phd research proposal urban planning

Successful thesis proposals in architecture and urban planning

Archnet-IJAR

ISSN : 2631-6862

Article publication date: 1 May 2020

Issue publication date: 11 November 2020

The purpose of this research is to improve the understanding of what constitutes a successful thesis proposal (TP) and as such enhance the quality of the TP writing in architecture, planning and related disciplines.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on extended personal experience and a review of relevant literature, the authors proposed a conception of a successful TP comprising 13 standard components. The conception provides specific definition/s, attributes and success rules for each component. The conception was applied for 15 years on several batches of Saudi graduate students. The implications of the conception were assessed by a students' opinion survey. An expert inquiry of experienced academics from architectural schools in nine countries was applied to validate and improve the conception.

Assessment of the proposed conception demonstrated several positive implications on students' knowledge, performance and outputs which illustrates its applicability in real life. Experts' validation of the conception and constructive remarks have enabled further improvements on the definitions, attributes and success rules of the TP components.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed TP conception with its 13 components is limited to standard problem-solving research and will differ in the case of other types such as hypothesis-based research.

Practical implications

The proposed conception is a useful directive and evaluative tool for writing and assessing thesis proposals for graduate students, academic advisors and examiners.

Social implications

The research contributes to improving the quality of thesis production process among the academic community in the built environment fields.

Originality/value

The paper is meant to alleviate the confusion and hardship caused by the absence of a consensus on what constitutes a successful TP in the fields of architecture, urban planning and related disciplines.

• Urban planning
• Architecture
• Built environment
• Postgraduate research
• Writing successful thesis proposals

Abdellatif, M. and Abdellatif, R. (2020), "Successful thesis proposals in architecture and urban planning", Archnet-IJAR , Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 503-524. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARCH-12-2019-0281

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Mahmoud Abdellatif and Reham Abdellatif

Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode .

1. Introduction

After the postgraduate student completes her/his coursework in a master programme or passes the comprehensive exam and becomes a doctoral candidate in a doctoral programme, s/he is allowed to submit a “Thesis Proposal” (TP) to her/his department whose main concern is to assess whether the topic is suitable for a graduate study and for the time and resources available ( Afful, 2008 ; Kivunja, 2016 ; Reddy, 2019 ).

The department then sends the submitted TP to higher bodies for official approval. Once approved, the TP becomes a legal binding or “a formal contract” ( Walliman, 2017 ) and “a statement of intent” ( Hofstee, 2006 ) between the researcher and the university. If the student adheres to all prescribed TP requirements within the specified time, s/he will be awarded the degree ( Leo, 2019 ).

Guided by his/her academic advisor, the student prepares the TP within which the researcher explains the research problem, questions, aim and objectives, scope, and methodologies to describe, analyse and synthesize the research problem and develop solutions for it ( Paltridge and Starfield, 2007 ). In addition, the proposal includes a brief about research significance and expected contributions; a preliminary review of literature; thesis structure and approximate completion timeline; and a list of relevant references ( Kivunja, 2016 ; Thomas, 2016 ; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ).

1.1 Statement of the problem and research aim

After decades of writing, supervising and refereeing master and doctoral theses in the fields of Architecture and Urban Planning, the authors noticed that TP's differ in format and content from a school to another. This may be considered a healthy matter because it gives room for flexibility that absorbs the variety of research problems and techniques. Yet, the absence of a consensus on what constitutes a successful TP could cause confusion and hardship to both students and advisors ( Kamler and Thomson, 2008 ; Abdulai and Owusu-Ansah, 2014 ). The review of literature indicates that TP writing has been tackled in depth in many fields (see for instance Gonzalez, 2007 ; Balakumar et al. , 2013 ; Eco, 2015 ; Kivunja, 2016 ; Glatthorn and Randy, 2018 ; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). Apart from thesis proposal instruction and guideline manuals posted on universities' websites, the authors believe that there is a lack of in-depth research on the issue of producing successful thesis proposals in the fields of Architecture and Planning.

To propose a successful TP conception which determines the standard components of TP and sets specific definitions, attributes and rules of success for each component.

To apply the proposed conception on several batches of graduate students, then assess its impact on students' performance and output along the years of application.

To validate the proposed conception by getting the insights of experienced academics from architecture and planning schools worldwide, and as such, improve and finalize the conception.

1.2 Research methodology

To propose the Successful TP Conception , the authors relied on two sources: knowledge extracted from their extended experience and a review of relevant studies and instruction manuals and guidelines for preparing TP in several worldwide universities. The Conception has been applied on several batches of master and doctoral students from IAU, KSA for almost 15 years between 2005 and 2020 during their enrolment in three courses in the College of Architecture and Planning, IAU, KSA. These courses are “ARPL 603 Research Methods” and “BISC 600 Research Methods” for the master's level and “URPL 803 Seminar (3): Doctoral Research Methods” for the doctoral level.

From a total of 60 students, 39 students (65%) completed the survey; of whom 12 students (31%) were doctoral and 27 students (69%) were masters students.

- Improve their understanding of the components of a successful TP.

- Enhance their performance in developing their TP's.

- Conduct a more effective self-assessment of their developed TP's.

- Enhance their performance along other stages of producing their theses and dissertations.

- Maintain any other benefits adding to students' research capabilities.

The first part recorded the general characteristics of respondents.

The second inquired about experts' viewpoints on the definitions, attributes and the rules of success of the components of the proposed TP conception.

2. Proposing the Successful TP Conception

2.1 components of a tp for a standard problem-solving research type.

A review of thesis writing guidelines posted on universities' websites and other related literature has indicated that the number of components of a masters' or doctoral thesis proposal varies. After a thorough review of related literature and with their experience, the authors have been convinced that, in its standard form, a TP should include 13 components. Chronically arranged, as appearing in the proposal, they are: title page, abstract, keywords, background, statement of the problem, research questions, research aim and objectives, research scope, research significance and contributions, preliminary review of literature, research methodology, thesis structure and timeline, and references list ( Ostler, 1996 ; Simpson and Turner, 2004 ; Zhou, 2004 ; Davies, 2011 ; Axelrod and Windell, 2012 ; Donohue, 2018 ; Glatthorn and Randy, 2018 ; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). It is worth mentioning that these 13 components will differ in the case of a hypothesis-based research whose aim is to validate a specific hypothesis that a specific variable/s is/are or is/are not the main cause/s of an investigated research problem. This paper is limited only to the standard problem-solving research type.

2.2 Building the Successful TP Conception

Setting a general definition for each component including its meaning, importance, functions and contents.

Outlining the most important attributes that must be considered when writing the component.

Based on step 1 and 2, the authors extracted a list of success rules which provides a concise definition for each component of the TP, and/or describes the relationship between the component and other components of the TP (the list is summarized at the end of Part 2).

2.2.1 Research title

This is the first item that appears to the reader. It invites or detains him/her from proceeding to other contents ( Blaxter et al. , 2010 ). The research title is positioned in the title page along with several basic data, namely, the title; the names of the Department, College, University, study programme, researcher and advisory committee; and submission date.

The research title should be useful, discussing an issue critical to society; true, conveying a real message about the investigated problem ( Donohue, 2018 ); concise, presenting the message with the minimum number of words; adequate, using the right wording to explain the intended meaning; and attractive , stimulating the reader's attention. Iterations in refining the research title go hand-in-hand with refining the research question ( Groat and Wang, 2013 ).

2.2.2 The abstract

It is the first item that appears in the TP after the title and of the same significance; yet, it is the last to be written ( Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). It has a marketing function ( Lamanauskas, 2019 ); it calls the reader in or alienates him out. A comprehensive abstract contains a summary of the problem, aim, scope, methodology, importance, contributions and outline ( Koopman, 1997 ).

The Abstract should be concise or brief with a maximum of 200–300 words; adequate, including profiles of all parts of the proposal; clear, expressing its message without ambiguity; and interrelated, serving as a body of sequential, coherent and connected ideas ( Blaxter et al. , 2010 ).

2.2.3 The keywords

These are a set of words or terms used for archiving, tabulation and electronic search on databases. They should include essential “subject terms” describing the research topic, the unique sub-specializations and focus of the research (what is researched), the contextual scope of the research (where and when), and the used research methodology (how to conduct the research) ( Lamanauskas, 2019 ). They are better written by splitting the title into its separate single words or terms which must be found in the abstract, as well ( Mack, 2012 ).

Keywords should be brief, not more than 8–12 words; adequate, conveying the research theme, scope, aim and approach; exact, focusing on the investigated topic and scope; and standard, using scientific terminology used in the field.

2.2.4 The background

This is a gradual preparation of the reader from the larger scientific field to the specific field, from the wider geographic area to the immediate area, and from the larger timeframe to the immediate one. It starts from the strategic level and general scope of the research and gradually reaches the level closer to the examined problem ( Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005 ). It places the study within the larger context of the research, creates interest to the reader and catches his attention, and includes quotations and statistics leading the reader to proceed ( Babbie, 2014 ).

The background statement should be striking, drawing the reader's attention to the research; brief, not lengthy; gradual, moving from the general level surrounding the investigated issue to the specific level; and careful, not speeding up in disclosing the study problem, aim or methodology to the reader ( Axelrod and Windell, 2012 ; Pautasso, 2013 ).

2.2.5 The statement of the problem

Statement of the General Research Problem is a narrative describing a negative aspect/s prevailing in the investigated urban environment/ecosystem or architectural setting; it is equivalent to the negative wording of the research aim ( Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005 ). It stimulates interest in the study; scientifically explained to convey a simple, clear and specific issue to which a reader can relate and is useful to the society at large ( Balakumar et al. , 2013 ). In the humanities and social sciences many dissertations endeavour to establish the conditions of the problem, not to solve it ( Dorst, 2011 ).

In formulating the research problem, it is useful to consider it a problem which hinders the natural development of the society and/or environment and leads to a decline in the Quality of Life (QOL) or Quality of Environment (QOE) or both. A development problem is a factor/cause leading to either a quantitative or qualitative deficiency in satisfying a human need or both such as a lack of certain service or inadequate provision of the service ( Abdellatif, 2015 ). To arrive at a successful statement of the general problem, the researcher should pinpoint the main cause/s behind the study problem. All what comes next depends on the clarity of the problem statement.

Technically oriented research (TOR), which places emphasis on the process and procedures as the primary basis of effective design, TOR can be either systematic, or computational, or managerial.

Conceptually driven research (CDR), which can be either psychological or person–environment. The psychological type is driven by the goal of matching knowledge with the nature of the design problem, its components, context and social and environmental requirements. Whereas, the person–environment type places emphasis on the socio-cultural and socio-behavioural factors as they relate to the design process itself and to settings, buildings and urban environments.

Classify the investigated situation to branched dimensions, e.g. demographic, planning, regulatory, economic, social, environmental, etc.

Trace the causes or the influencing factors that lead to the emergence or aggravation of the problem/s in each dimension.

Clarify the problem more by identifying the consequences or adverse effects (the symptoms of the problem) that resulted from those causes. This helps isolate the causes from the consequences to focus on treating the causes not the consequences. Using temporary painkillers will not eliminate the disease; it only tranquilizes the symptoms.

Statement of the consequences of the problem is a narrative that describes the negative effects caused by sub-problems on the investigated environment ( Goetz et al. , 2005 ).

The statement of consequences of the problem should be focused, where each consequence focuses on one independent sub-problem; articulate, not overlapping with other consequences; rooted, relating to one of the roots of the general problems; deep, providing description for specific symptom; and comprehended, could be perceived, described and determined ( Abdellatif, 2015 ).

2.2.6 Research questions

What is the nature of the development problem as defined by the latest findings of previous literature, similar studies and published statistical reports?

What are the key features of the investigated problem according to a direct field survey?

What are the appropriate links between different variables of the study (causes, consequences, etc.) according to the information gathered from the theoretical review and field surveys?

What are the extracted results and the appropriate solutions and/or recommendations to deal with the general research problem and its sub-problems?

What are the critical contributions of the research findings on the life and/or environmental qualities?

How can the research increase the benefits of research results on the ground?

What are the research areas/points that need further investigation?

Research questions should be specific, each question addresses one sub-problem; unduplicated, each question does not repeat itself in a different format; sequential, or arranged according to their importance and order; and interrelated, where each question relates to other questions.

2.2.7 Research aim, goals and objectives

The general aim of the research is a specific and clear statement presenting the overall purpose of the study. It is directed to find an appropriate and effective solution to the general research problem ( Donohue, 2018 ). It is an attempt to fill a gap between a negative reality of an environment/ecosystem/or development situation and a desired positive future to be achieved at the end of the research process ( Glatthorn and Randy, 2018 ). The aim should be properly stated to ensure the success of all the following stages of the scientific research process.

Exploring the problem by defining the research problem, formulating aim and objectives, designing the methodology, defining the scope, and highlighting the expected contributions.

Collecting secondary data by defining basic concepts and terms, reviewing relevant literature and previous studies, and describing the most important characteristics of the investigated environment from secondary sources and statistical reports.

Collecting primary data via direct field surveys and based on the views of concerned population, experts and officials to describe the characteristics of the investigated development problem.

Analysing the gathered data by using theoretical and field data to determine the appropriate links among different variables of the study (e.g. causes, consequences, etc.).

Synthesizing the gathered data by integrating the findings of analysis to build appropriate approaches or solutions to deal with the general problem.

Extracting conclusions and writing recommendations to highlight research findings and make them more useful and effective.

A micro level objective contributes to solving the specific investigated problem (e.g. a specific quantitative or qualitative problem that hinders the development of a sector of society, environment, or eco-system).

A macro level objective contributes to realizing a higher goal (e.g. improving the overall quality of life of a larger community, upgrading the quality of the larger environment, etc.).

Development objectives should apply the SMART goal rule (previously explained); and be non-overlapping by ensuring that each objective is focused and not conflicting with other objectives.

2.2.8 Research scope

Thematic scope clarifies the general and specific areas of the research (e.g. the research falls within the field of sustainable development in general and focuses on social sustainability).

Geographic/Spatial scope specifies the spatial boundaries of the physical environment within which the research is applied (e.g. a specific local or regional setting).

Temporal scope shows the past, present and future spans the research will cover indicating the number of years from the historical information inventory until the expected completion date. If the research aim is to develop future strategies or policies, the span will extend to future target point.

Research Scope should be categorized, by being classified by subject, place and time; focused, by reaching the closest limits of the investigated research problem, environment and time; and clear, by not being so general or ambiguous.

2.2.9 Research significance and contributions

They highlight the most important benefits and the main beneficiaries from solving the research problem; the potential positive impacts of the study on the life and environmental qualities ( Groat and Wang, 2013 ). Contributions differ in nature (theoretical or applied or both) and in size (huge, average, or marginal). There is a positive relationship between the size of contributions and the size of impacted beneficiaries (individuals, groups, institutions, communities, societies), the scale of the impacted geographic boundaries (local, national or global), the type of impacted development sectors (service, production, etc.) and the numbers of the impacted sectors (one, a few, or all sectors). Research significance increases as the size of contributions increases. Specifying the research significance, expected contributions and potential beneficiaries helps promote the research and provides rational justifications for conducting it. The higher the contributions and the greater the sectors of the beneficiaries, the more significant the research is ( Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005 ). According to Balakumar et al. (2013) research significance justifies the need for the research that is being proposed.

Research significance and expected contributions should be categorized, in terms of type (theoretical or applied contribution or both), size and nature of the beneficiaries (individuals, institutions, communities, etc.) and geographical extent (small site, district, city, region, nation, etc.); clear, simple and comprehensible to the reader; and realistic, real, accurate and not exaggerated.

2.2.10 The preliminary review of literature

This is an initial review of literature dealt with relevant problems. It aims to build an initial understanding of the problem, identify the most important variables that have been considered, cite methodologies used to deal with the problem; make use of the latest findings and record the various recommendations/solutions suggested to deal with the problem ( Hart, 1998 ; Grix, 2001 ). According to Dunleavy (2003) , it is a critical review on related recent research that is well documented, structured, analysed and synthesized. It offers the researcher an opportunity to engage with other scholars in one's disciplinary community.

In addition to having a separate part, it is useful to combine the literature review with other components of the TP (e.g. the research problem, questions, aim and objectives, and methodology). It is important that the review presents differing perspectives or contrasting views of the topic and reports the complexities of the issue ( Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). By conducting the review, the researcher becomes able to build an initial but comprehensive understanding of the causes and consequences of the problem, the methodologies used to study and analyse the problem and the solutions proposed to deal with it by synthesizing various viewpoints of previous studies, thereby, supporting her/his principle argument about the study problem with the results derived from previous literature ( Pautasso, 2013 ).

Definitions of key terms and concepts; standard terms to appear in the research and special concepts which are not formally provided by previous scholars. The definitions must be logic and derived from scientifically recognized sources.

Review of previous studies; focusing on identifying several issues, namely, the most important dimensions and variables of the research problem (the causes of the problem; why the problem has emerged or aggravated; the most important consequences of this problem on the human and/or physical environment); the methods used to deal with the problem; the latest findings of previous studies and the various approaches/solutions suggested to deal with the problem.

Contextual aspects of the investigated development situation; including a review of relevant characteristics of the researched environment (its basic dimensions and elements) as found in previous studies. Contextual aspects may be classified into physical and human components; or into environmental, functional, aesthetic, structural, economic and social design determinants; or into demographic, planning, regulatory, economic, social, environmental sectors or other classifications.

Preliminary review of literature should be indexed, from reliable scholarly sources; categorized or documented according to standard classification system; employed, used wisely to achieve a desired purpose; up to date, recent, however, in topics which address chronological development or evolutionary aspects references could be recent and old; and related, relevant to the study problem ( Hart, 1998 ).

2.2.11 Research methodology

Data collection methods including office methods used to collect secondary data from previous literature and case studies as well as field methods used to gather original data through field visits, surveying, questionnaires, interviews with stakeholders, etc.

Data analysis methods including methods used to analyse both the secondary and primary information collected from office and the field surveys such as Statistical Analysis, Environmental Scanning (SWOT), Development Components Analysis, etc.

Data synthesis methods including methods used to compile, synthesize the analysis and develop appropriate alternative scenarios or solutions to deal with the problem.

Data presentation methods including methods to present the research process and findings such as scientific research paper containing narratives, tables, figures, forms, maps, results and recommendations as well as final visual presentation to review panel to get remarks and write the last version of the TP.

Research methodology should be appropriate, aligned with the purpose/s in which they will be used; achievable, within the reach of the researcher; effective, achieving the purpose fast and with high quality; reliable, previously tested, applied and approved in similar cases; and precise, accurate and specific.

2.2.12 Research structure and timeline

This is a brief statement of the main sections of the master's/doctoral thesis with tentative dates for completing the various stages of the research. Careful preparation of research structure and timeline ensures the effectiveness and integrity of the plan of actions towards the completion of the study ( Kivunja, 2016 ). It is also a criterion to judge the achieved progress and seriousness of the researcher.

Research structure and timeline should be sequential, arranged according to a standard scientific research process; logical, proportionate to the total period available for completion; and balanced, distributing time properly among various stages.

2.2.13 The list of references

This is a list which contains a reasonable number of relevant references on the topic which were actually cited in the TP ( Kornuta and Germaine, 2019 ). Including a list of the references about the topic demonstrates that the researcher is familiar with the basic and latest knowledge on his/her problem.

The list of references should be relevant, closely related to the investigated subject; up to date, recent yet containing old and new according the topic and context; and reliable, published in dependable vessels.

2.3 Extracting the success rules

Based on the above definitions and attributes provided for each of the 13 TP components, the authors were able to extract a number of success rules that took the form of equations, each of which describes an equality function between each component and its counterpart component/s as shown in Table 1 . For instance, rule #1 shows that “research title” is equal to “the general aim of the research” and is equal to “the negative wording of the research problem”.

3. Assessing the Successful TP Conception from students' viewpoints

They better understood the meanings of each component (97% agree and strongly agree and 3% neutral).

They better understood the attributes of each component (94% agree and strongly agree and 6% neutral).

