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Doctoral Degrees

Ph.D. in Urban Studies

Understanding metropolitan regions and their problems, and analyzing policies to shape their evolution and overcome obstacles are major concerns of the Urban Studies Ph.D. Our program revolves around three major obstacles that need to be overcome in order to maintain the dynamism of our metropolitan regions:

  1. problems associated with growing social and economic inequalities between different places and population groups within the metropolitan region; 
  2. environmental problems related to the prevailing pattern of urbanization; 
  3. and the lack of effective institutions of regional governance.

The Ph.D. Urban Studies program explores these issues from multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary points of view. Through participation in classes and seminars, and supervised research and teaching activities, Ph.D. students are prepared for careers in institutions of higher education and in research organizations.

Ph.D. in Urban Studies: Regional Science

Regional science brings a variety of social science perspectives to bear in analyzing the growth and development of metropolitan areas, states, and regions. The regional science program shares the same core requirements as the Urban Studies Ph.D.

Beyond these, students in regional science design a program of study around two field areas. The only required course, in the second field is USP 691 Current Research in Regional Science. Subject to prior faculty group approval, students may organize second field areas around a topic other than the four identified above. It is recommended that the second field include additional methods courses that support the field's topical focus. For example, in the transportation field area the supporting methods courses might include coverage of demand modeling, cost-benefit analysis, GIS and spatial analysis.

Questions?

Dr. Sy Adler
Ph.D. Program Director
(503) 725.5171 
E-mail: adlers@pdx.edu

or

Tracy Braden 
Student Services Coordinator
(503) 725-5477
tbraden@pdx.edu

Office of Graduate Studies
http://www.pdx.edu/ogs/