phd design computation

Computational Design

MSCD | PhD-CD

The Computational Design (CD) program investigates creative opportunities and critical issues at the nexus of design and computation. Fundamentally interdisciplinary, it mobilizes Carnegie Mellon University’s computational strengths critically towards design, architecture, and other creative disciplines.

Daragh Byrne

Associate Teaching Professor, Interim CD Track Chair

Daniel Cardoso Llach

Associate Professor, CD Track Chair & CodeLab Director

Program Overview

With a shared emphasis on critical technical practice, faculty and students in the program draw from fields including computer science, robotics, human-machine interaction, machine learning, art, and science and technology studies to illuminate emerging potentials as well as unforeseen consequences of new technologies in design. The program examines topics including robotically-supported construction, machine learning- and AI-based approaches to design generation and analysis, tangible interaction, shape grammars, responsive environments, digital heritage, computational urban studies, as well as historical and ethnographic investigations into design technologies and technologically-mediated design practices. The program’s research and creative works are frequently discussed, published, and exhibited in leading national and international venues. Inherently interdisciplinary, the program invites students to forge unique curricular paths, closely interacting with field-defining researchers, educators, and mentors in the program and across the university. 

The program offers Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees, and is well suited to highly inquisitive applicants with technical, creative, and/or critical backgrounds who are motivated to challenge disciplinary boundaries; develop a unique research agenda; and explore the intersection computation and design with creativity, technical rigor, and critical depth.

Master of Science in Computational Design

The Masters of Science in Computational Design is a two-year, research-focused program that prepares students for leading industry positions and advanced studies in the broad field of Computational Design. 

Students in the program develop technical and conceptual skills to a) formulate and develop technologies that reimagine material, sociotechnical, and/or environmental relations in design; b) approach digital systems and human-machine encounters as sites for both creative exploration and critical inquiry; and c) produce a thesis that documents a substantial work of research and a novel contribution to knowledge in the field of Computational Design.

The program’s curriculum is structured around a lean sequence of research seminars that builds cohesive cohorts, explores the field’s technical, conceptual, and historical underpinnings, and introduces a variety of approaches to research in the field. Selective courses, special topics seminars, and faculty-led independent studies and research groups delve deeper into technical and critical issues, and help instigate the development of unique theses. With guidance from faculty advisors, students define a sequence of courses providing a solid technical understanding of computational concepts and techniques. The precise choice and sequence is based on each student’s prior skill level and their research orientation. In addition, a vast pool of eligible extra departmental courses gives students the opportunity to enrich their methodological and conceptual toolkits further. During the second year, students form advisory committees and develop their theses. Of publishable, or close to publishable, quality, theses in the program rigorously document the definition, prototyping, and critical interrogation of design-technological systems, and/or their histories and the communities they support. 

The program’s typical duration is four semesters. Students must complete a minimum of 147 units of coursework including a 36 unit thesis for graduation. Proficient candidates with prior relevant experience may be considered for advanced standing, subject to approval of the faculty committee upon admission based on a proposed plan of studies. In all cases, full-time registration must be maintained for the first three semesters.

MSCD Curriculum

Doctor of Philosophy in Computational Design

The Doctor of Philosophy in Computational Design prepares students for careers as leading educators, scholars, and researchers in academia and industry. The program offers students the opportunity to conduct research that explores Computational Design questions in greater technical and critical depth, resulting in novel and original contributions to knowledge in the field.

Students work closely with their advisors throughout all stages of the program. Advisors are responsible for supervising and offering guidance, including working with students in the formulation of an individual plan of studies that supports both technical and conceptual elements of the student’s chosen area of concentration. Advisory committees in the doctoral program in CD must be chaired by a CD Core Faculty member, and must include one external member. External advisors might be at a different Carnegie Mellon University department, at a different institution, or in industry. Faculty currently serving as PhD advisors in the program include Profs Joshua Bard, Daragh Byrne, Daniel Cardoso Llach, and Vernelle Noel. Prospective applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the work of the program and with individual advisors’ recent and ongoing research. 