They better understood the rules which control the relations between the various components of the TP (87% agree and strongly agree and 13% neutral).

The process of writing the proposal has become easier and more convenient (100% agree and strongly agree).

The effort, cost and time spent in submitting the proposal have been substantially saved (87% agree and strongly and 12% neutral).

The relationship with academic advisor has improved (87% agree and strongly agree and 12% neutral).

The students' confidence in advancing their own learning abilities has improved (93% agree and strongly agree and 7% neutral).

The students' abilities to address the strengths and weaknesses of their personal skills have improved (93% agree and strongly agree and 7% neutral).

The students' abilities to manage their learning process more independently have improved (90% agree and strongly agree, 7% neutral and 3% disagree).

The students have created a clearer and better mutual understanding with their academic advisors (90% agree and strongly agree and 10% neutral).

The students have reduced their distraction from the original target set out in the proposal (81% agree and strongly agree, 16% neutral and 3% disagree).

The students have been able to finish their research on time (78% agree and strongly agree, 19% neutral and 3% disagree).

They gained better analytical skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10% neutral and 3% disagree).

They gained better problem-solving skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10% neutral and 3% disagree).

They gained better critical thinking skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10% neutral and 3% disagree).

4. Verifying the Successful TP Conception based on experts' viewpoints

Having proposed, applied and assessed the Successful TP Conception, it becomes important to validate it using the insights of experienced academics from Architectural and Planning schools worldwide. This part summarizes the results of the experts' inquiry survey conducted in November 2019 to February 2020. It shows the characteristics of experts and their viewpoints and remarks on the originally proposed definitions, attributes and success rules.

4.1 Experts' characteristics

They were from nine countries, namely, the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

About 75% of the experts were males and 25% were females. About 5% were 35–45 years old, 20% were 45–55 years, 55% were 55–65 years and 20% were 65 years and over.

About 5% were Assistant Professors, 10% Associate Professors and the majority (85%) were Professors.

The experts had teaching experiences in undergraduate and graduate levels (masters, doctoral, diploma, postdoctoral and continuing professional development).

The general specialization of 70% of the experts was Architecture and 30% of experts were specialized in Urban Planning. They taught in several built environment fields (Architecture, Interior Design, Building Technology, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture and Urban and Regional Planning).

The experts had several focus areas, namely, Architecture, History and Theories of Architecture, Assessment of Designed Environments, Design Methods, Pedagogy, Architecture and Digital Technologies, Heritage Conservation, Middle East Architecture and Cities, Construction Project Management, Urban Design, Spatial Development Planning, Landscape, Built Environment and Behaviour, Urban Studies, Techniques and Quantitative Methods of Urban Planning, Urban Conflict, Urban Justice, Community Development, Environmental Management and Planning and Development Approaches.

About 10% of the experts supervised 5 theses, 5% supervised 6–10 theses, 50% supervised 11–20 theses and 35% supervised more than 20 theses.

4.2 Experts' viewpoints and remarks

Concerning the proposed definitions of the TP components, the experts expressed their agreement which ranged between 73 and 96%. Some experts provided additional remarks to help improve the definitions. Table 2 presents the originally proposed definitions, the percentages of agreed experts and their additional remarks.

Regarding the attributes of each component of the TP, the original conception proposed 38 attributes, the experts added 18 attributes resulting in a total of 56 attributes. Table 3 presents a matrix showing the percentages of experts' agreement of the originally proposed attributes as well as the added attributes. The lowest agreement percentage was 59% and the highest was 96%.

Concerning the proposed success rules which were called “equations” in the originally proposed conception, the experts suggested to change the expression into “rules”; which is more appropriate for subjective contents than mathematical expression. Table 4 presents the final 19 success rules for the components/sub-components of a TP and the percentage of experts' agreement which ranged between 57 and 95%.

5. Conclusion

Based on their experience in preparing and supervising masters and doctoral theses and after a thorough review of the literature on preparing thesis proposals, the authors drafted a conception of a successful thesis proposal comprising specific definitions, attributes and rules for each of the 13 components of a standard TP. The conception had been applied over a duration of 15 years (2005–2020) on several batches of master and doctoral students in IAU, KSA. Through an online survey, the majority of students (78–100%) have indicated that understanding and applying the conception helped them improve their performances and outputs during the TP development process and beyond.

The conception was then validated by getting the insights of 39 experienced academics from worldwide architectural schools. The experts accepted the proposed definitions with (73–96%) agreement rate. The experts also accepted the proposed attributes with (59–96%) agreement rate. As for the success rules, the experts' agreed as well with an acceptance rate ranging from (57–95%). The experts suggested constructive remarks which were considered in writing the final version of the conception.

The extracted success rules combine the definitions and attributes of each component of the TP and present them in a concise statement which defines the component and, where applicable, exemplifies its relationship to another corresponding or counterpart component of the TP. For example, rule #1 shows that “research title” should reflect “the general aim and scope of the research” and should also reflect “the negative wording of the research problem”. Extracted also is rule #14 which indicates that “the whole thesis proposal” written in future tenses, should resemble “the introduction of the final thesis” written in past tenses.

A directive tool that assists the researcher in writing a sound TP. Combining the last three tables (2, 3 and 4) into a comprehensive checklist would aid the students in preparing their TP's; enhancing the quality of their performance and outputs.

An evaluative tool that helps in assessing the validity and integrity of the submitted TP's that can be used by the researcher for self-assessment, or by the academic advisor, or by an examiner/evaluator before sending the proposal to higher authorities for approval.

The findings of this paper could be useful not only in evaluating thesis proposals, but also, with proper modifications, in assessing various scientific research documents, including scientific thesis, research papers and others; which is another research topic that will be addressed in the future.

The stages of developing the successful thesis proposal conception

Proposed list of success rules for the TP components

An extracted list of success rules for thesis proposals

Source(s) : Prepared by the authors based on the above analysis and the results of expert inquiry

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Koopman , P. ( 1997 ), “ How to write an abstract ”, available at: http://users.ece.cmu.edu/∼koopman/essays/abstract.html ( accessed October 2019 ).

Kornuta , H.M. and Germaine , R.W. ( 2019 ), A Concise Guide to Writing a Thesis or Dissertation Educational Research and beyond , Routledge , New York, NY .

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the sincere assistance provided by the team of experts from several Architectural Schools worldwide to verify and improve the TP Conception. Appreciation is also extended to the post graduate students of the College of Architecture and Planning, IAU, who have positively responded to the students' opinion survey.

Corresponding author

About the authors.

Mahmoud Abdellatif is a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Saudi Arabia. He received an MSc from Assuit University, Egypt in 1977 and another MSc from Iowa State University in 1981 and a PhD degree from Texas A&M University in 1985. He has taught and practiced Architecture and Urban Planning for more than 45 years in Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. His main research focus is on research methods, strategic planning and design and development approaches. He is currently the adviser of IAU Vice President for Studies, Development and Community Services. His last book (published in Arabic) entitled The Simplifying-Integrating Approach to Contemporary Design, Planning and Urban Development articulates his own problem-solving approach. He is the principle editor of the Strategic Plan of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University 2018–2025.

Reham Abdellatif is an Assistant Professor in Architecture, College of Design, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Saudi Arabia. She obtained an MSc degree from Assiut University in 2003 and a PhD degree from Newcastle University, UK, in 2012. She has taught and practiced Architecture and Interior Design for more than 22 years in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Her main research focus is on Architectural Education and Curriculum Development, Analysing Design Learning Activities, Distant/Online Learning, Communication and Computation, VR and Information Technologies in Architecture. She ran the interior design curriculum development committee in Assiut University and in IAU.

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The Ph.D. in urban and regional planning trains scholars for careers in higher education, research and high-level policy positions. It is a doctoral degree with a flexible, interdisciplinary focus. Graduates work in universities, government, non-profits, and the private sector, in the U.S. and around the world.

Program History

The doctorate in planning began in 1968 as the Ph.D. Program in Urban and Regional Planning under the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. It was initially a university-wide Ph.D. program with faculty participation from many colleges throughout the university. In the late 1970s, the degree moved into the Rackham Graduate School. The name changed to the Ph.D. in Urban, Technological, and Environmental Planning (U.T.E.P.) in 1982.

The degree moved into the College of Architecture and Urban Planning in 1989 and administratively merged with the professional program in planning to form the Urban and Regional Planning Program. The degree is now known as the “Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning,” a name change made in 2004. In nearly 60 years of existence, the program has granted over 215 Ph.D. degrees. Graduates hold faculty positions in a range of departments in universities, government, research organizations, and consulting firms.

/ Curriculum

The doctoral curriculum integrates analytical methods, research design, a rigorous understanding of urbanization dynamics, and an examination of broader social theories, processes and policies.

Students address complex systems that typically encompass an array of spatial, environmental, social, political, technical, and economic factors. The emphasis is on theory, analysis, and action.

Each student is also expected to demonstrate an understanding of the literature, theory, and research in a specialization area within the larger discipline of urban and regional planning.

Sample Subjects

Recent students have engaged in subjects as diverse as:

• The political economy of public transit, inner-city revitalization
• Global city urbanization
• Information technology and cyberspace
• The crisis of modernist urbanism
• Suburbanization in developing countries
• Regional planning institutions
• The effects of environmental contamination on patterns of urban and regional development
• The culture of suburban commuting
• The impact of tourism on historical Mediterranean cities
• The application of complex systems analysis to sustainable development

Full list of courses and descriptions

/ Specialization

Doctoral students specialize in a wide range of possible topics.

The highly individualized course of study operates under the premise that concepts and methods from a wide range of professions and academic disciplines are applicable to urban and regional systems. Accordingly, students rely on faculty resources not only from Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning but also from other schools, colleges, and institutes of the University of Michigan.

Students commonly take courses in the social sciences and in the professional schools. This emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, and on the links between theory and action, are defining characteristics of the doctoral planning degree at the University of Michigan.

Social Sciences Samples

• Anthropology
• Political science

Professional Schools Samples

• Business administration
• Engineering
• Natural resources and the environment
• Public policy
• Public health
• Social work

Primary Specialization

Students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the literature, theory, and methods from a primary area of specialization. Each student defines this area of specialization in consultation with their faculty advisor(s). An area of specialization might be, for example, transportation planning, community development planning, regional planning, environmental planning, and so on. (If appropriate, a student may further focus their area of specialization by demarcating a subfield within a broader planning topic, such as economic development finance within local economic development.) Students take graduate-level course work in the appropriate discipline(s) and complete a comprehensive examination (described below).

During the first semester in the program, each student should meet with their advisor(s) to:

1. Identify Specialization:

Discuss the student’s goals and interest in doctoral study and identify an area of specialization.

2. Coursework:

Develop a program of study indicating courses to be taken, or courses that have been taken, covering the appropriate literature (theory and method) for the area of specialization. Students will normally take coursework totaling approximately 12 to 15 credit hours for the area of specialization. (Note: One or two courses taken for the master’s degree may apply for either the primary or secondary areas of specialization, but master’s level work normally should not be relied upon too extensively for the purposes of doctoral-level study.)

3. Directed Study:

As three of these credit hours, a student is expected to take a directed study course with their primary advisor and a second faculty reader during either the winter term of the first year or the fall term of the second year of study. The purpose of this directed study is to conduct a literature review that will demonstrate the student’s ability to review and synthesize a body of academic work and that will advance the student’s efforts toward identifying a topic for dissertation research. The directed study is evaluated on a pass/fail basis; initial drafts must be revised until they are of passing quality.

Secondary Specialization

In addition to the primary area of specialization, each student must also identify a secondary area of specialization (i.e., a “minor field” or “outside field”) in consultation with their faculty advisor(s). The secondary area of specialization is frequently from a discipline outside urban and regional planning.

Sample Secondary Specialization Areas

• Urban politics
• Urban history
• Urban sociology
• Development economics, environment, behavior, etc.

Students normally take at least six to nine credit hours in this secondary area. Students demonstrate sufficient knowledge in this secondary area (and their ability to integrate the secondary area into their main area of specialization) through their comprehensive examination.

/ Required Courses

Four courses are required of all Ph.D. students: two doctoral-level planning theory courses and a two-course research seminar sequence.

Advanced Urban Theory (URP 700)

The two theory courses, Advanced Urban Theory (URP 700) and Epistemology and Reasoning for Planning Research (URP 701), are offered during the fall term in alternating years. These courses are designed to provide doctoral students a solid theoretical foundation for conducting rigorous scholarly inquiry within the planning field.

Epistemology and Reasoning for Planning Research (URP 701)

Research design (urp 801).

First-year students are required to take URP 801 (Research Design) during the winter term of the first year.

Ph.D. Research Seminar (URP 802)

Second-year students are required to take URP 802 (Ph.D. Research Seminar) in the winter term of the second year. This two-course sequence seminar has three objectives.

• First, it exposes students to various approaches to research related to planning.
• Second, it enables students to formulate and test out researchable topics among faculty and student peers.
• Finally, it enables students to gain experience in developing an appropriate research design, in writing a detailed research proposal, and in formally presenting the proposal to an audience of faculty and students in the seminar during the second winter semester.

/ Pre-Candidacy Requirements

• Planning theory
• Analytic methods
• Research design
• Primary area of specialization

Students meet these requirements through coursework and exams over a two-year period. During this time, a student’s cumulative grade point average may not fall below a B without academic discipline or probation.

Analytic Methods Courses

Students are expected to be skilled in statistics, in at least two analytic research techniques, and reasonably knowledgeable about several others. Students qualify in analytic techniques by completing the following:

1. Satisfactory performance (B or higher) in two cumulative graduate-level statistics courses.

Students entering with previous statistics experience may wish to enter directly into a second semester statistics course. In the past, students have typically selected one of the following sequences:

• Statistics 402 (Introduction to Statistics & Data Analysis), Statistics 403 (Statistics & Data Analysis II)
• Sociology 510 (Statistics); Sociology 610 (Statistical Methods)
• Natural Resources 438 (Natural Resources Biometrics), Natural Resources 538 (Natural Resources Data Analysis)
• Biostatistics 503 (Introductory Biostatistics), Biostatistics 523 (Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Fields)
• The sequence in political science

NOTE: Students wishing to study statistics during the spring or summer terms may want to investigate the Summer Program in Quantitative Methods of Social Research sponsored by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) and/or the Summer Institute in Survey Research Techniques conducted by the research staff of the Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research. Choice of courses to meet requirements should be discussed with your advisor.

2. Competence in at least two analytic/research methods satisfied through nine credit hours of total coursework.

These are methods used in planning research and should prepare the student for their likely area of dissertation work. The requirement is met through completion of nine credits of course work in two analytic/research methods (in addition to statistics), to be defined by the student in conjunction with his or her advisor. (The two methods may be interrelated.) Depending on the research method and the student’s background, more courses may be needed. Courses in these two areas must be completed with a grade of B or higher in order to fulfill this requirement. Graduate level courses that are audited can count for this requirement, as long as the student completes all the work of the course and the instructor provides a letter indicating the grade the student would have received had he or she been enrolled. All plans for satisfying this requirement are the joint responsibility of the student and his or her advisor.

The methods a student selects should relate to their dissertation area. Below are several analytic/research methods in which students have been examined in recent years. Numerous analytic/research methods are appropriate, and students need not be restricted to choices on the list:

• Anthropological methods
• Case study methods
• Complex systems analysis
• Cost benefit & cost effectiveness analysis
• Decision theory & general risk analysis
• Demographic analysis
• Discrete choice analysis
• Differential equations
• Diffusion models
• Economic & other forecasting models
• Evaluation research
• Graph theory
• Historical analysis
• Institutional analysis
• Interview techniques
• Linear programming and general analysis using linear models
• Network & flow methods
• Population growth models
• Probability, both theoretical & heuristic
• Simulation/gaming & game theory
• Spatial analysis
• Survey research
• Time series.

/ Annual Review of Student Progress

At the end of each year of study, students are required to complete an Annual Review. The advisor and the Coordinator of Doctoral Studies may make recommendations for any modifications deemed necessary prior to the start of the following academic year. Note: financial support for the subsequent year, if applicable, depends on timely completion of a satisfactory annual review.

Annual Review Steps

By April 30, the student submits TWO COPIES (one copy to their   advisor ; one copy to the   doctoral studies assistant ) of the following:

• A completed  annual review form , including a concise narrative of plans and goals for the upcoming academic year.
• An up-to-date compliance form.

The advisor provides comments to the student and, where necessary, recommends changes in the academic plan. (This consultation between advisor and student may happen in person or by phone). If necessary, the student should provide the advisor and the doctoral studies assistant with copies of a revised version of this review form based on the advisor’s comments.

Once the advisor has approved the plan of study for the coming year, the advisor forwards (no later than May 14) to the doctoral studies assistant a copy of the “faculty evaluation form,” which includes a short narrative of student progress (one paragraph).

The URP Doctoral Committee reviews the materials, and sends a letter to the student, either confirming their good standing in the program or specifying additional requirements to be in good standing.

Comprehensive Exam

The comprehensive exam tests a student’s knowledge of both their primary and secondary areas of specialization. The exam consists of a take-home, written examination followed by an oral exam. The examination normally occurs before the start of the third year in the Ph.D. program, after completion of all relevant coursework.

1. The Committee:

The student convenes an examination committee of three faculty members, choosing faculty who have expertise in the areas of specialization. At least one member of the committee should be a member of the urban and regional planning faculty. The chair or co-chair of the committee must be a regular member of the planning faculty and cannot be an affiliate faculty member. At least one committee member should represent the student’s secondary area of specialization. (If the student has identified a secondary area of specialization that is traditionally housed in another department on campus, then the student is encouraged to select a faculty member from that outside department as their third committee member.) On occasion, examiners from outside the university have served on students’ examining committees. While this practice is generally not encouraged, written requests for an outside examiner by students are treated on an individual basis by the director of doctoral studies.

2. The Field Statement:

The student meets with the committee chair to plan for the exam and agree on expectations prior to the construction of the exam. In consultation with the chair and committee members, the student identifies appropriate readings and prepares a detailed “field statement” that defines the primary and secondary fields, contains a detailed bibliography of readings, organizes the readings into subfields, and outlines a set of major questions for the fields. The field statement is normally designed principally with the chair and is sometimes analogous to a detailed syllabus that one would prepare for a year-long graduate-level course on the selected specializations. The student often writes possible exam questions that he/she feels are appropriate for the area the exam will cover. The questions are not the questions the committee asks the student; their major function is to help the committee and the student to agree on the scope of the exam.

3. Scheduling the Exam:

The exam must be completed by May 20 of the second year in the program, and it is scheduled on the student’s initiative. Prior to the exam, the student should have completed all coursework (including all incompletes). A student may delay the exam for exceptional circumstances with approval of the faculty adviser and the Director of Doctoral Studies. Students must notify the Director of Doctoral Studies of their intent to take the exam, with a date and time, location, and names of committee members at least one month prior to the exam.

4. The Exam:

The written part of the exam is in the form of a take-home essay. The committee chair typically solicits exam questions from the committee, selects questions to be used, and composes the final examination. The allotted time period to write the exam is determined by the chair, and typically is over three days. The student must submit the exam in the form as directed by the chair (usually as a Word document submitted by email), plus one copy to the program administrator to be placed in the student’s records. The written exam is followed by a two-hour oral exam, generally scheduled to take place within about one week after the written exam. The exam is evaluated on a “Pass/Fail” or “Conditional Pass” basis. If the student does not achieve a passing evaluation, he/she may take the exam one additional time to achieve a “Pass” or “Conditional Pass” status. A “Conditional Pass” indicates that additional requirements must be met, but the exam need not be retaken. Upon completion of the oral portion of the exam, please refer to the Applying for Candidacy section for next steps.

/ Applying for Candidacy

A student advances to candidacy when all program requirements except the dissertation proposal and dissertation have been satisfied. The normal and expected time to achieve candidacy is two years from the date of first enrollment in the doctoral program. In addition to urban and regional planning program requirements, a student must also meet Rackham Candidacy Requirements . Any incomplete courses that are critical to satisfying requirements must be completed before applying for candidacy.

