College of Architecture and Planning University of Colorado Denver

Curriculum

Degree requirements are set both by the Graduate School at the University of Colorado Denver and the Ph.D. program within the College. Degree requirements are divided into two parts: pre-candidacy and candidacy/dissertation research. The former involves course work, qualifying examinations, and a dissertation prospectus. Candidacy is certification that all requirements have been met except the dissertation. The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Design and Planning is granted upon the successful completion and defense of the dissertation.

Students meet these requirements through coursework and exams over a two year period. During this time, a student's cumulative grade point average may not fall below a B without academic discipline or probation.

Degree Completion

 
Students in the Ph.D. Program in Design and Planning have up to eight years to complete all requirements for the degree.  It is possible to take a leave of absence (referred to as a 'time out,' however, such circumstances should be pursued in tandem with your advisor and/or your committee).  A Leave of Absence form, obtained from Ph.D. Program Administrative Coordinator, must be completed to ensure your place in the program. 

Three Components

The Ph.D. curriculum consists of three components:

• Core Curriculum
• Additional Coursework
• Dissertation

1.  Core Curriculum  (12 credits)

Students in the program are encouraged to embrace tenets embodied in one of the following areas of study. Each broad area of study is represented by its own core curriculum that is specific to the domains of expertise and faculty interests. The core curriculum includes 12 credit hours of course work and consists of a series of theory and methods and application courses, which all students must complete during their first two years of residence, plus an additional three hours of program-wide colloquia.

The core curriculum for the area of study in SHE includes:

1. DSPL 7011:  Research Design: the Logic of Inquiry (3 cr),
2. DSPL 7013:  Environment and Behavior (3 cr), and
3. DSPL 7012:  Theories of Planning, Government Intervention, and Implementation: Means & Ends (3 cr)


The core curriculum for the area of study in HALU includes:

1. DSPL 7015:  Historiography and Architecture (3 cr)
2. DSPL 7016:  Architecture, in Theory (3 cr)
3. DSPL 7017:  Pro-Seminar (3 cr)

Advanced study on related topics (e.g., historic preservation, green buildings) is available to bridge the two areas of study, in which case a core curriculum would be devised by bridging courses from the above. Such circumstances are truly exceptional and are addressed in close consultation with your initial advisors and/or your committee.

DSPL 7004 - Colloquium in Design  (1 credit)

All students are also required to complete three sessions of the Colloquium during their first two years in the program (1 credit hour, Pass/Fail credits only). You also have the option of taking more than the three required credits. The colloquium includes presentations by speakers (internal to the program, external to the program/university, students), workshops on research/scholarship skills, and perhaps even more social-type activities.

The year-long colloquium has three primary objectives:

1. It exposes students to various approaches to research related to design and planning.
2. It enables students to formulate and test out researchable topics among faculty and student peers.
3. Finally, it serves as a bridge between the two areas of study offered within the program, HALU and SHE.

2.  Additional Coursework  (total 34 credits)

In addition to the Core Curriculum, each student must take at least 12 hours of coursework in classes broadly conceptualized as “methods” indicative to your field of research. The type of research methods courses vary considerably depending on your chosen area of study.  Examples of the types of courses students have found useful in the past include, but are not limited to:

Students must also have 12 hours of coursework in their Minor Field of Study and will typically take 10 hours of support electives. Courses outside the Core Curriculum may be chosen from outside the college on either the Denver or Boulder campus. Up to 18 credit hours of graduate level course work can be transferred into the program to qualify for advanced standing.

For the research area of study, the minor field of study and the electives, you will develop an individualized course of study to reflect your specific focus and career aspirations.  The required course work is determined jointly by you, your faculty advisor and committee members.

Please speak with your primary advisor or committee about your goals and the direction of your dissertation. They will advise you on what courses would be the best to support your research work. Start with your area of study. This will help you define the tools that are necessary to assist you with your research and also guide your coursework in the proper direction. Then move on to your minor areas of research and the elective courses necessary to enhance your research.

Please use your Program Planning Form (see forms section) to plan your courses with your primary advisor and/or committee. The Ph.D. Program Administrative Coordinator can provide you with an electronic copy if requested. A copy of the form must be provided each year to update your degree audit. 

3.  Dissertation  (30 credits) 

It is most important that you continue to work closely with your advisor while you are doing your dissertation research.  Meet at least once a month to discuss your progress and be sure to communicate with your other committee members as well.  It is a continual process that should be a joint effort to assure that your committee will be well informed and prepared at your defense.

Suggested Timing of the Program

(for full-time students without advanced standing):

Year One 

During your first year, you will:

• Develop your degree plan
• Complete any prerequisite courses
• Enroll in 11 semester hours of the required core curriculum and additional courses in your area of study
• Finish the preliminary examination

Year Two 

During your second year, you will:

• Enroll in one semester of Colloquium
• Continue or begin to take electives in your minor and area of study as described in your degree plan 
• Begin literature review papers
• Prepare for your comprehensive exam

Years Three and Beyond 

During your third year, you will:

• Complete your literature review papers
• Prepare a dissertation proposal
• Take the comprehensive exam
• Establish your dissertation committee

The remainder of the third and fourth years you will spend researching and writing the dissertation, under the supervision of the Dissertation Committee.