The Ph. D. Program recognizes a need to develop knowledge that reaches beyond the scope of most professional practices of the built environment. During the first three semesters, an interdisciplinary core is taught by College of Design, Construction and Planning faculty members to identify commonalities, diversity and trends in the theory, history, methods and scientific traditions of research and teaching among the five disciplines. This core is taught in recognition of the complexity of the built environment and the need for collaboration among the design, construction, and planning disciplines. Although most graduate students become strongly affiliated with “a” department in the college, they are encouraged to seek additional courses and faculty across the college and university.

Students are encouraged to develop and expand their own research focus and skills through collaboration with their Supervisory Committee in selecting their specific program of study. In addition to taking courses, graduate students become involved through graduate assistantships in faculty research as well as teaching. Currently we have 40 doctoral students enrolled at various stages of study. Of these, 16 are working as Graduate Research Assistants and 3 as Graduate Teaching Assistants in the various college departments. Doctoral students are assisting with undergraduate design studio teaching in the College’s professional programs. They are researchers assisting with professors’ grants and contracts, as well as coordinators of newsletters and professional events related to various Research Centers in the college. Some are investigators documenting historic sites in the Caribbean, Nantucket and Vicenza, Italy.

Doctoral students may participate in the College of Design, Construction and Planning Graduate Interdisciplinary Concentration and Certificate in Historic Preservation.

Course selections help the student to develop expertise around the dissertation focus. The sequence of learning within the program requires students to accomplish the following steps:

• Propose and conduct research that adds knowledge needed to support the design and management of the built environment through the critical examination and consolidation of previous research findings;
• Explore research methods, theories, philosophies, as related to the built environment in order to identify and pursue major and minor areas of concentration related to a dissertation focus.
• Explore the physical, social and natural sciences as related to the built environment in order to identify and pursue major and minor areas of concentration related to a dissertation focus;
• Develop an original dissertation topic and conduct the research.
• Disseminate knowledge through teaching, publications and selective collaborations with the various professionals in related industries and government agencies.