Once all required coursework and the comprehensive exam are successfully completed, a student applies for candidacy by sending a request by email to the URP Director of Doctoral Studies, along with attachments that include the following: (1) a signed Comprehensive Exam Certification Form and (2) a current transcript showing all completed coursework.

The Director of Doctoral Studies will recommend a doctoral student for candidacy by submitting a recommendation to the Rackham Graduate School. When candidacy is approved, a student is ready to begin work on the dissertation and is eligible for URP 995 candidacy registration.

/ Language Requirement

Foreign language requirement.

There is no foreign language requirement for doctoral planning students. However, work in some areas of specialization and on certain research/dissertation topics may require knowledge of one or more foreign languages.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

Prior to taking the qualifying examinations, students are also expected to demonstrate writing skills in the English language of the sort required to produce a doctoral dissertation. Such writing skills will be demonstrated in the process of completing routine written assignments in core courses.

Students having difficulty doing so are encouraged to take course work at the English Language Institute and/or other units as appropriate, and may be required to take an English Proficiency Examination prior to taking the qualifying examinations.

/ Sample Schedule

Sample first year, sample second year, sample years three - four.

/ Dissertation

Formatting dissertation committee.

After completing the comprehensive exam and advancing to candidacy, the student must form a dissertation committee, in accordance with the Rackham Graduate School’s  “Guidelines for Dissertation Committee Service.”

Within two weeks from advancing to candidacy, the student must send an email to the URP Director of Doctoral Studies, with a pdf attachment of a completed “Dissertation Committee Worksheet for Students to submit to Program”, which can be obtained from the link above. The Director of Doctoral Studies will then submit the formal request to the Rackham Graduate School.

Dissertation Proposal

The student must formally obtain approval of the dissertation proposal as outlined in the URP Ph.D. Program Overview Schedule and Policies document. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule the initial review hearing attended by both the rotating dissertation proposal committee and the dissertation committee, and to schedule the proposal defense attended by the dissertation committee, both in a timely manner.

The student must notify Lisa Hauser by email of the proposal defense date at least three weeks prior to the meeting, including the location of the defense meeting, a title, and an abstract. After gaining approval from the dissertation committee, the dissertation chair must send an email to the Director of Doctoral Studies that includes (a) the date of the proposal defense, (b) a list of all committee members present at the defense, (c) a title of the proposal, (d) an abstract of the proposal (250 – 350 words), and (e) a copy of the final dissertation proposal to be filed with URP records. Receipt of the email from the dissertation chair will constitute formal approval of the proposal by the committee and readiness to proceed with dissertation work.

Dissertation Process

The dissertation is prepared in accordance with the   Rackham Graduate School’s Doctoral Dissertation Requirements , and as outlined in the URP Ph.D. Program Overview Schedule and Policies document.

The student is responsible for several steps: (a) scheduling and reserving rooms for the URP pre-defense hearing (which ordinarily should occur at least six weeks and no less than three weeks prior to the dissertation defense) and the defense meeting, both in a timely manner; (b) notifying Lisa Hauser by email of the defense date at least three weeks prior to the meeting, including the location of the defense meeting, a title, and an abstract; (c) providing a complete dissertation draft, including an abstract and bibliography, to committee members at least two weeks (longer is advised) before the defense date; and (d) registering for an eight-hour candidacy enrollment (995 Dissertation Research) for the term in which the defense is held.

A dissertation defense typically consists of two parts: the first is a formal, public presentation of the dissertation research, followed by questions and answers from both the dissertation committee and the audience. Defenses are advertised and open to the public, and other students and faculty are frequently in attendance. The second part is a closed session for the candidate and the dissertation committee. During the defense, the student may be asked to reconsider certain aspects of the work and to make changes or corrections in the dissertation. At the end of the session, the chair will discuss the oral defense with other members of the committee and inform the student of the outcome. The duration of a defense can vary, but the candidate should reserve the room for a three-hour period.

Formal approval of the dissertation (e.g., formatting of the final document) and applying for graduation are governed by the Rackham Graduate School.

/ Frequently Asked Questions

What is the rackham graduate school.

The Rackham Graduate School and Taubman College work as a team to manage the application review process. As an applicant you will be interacting with both offices.

Do I need to submit GRE scores?

No. Effective for 2022 applicants and beyond, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are no longer required nor considered for admission to all graduate programs, including the Master of Urban Design, at Taubman College.

Do I need an official transcript to apply?

Yes. The Rackham Graduate School requires applicants to upload a scanned copy, front and back, of their official transcript /academic record issued by the Registrar or Records Office to the applicant, to ApplyWeb for each bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree earned or in progress.

Is there an interview process?

Yes. As part of the competitive process of admission evaluation, the Admissions Committee will conduct personal interviews with each applicant. Interviews are arranged after the deadline and applications have been reviewed.

My English proficiency score doesn’t meet the minimum requirement, can I still apply?

Yes, you can still apply. However, Taubman College doesn’t provide conditional admission. We encourage you to retake the test until you receive the minimum score.

How do I check the status of my application?

Applicants can verify application data and status online approximately 10–15 days after their application is submitted. The admissions office will send an email to each applicant that includes the University of Michigan Identification Number (UMID). You will need to use a login ID and password to confirm some personal data before viewing your application status. Student Service staff will try to keep all materials received current. However, please allow sufficient time for processing before contacting the office. See the Apply page application status and evaluation section.

When will I receive my admission decision?

Applicants will be notified of their admission decision by late-February or early March. If you are admitted, you will be able to see that you have been recommended for admission via the online Wolverine Access web application status portal. Decision  letters are sent via email.

Are there any resources available for International Students with questions related to the visa application, health insurance or Life in Ann Arbor?

Yes. The Website of the International Center at the University of Michigan offers helpful resources for incoming international students related to topics such as Immigration and Visas, Health Insurance and Housing or Local Transportation.

https://internationalcenter.umich.edu/resources

When do I need to enter my decision?

April 15th.

Where can I find more information regarding the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements, safety and prevention efforts and testing programs?

Please refer to https://campusblueprint.umich.edu/ for latest news on the coronavirus situation on campus and the COVID-19  policies currently in place for students and faculty.

Do I need to secure an advisor prior to applying?

No, we only encourage students to become familiar with our Ph.D. faculty and research interests. Please feel free to reach out to faculty directly as well.

/ Funding Support and Resources

Making decisions about the next step in your educational journey is a time full of opportunity and potential; however, it may also be accompanied by concerns about costs. Taubman College provides full funding to all students admitted to its doctoral programs, including a full tuition waiver, health insurance, and a generous stipend package.

/ Recent Graduates

Graduates from the Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning program have completed Doctoral Dissertations on topics ranging from “Regions, Race, Rail and Rubber: An Analysis of How Transportation Planning Decisions Contributed to Regional Segregation, 1922 – 1973” to “Urban Planning and Its Feminist Histories.” View a selection of recent Doctoral Dissertations .

/ Faculty Available as Committee Chairs

Below are faculty who can serve as Urban and Regional Planning Ph.D. committee chairs.

Scott Campbell

Robert Goodspeed

Kimberley Kinder

Larissa Larsen

Jonathan Levine

Xiaofan Liang

Martin Murray

Richard Norton

Ana Paula Pimentel Walker

See all Faculty

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For additional information on career opportunities, visit our career and professional development page.

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Urban Systems, Ph.D.

The NYU Doctoral program in Urban Systems offers an interdisciplinary learning and research environment designed to meet the needs of students pursuing careers in academia, research organizations, local and national government and public service agencies. This Ph.D. program expands upon the unique legacy of decades of collaboration in education and research, development and training between NYU faculty, city agencies, and industry. The program is administered by NYU Tandon in partnership with other NYU schools including: the Stern School of Business ,  Langone Health ,  Wagner Graduate School of Public Service , and NYU research centers including the  Center for Urban Science and Progress and the Center for Connected Mobility  C2SMART . 

This program is aligned with the vision and commitment of the university to work within the ‘city as a lab’ to accelerate the field deployment of innovative solutions to emerging urban needs. Areas of study include sustainability and climate action, infrastructure and resilience, public health and equity. This interdisciplinary laboratory of urban research and innovation brings together expertise and the research excellence of NYU faculty in New York as well as our global campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai, and study abroad sites in London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Florence, and Prague. Drawing from the expertise of the Urban Faculty across the university, we have built a unique and competitive interdisciplinary educational environment based on the following disciplinary pillars:

• Data Science & Informatics
• Communication and Information Science
• Social Studies, Health, and Policy
• Systems Engineering
• Economics, Finance, and Planning                                 

The program is available to students with diverse educational backgrounds pursuing their studies across disciplines, including Engineering, Environmental Science, Architecture, Urban Planning, Computing, Data Science, Systems Science, Economics, Finance, Public Health, Public Policy, and Law. Development of skills in mathematics, statistics, and programming is included in the course of study, depending on the need associated with the student’s dissertation topic.

More about our program

View Urban Faculty

• Master or bachelor degree from an accredited program in physical and mathematical sciences, social sciences, or engineering (other fields upon approval of program administrator)
• Minimum master and bachelor degree GPA of 3.5/4.0, and 3.0/4.0, respectively.
• Submission of GRE and English language proficiency test scores

An applicant who has not yet earned a master’s degree may be directly admitted into the Ph.D. program with the written approval of the program director. Applicants with a master’s degree in any discipline other than Master of Science may be required to have prerequisites in the subjects listed below:

• Calculus with analytic geometry,
• Statistics and Probability,
• Introduction to computer programming.

In addition to these degree requirements and the NYU Tandon general admission requirements , acceptance to the program will depend on (1) academic excellence, (2) research interests congruent with areas of urban scholarship and faculty research at NYU including the global campuses, and (3) positive recommendations (e.g., from former employers or research advisors).

Note: Application and/or admission to the program does not require prior identification of a research advisor. Acceptance to the program is not automatically accompanied with financial support.

The Ph.D. curriculum includes 54 credits of graduate coursework beyond the Bachelor’s degree and 21 credits of dissertation research, totaling 75 credits. The student may use 30 credits from an approved Master’s degree completed within 10 years of admission to the program, as well as 18 additional graduate credits subject to approval of the program director. The program also includes a qualifying exam, a research proposal exam, and the dissertation defense.

To earn a doctoral degree in Urban Systems, the candidate must meet the following requirements:

54 credits of graduate coursework beyond the Bachelor’s degree (not including the Ph.D. dissertation), with cumulative average of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale. Up to 6 credits of the 54 credits may be satisfied by individual guided studies, readings, and projects.

Successful completion of the qualifying examination. The qualifying examination has a written section and an oral section. The written exam is based on the program’s three core courses, while the oral exam is designed to judge the students' critical thinking.

The qualifying exam is administered only once, regularly scheduled at the end of spring semester of the first year of the program

Passing of the dissertation proposal exam. This exam should be administered on or before the spring midterm of year two of the program, and signed off by the dissertation/guidance committee and submitted for the record within a week of the exam. Meeting this deadline is a requirement of the program.

Completion and successful defense of 21-credits of dissertation. Dissertations must consist of original research that advances the state of the art in the research subject area and should result in the publication of at least three papers in a peer-reviewed journal (2 published by time of defense, another under review). It is expected that the student is the first author; it is also encouraged to engage the dissertation guidance committee members to the extent that they may be justified as co-authors.

Submission of the Ph.D. dissertation following the University’s  Guidelines for Dissertations . It is encouraged that the student’s publication be planned in advance such that they may be used as the backbone of the dissertation content.

The program includes fifty-four (54) credits of graduate coursework beyond the Bachelor’s degree and twenty-one (21) credits of dissertation research. A total of 15 of the 54 credits are based on required courses, while the remainder are electives. The required courses include three Core courses (9 credits), an Urban Systems Studio (1.5 credit), and a Community Impact Project (1.5 credits) which takes place as an immersion, outside of the classroom/campus (see section on required courses). The program’s elective coursework is designed to be flexible in order to support the student’s research interests, educational background and career goals, offering an integrated education program that blends urban domains with supporting informatics content. Below are details on dissertation credits and minimum credit requirements.

a. CE-GY 998X: Dissertation level research, up to 6 credits can be taken before passing the qualifying exam.

b. CE-GY 999X: Dissertation level research. A minimum of 15 credits of CE-GY 999X must be taken after passing the qualifying examination.

c. Registration for CE-GY 998X is optional before registering for CE-GY 999x.

d. After the qualifying exam, registration for a minimum of 3 credits per term of dissertation work is required, and must be continuous (excluding summer semesters), unless a formal leave of absence is requested and approved.

e. Ph.D. candidates who have completed the 75-credit requirement, including all dissertation credits, will be permitted to maintain their student status by registering for Maintenance of Studies (MOS) every fall, spring and summer, up to the program completion (limited to total of 5 years from start of the program).

Core Courses (9 credits)

Urban Infrastructure Systems; CE-GY 7843

Monitoring Cities; CE-GY 6053

Introduction to Applied Data Science; CUSP-GX 7013

Other required courses (6 credits)

Urban Systems Studio CE-GY; 7815

Urban Systems Immersion for Social Good; CE-GY 7915 (Alternative: CP-GY 9941)

Writing and Communication for Engineers and Scientists; GA-GY 9993

Below are only selected options, other courses are permissible; please consult the program director for feedback.

Urban Systems:

Building Information Modeling: (BIM) CE-GY 8383

Disaster Risk Analysis: CE-GY 7993

Selected Topic - Climate and Energy; CE-GY 7713 / TECH-GB 2384

Urban Ecology; ENYC-GE 2070

Water, Waste and Urban Environment; FOOD-GE 2036

Data-driven Mobility Modeling and Simulation; TR-GY 7353

Forecasting Urban Travel Demand; TR-GY 6113 / CE-GY 804

Statistics and Data Science:

Artificial Intelligence I; CS-GY 6613

Algorithmic Machine Learning and Data Science; CS-GY 6763

Introduction to Data Science; DS-GA 1001

Probability and Statistics for Data Science; DS-GA 1002

Programming for Data Science; DS-GA 1007

System Optimization Methods; ECE-GY 6233

Statistics for Data Analysts; MG-GY 6193

Robotic Perception; ROB-GY 6203

Regression and Multivariate Data Analysis; STAT-GB 2301

Practicum in Applied Statistics: Applied Probability; APSTA-GE 2351

Urban Informatics:

Machine Learning for Cities; CUSP-GX 5003

Big Data Management and Analysis; CUSP-GX 6002

Applied Data Science; CUSP-GX 6001

Urban Spatial Analytics; CUSP-GX 7002

Big Data Analytics for Public Policy; CUSP-GX 2505/PADM-GP 2505

Urban Decision Models; CUSP-GX 7004

Large-scale Visual Analytics; CS-GY 6323

Geographic Information Systems and Analysis; URPL-GP 2618

Advanced GIS: Interactive Web Mapping and Spatial Data Visualization; URPL-GP 4650

Finance, Governance, Society:

Financing Urban Government; PADM-GP 4443

Project Finance and Investment; FINC-GB 3186

Citizenship Culture: Art, Urban Governance; ELEC-GG 2840

Adapting the Physical City; URPL-GP 2612

Planning for Emergencies and Disasters; URPL-GP 2645

Environmental Infrastructure for Sustainable Cities; URPL-GP 2625

History and Theory of Planning; URPL-GP 2660

Research Methods; PHD-GP 5902

Qualifying Exam

The qualifying exam will be administered shortly after the completion of the second semester of the programs first year. The exam will be in two parts, written and oral. The written portion will be based on the program core courses, while the oral portion is meant to judge student’s skills in critical thinking and to assess the student’s ability to carry out independent research. This exam has a pass/fail grade, and may not be retaken.

Dissertation

Students declare a dissertation/research advisor during the fall semester of year two, shortly after passing the Ph.D. qualifying exam. The student and the advisor will subsequently select a dissertation guidance committee by start of the spring semester of the same academic year. The guidance committee will be composed of the research advisor and three other faculty members including one external advisor (from another institution or from an NYU school other than the primary advisor). The function of the dissertation guidance committee is to monitor and support the student’s progress on an ongoing basis, starting from the dissertation proposal planning. Declaration of the primary advisor and the dissertation committee is done by submitting the designated forms according to the timeline described above.

The research proposal examination, overseen by the dissertation guidance committee, must be passed by the spring midterm of program’s second year. The objective of this exam is to ensure the student has chosen an appropriate Ph.D. research topic and that the research plan is rigorous with a high likelihood of success. The results of each student’s proposal examination must be submitted by the primary advisor no later than one week following the exam, along with the proposed scope of work, the student and the dissertation committee copied. A memo on passing of this exam and the committee composition will be documented at the NYU Tandon graduate affairs office. Failing to pass this exam in a timely fashion may result in the student being placed under probation.

At end of each term, the student submits a progress report outlining the term’s academic progress. Subsequent to passing the proposal examination, the progress report should be signed off by the dissertation guidance committee prior to submission. 

With the dissertation research advisor and the dissertation guidance committee’s approval, the student will submit a written dissertation, in compliance with all requirements of NYU Tandon. It is expected that the student has published at least three articles in a reputable peer reviewed journal (two accepted and one under review). The dissertation must be provided to the guidance committee members who also serve as the examination committee, at least two weeks prior to the defense. The defense includes a public presentation by the student and with questions from the audience. Following the public presentation, the student meets privately with the committee members for comments and/or further questions. The committee makes a decision that is then transmitted, in writing, to the program director and there from to the registrar.

Interruptions in the Course of Study

Given unforeseen circumstances that warrants an interruption in the course of study, the student may request a leave of absence, term withdrawal, or total withdrawal. Further information on leave of absence may be found HERE .

Application for Graduation

Students should apply for graduation via Albert. The application must be completed before the deadline set by the Registrar’s office, which can be found on the NYU Academic Calendar.

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PhD in City & Regional Planning

The program

Berkeley's PhD in City & Regional Planning provides training in urban and planning theory, advanced research, and the practice of planning. Established in 1968, the program has granted more than 160 doctorates. Alums of the program have established national and international reputations as planning educators, social science researchers and theorists, policy makers, and practitioners. Today, the program is served by nearly 20 city and regional planning faculty with expertise in community and economic development, transportation planning, urban design, international development, environmental planning, and global urbanism. With close ties to numerous research centers and initiatives, the program encourages its students to develop specializations within the field of urban studies and planning and to expand their intellectual horizons through training in the related fields of architecture, landscape architecture and environmental planning, civil engineering, anthropology, geography, sociology, public policy, public health, and political science.

Completing a PhD in City & Regional Planning at UC Berkeley usually takes five years. The university requires all doctoral students to fulfill a minimum residency requirement of two years and 48 units of coursework. Full-time students are expected to take four courses, or 12 units, per semester. For the PhD in City & Regional Planning, students must complete various program requirements, including courses in planning and urban theory; research methods courses; and preparation and completion of two fields of specialization. They must also successfully complete an oral qualifying examination, which allows them to advance to candidacy and undertake dissertation research. A PhD is awarded upon completion of a written dissertation approved by the faculty supervisors of the dissertation.

The PhD program encourages its students to build intellectual community and to participate in national and international venues of scholarship. Doctoral candidates regularly present their research at the annual conferences of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, Association of American Geographers, Association of European Schools of Planning, World Planning Schools Congress, Urban Affairs Association, and American Anthropological Association. They organize and participate in a weekly research colloquium and manage the Berkeley Planning Journal , a peer-reviewed academic publication. Such activities utilize the incredible intellectual resources available to doctoral students at UC Berkeley, both within their departments and programs and across the campus.

Financial Aid + Admissions

Admission to the PhD program is highly competitive. Applicants are required to have completed a master's degree in planning or a related field. They are expected to demonstrate capacity for advanced research and to present a compelling research topic as part of their application. Once admitted to the program, students are eligible to compete for various university fellowships, including the Berkeley Fellowship, Cota-Robles Fellowship, and the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship. Students of the program have also been successful in securing funding for dissertation research from the National Science Foundation, Social Science Research Council, and the Fulbright scholarships.

