At University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, PhD in Design and Planning is offered as a doctorate in Architecture programme. The programme runs for 4 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 3,266 per semester (CAD 3,266 per semester for local students).
The Ph.D. in Design and Planning is a doctoral research program spanning the departments of Architecture, City Planning, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture at the Fort Garry campus. Students complete 12 credit hours of coursework, including theory and methods courses, typically in the first year, followed by a Candidacy Examination and Thesis Proposal in the second year. The remaining years are devoted to doctoral thesis research, culminating in a written thesis that must be publicly defended; the program allows up to six years for completion, and students are required to be in full-time academic residence for two terms during the first two years. Research topics are shaped by the expertise of individual faculty advisors across the four participating departments, spanning design and planning-related fields rather than a fixed set of specializations. The program is intended for students aiming to make an original contribution to knowledge in design and planning through independent investigation and creative scholarship. It suits candidates who already hold a relevant master's degree and are prepared to undertake sustained, faculty-supervised research culminating in a defended thesis, rather than students seeking a primarily coursework-based credential.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission to the PhD in Design and Planning is assessed on the strength of the applicant's prior degree(s), publications, presentations and record of professional practice, teaching or other pertinent experience rather than a fixed minimum average. Candidates must first make contact with a potential advisor and submit a Statement of Intent describing their research interest in 500 words, together with a curriculum vitae. The formal application requires official transcripts, proof of identity, a five-to-ten-page research proposal describing the intended study, a dossier of scholarly work such as writing samples or creative/professional work, evidence of financial support, and three letters of reference with at least one from an academic institution. English language proficiency must meet IELTS 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in writing, or TOEFL iBT (Internet-based) 94 overall with a minimum of 22 in writing. The formal application must be completed by January 10 to be considered for the following academic year.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants (Canadian citizens and permanent residents) apply directly to the University of Manitoba. As of this September 2026 fetch, the Direct Entry deadlines page shows only the Fall 2026 cycle in full - University 1 and the Diploma in Agriculture at May 1, 2026 domestic / March 1, 2026 international, other Direct Entry programs at March 1, 2026 - a cycle that has already closed, alongside minor Winter 2027 (Dec 1, 2026) and Summer 2027 (Apr 1, 2027) intake deadlines. No Fall 2027 Direct Entry deadline has been published yet, so specific 2027 dates cannot be stated for the university's main intake. The Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Jazz Studies deadline (January 15, applying equally to domestic and international applicants) is likewise confirmed only for the 2026-27 cycle, also closed, with no 2027-28 bulletin posted. These are described as fixed deadlines rather than rolling admission, and the university opens each new cycle's applications on October 1. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
