Ph.D.
Four years of full support for PhD
UIC’s Department of Urban Planning and Policy is offering 4 years of full support to a select group of candidates to be admitted for Fall 2012. The department is known for its cutting-edge research aimed at identifying, reducing, and preventing disparities in economic opportunity, civic participation, environmental impact, publically available amenities, and transportation access. Another hallmark is its commitment to engaged research. We encourage students to actively engage local and outside communities, public agencies, non-profit organizations, and other stakeholders in their research.
The aim of the Ph.D. in Urban Planning and Policy is to train students for advanced research and faculty positions within institutions of higher education. It is intended to serve full-time students. In Fall 2012 the Program will accept up to 3 qualified students, each receiving four-year funding to engage in dissertation research that advances understanding of one or more aspects of community disparities.
The Ph.D. program provides a unique and powerful resource for the advanced study of challenging urban problems and their complex remedies. Students participate in an interdisciplinary learning community of faculty and research staff conducting a mix of applied and theoretical studies. Graduates will leave as scholars well prepared for positions as university professors or conducting advanced research.
A minimum of 96 semester hours of graduate credit is required for the Ph.D. degree, beyond the baccalaureate. Up to a maximum of 32 credits toward the degree requirements may be granted for prior graduate work -- 24 credits can be awarded for a relevant previously-completed master’s degree and, subject to faculty approval, students may transfer up to an additional eight credits for appropriate graduate work completed elsewhere that was not credited toward an earned degree. Since students must have a master’s degree to enter the doctoral program, most will complete 72 additional hours of credit in the Ph.D. program to fulfill their degree requirements.
The doctoral program is divided into four segments: core, major coursework, career training, and dissertation. Students are expected to complete the core course requirements and most major course work by the beginning of the third year. Students are required to take the prelim examination during the summer that follows their second full year of matriculation.
The qualified students will each receive four-years of funding to cover tuition and certain fees subject to satisfactory progress in both coursework and research. Tuition differential will be directly paid by the department. Students will also receive a stipend for up to 11 months a year. Initially, the amount of the stipend is equivalent to a 25% research assistant appointment, which translates to approximately $800 per month. After passing the preliminary examination, the stipend will be increased to a 50% appointment equivalent. Total value of this financial aid is over $123,000 for in-state and over $171,000 for out-of-state students.
Applications are due December 1, 2011.
For detailed information about program requirements, visit the PhD Section of the Current Students page.
Opportunities for advanced research training and faculty supervised research projects are available within the following research centers on campus:
- Great Cities Institute
- Center for Urban Economic Development
- Voorhees Center for Neighborhood and Community Improvement
- Urban Transportation Center
- Survey Research Laboratory
- Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy
- City Design Center
- UPP's Urban Data Visualization Laboratory
The program also builds on the University of Illinois Great Cities Initiative, providing students with a variety of research related training and the opportunity to engage in urban issues in the Chicago metropolitan region, the nation and the world.