The Department of City & Regional Planning and UC Berkeley offer multiple types of financial support to its graduate students.

Please note that admission decisions are not made by individual faculty, but rather an admissions committee. Our PhD admissions process begins with three initial reviews of your application: the two faculty members you list as preferred advisors and one member of the PhD admission committee. The admission committee then meets to review all applications as a cohort and make admission/denial decisions. More information can be found on the department admissions page .

The principal admission requirements to the doctoral program in City & Regional Planning are overall excellence in past academic work and research, demonstrated creativity and intellectual leadership in professional activity, and the strong promise of sustained intellectual achievement, originality, and scholarship. The emphasis in the doctoral program is upon scholarship and research. At the same time, because the doctorate is offered in the context of a professional school, doctoral students are challenged to undertake applied research relevant to city and regional planning and policy problems. If you do not want to teach in planning or a related field, or to do advanced research, please reconsider applying to this program. Most doctoral students enter the program with a master’s degree in planning or a related field. The Master of City Planning is regarded as a terminal professional degree, and is not comparable to mid-study Master of Arts or Master of Science degrees offered in anticipation of the doctorate.

Admission to the doctoral program is very competitive. Only six to eight students are admitted each year, sometimes from a pool of as many as 80 applicants. For all applicants to the doctoral program (even those required to take an English-language competency exam (TOEFL, TOEFL CBT, iBT TOEFL, or IELTS) the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is optional; although prospective students who choose to take the GRE should do so before December to ensure timely receipt of scores. Applicants must also secure at least three letters of recommendation that can explicitly evaluate their intellectual capability and past research and academic work.

Please note that admission decisions are not made by individual faculty, but rather an admissions committee. DCRP’s PhD admissions process begins with three initial reviews of your application: the two faculty members you list as preferred advisors and one member of the PhD admission committee. The admission committee then meets to review all applications as a cohort and make admission/denial decisions.

Many PhD students choose to pursue one or more of the designated emphases (DEs) offered through programs across campus. These DEs are unrelated to the outside field required by the City & Regional Planning PhD, and can be thought of instead as elective “minors” which provide opportunities for focused interdisciplinary work, mentorship, conference funding, research fellowships and an extra credential along with the doctoral degree. Common DEs pursued by DCRP PhD students include:

• Global Metropolitan Studies (GMS)
• Science and Technology Studies (STS)
• Development Engineering (DevEng)
• Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGS)
• Political Economy
• Film & Media
• Critical Theory

For more information on the PhD in City & Regional Planning program, contact [email protected] .

PhD in Urban and Regional Planning and Design

The PhD in Urban and Regional Planning and Design is a 39-credit program that prepares students to teach at the university level in departments of urban planning, architecture, historic preservation, landscape architecture, or real estate development. The program will qualify graduates to conduct research and participate in high-level decision making in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

The PhD program is highly selective and individualized. Adequately prepared students will generally need four semesters of formal coursework leading to comprehensive exams and all students are expected to spend a minimum of two years in residence. Students admitted to the PhD Program are expected to have completed a master’s degree in a related field including (but not limited to) urban planning, architecture, historic preservation, or landscape architecture. Students are expected to enter the PhD program with two semesters of graduate level quantitative research methods. 

The PhD program is integral to the University of Maryland’s National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education and our nationally recognized Architecture, Urban Studies and Planning, Historic Preservation, and Real Estate Development Programs. These affiliations enable our students to take advantage of a rich interdisciplinary environment.

Fields of Specialization

Students are expected to develop two fields of specialization, a major and a minor field. The following major fields are based on the University of Maryland faculty's particular strengths. However, other fields can be developed with the guidance and approval of the faculty mentor.  Emeritx Professors will not serve as the main academic advisors.

Land Use Planning:

This field includes the theoretical underpinnings of land use and the segregation of uses, as well as the study of the theory, history, and practice of policies intended to regulate the amount, pace, location, pattern, and quality of growth in U.S. metropolitan areas. This includes the study of legal and constitutional issues, public costs and benefits, the role of externalities, political conflicts, equity concerns, and socioeconomic impacts of zoning and other forms of land regulation and growth management.

Urban Spatial Structure:

Students in this specialization will study the factors that determine and influence urban and regional spatial structure. Of special interest is the role that changing technology plays in shaping urban form.

Economic Development:

Students in this specialization will focus on the theory and practice of local urban and regional economic development, including the study of theories of regional growth, intra-national population migration, business location decisions, and community development. This field also includes the study of economic development politics.

Environmental Planning:

This specialization analyzes opportunities and challenges related to making cities more sustainable and resilient in terms of environmental conservation, economic prosperity, and social equity. The specialization aims to equip students to enhance the natural and built environment minimizing the negative impacts of growth and development. Environmental planning centers environmental justice and includes questions related to natural resources and physical infrastructure, and policies and programs to protect and recover ecosystems and natural resources, hazard mitigation, disaster recovery, and climate adaptation and mitigation.

International Planning:

This specialization explores urbanization abroad, particularly the developing world. Students in this specialization explore planning, urban spatial structure, urban development, historic preservation, and urban design challenges in the newly industrializing countries and the newly independent states of Eastern Europe, and how the political, social, cultural, and economic conditions within and among regions and countries affect the development, design, and implementation of plans. Within the proposed Ph.D. program there will be special emphasis on the relationship between social, cultural, and economic conditions and improving the quality of urban life.

Urban Design:

This specialization includes the study of both historical and contemporary issues of design in an urban environment, including the means by which urban form and design is regulated through codes, guidelines, and review processes. Students in this specialization will explore the relationship between buildings, culture, context, the urban condition, and their influence on the making of the urban form. This field includes an emphasis on the relationship between human behavior and built form and also encompasses a special focus on design strategies and initiatives that revitalize cities and mitigate urban sprawl. It also includes the exploration of how sprawl and growth management can and do inform urban design.

Urban Community Social Development:

This specialization focuses on revitalizing the central city to make it a more attractive place to live and work, and to slow the outward migration that necessitates suburban growth management. This specialization gives special attention to the social and cultural character of communities, in addition to their physical and economic requirements, and concentrates on developing strategies to draw more people to central city communities. Because concern about declining schools, fears about safety, and anxiety about racial differences are three strong forces motivating outward movement, education, public safety, and race relations will be central to this study.

Transportation Planning and Policy :

This specialization focuses on the theory of travel and transportation systems and their interactions with the built environment, including land use, urban design, and the natural environment. This specialization provides students with a broad, multi-faceted understanding of the efficiency, effectiveness, and equity outcome of transportation policy and planning. It also covers travel behavior analysis, public transportation policy, planning, and management, travel demand forecasting, transportation finance, sustainable transportation, and energy and environmental issues in the transportation sector.

Housing Policy:

The housing policy specialization draws upon the program’s strengths in the areas of Smart Growth to prepare students to analyze housing markets and evaluate policies designed to ensure that housing is delivered in a manner that is efficient, equitable, and sustainable.

Architectural History:

Based on the broad spectrum of expertise of the design, history and preservation faculty, this specialization focuses on the history and preservation of the built environment in the United States and Canada - envisioned as a significant element of social, cultural, religious, economic, and political history - both from a vernacular and a “high style” perspective and from a cross-cultural angle.

Comprehensive Exams Policy

Doctoral students are required to take a set of written comprehensive exams shortly after completion of their coursework.   To pass the exams, students must demonstrate a mastery of advanced planning and design theory, and the important work in their major and minor fields. At least four faculty members serve on the exam committee of which two must be from the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. The examining committee will include the student’s advisor, at least two additional members familiar with the student's major or minor fields, and the student’s planning theory professor. The selection of the committee is made by the student, with the approval of the student’s advisor. The comprehensive exam is a three-day take-home exam.

To prepare for the examination, students are required to prepare a reading list for their chosen major and minor fields, plus urban planning theory, in consultation with their advisor and committee members. This reading list will reflect the agreed-upon scope of work that students are expected to know for the exam. All of the committee members must review this reading list and agree that it includes the relevant, important work in the students’ chosen fields.

Each committee member should write one question in the area of each student’s major or minor field. The committee member may write several questions among which the student should select one. The advisor should collect all questions from the committee members, review the questions for clarity, comprehensiveness, and fairness, and pass the exam to the student. Generally, the total exam includes two questions from the major field, one question from the minor field, and a planning theory question. At the end of three days (72 hours), the student should return the exam to his/her advisor. The advisor will pass the exam to the committee.

The questions will be graded by the committee, with each committee member responsible for grading the question they asked. The advisor is responsible for reading and grading all questions. The examining committee should take no longer than two weeks to assess the exam. The options are (1) pass, (2) rewrite, or (3) fail. A student may receive a pass, rewrite, or fail on each question separately. Students are allowed to rewrite a question one time only. Only one committee member is required for a decision to rewrite. At least two faculty members must concur if a failing grade is given. The case where the student fails one or more questions constitutes an exam failure. Once successfully passing the comprehensive exam, students must complete the required paperwork to be formally admitted to candidacy.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students must complete and pass their comprehensive exam before they advance to candidacy and begin to take URSP899 dissertation research courses. Click here to fill out the application for advancement to candidacy.

Dissertation

The dissertation must demonstrate the ability to do independent research on an original topic approved by the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and the graduate program.

The student will assemble a dissertation committee made up of at least five faculty members with expertise in the student's proposed research area. According to the university requirement: "The Committee must consist of a minimum of five members; additional committee members may be required or invited to serve at the discretion of the program. All members of the Dissertation Examining Committee must be members of the Graduate Faculty of the University of Maryland under one of the following membership categories: Regular Member; Adjunct Member; Special Member. At least three of the committee members must be Regular Members of the University of Maryland Graduate Faculty." Once a prospectus is finished, it must be approved and signed off by the student's PhD committee. Students will orally defend their dissertation proposal. The oral defense is informal. Students are expected to propose planning-related research and theory construction, which will lead to significant, original, and relevant contributions to the field. The core course Advanced Planning and Design Theory is designed to assist students in the preparation of a thesis proposal.

Visit the Courses page to view all courses offered by the PhD Program. 

For a list of courses offered this semester, visit  Testudo . 

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MPhil/PhD Regional and Urban Planning Studies

• Graduate research
• Department of Geography and Environment
• Application code L8ZR
• Starting 2024
• Home full-time: Open
• Overseas full-time: Open
• Location: Houghton Street, London

This programme offers the chance to undertake a substantial piece of work that is worthy of publication and which makes an original contribution to the social scientific study of urban planning. You will begin on the MPhil, and will need to meet certain requirements to be upgraded to PhD status.

The MPhil/ PhD in Regional and Urban Planning Studies is part of a vibrant, innovative and interdisciplinary graduate training programme that addresses the opportunities, problems, politics and economics of urban and regional planning in cities around the world. Our emphasis is on “understanding the causes of things”, to quote the School’s motto. We do this by employing analytical skills and theoretical insights gained from the social sciences and the fields of planning, architecture, economics and the environment.

Our programme aims to produce top-quality social scientists who are able to engage with the conceptual foundations of urban planning and employ robust and appropriate methods in their research.

As well as taking your time to look through the sections below,  we also encourage you to take a look at our  FAQs , which cover a range of frequently asked questions, including on the application process and funding.

Programme details

For more information about tuition fees and entry requirements, see the fees and funding and assessing your application sections.

Entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements for mphil/phd regional and urban planning.

The programme is offered in the following alternative formats:

Either  the MPhil/PhD in Regional and Urban Planning

Or  combined with the MSc Regional and Urban Planning Studies progressing onto the MPhil/PhD in Regional Planning (1+3 route)

MPhil/PhD in Regional and Urban Planning

The minimum entry requirement for this programme is a taught master’s degree (or equivalent), with a minimum of 65 per cent average and at least 70 in the dissertation, in a related.

Most students take four years to complete the PhD.

1+3 Route: MSc Regional and Urban Planning Studies (1 year) + MPhil/PhD in Regional Planning

The 1+3 route is suitable for those individuals who do not hold a relevant an ESRC recognised postgraduate research training degree and is aimed at students graduating with an undergraduate degree in planning, urban geography or closely related subject. (See entrance requirements for the  MSc Regional and Urban Planning Studies programme ).

The 1+3 Combined PhD Programme is only available as part of an ESRC Funded pathway.

The 1+3 scheme provides funding for a one year research training MSc programme plus three years in a linked PhD programme. Progression from the master’s onto the PhD programme is dependent upon performance in the master’s programme (Students must score 65 per cent overall and at least 70 in their dissertation to comply with the Department’s usual PhD entry criteria).

Once on the PhD Programme, 1+3 students will follow the same programme structure as ordinary PhD students but adjusted to account for courses already taken on the MSc.

In practice, most students take four years to complete the PhD in addition to the year of study for the relevant MSc.

How to apply

To apply for the 1+3 route, an application must be submitted for the relevant master’s programme, including a research proposal for the PhD aspect of the pathway. Applicants must also indicate their wish to be considered for the 1+3 pathway and associated funding within their personal statement. If you apply for the PhD programme directly, will not be considered for the 1+3 pathway.

Competition for places at the School is high. This means that even if you meet our minimum entry requirement, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission. 

If you have studied or are studying outside of the UK then have a look at our  Information for International Students  to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.

Assessing your application

We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of members of staff at the School, and we recommend that you investigate  staff research interests  before applying.

We carefully consider each application on an individual basis, taking into account all the information presented on your application form, including your:

- academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications) - statement of academic purpose - references - CV - outline research proposal - sample of written work.

 See further information on supporting documents

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency. You do not need to provide this at the time of your application to LSE, but we recommend that you do.  See our English language requirements .

When to apply

The application deadline for this programme is 23 May 2024 . However, to be considered for any LSE funding opportunity, you must have submitted your application and all supporting documents by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section for more details.

Fees and funding

Every research student is charged a fee in line with the fee structure for their programme. The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover  living costs  or travel or fieldwork.

Tuition fees 2024/25 for MPhil/PhD Regional and Urban Planning

Home students: £4,829 for the first year (provisional) Overseas students: £22,632 for the first year

The fee is likely to rise over subsequent years of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with the level of fee that the Research Councils recommend. The fees for overseas students are likely to rise in line with the assumed percentage increase in pay costs (ie, 4 per cent per annum).

The Table of Fees shows the latest tuition amounts for all programmes offered by the School.

Fee status​

The amount of tuition fees you will need to pay, and any financial support you are eligible for, will depend on whether you are classified as a home or overseas student, otherwise known as your fee status. LSE assesses your fee status based on guidelines provided by the Department of Education.

Further information about fee status classification.

Scholarships, studentships and other funding

The School recognises that the  cost of living in London  may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to home and overseas students.

This programme is eligible for  LSE PhD Studentships , and  Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding . Selection for the PhD Studentships and ESRC funding is based on receipt of an application for a place – including all ancillary documents, before the funding deadline.  

Funding deadline for LSE PhD Studentships and ESRC funding: 15 January 2024

In addition to our needs-based awards, LSE also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific subject areas.  Find out more about financial support.

External funding 

There may be other funding opportunities available through other organisations or governments and we recommend you investigate these options as well. 

Further information

Fees and funding opportunities

Information for international students

LSE is an international community, with over 140 nationalities represented amongst its student body. We celebrate this diversity through everything we do.  

If you are applying to LSE from outside of the UK then take a look at our Information for International students . 

1) Take a note of the UK qualifications we require for your programme of interest (found in the ‘Entry requirements’ section of this page). 

2) Go to the International Students section of our website. 

3) Select your country. 

4) Select ‘Graduate entry requirements’ and scroll until you arrive at the information about your local/national qualification. Compare the stated UK entry requirements listed on this page with the local/national entry requirement listed on your country specific page.

Programme structure and courses

In addition to progressing with your research, you are expected to take the courses listed below. You may take other courses to those listed but must discuss this with your supervisor.

(* denotes a half unit)

Training courses Compulsory (not examined) Planning Practice and Research or Staff/Research Students Seminar Provides background sessions for MPhil/PhD students in their first year of study. It also provides the forum in which first year full-time and second year part-time MPhil/PhD students must present their work in advance of submitting their major review documents.

Compulsory (examined) Courses to the value of one unit from the list of options on the relevant MSc degrees Relevant advanced research method courses to the value of one unit from the following: Applied Quantitative Methods* Techniques of Spatial Economic Analysis* Fundamentals of Social Science Research Design* Qualitative Research Methods* Doing Ethnography* Non-Traditional Data: New Dimensions in Qualitative Research* Special Topics in Qualitative Research : Introspection-based Methods in Social Research* Survey Methodology* Causal Inference for Observational and Experimental Studies* Special Topics in Quantitative Analysis: Quantitative Text Analysis*

Transferable skills courses Compulsory (not examined) Research Project Seminar Presentations by research students of aspects of their own research, stressing problems of theory, methodology and techniques.

Second year

Training courses

Compulsory (not examined) Staff / Research Students Seminars Provides background sessions for MPhil/PhD students in their first year of study. It also provides the forum in which first year full-time and second year part-time MPhil/PhD students must present their work in advance of submitting their major review documents.  

Transferable skills courses Compulsory (not examined) Research Project Seminar Presentations by research students of aspects of their own research, stressing problems of theory, methodology and techniques.  

Compulsory (not examined) Staff / Research Students Seminars Provides background sessions for MPhil/PhD students in their first year of study. It also provides the forum in which first year full-time and second year part-time MPhil/PhD students must present their work in advance of submitting their major review documents. 

Transferable skills courses Compulsory (not examined) Research Project Seminar Presentations by research students of aspects of their own research, stressing problems of theory, methodology and techniques. 

For the most up-to-date list of optional courses please visit the relevant School Calendar page. 

You must note, however, that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.  

You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s   Calendar , or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the  updated graduate course and programme information page.

Supervision, progression and assessment

Supervision.

You will be assigned two supervisors who are specialists in your chosen research field, though not necessarily in your topic. Your supervisors will guide you through your studies.

Progression and assessment

Once on the MPhil/PhD programme you will go through a First Year Progress Review, taking place in the Spring Term of your first year.

For the First Year Progress Review, you must submit a written progress report containing an extensive and updated research proposal (typically including an introduction to the topic and motivation for the research; aims and objectives/research questions; contribution to knowledge; summary of methods to be used; and outline of the work to be done) and either a comprehensive literature review or a substantive draft of a chapter/paper as evidence of progress made during the year. Normally, there will be a progress review meeting between you and your supervisors to discuss the written material presented. The work has to reach an acceptable standard to enable you to progress. There is provision for a second Supplementary Review in cases where there are doubts as to whether progress has been sufficient to allow entry to the second year. Progression to the second year of the MPhil/PhD programme is also dependent on you having passed all required examinations and obtained at least one merit, and having presented your work satisfactorily in the research project seminar.

All research students are initially registered for an MPhil and have to be upgraded to PhD status. The upgrade from MPhil to PhD usually occurs during the second year of full-time registration on the programme. The exact timing depends on your progress. You are required to submit a formal written upgrade report consisting of an extensive revised research proposal, two substantive draft papers/chapters, of which one can be a literature review, and a detailed plan for completion. You will be asked to discuss your research paper/thesis outline during an Upgrade Meeting in front of an Upgrading Committee normally formed by your supervisors and a third member of staff with relevant expertise. The material is evaluated by the Upgrading Committee, who will recommend transferral to PhD registration if your work is judged to be of sufficient quality and quantity. The upgrade is also dependent on you having completed all required training courses and having made a satisfactory research presentation in the research project seminar.

In addition to these formal arrangements, each year during the Spring Term and throughout the course of your studies, you and your supervisors have to complete a yearly Progress Report Form, detailing progress made, problems arising and plan/timeline for completion. The forms are sent to the Director of Post-Graduate Studies for approval before you are able to re-register for the following session. If perceived lack of progress is identified, it can trigger a more formal annual review of progress in which you will be asked to produce specific written documents to be evaluated by a review panel.

