NOTE: We currently have a moratorium on admissions to the Urban Studies Ph.D. program. We will not be accepting applications for the next three academic years (Fall 2024-26), while we re-envision the curriculum and build sustainable funding sources for students.
The Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies & Planning offers two doctoral degree programs: the Ph.D. in Urban Studies and the Ph.D. in Urban Studies: Regional Science. Our doctoral students join a select group of leaders passionate about solving the major issues of today’s communities.
Both interdisciplinary programs require the same core courses centered around understanding the evolution of metropolitan communities and urban lifestyles, and ground students in research and analysis.
Ph.D. in Urban Studies
Students in the Ph.D. Urban Studies program apply a variety of social science perspectives to the analysis of the growth and development of metropolitan areas, states, and regions. To augment the core Ph.D. course requirements, these doctoral students pursue two field areas.
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 around two field areas.
The first field should be Transportation or Economic Development unless an alternate field is approved by the student's comittee. The second field should emphasize methodology and coursework specific to Regional Science. This field will be developed by the student and advisory committee.