Doctor of Philosophy in Built Environment

The PhD in the Built Environment is an interdisciplinary program incorporating subject areas and faculty from the College of Built Environments areas of study: architecture, construction management, landscape architecture, urban design and planning, and real estate, and has three areas of concentration/specialization: sustainable systems and prototypes, technology and project design-delivery, and history, theory, representation. Generally, national and international colleges and schools of architecture, planning, construction or building, landscape, and urban design are increasing the requirements for advanced, research-oriented degrees, specifically the Ph.D. Whereas not long ago, the majority of such programs faculty were practicing professionals who also taught part-time, over the past thirty years there has been a substantial shift to more full-time, academically oriented faculty. Increasingly, schools are hiring candidates who are able to both teach studio (the traditional format of education in these areas) and have a Ph.D. While requirements for professional practice or practical experience will not disappear, the trend clearly is to expect both that and a Ph.D.

Applicants must have a master’s degree in a discipline that either is one of the College’s central areas of specialization (such as architectural studies or urban design and planning) or a normal area of expertise in the College’s activities (e.g. engineering, energy studies, real estate, geography, environmental psychology, computer aided design or GIS, and so on), or that is congruent with one of the three Fundamental Areas integrated into the Built Environment Program (such as environmental or sustainability studies, or materials science, or visual culture-representation studies).

Hold the minimum equivalent of a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or its equivalent from an accredited foreign institution or a Bologna bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 180 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits.

English Proficiency:

The Graduate School is temporarily accepting official test scores for both the Duolingo English Test and the TOEFL ITP Plus For China to assist international students with remote testing options. This policy is currently in effect through the autumn 2021 admission cycle (i.e., students enrolling in autumn 2021).

TOEFL iBT - Minimum Required Score (ELP Required): 80; Recommended Score (ELP Satisfied): 92 or higher

TOEFL pBT - Minimum Required Score: 500

Duolingo: Minimum Required Score (ELP Required): 105; Recommended Score (ELP Satisfied): 120 or higher

IELTS: Minimum Required Score 6.5