department
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Cross-Cutting
degrees Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Planning
The PhD is the advanced research degree in urban planning or urban studies and is focused on training individuals for research and teaching in the areas of applied social research and planning.
The program emphasizes the development of fundamental research competence, flexibility in the design of special area of study, and encouragement of joint student/faculty research and teaching. The program is tailored to the needs of individual students, each of whom works closely with a mentor in the Department. A standard program involves four semesters of classes (with a minimum of 36 units each semester) and four semesters to complete a dissertation.
Admission requirements are essentially the same as for the master's degree, but additional emphasis is placed on academic preparation, professional experience, and the fit between the student's research interests and the department's research activities. Nearly all successful applicants have previously completed a master's degree. Admission to the doctoral program is highly competitive.
DUSP graduates are well prepared for (and go on to work in) a wide range of careers in academia, government, and industry; for a list of recent PhDs and doctoral candidates soon to be on the market, click here.
Degree requirements for the PhD program
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First Year: First Semester
Coursework during the first semester entails four to five classes, including a seminar on research design and methodology.
First Year: Second Semester
Students participate in a doctoral seminar and a mid-year review, and begin work on a first-year doctoral paper. At this time, students prepare and present a Program Statement that organizes their work for subsequent years.
Second Year
Students with a strong background in a chosen field can begin to prepare for the general examination during the summer following the first year. Students who require more preparation will use the third and, if necessary, the fourth semester to take additional course work.
General Examination
The general examination is taken sometime between the third and fourth semesters. All PhD students are expected to prepare for an examination in two fields. Traditional first fields include: city design and development, international economic development, urban information systems, public policy and politics, urban history, urban and regional economics, and urban sociology. The second, applied field is developed by each student and a committee, based on individual interests.The General Exams is given twice a year: at the end of the spring semester and at the beginning of the fall semester. Students should plan to take general examinations after the completion of their fourth semester, although they can be taken earlier with approval of the student's advisor. These examinations contain a written and an oral component.
Dissertation
After completing the general examination, each student assembles a dissertation committee. A candidate is expected to submit a five- to six-page preliminary dissertation research proposal within a semester of passing the general exam. Within one year after passing the general exam, a full proposal must be submitted for approval by the PhD Committee, and the student presents the proposal in a departmental colloquium.
In addition, some students complete additional requirements for the department's Environmental Planning Certificate and/or Urban Design Certificate.
Admissions to the PhD program
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Admission to the doctoral program is highly competitive. The percentage of men and women is usually equal, and approximately 30 percent are from abroad. The Department is committed to the active recruitment of minorities. Most incoming doctoral students hold a Master's degree in a field related to urban studies or planning, and have a year or more of work experience. However, candidates holding a bachelor's degree and demonstrating a strong commitment to research and teaching are also seriously considered.
Key criteria under consideration in admissions decisions:
- Application strength: cohesiveness of statement, compelling research topics, preparedness for doctoral level work.
- Departmental research priorities: racial justice, climate change, democratic governance, and the wealth gap
- Advisor-Advising Committee Match (i.e., Could an applicant work with a few DUSP faculty on their committee? Does applicant have a strong match with at least one lead faculty?)
- Instructorship match (i.e., what core classes might applicant be able to TA within DUSP?)
- Cross-cutting substantive areas – research of interest to multiple DUSP groups and priority areas
Learn more about the application process here.
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Note: The Norman B. Leventhal Center of Advanced Urbanism and Departments of Architecture and Urban Studies and Planning have established a collaborative doctoral-level program in Advanced Urbanism. Urbanism is a rapidly growing field that has many branches. The concentration in Advanced Urbanism seeks doctoral applicants (one to two per year) who have: 1) at least one professional design degree (in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, etc.); 2) research interests in urbanism that would draw upon both ARCH and DUSP faculty advising; and 3) a commitment to engage with the research community at the LCAU and within their home department throughout their time at MIT. For more information, see http://lcau.mit.edu/center/education.
Enrollment
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The doctoral program is designed for full-time study and students must register and pay tuition fees each semester until the dissertation is completed. Students may acquire nonresident status when they have been enrolled for at least two years, have passed the general examination, and when the dissertation proposal has been approved. Nonresident students are not eligible for MIT financial aid or employment and are precluded from using MIT housing, offices, or computer facilities. They may, however, use the libraries and continue to work with advisors. When ready to submit their dissertations, they must file for resident status.
Projections
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Projections, the Journal of the MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning, focuses on the most innovative and cutting edge research in planning. Each volume is devoted to a different topic of interest to planning scholars, students, and professionals. As a peer-reviewed publication, Projections welcomes original high quality submissions at the vanguard of planning theory and practice.
Information Session for Prospective Doctoral Students
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