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Doctoral Level Study
The
Department of Urban Studies and Planning offers a Doctoral (Ph.D.)
Program focused on preparing advanced students for careers in teaching
and research. The program is based on a close working relationship
between doctoral students and their faculty advisors. While the program
of study is hand-crafted for each doctoral student, the program
emphasizes the development of research competencies particularly through
joint student-faculty research.
On average, approximately sixty Ph.D. students are registered in DUSP.
Each year the department admits between eight and twelve new Ph.D.
students; generally one or two of these students have been selected to
study in the City Design and Development area. Almost all students enter
the doctoral program with a Master’s degree in a related field.
Most Ph.D. students are enrolled for at least six semesters; however, the
number of terms needed to complete the program can vary, depending on
each student’s prior academic preparation.
Each Ph.D. student develops a course of study with his or her advisor in
order to take full advantage of the resources available at MIT and
elsewhere. Much of the student’s coursework and independent reading
and study is focused on preparation for the student’s general examination.
The nature of the preparation that will be necessary varies widely
depending on the candidate’s background and research interests.
Often the City Design and Development Group has held faculty-student
research seminars on topics of common interest, and there is considerable
flexibility in creating such opportunities. Doctoral students have access
to most courses at Harvard and Tufts, as well as other departments within
MIT.
Collaborative research projects and teaching are two other important parts
of each doctoral student’s experience. Doctoral students in City
Design and Development have been given substantial teaching
responsibilities, particularly in the introductory courses offered by the
group’s faculty members. Recent Ph.D. students have served as
Instructors in Urban Design and Development, Planning Action, the Beijing
Urban Design Studio, and Big Plans.
Doctoral students have also played key roles in research projects
supervised by City Design and Development faculty including work on the areas
of public housing renewal, suburban development, and design standards.
The Doctoral program is built around the following requirements:
- Completion of several
required subjects including 11.233 Research Design and Methodology;
11.800 Doctoral Research Seminar; and one quantitative and one
qualitative methods subject from an approved list.
- A Doctoral Research Paper,
written during the student’s first year in the program.
The
purpose of the paper is to assess the student's ability to make a
reasoned argument based on collected evidence. Equally important is
the opportunity to work closely with a faculty advisor. A Doctoral
Seminar taken by all students in their first semester focuses on how
to frame interesting research questions, shape convincing arguments,
and write academic research articles of publishable quality.
- General Exams in a first
(disciplinary) field and a second (problem-focused) field.
Ph.D. students take general examinations that include a written and
oral component, after the completion of their fourth semester. The
written take home exam is administered one or two weeks before the oral
exam. The examinations allow faculty to assess how well the student
has mastered the content and methods of at least one discipline and
at least one area of substantive planning or applied public policy.
Each student selects the fields he or she wishes to study with
guidance from an examination committee. The committee, comprised of
three or more faculty members, helps the student define each field,
select a bibliography, and suggest the format of the exam. This
process usually occurs in the final year of a student's coursework.
For a list of approved first fields see the
department PhD web site at: http://web.mit.edu/dusp/phd/phd_firstfields.htm
Students in City Design and Development normally choose it as their
first examination field.
A detailed explanation of CDD’s First Field Exam and suggested
reading list is available by downloading the following document:  Ph.D.
First field general examination in CITY DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT (CDD)
- A dissertation proposal
approved by the student’s dissertation committee and presented
in an open colloquium, normally completed by the end of the
student’s third year. At this point each doctoral student can
qualify for non-residential status and reduced tuition.
- A completed dissertation
and a formal defense of the dissertation.
Ph.D. study is also available in Architecture in
the History, Theory, and Criticism area.
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