Students’ doctoral path in CD is punctuated by four milestones. The first is the presentation of a game plan that specifies the student’s area of concentration within the program and a scope of work within that area comprising both a plan of studies and research activities, as well as an advisory committee. The second milestone, usually completed after fulfilling course requirements, is a written and oral examination that gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their command over technical and conceptual aspects of their area of concentration, and their ability to formulate an original research project. The third is the public presentation of their dissertation proposal, a document detailing the dissertation’s conceptual, technical, and methodological components, arguing for its relevance to the field of Computational Design, and demonstrating its viability by documenting completed and ongoing research activities. The final milestone is the public defense of their doctoral dissertation. A doctoral dissertation in CD must be a rigorous, significant, and novel contribution to knowledge in the field. It must be grounded on a deep understanding of the state of the art in the field and their specific area of concentration, as well as a critical awareness of the broader contexts of the research.

^ A Data Informed Workflow in Design for Architecture and Urbanism. Javier Argota Sánchez-Vaquerizo, MSCD 2018

PhD-CD Curriculum

About the Program

The highly selective Computational Design graduate program at the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University is a trailblazer in computational design research and pedagogy. With origins in the late 1960s, it is one of the earliest programs of its kind. Its pioneering focus on applications of computational representation and symbolic AI to design has evolved into a broader inquiry into computational modes of design interaction, materiality, and intelligence, and a sensitivity towards the cultural, material, and historical specificity of computational media in design. Today, the Computational Design program adopts a broad view of computation as a vehicle of design inquiry, as a key technical scaffolding for applied and speculative design research, and as a worthy subject of scholarly analysis and debate. 

More than mere instruments, computational methods and ideas — including those linked to recent developments in machine learning/AI, virtual and augmented reality, and robotics — configure new technical infrastructures and imaginaries. Shaping contemporary spaces, artifacts, materials, and labors, these also configure new conceptions of design and creativity. Embracing this complex context, the Computational Design program works to develop new knowledge that harnesses computational ideas and methods towards humane, ecological, and creative environments, and that reimagines the interplay of the technological, the social, and the material in design.

^ Interfacing the Multiplexer Room: Speculative Spatio-Mediated Assemblages for the Digitally Interfered Home. Policarpo Del Canto Baquera, MSCD 2021

Computational Design students occupy the Computational Design Laboratory (CODe Lab) , a beautiful double-height space strategically located in the Margaret Morrison building’s fourth floor, and its two adjacent suites. Aside from workspaces and an area for presentations and collaborative work, the lab houses a fabrication space equipped with a variety of tools to support research including desktop digital and hand fabrication tools, an electronics workbench, as well as dedicated terminals for specialized data and graphics processing and virtual/augmented reality research. 

In addition, CD students have access to many other School of Architecture and Carnegie Mellon University’s world-class laboratories and facilities, including the Design Fabrication Laboratory (dFAB) and Applied Architectural Robotics Laboratory. They often participate in research and learning activities at other labs including the Frank Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry , the College of Fine Arts’ research hub, and the Manufacturing Futures Institute at Mill 19 , among others.

Extracurricular activities including yearly lecture series and workshops by leading computational design scholars and practitioners further enrich the program, fostering a vibrant atmosphere of research, learning, and creativity.

Recent Alumni

Recent phd-cd alumni.

Ardavan Bidgoli , PhD ‘23 - Computational Design Lead, Higharc; Co-Founder, Flumio; Madeline Gannon , PhD ‘21 - NVIDIA, Founder-Principal, ATON-ATON; Jinmo Rhee , PhD ‘24 (expected) - Assistant Professor of Architecture, U. of Calgary, Canada; Pedro Veloso , PhD ‘23 - Assistant Professor of Architecture, U. of Arkansas

