PhD in Architecture

Program Overview

The University of Cincinnati's Ph.D. in Architecture is a post-professional degree that emphasizes theoretical studies, critical skills, and architectural production. Designed for graduates in architecture or related fields, the program prepares scholars, educators, and practitioners for advanced work in architectural theory, research, and practice through qualifying exams, dissertation defenses, and collaborations with experts in various fields. Students benefit from campus resources, scholarships, and teaching experience, with career opportunities including full-time professorships, architecture practice, preservation, and research.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The University of Cincinnati's Ph.D. Program in Architecture is a post-professional degree program focused on advanced theoretical studies in architecture. It emphasizes the acquisition of critical skills related to architectural production, both built and theoretical. The program is designed for students holding a graduate degree in architecture or a related field like interior design, planning, or landscape architecture. The program exposes students to a wide range of concepts in the field and cultivates their ability to question and assess the built environment and its related documentation.

Assessment:

The program includes a qualifying exam, a dissertation proposal defense, and a dissertation defense.

• Qualifying Exam: A multi-day written examination based on a reading list agreed upon by the committee members.
• Dissertation Proposal Defense: Students must successfully defend their dissertation proposal in the third year to achieve ABD ("all but dissertation") status.
• Dissertation Defense: Students research, write, and defend their dissertation in the final years of the program.

Teaching:

• Faculty: The program boasts faculty members with expertise in human and environmental factors, computation, parametric design, robotics, history, theory, and criticism.
• Advising: The program offers one-on-one student and faculty advising and collaboration.
Students work with their faculty to develop their research and writing skills and publish and present their work in national and international venues.
• Interdisciplinary Studies: The program encourages interaction with counterparts in other schools within the College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning, as well as other colleges like Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Medicine, and the College Conservatory of Music.

Careers:

The Ph.D. Program in Architecture prepares researchers, educators, and practitioners for advanced scholarly, pedagogic, and professional work in architecture and related fields.

• Common Career Paths:
• Full-time professors
• Practitioners of architecture
• Other Career Opportunities:
• Historic preservation
• Public policy
• Curating
• Journalism
• Institutional administration

Other:

• Minor Requirement: Students can propose an individual course of study supervised by a professor other than the dissertation chair or choose from approved graduate certificates offered by the university.
Popular options include Historic Preservation, Urban Design, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and Data Analytics.
• Teaching Practicum: All students are required to participate in a teaching practicum as part of the program.
• Scholarships and Assistantships: Eligible students may compete for a limited number of scholarships and assistantships.
• DAAP college library: An outstanding collection of books, periodicals, and visual resources supporting architecture, planning, design, art history, and related subjects.
• Computer Graphics Center: A state-of-the-art facility with PCs, Macs, and peripherals like scanners, plotters, and digital video-editing suites.
• Rapid Prototyping Center: Home to state-of-the-art equipment that allows students to create communication aids for their work using CAD models.
• City of Cincinnati: Offers a rich cultural environment with live music venues, art museums, galleries, and a strong support system among practicing artists.
• UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP): One of the most comprehensive colleges of its type in the country, housed in a unique and educationally stimulating architectural setting.
• International Student Requirements: Applicants whose native language is not English typically need a TOEFL score of at least 100 iBT (600 paper) or an IELTS score of at least 7.0.
• Accreditation: The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The Ph.D. program in Architecture is not an accredited professional degree.