Environmental Design and Planning

The Executive Committee on Environmental Design and Planning offers a collegewide interdisciplinary program leading to the PhD degree in Environmental Design and Planning. Three areas of concentration are available: design; history, theory, and criticism; and planning. The faculty of the Schools of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Design, and Planning participate in offering the degree. Faculty from disciplines outside of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design may participate in offering the program if appropriate to the interdisciplinary nature of the student’s research interest.

For more information, access the program Web site at www.asu.edu/caed/PHD, or send e-mail to caed.phd@asu.edu.

The PhD degree in Environmental Design and Planning is an individualized collegewide interdisciplinary degree that integrates graduate courses and faculty research expertise from a variety of academic areas: architecture, building design, environmental planning, environmental resources, graphic design, industrial design, and interior design. The program is at the cutting edge of creating new knowledge in environmental design and planning. It complements interdisciplinary research in other disciplines within the university. Broad in scope, the program involves multidisciplinary research interests at both micro- and macroscale levels of design and planning. The program provides research experience for students wishing to pursue careers in academe and in industry as members of inter-disciplinary design and planning teams on environmental and energy issues, as well as for those wishing to teach in the architecture, design, or planning fields.

The PhD degree in Environmental Design and Planning offers concentrations in the following areas based on the research and teaching expertise of participating faculty.

Design.. Design—microscale issues in the designed environment—includes the study of architecture, building science, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, and landscape architecture. Research fields include acoustics, affordable housing, climate-responsive building, computer-aided design, energy modeling, exhibit design, facilities planning and management, fire protection, human factors in design, industrialized housing, landscape architecture, lighting, passive solar energy and conservation, and site planning and wayfinding.

History, Theory, and Criticism.. History, theory, and criticism—cultural and theoretical issues in the history of the environment—includes the study of architecture, environmental planning, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture, and urbanism. Research fields include study of the arts and crafts movement, contemporary criticism and analysis, design theories and methods, history of architecture and design, history of building science, history of city planning, and landscape theory and criticism.

Planning.. Planning—macroscale issues in the planned environment—includes the study of environmental resource management, landscape architecture, planning, and urban design. Research fields include contemporary urban design, economic development, environmental assessment, environmental planning, ethics in planning, housing and urban development, international development planning, landscape ecology, legal aspects of planning, planning for ethnically diverse populations, the protection of environmentally sensitive areas, public participation, social dimensions of planning, urban design policy, urban planning, and urban and regional development.

Admission Requirements.. Students are admitted to the PhD program only upon completion of a master’s degree in architecture, environmental resources, design, landscape architecture, or planning or upon the demonstration of equivalent standing.

In addition to meeting Division of Graduate Studies admission requirements, applicants must submit the following items to

A Test of English as a Foreign Language score of at least 600 is required of all applicants whose native language is not English. International applicants who are interested in receiving funding as Teaching Associates (TAs), must also submit a Test of Spoken English (TSE) score of at least 50.

Submitted materials are returned after final admission procedures, provided sufficient prepaid postage is enclosed, or if the materials are claimed in person within one year of submission. Unclaimed materials are retained for only one year. The PhD program assumes no liability for lost or damaged materials.

Application Deadlines.. All application materials should be received on or before December 31 for fall semester admissions. Applications for associateships and scholarships are considered at the same time.

Selection Procedures.. The PhD Executive Committee evaluates the applications and supporting materials and recommends to the Division of Graduate Studies whether the applicant should be granted admission or if admission should be denied. Admission decisions are based on the compatibility of the applicant’s career goals with the purpose of the degree program and research interests of faculty, previous academic training and performance, GRE scores, reference letters, and the ability of the potential mentor to devote time to the student.

Program of Study.. The degree is structured as a 54-semester-hour post-master’s program, not as an 84-semester-hour postbaccalaureate program. Students must be thoroughly familiar with design and planning and are expected to demonstrate a high level of academic maturity before being admitted to the program.

Of the 54 semester hours, 24 must be research and dissertation credit. At least 30 semester hours of the remainder, exclusive of dissertation and research hours, must be completed after admission to the PhD program at ASU. No transfer credits are allowed to fulfill the 54-semester-hour minimum requirement for the program.

The student is required to take 15 semester hours in the area of concentration and a minimum of nine semester hours of specialized course work outside the area of concentration; a minimum of six semester hours in current research and research methods is required.

Each student entering the PhD program is required to submit a program of study during the first year. The director of the PhD program appoints a committee made up of a minimum of three faculty members from the areas of concentration. This committee includes a prospective mentor and is responsible for approving the student’s program of study and monitoring the student’s progress in the program.

Preliminary Candidate Evaluation.. Before the end of the first academic semester of course work, the student’s mentor and the program director conduct a preliminary evaluation of the student. The evaluation is based on the student’s program check sheet, a progress evaluation by the mentor, and an informal meeting with the program director. It is directed at the student’s selected area of concentration at the time of their admission to the program.

Performance on the preliminary candidate evaluation serves as a guide to the student’s program committee as the committee members counsel the student and formulate a program of study.

Academic Standard and Evaluation.. Each student in the program receives an annual evaluation. Students submit, to their mentor and the program director, a two-page summation of the academic year. The summation must include proposed research, including progress toward dissertation; a list of goals accomplished during the past academic year; and projected goals for the upcoming academic year. In addition, students present their summation to the CAED core faculty.

Students must meet the minimum Division of Graduate Studies requirements, but program standards may exceed these requirements. For example, students are expected to

Foreign Language Requirements.. None.

Comprehensive Examinations.. Upon completion of course work in the PhD program of study and before admission to candidacy and the start of dissertation research, the student must take a written examination on his or her knowledge of the chosen area of concentration and interdisciplinary knowledge, including the ability to communicate across disciplines. The student’s program committee conducts an oral examination following the review of the written examination.

Dissertation Requirements.. The dissertation must consist of a fully documented written analysis of a problem that is original in nature and extends the knowledge and/or theoretical framework of the field. The research must demonstrate the student’s creativity and competence in independent research.

Final Examination. A final oral examination in defense of the dissertation is required. A candidate must pass the final examination within five years after completing the comprehensive examination.

Research Activity. Research topics within the PhD program in Environmental Design and Planning may change during the course of research, either by expanding or narrowing the focus of the topic. For more information about student and faculty research, access the Web site at www.asu.edu/caed/PHD.

In addition to the EPD 700-level courses, refer to the course listing under the following majors for courses that are available to support the collegewide interdisciplinary degree program in Environmental Design and Planning: architecture, building design, environmental planning, environmental resources, industrial design, interior design, and landscape architecture.