PhD program
Doctor of Philosopy in Community and Regional Planning
Introduction
The Ph.D. in Community and Regional Planning (CRP) is administered by the CRP Ph.D. Studies Committee, a sub-committee of the CRP Graduate Studies Committee (GSC), and by the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin. Associate Professor Michael Oden is the current chair of the Ph.D. Studies Committee of the CRP program.
The core objective of the Ph.D. program in planning is to prepare highly qualified graduate students for research and teaching at the university level and for leadership positions in public and private institutions. The program provides rigorous, but flexibly tailored, scholastic and practical training for advanced students to prepare them to make substantive contributions to planning and related policy fields. The specific goals for students of the program include:
- Obtaining a detailed understanding of planning theory and its relation to broader social problems, processes and policies.
- Developing substantive knowledge and mastery in 2 field areas - one within planning and the other in an outside area of concentration.
- Gaining a mastery of quantitative and qualitative research methods in order to conduct advanced independent research in planning.
- Engaging in planning-related research and theory construction that leads to original and relevant findings of significant value to citizens, communities and other scholars.
Advanced research in planning requires a strong theoretical and methodological background, a deep understanding of planning institutions and processes, and a substantial knowledge of specific disciplines related to planning. Doctoral students can specialize in a range of planning fields within the CRP program including economic and community development, environmental and natural resource planning, housing, land use and land development, transportation planning and historic preservation. In addition, our Ph.D. students draw upon the rich and diverse resources provided by the other schools, departments and research institutes of the University of Texas at Austin. The program strongly emphasizes interdisciplinary scholarship and research collaborations to address the complex problems of urban and regional growth and development.
Ph.D. Admissions Information
Two to four students are typically admitted to CRP Ph.D. program each year. With a limited enrollment and a large pool of qualified candidates, satisfying the formal entrance requirements of The Graduate School and of the CRP Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) will ensure placement in the formal applicant pool from which successful candidates will be chosen. However, meeting the formal entrance requirements does not guarantee admission.
Applicants to the doctoral program in Community and Regional Planning will be evaluated according the following seven criteria for admission:
- Hold a Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning or its equivalent in a related field;
- Demonstrate adequate subject preparation in content and quality as reflected in transcripts and letters of recommendation;
- A statement of purpose consisting of a 1000 to 1500-word essay demonstrating a clear interest in Ph.D. study and including a description of research interests and objectives;
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) results from a test taken less than five years before the admissions application deadline;
- A score on The Foreign Language (TOEFL) test of 550 or higher on the paper-based test or 213 or higher on the computer-based test for applicants whose first language is not English;
- A grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or better on all completed graduate work;
- A strong match between the research and career interests of the applicant and current research and teaching activities of the CRP faculty.
The GSC is empowered to provisionally admit an otherwise unusually strong candidate who has deficiencies in one or more of the above criteria. However in the case of criteria 1, the requirement must be satisfied by the end of the second semester following provisional admission to the program or the provisional admission may be canceled.
Application Procedures
Applicants for the Ph.D. program should follow the SOA graduate admissions instructions.
In addition to the materials with your application, the CRP program also requires:
- Statement of purpose [pdf]. Consisting of a 1000-1500-word essay demonstrating a clear interest in and basic understanding of the planning field
- Any documentation of life or work experience including a resume or vita, writing sample or example of a work product
PHD Adviser
Applicants to the Ph.D. program are strongly encouraged to contact the Chair of the Ph.D. Studies Committee to discuss their specific interests in the program:
ROBERT PATERSON
Ph.D. Program Coordinator for Community & Regional Planning
Associate Professor
+1 512 471 1922 | phone
+1 512 471 0716 | fax
The University of Texas at Austin
School of Architecture
1 University Station B7500
Austin, TX 78712
Degree Requirements
In addition to satisfying the requirements outlined in the University's Graduate Catalog, the student must accumulate a minimum of 51 hours of graduate credit as part of the doctoral degree program in planning. These 51 hours must be distributed as follows, subject to the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee:
- Required courses: 9 hours
- CRP 391D - Planning Theory
- CRP 391D - Research Design
- CRP 391 D - Colloquium on Planning Issues
- Advanced quantitative and qualitative methods: 6 hours
- Courses in a selected planning specialization 12+ hours.
The field of specialization must be one of the following:
- Economic and Community Development
- Environmental and Natural Resource Planning
- Historic Preservation
- Housing
- Land Use and Land Development
- Transportation
- Special Field (a field defined by the student and their advisor and approved by the CRP Ph.D. Committee)
- Courses outside the field of planning : 12 hours
- Dissertation: 9 hours
After completion of coursework, subject preparation, and research, the student will take a set of comprehensive examinations. Upon successful completion of the Ph.D. comprehensive exams, the student then submits his/her program of work for approval by the CRP Graduate Studies Committee. The title and a complete proposal for the dissertation will also be submitted to the CRP Graduate Studies Committee. The student must successfully defend the dissertation proposal in an oral examination.
Upon completion of the program of coursework, successful completion of the Ph.D. comprehensive exam and successful defense of the dissertation proposal, CRP Graduate Studies Committee then certifies that all departmental requirements have been met and recommends that the student be advanced to candidacy. After being advanced to candidacy, the student works with the faculty to form a five member dissertation advisory committee; and then works toward the completion, final oral defense, and revision of the dissertation leading to graduation.