Last modified: 07.18.08


Doctor of Philosophy in City Planning

Letter from the Graduate Group Chair

Welcome to the Ph.D. Program in City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania. In the pages that follow you will find information about our objectives, faculty expertise, admissions procedures, and degree requirements, as well as profiles of our current Ph.D. community and expanding list of graduates.

Penn’s planning program is more than fifty years old, and its Ph.D. Program ranks as one of the oldest in the country. The breadth and depth of scholarly contributions by our graduates represents a proud tradition that continues to shape the ambitions we hold for our students. Ours is a small doctoral studies program, and this allows faculty to closely mentor and supervise each student on an individual basis. At the same time, Ph.D. candidates are students of the University at large and benefit from faculty expertise and courses in other schools, Arts and Sciences, Wharton, and Law, for example. The rich intellectual environment of the University provides an ideal context for pursuing interdisciplinary studies, as many of our current doctoral students have chosen to do.

As you look at our Ph.D. program, ask yourself at least two questions: First, what is the passionate element of your interest in cities or metropolitan regions and planning? Ph.D. study at Penn takes between four and five years, and while your interests will deepen as you proceed through course work to dissertation, starting off with clear intellectual motivations for pursuing a doctorate is essential. We want to understand your reasons for seeking a Ph.D. Second, how will you benefit from the extraordinary intellectual resources available at Penn – its multi-disciplinary faculty expertise, expansive library system, and urban-laboratory location in Philadelphia? Online information about the University will provide much for you to think about as you figure out how studying at Penn will fit with your particular research interests.


Once you have reviewed this basic information, please communicate with me by email (elbirch@design.upenn.edu). I will be glad to review with you the ways in which we may help you achieve your educational and professional goals in the field of city and regional planning.

Dr. Eugenie L. Birch
Lawrence C. Nussdorf Professor of Urban Research & Education
Chair, Graduate Group in City & Regional Planning

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