Student support and resources

We’re here to help and support you throughout your time at LSE, whether you need help with your academic studies, support with your welfare and wellbeing or simply to develop on a personal and professional level.

Whatever your query, big or small, there are a range of people you can speak to who will be happy to help.  

Department librarians   – they will be able to help you navigate the library and maximise its resources during your studies. 

Accommodation service  – they can offer advice on living in halls and offer guidance on private accommodation related queries.

Class teachers and seminar leaders  – they will be able to assist with queries relating to specific courses. 

Disability and Wellbeing Service  – they are experts in long-term health conditions, sensory impairments, mental health and specific learning difficulties. They offer confidential and free services such as  student counselling,  a  peer support scheme  and arranging  exam adjustments.  They run groups and workshops.  

IT help  – support is available 24 hours a day to assist with all your technology queries.   

LSE Faith Centre  – this is home to LSE's diverse religious activities and transformational interfaith leadership programmes, as well as a space for worship, prayer and quiet reflection. It includes Islamic prayer rooms and a main space for worship. It is also a space for wellbeing classes on campus and is open to all students and staff from all faiths and none.   

Language Centre  – the Centre specialises in offering language courses targeted to the needs of students and practitioners in the social sciences. We offer pre-course English for Academic Purposes programmes; English language support during your studies; modern language courses in nine languages; proofreading, translation and document authentication; and language learning community activities.

LSE Careers  ­ – with the help of LSE Careers, you can make the most of the opportunities that London has to offer. Whatever your career plans, LSE Careers will work with you, connecting you to opportunities and experiences from internships and volunteering to networking events and employer and alumni insights. 

LSE Library   –   founded in 1896, the British Library of Political and Economic Science is the major international library of the social sciences. It stays open late, has lots of excellent resources and is a great place to study. As an LSE student, you’ll have access to a number of other academic libraries in Greater London and nationwide. 

LSE LIFE  – this is where you should go to develop skills you’ll use as a student and beyond. The centre runs talks and workshops on skills you’ll find useful in the classroom; offers one-to-one sessions with study advisers who can help you with reading, making notes, writing, research and exam revision; and provides drop-in sessions for academic and personal support. (See ‘Teaching and assessment’). 

LSE Students’ Union (LSESU)  – they offer academic, personal and financial advice and funding.  

PhD Academy   – this is available for PhD students, wherever they are, to take part in interdisciplinary events and other professional development activities and access all the services related to their registration. 

Sardinia House Dental Practice   – this   offers discounted private dental services to LSE students.  

St Philips Medical Centre  – based in Pethwick-Lawrence House, the Centre provides NHS Primary Care services to registered patients.

Student Services Centre  – our staff here can answer general queries and can point you in the direction of other LSE services.  

Student advisers   – we have a  Deputy Head of Student Services (Advice and Policy)  and an  Adviser to Women Students  who can help with academic and pastoral matters.

Student life

As a student at LSE you’ll be based at our central London campus. Find out what our campus and London have to offer you on academic, social and career perspective. 

Student societies and activities

Your time at LSE is not just about studying, there are plenty of ways to get involved in  extracurricular activities . From joining one of over 200 societies, or starting your own society, to volunteering for a local charity, or attending a public lecture by a world-leading figure, there is a lot to choose from. 

The campus 

LSE is based on one  campus  in the centre of London. Despite the busy feel of the surrounding area, many of the streets around campus are pedestrianised, meaning the campus feels like a real community. 

Life in London 

London is an exciting, vibrant and colourful city. It's also an academic city, with more than 400,000 university students. Whatever your interests or appetite you will find something to suit your palate and pocket in this truly international capital. Make the most of career opportunities and social activities, theatre, museums, music and more. 

Want to find out more? Read why we think  London is a fantastic student city , find out about  key sights, places and experiences for new Londoners . Don't fear, London doesn't have to be super expensive: hear about  London on a budget . 

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Geography & Environment

Median salary of our PG students 15 months after graduating: £35,000          

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

• Government, Public Sector and Policy   
• Financial and Professional Services              
• Education, Teaching and Research            
• Real Estate, Environment and Energy 
• Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities

The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2020-21 were the fourth group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and who were working in full-time employment.

We prepare students for a variety of careers in academia, international organisations (eg the World Bank, OECD, UNEP, European Commission), urban planning, community development, NGOs and national and local governmental institutions.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Enrico Orru

My PhD allowed me to achieve a more comprehensive and critical understanding of the main issues underlying my field of work and to gain strong methodological and analytical skills. After my PhD I've published in journals such as Papers in Regional Science and The Annals of Regional Science . I've worked for the President of the Italian region Sardinia, by providing advice and support in education, labour markets, innovation and regional economic development. Since 2015 I have been working as a research consultant for Eurofound (European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions).

Sabina Uffer

My PhD focused on the effects of a changing housing strategy on Berlin's urban development. During my research, I worked at LSE Cities on the project Resilient Urban Form and Governance, conducting comparative research on residential and commercial real estate in Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, Paris, London, and Berlin; and I taught research methodology in social science.

Now, I'm head of research for the Cities team at BuroHappold, undertaking projects at the intersection of urban development and infrastructure planning with an emphasis on housing, transportation, and waste. My expertise lies in developing and executing research projects and policy analysis around national and local urban issues in the US, the UK, Germany, and Switzerland. 

Support for your career

Many leading organisations give careers presentations at the School during the year, and LSE Careers has a wide range of resources available to assist students in their job search. Find out more about the  support available to students through LSE Careers .

Find out more about LSE

Discover more about being an LSE student - meet us in a city near you, visit our campus or experience LSE from home. 

Experience LSE from home

Webinars, videos, student blogs and student video diaries will help you gain an insight into what it's like to study at LSE for those that aren't able to make it to our campus.  Experience LSE from home . 

Come on a guided campus tour, attend an undergraduate open day, drop into our office or go on a self-guided tour.  Find out about opportunities to visit LSE . 

LSE visits you

Student Marketing, Recruitment and Study Abroad travels throughout the UK and around the world to meet with prospective students. We visit schools, attend education fairs and also hold Destination LSE events: pre-departure events for offer holders.  Find details on LSE's upcoming visits . 

Virtual Graduate Open Day

Register your interest

Related programmes, mphil/phd human geography and urban studies.

Code(s) L8ZG

MPhil/PhD Economic Geography

Code(s) L7ZQ

MSc Regional and Urban Planning Studies

Code(s) L8U4

MSc Geographic Data Science

Code(s) F9UZ

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• Department of Urban Studies and Planning

Research areas and topics

Supervision is by leading academics across the discipline and is supported by a rigorous programme of training. Here are some of the PhD topics we are keen to explore with you.

We welcome research proposals addressing topics from across the broad range of urban studies and planning and related disciplines such as geography, sociology, international development and politics.

We are interested in innovative social research methods, and can offer supervision across a wide range of methodological and theoretical approaches. We welcome students wanting to use both qualitative and quantitative methods in their studies.

We are particularly keen to supervise PhD topics which align with our research priorities - details of potential projects are provided below. We encourage you to treat these projects as starting points for a conversation with us.  

If you find one or more project which excites you then we invite you to contact us – either direct to the proposed supervisor or through the Director of Postgraduate Research, Ryan Powell .

PhD research areas and suggested projects

• Environment, infrastructure and sustainability
• Housing and real estate
• Planning, people and place
• Urban inequalities and social justice

Related information

Current PhD students

PhD Research

The Urbanism Research Programme provides a lively stimulating environment for PhD research. Candidates also participate in the TU Delft Graduate School which provides doctoral education in research skills and personal and career development. PhD work forms a major part of Urbanism research. The research programme is organised in research themes, and all proposals must demonstrate how they will contribute to the themes. The overall Urbanism Research Programme can be viewed here . PhD candidates participate in a four-year programme. In the first year, the candidate prepares a comprehensive research proposal and a long paper, which is assessed by a professorial panel following a public presentation. PhD opportunities may arise for specific projects funded by the Dutch National Research Organisation (NWO) or other funding bodies. In these cases the PhD candidate will be employed by the TU Delft to undertake a specific project. These opportunities will be advertised at ‘ Working at TU Delft’ . However, most PhD candidates find their own funding. In this case TU Delft offers supervision and an academic environment and the candidate performs research in the university on a daily basis based on hospitality to enable him/her to write a thesis within four years. The PhD candidate may be granted time or financing by a) a foreign university; b) personal grant-issuing organisations such as national research councils, or c) his/her employer. If the Urbanism Programme decides to accept an applicant on a preliminary basis who has not already secured funding, supervisors are able to assist with the preparation of applications for grant funding, but the responsibility for finding funding rests with the applicant. Applicants will need to explain on their application where they expect to gain funding. We do not accept applicants who are self-financed from personal funds.

Call for applications

New topics will be posted periodically on this website.

Topic 1: Cross-national comparison of territorial governance, spatial planning and regional design.

The Urbanism Research Programme conducts research on the theme of international comparative planning and regional design. We aim to take forward comparative research that builds knowledge of the key factors that determine the performance of 

regional and urban planning and design, and which supports more responsive and progressive planning that can influence spatial development in more sustainable directions. We are keen to develop our comparative knowledge of spatial planning in China in collaboration with colleagues at South China University of Technology through the joint Centre on Urban Systems and Environment. The theme will continue to build on previous work, for example:

Nadin, V. and Stead, D. (2008) European spatial planning systems, social models and learning, DISP 172, January, 35-47;

Nadin, V. (2013), and International comparative planning methodology: introduction to the theme, Planning Practice and Research, 27(1): 1-5. 

Potential supervisors include Vincent Nadin, Dominic Stead, Wil Zonneveld and Marcin Dabrowski.

Topic 2: The meaning and role of ‘spatial planning’ and ‘territorial governance’ under difficult and adverse conditions

Many recent spatial planning reforms across the world have led to shifts in planning regimes: often from statutory plan-led to development-led approaches. In various countries regional design and the ‘art’ of making spatial representations and the imagination of spatial metaphors has emerged as a powerful tool in capacity- and consensus building in multi-actor settings. It is often used as a

 way of overcoming conflicting rationales and images of desired spatial development and spatial futures. In practice, regional design fulfils different roles in different situations, depending on the actor settings and the nature of the issues at hand. We would like to develop research that focus on the performance of regional design in various institutional settings in different countries and (urban) regions. This research will continue current research including:

Balz, V. & Zonneveld, W. (2014) Regional Design in the Context of Fragmented Territorial Governance: South Wing Studio, European Planning Studies, OnlineFirst doi 10.1080/09654313.2014.889662.

Potential supervisors include: Wil Zonneveld, Vincent Nadin, Dominic Stead

Topic 3: The performance of regional design in complex governance settings.

Many recent spatial planning reforms across the world have led to shifts in planning regimes: often from statutory plan-led to development-led approaches. In various countries regional design and the ‘art’ of making spatial representations and the imagination of spatial metaphors has emerged as a powerful tool in capacity- and consensus 

building in multi-actor settings. It is often used as a way of overcoming conflicting rationales and images of desired spatial development and spatial futures. In practice, regional design fulfils different roles in different situations, depending on the actor settings and the nature of the issues at hand. We would like to develop research that focus on the performance of regional design in various institutional settings in different countries and (urban) regions. This research will continue current research including:

Topic 4: The process of metropolisation in polycentric metropolitan regions.

Metropolisation is understood as the process through which a loose collection of proximally located cities starts to become more functionally, culturally and institutionally integrated. It can be assumed that in theory metropolisation enhances 

performance, and indeed this conviction underlies many European metropolitan development strategies. Yet little is known about how this potential is realised in practice, nor has the relationship between the level of metropolisation and performance of polycentric metropolitan areas been explored. Issues that can be addressed include the development of regional identity alongside urban identities, overcoming governmental fragmentation in polycentric metropolitan regions and the development of functional relationships within such regions. Also, from an economics perspective, the concepts of ‘borrowed size’ and ‘agglomeration shadows’ within polycentric metropolitan regions deserve further exploration. This research builds for instance on:

Meijers, E., Hoogerbrugge, M & K. Hollander (2014) Twin Cities in the Process of Metropolisation, Urban Research & Practice, 7(1), 35-55

Burger, M., Meijers, E., Hoogerbrugge, M & J. Masip Tresserra (2014) Borrowed Size, Agglomeration Shadows and Cultural Amenities in North-West Europe – European Planning Studies; available online first DOI:  dx.doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2014.905002 .

Potential supervisors include: Evert Meijers, Wil Zonneveld. 

Topic 5: The relationship between the spatial and socio-economic performances of built environments.

Urbanism is concerned with the relationship between the spatial structure of the physical built environment and social and economic life. However, there is a great uncertainty about the effect of the 

physical world on society and how it varies according to the local cultures and planning laws or regulations. This hinders effective intervention though planning and urban design.

Our research aims to improve understandings of the variable performance of the physical arrangement of the built environment, the spatial structure of the transport networks at varying scales from neighbourhood to regional levels, in terms of economic vitality, social cohesion and environmental sustainability (Van Nes, Akkelies, 2011, “Measuring spatial visibility, adjacency, permeability and degrees of street life in urban areas. The one- and two-dimensional isovists analyses in Space Syntax”, in: S. Nijhuis, R. van Lammeren, F. van der Hoeven (eds) ”Exploring the visual landscape; Advances in Landscape physiognomic Research in the Netherlands”, IOS press, Amsterdam, Ye, Yu, and Van Nes, Akkelies 2014, “Quantitative tools in urban morphology: Combining space syntax, spacematrix and mixed-use index in a GIS framework” in: Journal of Urban Morphology (forthcoming); Van Nes, Akkelies and Lopez, Manuel, 2010, “Macro and micro scale spatial variables and the distribution of residential burglaries and theft from cars: an investigation of space and crime in the Dutch cities of Alkmaar and Gouda”, in: Journal of Space Syntax, no 2.). We examine the extent to which planning and other urban interventions take account of knowledge of these relationships and with what effects.

Future research will explore the relationship between physical layout, building functions and social life, comparing historic districts with contemporary developments in different cultural (national) contexts. We are particularly interested in the effects of the spatial morphology of built environments on society in terms of the incidence of crime, vitality of shopping areas, livability of housing areas and land values. This requires developing or improving existing analyses tools, to test combination of existing tools, and to deal with the possibilities of improved computer capacities and software development useful for handling research on built environments. Other methods for analyzing the spatial properties of built environments needs improvement, from a phenomenological as well as from a morphological and topological/configurationally approach.

Potential supervisors include Akkelies van Nes.

Topic 6: Planning and Designing for Development: Spatial Strategies for Urban Development in Rapidly Growing Economies.

The Urbanism programme undertakes critical analyses of urbanization processes in the developing world, including the comparative study of planning frameworks, tools and cultures, governance structures and the dynamics of spatial form, as well as issues arising from the interactions between planned and unplanned, formal and informal and legal and extra-legal urban development. We examine the interactions between spatial planning, political structures, social struggles and the built environment. This research cluster relies on expertise of several staff members and builds on previous research and education programs carried out in the Department of Urbanism of TU Delft. Prospective PhD candidates must be able to conduct research aimed to inform the preparation of plans and strategies that tackle issues associated with international urban development. Research in this area must also underpin education offered at Master level in the Department of Urbanism. Our recent work includes:

Ballegoijen, J. V. & Rocco, R. 2013. The ideologies of informality: Informal urbanization in the architectural and planning discourses. Third World Quarterly, 34, 1794-1810;

Fernández-Maldonado, A.M. (2014) Incremental housing in Peru and the role of the social housing sector, in: van Lindert, P., Smets, P. & Bredenoord, J. (eds) Affordable Housing in the Urban Global South, London and New York: Earthscan;

Fernández-Maldonado, A. M. (2011) Trends toward Urbanization in the Americas, in: H. M. Tarver (ed.), World History Encyclopedia, Era 8: Crisis and Achievement, 1900-1945, Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO;

Pojani, D. 2013. “From Squatter Settlement to Suburb: The Transformation of Bathore, Albania.” Housing Studies 28 (6): 805-821. 

Potential supervisors include: Ana María Fernández Maldonado, Roberto Rocco.

Topic 7: Doing a PhD at the research group 3D GeoInformation

The 3D Geoinformation research theme studies the technologies underpinning geographical information systems (GIS), and aims at designing, developing, and implementing better systems to model 3D cities, buildings and landscapes. The research focuses on spatial data, and specifically the modelling, structuring, maintenance, analysis and dissemination of large amounts of (3D) geoinformation about urban areas.   

3D geoinformation can make a key contribution to the design and planning of interventions in the urban environment. Thus, serving the needs of practice is extremely important and we develop solutions in close collaboration with users such as experts in noise, wind and emergency evacuation simulations.  We have a history of successful collaborations with the industry and the government: our research has led to open source software, standards, and patents for the management of 3D geographic information.

Example research questions 

• 3D geoinformation infrastructure: how to collect, model, maintain or disseminate 3D information about urban and rural areas and use it for many different applications?
• How to reconstruct semantically rich 3D city models?
• What data structures and algorithms are needed for 3D modelling?
• How to deal with different levels of detail of 3D geoinformation?
• How to connect information from the design&construction world (BIM) with geo-information applications? 

Interested in doing PhD in our group?

If you are interested doing a PhD in our group there are two possibilities:

(1) Apply for a paid position Sometimes paid positions become available for a postdoc or PhD candidate, when a research project has been granted funding. Whenever we have such a position, you can find it at our home page: https://3d.bk.tudelft.nl

(2) Open application with own funding If you have found own financial support, you can apply for a PhD position in our group to either work on your project full-time as a contract PhD candidate or keep your current job and/or stay where you live and work on your project part-time as an external PhD candidate. Please contact the chair of the group for more information and the conditions for such a type of PhD research: Prof dr Jantien Stoter, [email protected]

Process of consideration of applications

• Applications must be made through the Graduate School AB+E. See the application & selection process on the Graduate School website .
• Please state clearly at the top of your proposal which topic your proposal addresses.
• A panel will assess the applications and create a shortlist. The criteria are: a) the scientific quality of the research proposal; b) the societal relevance of the research proposal; c) the quality of the curriculum vitae including academic qualifications; d) other considerations like evidence of writing skills, funding and English language competence.
• The panel will pay particular attention to the ability of the candidate to develop knowledge in the relevant topic.
• Shortlisted applicants may be interviewed, if necessary by video link or telephone.
• Subject to funding, the successful applicants will be given hospitality for 4 years, during which they will undertake a formal progress review (a go,no-go). Following a successful review the candidate will register with the University for the PhD. 

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The Bartlett School of Planning

Planning Studies MPhil/PhD

The Planning Studies MPhil/PhD is designed for graduates of any discipline who wish to make a career in planning or in related fields in teaching or research.

About the course

A PhD is awarded for the most advanced level of study available. It shows the ability to devise and carry out a programme of research with originality and critical judgement, and culminates with a thesis of 100,000 words as well as an oral examination of the thesis.

Course structure

MPhil to PhD upgrade

All higher research degree candidates at UCL must enrol, and are initially registered, for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree that, subject to satisfactory progress, is upgraded to Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). MPhil students wishing to pursue a PhD degree typically upgrade after the first year of their studies, and our students typically complete the Planning Studies MPhil/PhD over three years on a full-time basis, or over five years on a part-time basis.

Why choose to study a planning studies MPhil/PhD at The Bartlett?

At The Bartlett School fo Planning, we offer a wide range of activities and events for our MPhil/PhD students, and there are many opportunities for scholarships and grants to fund your studies with us on the Planning Studies MPhil/PhD.