Recent MSCD alumni

Michael Hasey (MS ‘23) - Computational Designer at Samsung Research, San Francisco; Anna Henson (MS ‘21) - Assistant Professor of Practice in Emerging Media Arts, U. of Nebraska, Lincoln; Chloe Hong (MS ‘23) - PhD Student at MIT Architecture, Cambridge, MA; Rungchang Kang  (MS ‘21) - Research Engineer, Sensing and ML at Apple AI/ML; Malika Khurana (MS ‘22) - Multimedia and Graphics Editor at the New York Times, NY; Yi-Chin Lee (MS ‘19) - PhD Candidate, Architecture at University of Michigan;  Vincent Mai (MS ‘20) - Studio Design Computation Leader at NBBJ, New York; Willa Yang (MS ‘21) - PhD Student in Computer Science, U. of Chicago

Program Faculty

Joshua D. Bard

Associate Professor & Associate Head for Design Research

Jimmy Wei-Chun Cheng

Visiting Assistant Professor

Dana Cupkova

Professor & MSSD Track Chair

Sinan Goral

Adjunct Faculty

Matthew Huber

Special Faculty

Professor & Head

Kristen Kurland

Teaching Professor

Vernelle A. A. Noel

Lucian and Rita Caste Assistant Professor in Architecture & Situated Computation + Design Lab Director

Paul Pangaro

Visiting Scholar in Computational Design

Admissions Resources

Are you a current student looking for resources? Handbooks, procedures and other information can be found on the Student Resources page .

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Preparation for Design and Computation PhD Thesis

Selection of thesis topic, definition of method of approach, and preparation of thesis proposal in computation. Independent study supplemented by individual conference with faculty.

Forum in Computation

Group discussions and presentation of ongoing graduate student research in the Computation program.

Terry Knight

Proseminar in Computation / Research Seminar in Computation

4.581 Proseminar in Computation (G) / 4.582 Research Seminar in Computation (G)

In-depth presentations of current research in design and computation.

George Stiny

Walter Zesk

Inquiry into Computation and Design

Explores the varied nature, history and practice of computation in design through lectures, readings, small projects, discussions, and guest visits by Computation group faculty and others. Topics may vary from year to year. Aims to help students develop a critical awareness of different approaches to and assumptions about computation in design beyond the specifics of techniques and tools, and to open avenues for further research.

Carolina M. R. S. Menezes

File 25fa-4.580-syll-knight.pdf

Advanced Projects in Digital Media

Class website

Develop independent projects in the study of digital media as it relates to architectural design. Students propose a project topic such as digital design tool, modeling and visualization, motion graphics, interactive design, design knowledge representation and media interface.

Takehiko Nagakura

Introduction to Shape Grammars I

An in-depth introduction to shape grammars and their applications in architecture and related areas of design. Shapes in the algebras Ui j, in the algebras Vi j and Wi j incorporating labels and weights, and in algebras formed as composites of these. Rules and computations, shape and structure, designs.

Richa Gupta

Advanced Visualization: Architecture in Motion Graphics

4.502 U / 4.562 G

Advanced projects in architectural visualization with an emphasis on the use of computer graphics animation, interactive media, and video production tools. Introduces advanced visualization software and teaches exploration of spatial expressions in motion graphics format. Review and discussion of selected literature and video materials on architecture and film.

Additional work required of students taking the graduate version.

Xiaoyun Zhang

Design Computation: Art, Objects and Space

4.500 U / 4.505 G

Introduces digital fabrication as a method of home, hut, and shelter delivery/construction. Explores the progression of industrial-based building production from prefab to digital fab. Examines new computational techniques for rapid construction, as well as the basics of tiny building design, 3D modeling systems, scalable ways to prototype, and computer numerical control (CNC) fabrication. Students use lab time to design a prototype of a small building as a single packaged product. Additional work required of students taking graduate version. Lab fee required. 

Lawrence Sass

Brenda Hernandez

Andrés Burbano

Special Subject: Architectural Computation Library of Fire: Developing Fire-Resilient Buildings with Large-Scale Earthen 3D Printing

As part of the ongoing Programmable Mud research initiative, students will travel to Santa Barbara, CA, to engage in the design and fabrication of architectural scale 3D printing building elements made from locally sourced earthen materials. The focus of this workshop will be creating a 3D-printed earth building prototype for fire resilience, a pressing issue in California, and globally, as climate change exacerbates fire danger in urban communities. We will engage in on-site fabrication as well as thermal analysis, allowing students to implement their design ideas in real-time and create architectural systems relevant to the future of low carbon, climate-resilient architecture. The workshop will be structured around producing prototypes with reproducible, publishable methods to make the work accessible and relevant to developing standards in the field.

