academic Administrator no later than the Spring thesis due date. Failure to do so may result in removal from eligibility for the September degree list. If this happens, a student would need to submit their thesis and hold the defense during the fall term, and would need to pay the pro-rated fall semester's tuition if beyond the funded five academic years.

• Advisor sign-off required
• Advisor sign-off required 
• With members of PhD Committee required 
• Determine first and second field exams interests
• Assemble general exams committee
• General exam committee sign-off required
• Complete course work p reparation for general exams
• Complete second-year review statement and meeting
• Dissertation committee and external reviewer sign-off required

Year Three+

• Complete further coursework - if helpful to dissertation 
• Research and write dissertation
• Dissertation chair and committee members
• Revise dissertation as necessary  
• Dissertation chair and/or committee sign-off required
• Revise dissertation as necessary 
• Submit completed dissertation to department

First Semester

• Meet with your assigned faculty advisor
• Determine who will be your faculty advisor for your First-Year Paper (FYP)
• Complete FYP research proposal 

Second Semester

• Work on FYP, including fieldwork during IAP if necessary 
• Submit your First-Year Paper
• Schedule your First-year Review
• At least two weeks before First-year Review at the end of second semester.
• Take any recommended actions after First-year Review meeting   

Third Semester

• OPTIONAL schedule a presentation of your First-Year paper in the PhD Colloquium series
• Determine your first and second field exams interests
• Your chair must be a member of DUSP faculty
• at least another two faculty members, at least one of whom must be a member of the MIT faculty

Fourth Semester

• Schedule your first and second field examinations 
• sent to the members of your exam committee
• sent to DUSP's PhD Academic Administrator at least one month before taking your general exams
• with PhD Committee member and your advisor 
• take any necessary actions following meeting
• Take   your first and second field examinations
• within three months of finishing general exams
• Explore and decide who will chair your Dissertation Committee
• Think about and discuss with your Dissertation Chair who else will sit on your Dissertation Committee

Fifth Semester

• If exams are not completed in your second year, please note you must complete your general exams by the end of your fifth semester. Please refer to semester four for more details.
• Meet with your Dissertation Committee chair to discuss your dissertation proposal
• Write a draft dissertation proposal for feedback from your Dissertation Committee
• ​​​​​​​Circulate your dissertation proposal to your Dissertation Committee
• Schedule a colloquium on your dissertation proposal

This embedded table shows recent dissertation research by the doctoral community. A more complete listing of DUSP dissertation work can be found here.

Additional resources for DUSP doctoral students may be found in DUSP's Resources, Policies, and Procedures page under general ,  funding sources , professional development , students , and doctoral students .  

We welcome any questions you have about the DUSP doctoral program. 

• Questions, concerns, and/or complaints regarding registration, enrollment, leaves, exams and/or other student requirements should be addressed to Sandra Elliot  .
• Questions, concerns, and/or complaints regarding regarding the doctoral student process should be addressed to the PhD Committee co-Chairs ( see DUSP Governance )