• Regular events , including our public lectures, London Planning Seminars, careers events, OMEGA Centre Seminars, and China Planning Seminars. All events are open to MPhil/PhD students and contribute to a lively research environment.
• The Bartlett School of Planning Postgraduate Research Day : held annually, this event provides an opportunity for both pre-upgrade and pre-submission students to make presentations to their peers and, in the case of more advanced students, to a public audience.
• Conference paper presentations: departmental funding is available to support MPhil/PhD students who wish to present a paper at a conference and subsequently at The Bartlett School of Planning. These presentations take place periodically throughout the year.
• Lonely Planner Seminars : informal talks on places and cultures known to and organised by MPhil/PhD students at The Bartlett School of Planning. Often, presentations are followed by meals at a restaurant from that culture and have previously covered cities of Iran, Galicia and Ankara.
• PhD Grapevine:  a networking forum open to all UCL MPhil/PHD students hoping to make contact with academics at home or abroad on theoretical and practical topics. The PhD Grapevine is run by students at The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, and can be accessed through the UCL MyPortfolio online platform.
• The Bartlett Book Group: an informal opportunity to read and discuss a book for pleasure, and not for work. The group meets every month and is open to all MPhil/PhD students at The Bartlett.
• The Bartlett Think Tank: a networking forum supporting the exchange of ideas and knowledge on current academic research in architecture and urban studies.
• Competitions:  The UCL Doctoral School runs a number of competitions throughout the year, including a poster competition, review competition, and research images competition and exhibition. In parallel, The Bartlett School of Planning also awards its own competition and prizes to Planning Studies MPhil/PhD students who enter the main competition.
• Student-run activities:  our MPhil/PhD students run a number of their own activities and events especially for research students.
• Research Excellence Scholarships (UCL-RES) . The departmental deadline for UCL-RES is Friday 12th January 2024. Please send application documents to Naomi Jones via email ( [email protected] ). 
• The Bartlett Promise PhD Scholarship

Applications to the  UBEL Doctoral Training Partnership ( UBEL) are particularly welcomed on the following topics. If interested, please contact the relevant academics after checking your eligibility for the partnership on the UBEL website.

• Diversity and inclusion in planning. Contact Professor Claire Colomb ( [email protected] ) and Dr. Yasminah Beebeejaun ( [email protected] )
• Health and cities. Contact Dr. Catalina Turcu ( [email protected] and Dr. Lauren Andres ( [email protected] )
• Sustainable infrastructure and habitats: a co-evolution approach. Contact Dr. Tse-Hui Teh ( [email protected] )
• Greening the city: alternative planning approaches. Contact Professor Yvonne Rydin ( [email protected] )
• Cities and temporary urbanism. Contact Dr. Lauren Andres ( [email protected] )
• Real estate pricing, valuation and urban economic policy. Contact Dr. Tommaso Gabrieli ( [email protected] )

Discover more schoalrships and funding opportunities on the UCL Scholarships and funding page .

Please note: Except for UCL-RES, anyone that requires an offer to meet a scholarship application deadline should allow at least three months from their application for a final decision letter to be issued. Please check the relevant scholarships page for full details and eligibility requirements.

Our MPhil/PhD students

Learn more about our MPhil/PhD students through their profiles, research focuses, publications and achievements.

• Current Planning Studies MPhil/PhD students
• Previous Planning Studies MPhil/PhD students

After graduating from the Planning Studies MPhil/PhD, our students have been very successful in gaining subsequent employment. Graduates  from our course take up jobs with a wide variety of public and private employers in the UK and abroad, including in universities, research institutes, as consultants, and within government organisations.

What our alumni say

Many authors in the planning realm have discussed the 'theory-practice gap' in the development of planning theory. The BSP addresses this concern superbly, with a staff deeply grounded in theory and backed by an equally robust practice." - Antoine Zammit, Planning Studies PhD alumnus “

Who should apply? 

We strongly encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented within our research student community, including ethnic minorities from the United Kingdom, people with disabilities, those wishing to study part-time, and older applicants. We provide a supportive research community with considerable individual guidance and will do all we can to make your time at BSP smooth, enjoyable and productive, and we are happy to work with you in the run up to and during the application process. 

Please note that, due to constraints of space and supervisor time, we do not accept visiting research scholar applications unless there is a pre-existing arrangement between the two universities (as with an ERASMUS agreement) or if there is prior knowledge of the student’s project by the proposed supervisor and a close alignment of research interests. All visiting research scholar applications must be made through the UCL online system, a pro-rate fee is payable, and it may take at least 6 weeks for your application to be assessed.

How to apply

Please read the following information on the procedure for contacting your potential supervisor and on submitting your formal application to UCL.

Before applying formally, we encourage prospective applicants to discuss their research with only one potential supervisor  from our list of academics at The Bartlett School of Planning . If you are unsure who to contact, please email the Director of Graduate Studies, Susan Moore, with a selection of academic staff who you deem suitable potential supervisors, and Susan can then advise you. Please do not email multiple members of staff within The Bartlett School of Planning.

It is important to contact a potential supervisor to make sure that there will be a supervisor available and interested in your topic - a significant requirement for acceptance onto our Planning Studies MPhil/PhD. 

When contacting a potential supervisor, we recommend that you supply:

• A short summary (one to two pages) of your research idea, including a title, specific research question(s), indicative method and any key references
• A short CV (one to two pages).

A potential supervisor may also help clarify your research ideas and advise you on how to prepare your research proposal for your formal application. At this stage, we cannot guarantee that you will be accepted as a Planning Studies MPhil/PhD student as the recommendation to accept an application is made by the Departmental Graduate Tutor (and two further members of academic staff if considered a strong application), and not made by the potential supervisor alone. Your application will also undergo further checks by the University and Faculty. 

We also welcome applications to complete the Planning Studies MPhil as a standalone research degree. In this case, a shorter proposal (maximum 2,000 words) is required for your application.

If you are interested in studying a Planning Studies PhD at The Bartlett School of Planning, you must submit a formal application to UCL which should include a research proposal (maximum 3,000 words) outlining:

• The subject of your proposed research
• The questions you hope to answer
• Why you think this knowledge will be of value
• Your intended method and the sources you will use. 

Please clearly indicate the school and MPhil/PhD programme to which you are intending to apply - in this case, The Bartlett School of Planning for the Planning Studies MPhil/PhD.

While it is not essential to nominate a potential supervisor on your application form, it may help to speed up your application process. Any gaps and queries in the application will also delay the time taken to process it.

Please note that applications received outside of term time will take a little longer to process. You should allow at least three months from your application to the date of final decision from the university. 

In addition to the proposal, the admissions procedure takes account of your general educational background and evidence of your ability to meet the academic entry requirements, your references and other criteria. You may be invited for an interview as part of the application process.

More information

For more information on the Planning Studies MPhil/PhD, please contact the course team:

• Susan Moore (Programme Director and Admissions Tutor):  [email protected]
• Naomi Jones (Programme Administrator):  [email protected]
• Leanne Taylor (Doctoral Programmes Lead):  [email protected]

Thinking of applying?

For more information on how to apply, visit our programme overview page on the UCL graduate prospectus .

Download our postgraduate research Frequently Asked Questions

BSP Taking Planning Forward

PhD students at the Bartlett School of Planning came together to catalogue the range of research being undertaken in our school. You can view the first (2014) and second (2017) editions here:

Third Edition (2018)

Second Edition (2017)

First Edition (2014)

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• Urban and Regional Planning, Ph.D.

The Ph.D. is open to a limited number of quality students who intend to teach, or do research in a university, in an independent research agency, or in large planning organizations.

Generally, students spend two years of full-time coursework before being advanced to candidacy, and an additional one to two years in preparation and defense of a dissertation. Details on administrative requirements for the degree are available in the PhD URPL Handbook .

Although the department stresses the development of general skills and mental attitudes that are common to all planning endeavors, students are required to specialize in an area of planning that is of interest to the student.

The department seeks students with high academic qualifications and the potential to become qualified professional planners. The department is especially interested in women and minority applicants. Since there are relatively few undergraduate planning programs in the country, students come into the field from a wide range of disciplines. In recent years, planning students have generally come from the social sciences, with geography, economics, political science, and sociology the most common undergraduate backgrounds. The range, however, runs from the arts to the sciences.

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online .

Applications submitted past the deadline will be considered on a rolling admissions basis as space allows.

Application for admission to the department consists of the following materials: the online application, official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work, statement of purpose (applicants should submit a thoughtful, reflective one- or two-page statement discussing reasons for going into planning; applicants with an interest in a particular concentration should discuss this; applicants with planning or planning-related experience should include this), and three references from people familiar with the applicant's academic and/or professional work.

Besides the general requirements for admission to the M.S. program , there are two additional requirements unique to the Ph.D. program. First, applicants to the Ph.D. program are expected to have a master's degree in planning or a related field. Second, because planning is a practice-oriented field, applicants are expected to have completed at least one year of full-time experience as a professional planner. The Ph.D. program is flexible and is intended to appeal to individuals from diverse academic backgrounds. Therefore, it is possible to be admitted without having met the professional practice requirements. Deficiencies may be made up once a student is in the program.

A student must have an URPL academic sponsor in order to be admitted into the Ph.D. program. Before final admission decisions are made, student applications are circulated among the faculty. Only when a faculty member agrees to serve as an academic sponsor for an admissible candidate is a final admission decision made. The sponsor is the student's academic advisor, and it is expected that the sponsor will become the chair of the student's Ph.D. committee.

In reviewing applications, the department gives extra weight to planning-related work, such as Peace Corps or professional planning experience. The department also considers graduate coursework, even if it is in another field. If students have such experience, it should be stressed in the application.

The success of international students enrolled in the program depends heavily on a good working knowledge of English. Prospective applicants who do not feel comfortable using the English language are strongly urged to consider further language study before applying for admission. Prospective students whose native language is not English must also provide evidence of English language proficiency. A TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based) or above typically indicates an ability to successfully meet the written and spoken communication requirements of graduate level courses, the department’s preliminary examinations, and the dissertation.

All applicants are required to have an introductory-level course in statistics. This requirement may be met by taking an introductory course, for no graduate credit, during the student's first semester of study.

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid.  Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Resources

The PhD URPL Program Committee will help students look for funding for their graduate study, though the program cannot guarantee funding. Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School and from the PhD URPL Program Committee. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Major requirements.

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements , in addition to the program requirements listed below.

MODE OF INSTRUCTION

Mode of instruction definitions.

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.

Evening/Weekend: ​Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.  Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.  Contact the program for more specific information.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online.  Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS

Required courses.

All doctoral students are required to complete 9 credits on the structure and processes of cities and regions. These courses shall cover the nature of urban and regional development processes over time and the impact of urban and regional development on the social, economic, environmental, institutional, and physical structure of cities and regions. They should also cover the response of federal, state and local governments to the issues and problems generated by such development and the planner’s role in developing public policy and programs to deal with those problems and issues.

Courses satisfying the requirement for this component of doctoral studies must be approved by the student’s Ph.D. advisor and then by the Ph.D. program committee, and shall be recorded on a form provided by the committee.

The remainder of the required credits to reach a minimum of 51 typically are made up of research credits (990).

Coursework Satisfying Requirement for Structure and Processes of Cities and Regions

Graduate school policies.

The  Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures  provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

Major-Specific Policies

Prior coursework, graduate work from other institutions.

Requests for prior coursework to be applied to credit requirements should be submitted to the Ph.D. Committee for evaluation. The committee may approve up to a maximum of 18 credits of prior coursework toward program requirements. No graduate work taken at other institutions counts toward the program's minimum graduate credit requirement.

UW–Madison Undergraduate

No credits from any undergraduate degree may be applied toward the Ph.D. program.

UW–Madison University Special

A maximum of 15 credits may be applied from the UW–Madison University Special career; requests for prior coursework to be applied to credit requirements should be submitted to the Ph.D. committee for evaluation.

A semester GPA below 3.0 will result in the student being placed on academic probation. If a semester GPA of 3.0 is not attained during the subsequent semester of full time enrollment (or 12 credits of enrollment if enrolled part-time) the student may be dismissed from the program or allowed to continue for 1 additional semester based on advisor appeal to the Graduate School.

ADVISOR / COMMITTEE

All students are required to conduct a yearly progress report meeting with their thesis committee after passing the preliminary examination.

CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED

Time limits.

All courses for the Structure and Processes of Cities and Regions requirement must be taken and successfully completed within the doctoral student’s first five semesters (i.e., two and one-half academic years) in the Ph.D. program. This coursework requirement must be met before the student is advanced to candidacy (awarded dissertator, ABD status).

grievances and appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting  
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Dean of Students Office (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)

Students should contact the department chair or program director with questions about grievances. They may also contact the L&S Academic Divisional Associate Deans, the L&S Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning Administration, or the L&S Director of Human Resources.

Take advantage of the Graduate School's  professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

• Acquire and demonstrate knowledge about the professional field of planning, as exemplified in the accreditation guidelines for the master's program in urban and regional planning and the Planning Accreditation Board. These include knowledge about: the purpose and meaning of planning, planning history, planning theory, planning law, the structure and function of cities and regions, and global dimensions of planning. Students demonstrate this knowledge through entrance requirements (a master's degree in planning or acceptable cognate field), through completion of coursework, and through completion of preliminary examinations in planning theory, planning methods, and planning specialization.
• Acquire and demonstrate knowledge about the role and use of planning theories in both practice and research, including the historical development of planning theory, major theoretical approaches within planning, and the application of theories from other disciplines as applied to planning. Students demonstrate this knowledge through coursework and completion of a planning theory preliminary examination.
• Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of social science research methods, including research design, data collection, and quantitative and qualitative methods used in planning research. Students demonstrate knowledge through completion of graduate coursework in research methods and through completion of a research design and methods preliminary examination.
• Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of a substantive research and practice field within planning. Students demonstrate specialized knowledge in one of the major fields within planning through completion of coursework and through a research-specialization preliminary examination.
• Acquire and demonstrate skills in conducting academic research and scholarly inquiry in the field of urban and regional planning, including ability to summarize and critique extant research, ability to develop a research proposal, skills in seeking funding, skills in completion of research projects, and skills in written and oral presentation of research findings.
• Acquire and demonstrate specialized skills in research for their chosen major field within planning. This will include skills in particular research methods and data analysis specific to their chosen field within planning.
• Acquire and demonstrate general knowledge about planning suitable to teaching master's-level planning students in accredited programs. Students will acquire and demonstrate specific knowledge about their chosen field of specialization within planning.
• Acquire and/or demonstrate competence and experience in the professional practice of planning. Students demonstrate this skill through the requirement of previous professional work experience within the field of planning.
• Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of planning values and planning ethics, as exemplified in the accreditation guidelines for the master's program in urban and regional planning and the Planning Accreditation Board. This would also include awareness of rules of ethical professional conduct as exemplified in the Code of Ethics of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
• Demonstrate and be held to the highest standards of academic citation and attribution in all their coursework and published work.
• Demonstrate understanding of professional conduct through required professional work experience in planning.
• Be given opportunities for training and experience in classroom teaching, presentation of research at academic conferences, and development of research proposals for funding agencies.
• Demonstrate ethics and values consistent with the "Wisconsin brand" of urban and regional planning, which includes participation, transparency in governance, environmental protection and social justice.

https://dpla.wisc.edu/facstaff/faculty

• Requirements
• Professional Development
• Learning Outcomes

Contact Information

Planning and Landscape Architecture College of Letters & Science [email protected] dpla.wisc.edu

Urban and Regional Planning 925 Bascom Mall, Madison, WI 53706

Amy Rivera, Graduate Coordinator [email protected] 608-890-4697

Dave Marcouiller, PhD Director [email protected]

Alfonso Morales, Department Chair [email protected]

Graduate Program Handbook View Here

Graduate School grad.wisc.edu

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• Creative Arts and Industries
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• Doctoral study
• You are currently on: Doctoral study in the School of Architecture and Planning

Doctoral study in the School of Architecture and Planning

The School of Architecture and Planning offers advanced research qualifications in architecture, planning and urban design. The School has particular strengths in the following areas:

• Design and fabrication
• Urban design, spatial planning and place making
• Māori and Pacific research
• Theory and history
• Resilience and sustainability

Types of doctoral study

In our school, you are able to choose one of two ways to complete your doctoral study, depending on your research preferences.

1. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The traditional PhD thesis is a formal piece of advanced research, with a final examined thesis of up to 100,000 words. Your thesis serves as a contribution to the field on both a local and international level. To find out more about the programme structure, entry requirements and start dates, visit Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) .

2. PhD including Scholarly Creative Work

You can also consider completing your PhD including Scholarly Creative Work. This allows you to submit a design output as examinable work alongside a thesis of up to 60,000 words. There are some specific guidelines around the admission requirements and timing of the examination for creative works. To find out more about this option, visit PhD including Scholarly Creative Work .  

To see how your creative practice can become research, read Sarosh Mulla’s experience, our first graduate with a PhD in Architecture with Scholarly Creative Work .

Doctoral supervisors

We understand that supervisor quality and a strong candidate-supervisor relationship are very important when you decide where to undertake your doctoral study.

You can browse the profiles and research interests of our available doctoral supervisors below:

Statement of Research Intent

As part of your application, you need to submit a  Statement of Research Intent for Doctoral Study in the Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries . The purpose of preparing the documents is to obtain sufficient information for the school to assess your application for doctoral study and allocate supervisors best able to support your research.

Statement of Research Intent for Doctoral Study in the Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries . Size: 184.7 kB. Type: DOCX .

Download this DOCX file. Size: 184.7 kB .

We encourage contacting our PhD Advisers before you submit your Application for Admission (AfA) for more specific information and advice about doctoral study in our School.

Architecture

Dr Ferdinand Oswald Email: ferdinand.oswald@auckland.ac.nz

Heritage Conservation

Associate Professor Julia Gatley Email: julia.gatley@auckland.ac.nz

Urban Planning

Associate Professor Kai Gu Email: k.gu@auckland.ac.nz

Urban Design

Dr I-Ting Chuang Email:  iting.chuang@auckland.ac.nz

You may need to contact the Student Hubs or the School of Graduate Studies at different points of your planning and application process.

Email:  studentinfo@auckland.ac.nz

Learn more about the Student Hubs

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University Library

Doctoral Theses in Urban and Regional Planning

A chronological checklist.

The following are doctoral theses completed by individual students in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  Please see Find Dissertations for more details about locating doctoral theses in general.  Check the online catalog for doctoral theses not listed here.

Most call numbers and locations are given after each entry; if not available, search the online catalog under author or title. Call numbers are linked to the entry in the online catalog or IDEALS when available.

