PhD in Architecture

The doctoral program in architecture at Penn was created in 1964 and is aimed at people who wish to make scholarly contributions to the discipline. Its purpose is to prepare graduates who bring a historical or theoretical perspective to architectural practice, with attention to theory, technology and representation. Degree requirements include twenty approved courses, a pair of language exams, qualifying and preliminary examinations, teaching experience, a dissertation and its final defense. Prior master's coursework is taken into account when the number of required courses is set. Students holding a Penn master's degree can receive up to twelve units of transfer credit, while those with a master's from another institution may receive up to eight toward the doctoral requirements. Beyond a short list of named seminars, most of the remaining coursework consists of electives at an advanced level.