PhD Curriculum
The PhD degree is ordinarily a six-year course of study. It requires completion of 64 units, typically taken as 13 four-unit courses plus credit-bearing research colloquium and apprentice teaching requirements. Students must complete required foundation and teaching preparation courses, and must select the remaining courses to meet advanced research methods, human settlements, and elective requirements.
Up to 16 credits of required coursework, including USP 210, USP 224, one advanced research methods course, and one human settlements course, may be waived for students who have entered with a Master's degree covering substantially the same material. In addition to completing the required coursework, PhD students must complete a written and oral field examination; a candidacy examination; and an original dissertation.
Six (6) Foundation Courses
- USP 201: Planning Histories
- USP 202: Social and Spatial Justice in Planning Theories
- USP 210: Introduction to Planning Research Methods
- USP 224: Land Use Planning
- USP 240: Climate Justice and Planning
- USP 290: Research Colloquium in Urban Studies and Planning (a two-quarter sequence, ordinarily winter and spring of second year)
Two (2) Advanced Research Methods Courses
To be chosen from this list:
- USP 211: Transdisciplinary Field Research
- USP 212: Geographic Information Systems
- USP 213: Urban Analytics
- USP 288: Fieldwork in Migrant Communities
One (1) Human Settlements Course
To be chosen from this list:
- USP 250: Housing and Community Development
- USP 257: Urbanisms in the Global South
- USP 270: Environmental Policy and Planning
- USP 271: Sustainable Development
- USP 280: Transportation Planning
Teaching Preparation
This requirement includes a 6-unit teaching apprenticeship, typically to be met by three quarters of a two-unit teaching apprenticeship course scheduled in conjunction with a TA appointment:
- USP 500: Apprentice Teaching in Urban Studies and Planning
- USP 501: Teaching Urban Studies and Planning
Five (5) Elective Courses
It will include 20 additional units of elective course credit, which may be met by any of the above courses that have not already been counted towards another requirement, or by enrolling in courses such as the following.
- USP 230: Economic Analysis for Urban and Regional Planning
- USP 248: Health and the Built Environment
- USP 254: Space, Place, and Inequality
- USP 255: Crime, Justice, and Planning
- USP 256: Bioregional Planning
- USP 265A: Advanced Special Topics in Housing
- USP 265B: Advanced Special Topics in Sustainability
- USP 265C: Advanced Special Topics in Transportation
- USP 265D: Advanced Special Topics in Urban Design and Land Use
- USP 275: Gender and Environment
- USP 295: Independent Research (for variable credit, from 2 to 8 units)
- DSGN 201. Human-Centered Design and Complex Sociotechnical Systems
- GPEC 444. Advanced GIS and Remote Sensing
- GPPS 419. Local Political Economy
- MGTF 408. Real Estate Finance
- POLI 255. Urban Politics
- SOCG 214. Urban Sociology
Field Examinations
In the third year of study, students will complete a field examination consisting of three papers and an oral defense, as follows:
- One (1) paper shall be on a foundational topic in planning theory
- One (1) paper shall be on a subject chosen from the list of topics of the courses that meet the human settlements requirement
- One (1) paper shall be on a subject chosen from these three core emphases:
- Planning for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion
- Planning for climate change mitigation and adaptation
- Multinational planning
- No later than the end of the second year of study, constitute a field examination committee of four faculty members
- No later than the end of fall quarter of the third year of study, confer with the committee and establish an exam schedule
- No later than the last day of classes of the third year of study, submit the written examination papers
- Within one week of submitting the papers, complete the oral defense
Candidacy Examination
A student who has completed the required coursework with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and who has passed field examination may advance to candidacy on successful completion of a candidacy examination.
Prospective dissertation candidates will be expected to constitute a dissertation committee of at least four members no later than the commencement of the fourth year of study. The candidacy examination consists of a written research proposal, followed by an oral defense and examination on the substance of the proposal by the committee, to be scheduled with the committee before the end of the student’s fourth year in the program.
Prospective dissertation candidates will be expected to constitute a dissertation committee of at least four members no later than the commencement of the fourth year of study. The candidacy examination consists of a written research proposal, followed by an oral defense and examination on the substance of the proposal by the committee, to be scheduled with the committee before the end of the student’s fourth year in the program.
Dissertation
After advancement to candidacy, the student will complete a doctoral dissertation under supervision of the Doctoral Committee Chair.
The final examination will consist of an oral defense of the dissertation before the dissertation committee. The dissertation defense is expected to occur no later than the end of the sixth year.
The final examination will consist of an oral defense of the dissertation before the dissertation committee. The dissertation defense is expected to occur no later than the end of the sixth year.
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