Yu, Chenxi. Three papers in urban and regional economic and development/ by Chenxi Yu. Dissertation (Ph.D.) – University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign , 2015. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Regional Planning/    Found in IDEALS

Kashem, Md Shakil Bin. Moving towards disaster: examining the changing patterns of social vulnerability in a multi-hazard urban environment/ by Md Shakil Bin Kashem. Dissertation (Ph.D.) – University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign , 2015. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Regional Planning/    Found in IDEALS

Lee, Sungwon. The role of urban spatial structure in reducing VMT and GHG emissions/ by Sungwon Lee. Dissertation (Ph.D.) – University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 2015. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Regional Planning/   Found in IDEALS

Vincentelo Lupa, Claudia Mariella . Planning in cyberenvironments: an analysis of the impacts of open data in Chicago / by Claudia Mariella Vincentelo Lupa. Dissertation (Ph.D.)—University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 2015. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Regional Planning/    Found in IDEALS

Figueroa, Carlos. Wage equations and the regional economics in Guatemala/ by Carlos Figueroa. Dissertation (Ph.D.)—University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 2014. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Regional Planning/    Found in IDEALS

Green, Timothy. Cluster Planning and Cluster Strategy in Regional Economic Development Organizations/ by Timothy Green. Thesis (Ph.D.)—University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 2014. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Found in IDEALS

Irawan, Andi. Regional Income Disparities in Indonesia: Measurements, Convergence Process, and Decentralization/ by Andi Irawan. Thesis (Ph.D.)—University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 2014. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Found in IDEALS

Allred, Dustin. Examining the Effectiveness of Voluntary Coordination among Local Governments: Evidence from a Regional Land Use Planning Process/ by Dustin Allred. Thesis (Ph.D.)—University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 2013. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Found in IDEALS

Boyer, Robert. Transitioning to Sustainable Urban Development: A Niche-Based Approach / by Robert Boyer. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2013. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Found in IDEALS

Rahe, Mallory. Building Prosperous Communities: The Effects of Social Capital, Financial Capital, and Place / by Mallory Rahe. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2013. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Found in IDEALS

Honey-Roses, Jordi. Ecosystem Services in Planning Practice for Urban and Technologically Advanced Landscapes / by Jordi Honey-Roses. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2012. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Found in IDEALS

Nesse, Kate. How Do We Know? Determining School District Fiscal and Administrative Policy in Rural Hispanic Boomtowns in the Midwest / by Kate Nesse. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2012. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Found in IDEALS

Sarraf, Saket. Three essays on Social Dynamics and Landuse Change: Framework, Model, and Estimator / by Saket Sarraf. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2012. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Found in IDEALS

Borich, Genevieve. The Broader Social Network of Community Planning: A Diagnostic Tool for Communities to Assess Their Planning Capacity / by Genevieve Borich. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2011. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Found in IDEALS

Wan, Jun. Three Papers in Regional Economics: Energy Productivity Convergence, Water Resource Planning, and Workforce Occupation-Industry Dynamics / by Jun Wan. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2011. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Found in IDEALS

Araj, Fidaa I. Planning Under Deep Political Conflict: The Relationship Between Afforestation Planning and the Struggle Over Space in the Palestinian Territories / by Fidaa Ibrahim Mustafa Araj. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Found in IDEALS

Brody, Jason. Constructing Professional Knowledge   :  The Neighborhood Unit Concept and the Community Builders Handbook / by Jason Brody. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning   /    Found in IDEALS

Budhathoki, Nama R. Participants’ Motivations to Contribute Geographic Information in an Online Community / by Nama Raj Budhathoki. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning   /    Found in IDEALS

Chandrasekhar, Divya. Understanding Stakeholder Participation in Post-Disaster Recovery (Case Study: Nagapattinam, India) / by Divya Chandrasekhar   .  Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning   /    Found in IDEALS

Dringo, Marina V. Why Use Agent-Based Models To Explore Social Issues? The Case Of Intimate Partner Violence and Social Support Systems / by Marina V. Dringo. 2010.   Found in IDEALS

Gamal, Ahmad. Appropriating decentralization: how urban poverty project triggers advocacy / by Ahmad Gamal. 2010.   Found in IDEALS

Ganning, Joanna P. Growth Effects of Urban-Rural and Intra-Regional Linkages on Non-Metropolitan Counties and Communities in the U.S. / by Joanna Paulson Ganning. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning   /    Found in IDEALS

Iuchi, Kanako. Redefining a Place to Live: Decisions, Planning Processes, and Outcomes of Resettlement after Disasters / by Kanako Iuchi. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Found in IDEALS

Kim, Jae H. Land Use, Spatial Structure, and Regional Economic Performance: Assessing the Economic Effects of Land Use Planning and Regulation / by Jae Hong Kim. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Found in IDEALS

Robles, Johanna D. The FDI and regional development in Chile / by Johanna D. Robles. 2010.  Found in IDEALS

Finn, Donovan. Our Uncertain Future: Can Good Planning Create Sustainable Communities? / by Donovan Flinn. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2009. iv, 203 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-202). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Q. 338.927 F497o

Li, Jinghuan. Developing a Markup Language for Encoding Graphic Content in Plan Documents / by Jinghuan Li. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2009. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Found in IDEALS

Sandiford, Glenn. Transforming an Exotic Species: Nineteenth-Century narratives about Introduction of Carp in America / by Glenn Sandiford. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2009. xiv, 320 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 639.37483 Sa568t

Zapata, Marisa. Planning Across Differences: Collaborative Planning in the California Central Valley / by Marisa Zapata. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2009. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Found in IDEALS

Ha, Soo J. Integrated Assessment of Structural Change and Sustainability in the Chicago Region / by Soo Jung Ha. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008. v, 117 leaves, bound : ill., maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-111). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 354.34 B433r

Kang, Sangjun. Spatial Distribution of Best Management Practices for Stormwater Management / by Sangjun Kang. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008. v, 113 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-99). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /   Q. 628.1 K131s

Kaza, Nikhil. Reasoning With Plans: Inference of Semantic Relationships among Plans about Urban Development / by Nikhil Kaza. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008. xiv, 181 leaves, bound : ill., maps (some col.) ; 29 cm. + cdrom. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 168-175). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning / Q. 711.4 K189r ; Found in IDEALS

Koschinsky, Julia. Modeling Spatial Spillover Effects from Rental to Owner Housing: The Case of Seattle / by Julia Koschinsky. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008. ix, 172 leaves, bound : ill., maps (some col. ) ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-114). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning / Q. 307.76097977 K846m

Warren, Drake Edward. The regional economic effects of commercial passenger air service at small airports / by Drake Edward Warren. viii, 414 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 398-413). Q. 338.1 Tbp08w

Wildermuth, Todd A. Yesterday’s city of tomorrow : the Minnesota Experimental City and green urbanism / by Todd A. Wildermuth. v, 278 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 271-276). Q. 630 Tbp08w

Xiao, Yu. Local Labor Market Adjustment and Economic Impacts after a Major Disaster: Evidence from the 1993 Midwest Flood / by Yu Xiao. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008. xii, 219 leaves, bound : ill., maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 197-205). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning / Q. 363.34097738 X4l

Bendor, Todd K. Redistribution effects of wetland mitigation over space and time / by Todd K. Bendor. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. v, 117 leaves, bound : ill., maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-111). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 354.34 B433r

Lim, Jaewon. Interregional Migration and Regional Economic Structure / by Jaewon Lim. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. xiii, 143 leaves, bound : ill., maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 129-134). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 304.81 L628i

Lufin Varas, Marcelo Leonardo. Essays in social space : applications to Chilean communities on inter-sector social linkages, social capital, and social justice / by Marcelo Leonardo Lufin Varas. v, 254 leaves, bound : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-173).  Q. 711.40983 L967e

Maeng, Da-Mi. Information and Communications Technologies and Urban Environment: Empirical Analysis of the Washington DC Metropolitan Region / by Da-Mi Maeng. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. x, 119 leaves, bound : ill., maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-115). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 711.4 M268i

Silva, Carlos E. Three Essays on Regional Economics / by Carlos Eduardo Silva. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. iv, 112 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-111). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 330.9 Si382t

Sorensen, Janni. Challenges of Unequal Power Distribution in University-Community Partnerships / by Janni Sorensen. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. ix, 212 leaves, bound : ill., maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 175-189). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 711.58 So684c

Varas, Marcelo L. Essays in Social Space: Applications to Chilean Communities on Inter-Sector Social Linkages, Social Capital, and Social Justice / by Marcelo Leonardo Lufin Varas.Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. v, 254 leaves, bound : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-173). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 711.40983 L967e

Wang, Yun. Predicting long-term impacts of urbanization in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area on regional emissions of air pollutants from residential fuel combustion : a dynamic geographic information systems approach / by Yun Wang. viii, 142 leaves, bound : ill., maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-69).  Q. 711.40977866 W184p

Aldegheishem, Abdulaziz J. Geospatial sharing as an effective governance tool for policy decision : comparative analysis and implication to Saudi Arabia / by Abdulaziz J. Aldegheishem.  Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. xiv, 221 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 204-220). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 910.28509538 Al21g

Shammin, Md Rumi. Opportunity and challenges for sustainability in urban planning and the energy sprawl / by Md Rumi Shammin. xvi, 211 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 136-145).  Q. 630 Tbp06s

Sofhani, Tubagus Furqon. Toward empowered participatory planning: the role of planners in the local planning paradigm change in Indonesia / by Tubagus Furqon Sofhani. xii, 173 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 158-167).  Q. 307.1216 So232t

Vial, Jose Fernando. Interlinking interregional economic models with infrastructure networks : three essays / by Jose Fernando Vial. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. ix, 184 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 175-182). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 330.9 V651i

Bonet, Jaime Alfred. Decentralization, structural change and regional disparities in Colombia / by Jaime Alfred Bonet. x, 128 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-113).  Q. 986.1063 B641d

Guo, Dong. Structure and structural change in China’s economy / by Dong Guo. 2005. xi, 130 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-125). Theses –UIUC –2005 –Urban and Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 338.951 G959s

Jang, Sung-Gheel. Interoperable multimodal travel guide system : modeling and implementation – a canonical model approach / by Sung-Gheel Jang. 2005. xi, 132 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 119-128). Theses –UIUC –2005 –Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.  Q. 388.0285 J254i

Lee, Jong Sung. Developing spatio-temporal models for retrofit and reconstruction strategy under unscheduled events / by Jong Sung Lee. 2005. x, 102 leaves, bound : ill., maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-98). Theses –UIUC –2005 –Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library City Planning /  Q. 353.9 L517d

Prasai, Sagar R. Transnational migration-development nexus and the capability approach : reframing the linkages/ by Sagar R. Prasai. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2005. vii, 145 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-140). Theses –UIUC –2005 –Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning. /  Q. 331.544 P886t

Balta, Nazmiye. Climate change policy in an enlarged European Union : institutions, efficiency, and equity / by Nazmiye Balta. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004. xvii, 285 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 279-284). Theses–UIUC–2004–Urban and Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning. /  Q. 363.7 B216c

Kim, Jungik. An assessment of the discommodity effects of swine production on rural property values : a spatial analysis / by Jungik Kim. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004. xi, 186 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 177-185). Theses–UIUC–2004–Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.   Q. 333.3352 K56a

Plotnikova, Maria. Determinants of household housing privatization decision in Russia / by Maria Plotnikova. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004. vii, 98 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-97). Theses–UIUC–2004 –Urban and Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.   Q. 363.50947 P724d

Sumadi, Pungky. Governance in a democratic transition : the case of the Urban Poverty Project in Cirebon / by Pungky Sumadi. 2004. xv, 225 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 204-218). Theses –UIUC –2004 –Urban and Regional Planning. Printout.  Q. 320.85095982 Su61g

Budthimedhee, Kanjanee. Effective visualization interfaces for planning support systems / by Kanjanee Budthimedhee. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2003. vi, 158 leaves, bound : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-156). Theses–UIUC–2003–Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning. /    Q. 005.118 B859e

Deal, Brian Michael. Sustainable land-use planning: the integration of process and technology / by Brian Michael Deal. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2003. viii, 115 leaves, bound : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-85). Theses–UIUC–2003–Urban and Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning. /    Q. 307.1216 D342s

Haddad, Monica Amaral. Human development and regional inequalities: spatial analysis across Brazilian municipalities / by Monica Amaral Haddad. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2003. xiv, 144 leaves, bound : ill. (some col.) maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-140). Theses–UIUC–2003–Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning. /  Q. 307.140981 H117h

Nazara, Suahasil. An exploration of interaction effects in Indonesian regional economic development / by Suahasil Nazara. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2003. xiii, 156 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-155). Theses–UIUC–2003–Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning./   Q. 330.9598 N236e

Henne, Lisa Jean. Power and science in participatory watershed planning: a case study from rural Mexico / by Lisa Jean Henne. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2002. ix, 170 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-166). Theses–UIUC–2002–Regional Planning.Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning. /  Q. 333.730972 H391s

Song, Yan. Valuing the impacts of new urbanism on prices of single-family homes: a case study of Portland, Oregon / by Yan Song Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2002. xvi, 137 leaves, bound : ill., maps. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-136). Theses–UIUC–2002–Urban and Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning. /  Q. 728.370979549 So581v

Wu, Yueming. Seismic risk analysis for Mid-America communities / by Yueming Wu Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2002. ix, 208 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 203-207). Theses–UIUC–2002–Urban and Regional Planning. Printout. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning. /  Q. 551.220287 W950s

Kumar, Sandeep. Role of information in design review : a case study / by Sandeep Kumar. 2001. ix, 189 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Printout. Vita. Theses–UIUC–2001–Regional Planning. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001.  Q. 711.40973 K96r

Tyler, Elizabeth Holl. Development of an environmental values typology / by Elizabeth Holl Tyler. xi, 256 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-146).  Q. 363.7 T971d

Matier, Debra Anne. A cross-national study of policy entrepreneurship on the part of technical-professional bureaucrats in national environmental agencies : the case of household waste reduction policy in Germany, France and the United States / by Debra Anne Matier. 2000. vii, 269 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Theses–UIUC–2000–Regional Planning. /  Q. 658.421

Tyler, Elizabeth Holl. Development of an environmental values typology / by Elizabeth Holl Tyler. 2001. xi, 256 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-146). Theses –UIUC –2001 –Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from Bell & Howell Information and Learning.  Q. 363.7 T971d

You, Jinsoo. Development of a hybrid travel time forecasting model with GIS : design and implementation issues / by Jinsoo You. 2000. xv, 171 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Printout. Vita. Theses–UIUC–2000– Regional Planning. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2000. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-167).  Q. 388.10113 Y83d

Alvares, Lucia Maria Capanema. Classifying intermediary non-governmental organizations according to their strategies to empower local grassroots groups / by Lucia Maria Capanema Alvares. c1999. xiv, 443 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. Printout. Vita. Data for this research was collected in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1999. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 427-440). 1. Non-governmental organizations–Case studies. 2. Community development–Brazil–Belo Horizonte–Case studies. I. Title. Other: Theses–UIUC–1999–Regional Planning.   361.763 Al86c

Carvajal N., Ana Maria . Evaluating the impact of rail-trail conversion projects on property values : empirical evidence from the Illinois Prairie Path / by Ana Maria Caraval N. 1999. vi, 37 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 34-37).   796.509773 C253e

Hanley, Paul Francis, 1965- Simulating land developers’, sewer providers’, and land owners’ behavior to assess sewer expansion policies / by Paul Francis Hanley. 1999. viii, 89 leaves : ill., maps ; 28 cm. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. “The research design uses a stochastic simulation model of development behavior to capture alternative explanations of sewer provider and developer behaviors. The input data and model parameters are based on 26 years of historical data for a 12 square mile study area in Washington County, Oregon…”–p.2. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Ilinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1999. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-80) 1. Sewage disposal–Mathematical models. 2. Stochastic processes. 3. Sewerage–Oregon–Washington County–Mathematical models. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1999–Regional Planning.   363.7284 H194s

Okuyama, Yasuhide. Analyses of structural change : input-output approaches / by Yasuhide Okuyama. 1999. xii, 141 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Printout. Vita. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1999. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-136). Analyzes structural change in the Chicago economy between 1980 and 1997 and the effects of the 1998 earthquake in the Hanshin region of Japan. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. 1. Input-output analysis. 2. Chicago (Ill.)–Economic conditions. 3. Hanshin region (Japan)–Economic conditions. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1999–Regional Planning.   339.23 Ok7a

Ellis, Christopher D. The effectiveness of qualitative spatial representation in supporting spatial awareness and spatial decision making / by Christopher D. Ellis. 1998. xii, 154 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Printout. Vita. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 148-151). Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. 1. Space perception– Case studies. 2. Qualitative reasoning–Case studies. 3. Geographic information systems. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1998–Regional Planning.  Q.910.285El59e

Larsen, Larissa Susan. A comparison of Chicago’s scattered site and aggregate public housing residents’ psychological self-evaluations / by Larissa Susan Larsen. c1998. viii, 171 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Printout. Vita. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998. Includes bibliographical records (leaves 144-152). Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. 1. Public housing– Resident satisfaction. 2. Public housing–Illinois–Chicago–Case studies. 3. Human ecology–Case studies. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1998– Regional Planning.  Q.363.58509773L329c

Lindsey, Timothy Craig. Promoting the adoption of pollution prevention innovations with the assistance of publicly owned treatment works / by Timothy Craig Lindsey. c1998. x, 220 leaves, bound ; 28 cm. Printout. Vita. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 209-212). Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. 1. Sewage–Purification. 2. Membrane separation. 3. Pollution prevention–Case studies. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1998–Regional Planning.  Q. 628.50286 L645p

Brodjonegro, Bambang. The econometric input-output model of Jakarta, Indonesia, and its application for economic impact analysis / by Bambang Brodjonegoro. 1997. viii, 142 leaves, bound: ill.; 28 cm. Printout. Vita. Thesis (Ph.D.) — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-141). 1. Econometric models–Indonesia–Jakarta. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1997–Regional Planning.   Q.330.015195 B784

Guo, Jiemen. Comparative study of economic structure of Chinese regional economies using new input-output techniques / by Jiemen Guo. x, 139 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-135).   Q. 338.951 G957c

Kim, Sung-Ho. Modeling resident satisfaction : comparison of the Francescato and Fishbein-Ajzen TRA models / by Sung-Ho Kim. 1997. xiii, 180 leaves, bound: ill.; 28 cm. Printout. Vita. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997. 1. Action theory–Research. 2. Housing– Resident satisfaction. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1997–Regional Planning.   Q.155.945 K56m, cop.2

Knowles-Yanez, Kimberley Lynne. Contested land use planning: a case study of a grassroots neighborhood organization, a medical complex, and a city / by Kimberley Lynne Knowles-Yanez. xiv, 178 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-144).   Q. 333.77 K764c

Miller, Claire Ellen. Managing local sustainability : a game theoretic analysis of natural resource conservation / by Claire Ellen Miller. 1997. vii, 195 leaves, bound: ill.; 28 cm. Printout. Thesis (Ph.D.) — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-175). 1. Conservation of natural resources–United States. 2. Habitat conservation–United States–Planning. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1997–Regional Planning.   Q.333.72M612m

Montagu, Allen Simon. Natural resource management in Papua New Guinea : an analysis of the forestry sector / Allen Simon Montagu. xiii, 308 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 284-304).   Q. 337.75 M76n

Chin, Yoihee. Multi-stage and multi-objective allocation procedures of urban parks using location decision support system (UPLDSS). vi, 129 leaves, bound : ill. ; 28 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-103).   Q. 711.5580113 C441M ;   Found in IDEALS

Ding, Chengri. Managing urban growth for efficiency in infrastructure provision : dynamic capital expansion and urban growth boundary models / by Chengri Ding. 1996. x, 118 leaves, bound : ill. ; 28 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-117). Infrastructure (Economics). Capital –Management. Urban economics –Management. Theses –UIUC –1996 –Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International.   Q. 658.152 D613M ;   Found in IDEALS

Moore, Alan Wesley. An investigation of a collaborative meeting room supporting small group planning and decision making / by Alan Wesley Moore. x, 163 leaves, bound : ill. ; 28 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-162).   Q. 658.4030285 M781I ;   Found in IDEALS

Mukherjee, Jaideep. Environment and development : a study of north-south conflict / by Jaideep Mukherjee. 1996. xvii, 274 leaves, bound : ill. ; 28 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 264-268).  Theses –UIUC –1996 –Regional Planning. Printout.   Q. 333.70285 M896E ;  Found in IDEALS

Ortiz, Alexandra. Economic analysis of a land value capture system used to finance road infrastructure : the case of Bogota, Colombia / by Alexandra Ortiz. 1996. viii, 109 leaves, bound : ill. ; 28 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-91). Theses –UIUC –1996 –Regional Planning. Printout.   Q. 333.332 Or8e ;   Found in IDEALS

Schintler, Laurie A. Managing pavement in a busy urban highway network / by Laurie Shintler. 1996. iii, 103 leaves, bound ; 28 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-99).   Q. 388.411 Sch34m ;   Found in IDEALS

Vos, Jacobus Johannes . Environmental perceptions and participation in environmental decision-making among blacks : a study of environmental justice and solid waste management planning in two Illinois counties / by Jacobus Johannes Vos. 1996. xii, 142 leaves, bound : map ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-118).   Q. 363.72850977 V92E ;   Found in IDEALS

Westervelt, James Dahl. Simulating mobile objects in dynamic landscape processes / by James Dahl Westervelt. 1996. ix, 144 leaves, bound : ill., maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-114).  Digital computer simulation. Landscape –Computer simulation. Theses –UIUC –1996 –Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International.   Q. 003.3 W525S ;   Found in IDEALS

Al-Kodmany, M. Kheir Al-Din. Cultural change and urban design: women’s privacy in traditional and modern Damascus / by M. Kheir Al-Din Kodmany 1995. viii, 199 leaves, bound: ill.,maps; 28 cm. Includes bibliographic references (leaves 172-196). 1. Neighborhood–Syria–Damascus. 2. Community development–Syria–Damascus. 3. City planning–Syria–Damascus. 4. Women in Islam–Syria–Damascus. 5. Women and city planning–Syria–Damascus 6.Theses–UIUC–1995–Regional Planning. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. Vita. City Planning Call Number:   Q. 307.09569101 ;   Found in IDEALS

Dickson, Bruce C. Ecorestoration of riparian forests for nonpoint source pollution control : policy and ecological considerations in Illinois agroecosystem watersheds / by Bruce Cameron Dickson. 1995. vii, 119 leaves, bound : ill., maps ; 28 cm. Printout. Vita. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1995. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-117). 1. Environmental policy–Illinois. 2. Ecosystem management–Illinois. 3. Water–Pollution–Illinois. 4. Riparian forests–Illinois. 5. Riparian ecology–Illinois. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1995–Regional Planning.   Q.363.73946D55E ;   Found in IDEALS

Kim, Hyong-Bok. Capacity expansion modeling of water supply in a planning support system for urban growth management / by Hyong-Bok Kim. 1995. xiv, 216 leaves, bound : ill. ; 28 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 206-215). Water-supply –Mathematical models. Urbanization –Water-supply. Water resources development –Mathematical models. Theses –UIUC –1995 –Regional Planning. Printout. Vita. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International.   Q. 363.61011 K56C ,   Found in IDEALS

McGurty, Eileen Maura. The construction of environmental justice : Warren County North Carolina / by Eileen Maura McGurty. 1995. ix, 220 leaves, bound : maps ; 28 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 206-220). Environmental responsibility –North Carolina –Warren County. Hazardous waste sites –North Carolina –Warren County. Sanitary landfills –North Carolina –Warren County. Land use –North Carolina –Warren County. NIMBY syndrome –North Carolina –Warren County. Environmental ethics –North Carolina –Warren County.  Theses –UIUC –1995 –Regional Planning. Printout. Vita.    Q. 363.7009756 M179C ;   Found in IDEALS

Simon, Allison. Sequencing infrastructure development in the barrios marginales of Quito, Ecuador : policy findings of a hedonic price model. 1995. ix, 104 leaves, bound : col. maps ; 28 cm. Includes bibliographical references.   Q. 307.1409866 SI53S ; Found in IDEALS

Douglas, Judy Carol. Aesthetic-based conflict in highway planning : Federal Highway Administration putting planners at risk / by Judy Carol Douglas. 1994. xiii, 223 leaves ; ill. ; 30 cm. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. Printout. Vita. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1994. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 210-219). 1. Highway planning–United States. 2. Roads–United States–Design and construction. 3. Highway law–United States. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1994–Regional Planning.   Q.625.725D746A ;   Found in IDEALS

Lee, Insung. Development of procedural expertise to support multiattribute spatial decision making / by Insung Lee. 1994. xi, 153 leaves ; 29 cm. Vita. Printout. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. Thesis ( Ph. D. )–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1994. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 144-151). 1. City planning–Computer programs 2. City planning I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1994–Regional Planning.   Q.307.1L521D ;   Found in IDEALS

Choi, Keechoo. The implementation of an integrated transportation planning model with GIS and expert systems for interactive transportation planning / by Keechoo Choi. 1993. xviii, 217 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Printout. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1993. Bibliography: leaves 198-216. 1. Transportation–Planning. 2. Geographic information systems. 3. Information storage and retrieval systems–Transportation 4. Expert systems. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1993–Regional Planning.   Q.388.0285C452I ;   Found in IDEALS

Edwards, Hazel Ruth. The role of the residential environment in defining quality of life / by Hazel Ruth Edwards. 1993. xix, 402 leaves, bound : maps ; 29 cm. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Printout. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1993. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 368-394) 1. Quality of life 2. Housing–Resident satisfaction I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1993–Regional Planning.   Q.155.945ED96R ;   Found in IDEALS

Mitchell, Martin D. Changes in landscape forms and functions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, 1920-1993 / by Martin D. Mitchell. xii, 329 leaves, bound : maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 297-328).   Q. 333.7153 M6946C

El-Kholei, Ahmed Osman. The role of the government in housing in developing countries : the case of Egypt / by Ahmed Osman El-Kholei. 1992. xviii, 181 leaves, bound : ill., map ; 29 cm. Printout. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-169). 1. Housing–Developing countries. 2. Housing–Egypt. 3. Housing–Economic aspects–Egypt. 4. Housing policy–Egypt. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1992–Regional Planning.   Q.363.5EL52R ;   Found in IDEALS

Fields, Deborah Lynn. The application of computer-aided expert decision support systems to developing countries : a case of rural development in Kenya / by Deborah Lynn Fields. 1992. xiii, 283 leaves, bound: 29 cm. Printout. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Vita. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992. Includes bibliographic references (leaves 267-281). 1. Rural development–Kenya–Decision making. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1992–Regional Planning.   Q.307.1412F46A ;   Found in IDEALS

Shiffer, Michael Joseph. A hypermedia implementation of a collaborative planning system / by Michael Joseph Shiffer. 1992. ix, 188 leaves, bound : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Printout. Vita. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 180-184) 1. Hypermedia systems. 2. User interfaces (Computer systems) 3. City planning I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1992–Regional Planning.   Q.307.120285SH61H ;   Found in IDEALS

Almansouri, Majdi Ahmed. The role of the Friday mosque (Al-Jami) in Islamic cities / by Majdi Ahmed Almansouri. 1991. xv, 301 leaves, bound : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Printout. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1991. Includes bibliographic refernces (leaves 248-291) 1. Architecture, Islamic–Middle East 2. Cities and towns, Islamic–Middle East–Planning–History. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1991–Regional Planning.   Q.711.40956AL62R ;   Found in IDEALS

Sen, Siddhartha. Role of Indian NGO’s in housing and development : a critical appraisal / by Siddhartha Sen. 1991. vii, 204 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Printout. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1991. Includes bibliographic references (leaves 187-198) 1. Poor–Housing–India. 2. Non-governmental organizations– India. 3. Community development, Urban–India. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1991–Regional Planning.   Q.363.596942SE55R ;   Found in IDEALS

Tazik, David J. Proactive management of an endangered species on army lands : the black-capped vireo on the lands of Fort Hood, Texas / by David John Tazik. 1991. x, 247 leaves, bound : ill., maps (some col.) ; 29 cm. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Printout. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1991. Includes bibliographic references (leaves 218-226) 1. Birds, Protection of–Texas–Fort Hood. 2. Black-capped vireo–Texas–Fort Hood. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1991–Regional Planning.   Q.333.954816T219P ;   Found in IDEALS

Chin, Yangkyo. Resident housing satisfaction in multi-family housing environments in Korea / by Yangkyo Chin. 1990. x, 222 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Vita. Printout. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1990. Bibiliography: leaves 118-130. 1. Housing–Resident satisfaction–Korea. 2. Apartment houses– Korea. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1990–Regional Planning.   Q.155.94509519C441R ;   Found in IDEALS

Doak, Jill Ann. Regional economic development marketing : process, preparation and organization / by Jill Ann Doak. 1990. v, 83 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Printout. Thesis (MUP)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1990. Bibliography: leaves 79-83. 1. Regional planning–Illinois–Economic aspects. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1990–Urban Planning.  Q.338.9773D65R

Han, Sang-Yun. The application of computer-based information systems to urban planning and public policy making / by Sang-Yun Han. 1990. xvi, 206 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Vita. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Printout. Thesis (Ph. D)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1990. Includes bibliographic references (leaves 188-205) 1. City planning–Decision making–Automation. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1990–Regional Planning.   Q.307.120285H19A ;   Found in IDEALS

Lai, Shih-Kung. A comparison of multiattribute decision making techniques using an iterative procedure to derive a convergent criterion / by Shih-Kung Lai. 1990. viii, 144 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Printout. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1990. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-141) 1. Multiple criteria decision making. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1990–Regional Planning.   Q.658.4035L14C ;   Found in IDEALS

Lee, Man-Hyung. Chinese housing policy : socio-historical analysis and policy evaluation / by Man-Hyung Lee. 1990. xi, 229 leaves, bound ; 29 cm. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Printout. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1990. Includes bibliographic references (leaves 187-218) 1. Housing policy–China–History. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1990–Regional Planning.   Q.363.50951L514C ;   Found in IDEALS

Glosser, Deanna Simmons. Differing perceptions and the resulting uncertainty of public policy : an examination of the Clean Water Act’s Section 404 regulatory program / by Deanna Simmons Glosser. 1989. viii, 165 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Vita. Printout. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1989. Includes bibliographical references. 1. Regional planning–Decision making. 2. Water–Pollution–Law and legislation–United States. 3. Policy sciences I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1989–Regional Planning.   Q.307.12068G516D ;   Found in IDEALS

Suh, Sunduck. Implementation and evaluation of nonlinear bilevel programming model of equilibrium network design problem / by Sunduck Suh. 1989. xiii, 179 leaves, bound : ill., maps ; 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references.   Q. 388.3140113 SU36I;     Found in IDEALS

Rho, Jeong Hyun. Implementation and evaluation of a nonlinear three dimensional urban activity model / by Jeong Hyun Rho. 1988. xii, 164 leaves, bound : ill. ; 29 cm. Vita. Printout. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1988. Includes bibliographical references. 1. Traffic congestion–Mathematical models. 2. City traffic– Illinois–Chicago. 3. Land use, Urban–Mathematical models. I. Title. Other: 1. Theses–UIUC–1988–Regional Planning.  Q.388.41310151R346I ;  Found in IDEALS

Briassoulis, Helen. An integrated modeling approach for the study of the impacts of acid deposition control regulations / by Helen Briassoulis. 1985. vii, 178 leaves ; 29 cm. Bibliography: leaves 171-177.   FILM 1985 B762 ;   Found in IDEALS

Doctoral Degrees

The Price School offers two PhD programs. Both the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Policy and Management and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Urban Planning and Development degree programs are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Students should also refer to Graduate and Professional Education    and The Graduate School    sections of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by The Graduate School.

The PhD programs in the Price School both emphasize rigorous programs of advanced study and research, stressing qualitative or quantitative analysis and the theoretical foundations of their field of study. The programs are designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop their own specialization and expertise in either major field — public policy and management or urban planning and development — while also offering them a breadth of knowledge in an especially rich intellectual environment.

Curriculum Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Management and the Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Development are administered by the doctoral committee of the school. The PhD program in Public Policy and Management requires the completion of 64 units of course work, comprising the following elements: master’s core in a substantive field (15–17 units), theoretical core (11–12 units), methodology (10–12 units), field/specialization courses (12 units), directed research (4 units), teaching seminar (2 units), research seminar (4 units) and dissertation (4 units minimum). The PhD program in Urban Planning and Development requires the completion of 64 units of course work, comprising the following elements: master’s core (14–16 units), doctoral core (8 units), methodology (10–12 units), field/specialization courses (16 units), directed research (4 units), teaching seminar (2 units), research seminar (4 units) and dissertation (4 units minimum).

PhD, Urban Planning and Development

Core curriculum, theoretical core (8 units).

• PPD 713 Advanced Planning Theory Units: 4
• PPD 714 Advanced Urban Development Units: 4

Methodology (10-12 Units)

• PPD 706 Paradigms of Research and the Design of Inquiry Units: 4
• Two additional methods courses selected with qualifying exam committee approval Units: 6-8

Specialized Field Courses (16 units)

Students take a minimum of four courses to develop their specialized area of study. Courses may be taken in the Price School or other USC units. Students, working with their qualifying exam committees, have considerable flexibility in forming specializations.

Directed Research (2, 2; 4 units total)

Students will enroll in four units of directed research during their first year (2 units fall and 2 units spring). This will ensure they get involved in a research experience during their first year with faculty mentors.

• PPD 790 Research Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Research Seminar (4 units)

Students will take PPD 710a   , PPD 710b    (2 units each, 4 total units), the Price School research seminar course.

• PPD 710a Research Seminar Units: 2
• PPD 710b Research Seminar Units: 2

Teaching Seminar (2 units)

Students will take two semesters of the teaching seminar:

• PPD 700    Teaching Seminar (2 units)

Students entering the doctoral program without a relevant master’s degree in urban planning or a related field will be required to complete prerequisites (16–18 units) relevant to their program.

For the PhD in Urban Planning and Development, possible courses include:

• PPD 500 Intersectoral Leadership Units: 2
• PPD 501a Economics for Policy, Planning and Development Units: 2
• PPD 501b Economics for Policy, Planning and Development Units: 2
• PPD 524 Planning Theory Units: 2
• PPD 525 Statistics and Arguing from Data Units: 2
• PPD 526 Comparative International Development Units: 2
• PPD 527 The Social Context of Planning Units: 2
• PPD 533 Planning History and Urban Form Units: 2
• PPD 634 Institutional and Policy Issues in Transportation Units: 4

Additional Requirements

Admission with advanced standing.

Students entering the doctoral program with a master’s degree from an accredited institution in public management/administration, public policy, planning, or urban development or related field may be admitted with advanced standing to either PhD program. In the Public Policy and Management program, students must complete a minimum of 39–41 units of doctoral classes beyond that graduate degree, exclusive of PPD 794a Doctoral Dissertation   ,  PPD 794b Doctoral Dissertation   ,  PPD 794c Doctoral Dissertation   ,  PPD 794d Doctoral Dissertation   ,  PPD 794z Doctoral Dissertation    units, for a minimum of 43–45 semester units. In the Urban Planning and Development program, students must complete a minimum of 40–42 units of doctoral classes beyond that graduate degree, exclusive of PPD 794a Doctoral Dissertation   ,  PPD 794b Doctoral Dissertation   ,  PPD 794c Doctoral Dissertation   ,  PPD 794d Doctoral Dissertation   , PPD 794z Doctoral Dissertation    units, for a minimum of 44–46 semester units. Additional course work may be required if deemed necessary by the student’s faculty following the screening examination.

A maximum of 6 units of transfer credit may be applied toward a doctoral degree with advanced standing. Only course work not used to complete the master’s degree described above is available for transfer credit. No exceptions are allowed.

Qualifying Exam Committee

Students will form an initial qualifying exam committee by the end of the first fall semester, which officially oversees the development of the student’s academic program through the qualifying examination. Five tenure or tenure track committee members are designated to provide guidance in the field developed by the student. A minimum of three members, including at least one tenured member, must be from among the faculty participating in this Doctor of Philosophy program, and at least one member must be from outside the Price School of Public Policy. Students should refer to the Graduate School    section regarding the qualifying exam committee and the outside member. The complete qualifying exam committee must be in place no later than the third semester.

Screening Procedures

Students must have a 3.3 overall GPA in first-year courses to continue in the program.

At the end of each spring semester, the student submits an academic work plan for the coming year to his or her qualifying exam committee chair. The plan should include courses, degree progress, seminar attendance and what was learned from those, and a research plan that articulates the major research questions being explored. At the conclusion of year one, the chair reviews and approves the work plan and at the end of year two, the chair reviews the work plan and the second year paper.

Qualifying Examination

The qualifying exam committee prepares a comprehensive written examination covering the fields of study. Following completion of the written portion, the entire committee conducts an oral examination of the student, focusing on material both complementary and supplementary to the written examination but relevant to the field and overall program selected by the student. Upon passing both portions of the qualifying examination, the student becomes a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. The qualifying exam will occur in the fall of year three.

Proposal Defense

Students are expected to have a proposal defense within one year of passing the qualifying exam.

Doctoral Dissertation

The dissertation is based on original research. The research is supervised by a dissertation committee of three or more regular USC faculty, at least one of whom must be from outside the Price School of Public Policy. A two-semester minimum registration in PPD 794a   , PPD 794b   , PPD 794c   , PPD 794d   , PPD 794z    is required of all candidates. Students must maintain continuous registration until completion of the dissertation.

Defense of the Dissertation

Oral defense of the dissertation before the dissertation committee is usually made on a preliminary draft.

Format for Theses and Dissertations

All theses and dissertations submitted in fulfillment of requirements for graduate degrees must conform to university regulations with regard to format and method of preparation. Regulations for Format and Presentation of Theses and Dissertations is available from the Graduate School, Grace Ford Salvatori 315, or online at the Graduate School Website.

General Requirements

Refer to the Graduate School    section in this catalogue for policies regarding time limits, leave of absence, scholarship standing and probation.

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How Will California’s Electric Vehicle Policy Impact State-Generated Transportation Revenues? Projecting Scenarios through 2040

You are here.

California faces unprecedented uncertainty about how much revenue the state will raise from a package of taxes on motor fuels and annual registration fees on light-duty vehicles that was established in 2017 by Senate Bill 1 (SB 1). The SB 1 taxes are by far the largest source of revenue that the State of California generates to support maintenance, operations, and improvements for state highways, and the funds also contribute substantially to local transportation and public transit budgets. To help policymakers navigate the uncertainty about future SB 1 transportation revenue, this study used spreadsheet models to project revenue from the SB 1 taxes through 2040 under a set of eight scenarios that consider a wide range of possible futures. The scenarios consider changes to revenue that could arise from implementation of California’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) regulations, as well as potential changes in driving costs, population size, vehicle ownership rates, and trucking industry operations. Key findings include:

• It is impossible to project future revenues with any confidence for more than a few years into the future. By 2040, annual revenue ranges from a low of $4.81 billion to a high of $12.15 billion.
• The state may lose substantial revenue if the SB 1 taxes and fees are not changed and/or replaced within the coming few years. In 2027, just three years out, projected annual revenue for some scenarios drops by more than a billion dollars below 2024 revenue.
• A fast ICE to ZEV transition would significantly reduce annual revenue—but so could changes in VMT.
• Fuel taxes currently provide most SB 1 revenue, but by 2040 California may rely on vehicle registration fees to provide most of the revenue.

ASHA WEINSTEIN AGRAWAL, PHD

Dr. Agrawal works at San José State University, where she is the Director of MTI’s National Transportation Finance Center, the MTI Education Director, and a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning. Her research agenda is guided by a commitment to the principles of sustainability and equity: what policy and planning tools can communities adopt to encourage environmentally-friendly travel and improve accessibility for people struggling with poverty or other disadvantages? Dr. Agrawal has researched transportation funding policy questions for more than 25 years. Her work focuses on holistic evaluation of the advantages and challenges of different tax and fee options for raising transportation revenues, as well as public opinion about different tax and fee options. She earned a BA in Folklore and Mythology from Harvard University, an MSc in Urban and Regional Planning from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a PhD in City and Regional Planning.

HANNAH KING

Ms. King is a doctoral candidate at UCLA’s Institute of Transportation Studies and Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Her research focuses on transportation finance, travel behavior, and transportation equity. At Florida State University she earned MS degrees in Urban and Regional Planning and Geographic Information Systems, as well as a BS in Applied Economics. Prior to starting her doctoral studies, Ms. King worked for the state of Florida providing technical assistance to local governments as they planned for the effects of sea-level rise.

H.A. “BURT” TASAICO, PE

Mr. Tasaico is an MTI Research Associate and retired Director of Strategic Initiatives and Program Support for the North California Department of Transportation. He worked for 40 years both in the private and public sectors in all phases of transportation planning, modeling, programming, funding and revenue forecast, and cash management. He is also a member and past officer of many professional organizations, including former AASHTO Financial Management Fellow, former Vice-chair of AASHTO’s Transportation Policy Forum, and a member of the Transportation Research Board’s Committee on Economics and Finance (AJE50).

SJSU Research Foundation   210 N. 4th Street, 4th Floor, San Jose, CA 95112     Phone: 408-924-7560   Email: [email protected]