Explore fire-resilient earthen architecture through hands-on prototyping with locally sourced earth, clay, and robots. This workshop is open to graduate and undergraduate students interested in design, materials, and digital fabrication.

Please contact instructors with a short statement of interest.

Sandy Curth

Eduardo Gascón Alvarez

Architectural Space and Computation MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

With its empirical base, this programme is aimed at researchers seeking to advance knowledge by studying the relations between spatial patterns and social outcomes, and between architectural design knowledge and computation.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

• Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, in a relevant subject, is essential. Exceptionally: where applicants have other suitable research or professional experience, they may be admitted without a Master's degree; or where applicants have a lower second-class UK Honours Bachelor's degree (2:2) (or equivalent) they must possess a relevant Master's degree to be admitted. We expect any successful application to include a sufficiently strong and convincing proposal, and those holding a Master's degree are typically well prepared to provide one. Relevant work experience is highly desirable.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Architectural Space & Computation MPhil/PhD is associated with the world-renowned  Space Syntax Laboratory . With its empirical base, this programme is aimed at researchers seeking to advance knowledge by studying the relations between spatial patterns and social outcomes, and between architectural design knowledge and computation.

There are two principal streams that lead to a PhD in Architecture:

• Space and Society in Buildings and Cities,  in which students use space syntax theories and methods to study the effects of spatial design on aspects of the social, organisational and economic performance of buildings and urban areas.
• Architectural Computation,  in which   students apply technology to research into the built environment, bringing innovative computational analytical methods - including analytical and machine learning methods, and virtual and augmented reality - to the heart of the design process.

Who this course is for

Students are expected to be independent thinkers, in order to make an original contribution to knowledge and expand the disciplinary discourse in their field of inquiry. They should be reflective within the shifting boundaries of their discipline and the rapidly changing nature of the architectural profession, and aware of how these are affected by societal and institutional challenges. The research proposal is crucial to our decision on your application since it demonstrates your ability to identify and articulate an independent line of research inquiry.

What this course will give you

The Bartlett School of Architecture is one of the world's most exciting architecture schools, in one of its most inspiring cities. Our name stands for provocative ideas, boundary-pushing research and high-achieving lecturers and students.

We are a multi-disciplinary department with researchers active in architectural design, architectural history, urban studies and space syntax, who bring together approaches from the arts, humanities, social sciences and engineering to the study of architecture. 

91% of research at The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment has been deemed ‘World Leading’ and ‘Internationally Excellent’, and the faculty is number one for Research Power in the built environment (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

We offer specialisations in architectural and urban design, history and theory, criticism and technology, and place strong emphasis on innovative research across disciplinary boundaries. Our internationally renowned and award-winning design and research work is published and exhibited at galleries and events worldwide, helping our students become the most sought after in Europe. An inspiring programme of lectures and seminars by international academics and practitioners is supplemented by workshops and access to advanced digital fabrication tools. Our central London location makes us ideally placed for architectural education, research and practice, in close proximity to an exceptional concentration of built environment firms and related agencies.

The foundation of your career

Graduate study at The Bartlett School of Architecture is enriched by our contact with a vibrant community of specialist consultants and research associates in industry and academia.

Located in central London, we collaborate on projects with a variety of national and international research centres and public engagement institutions.

Our students also benefit from the most advanced and extensive facilities available in any similar faculty in the EU. This combination of networks, knowledge and technical expertise makes our graduates some of the most sought after in the world.

Employability

Our graduates find employment in a wide range of careers as built environment professionals including academia, government, public service, policy formation and media worldwide.

We provide an increasing number of networking opportunities for our students, including book launches and social events, lectures, collaborative projects and visits.

Teaching and learning

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) consists of a piece of supervised research, normally undertaken over a period of three years full-time.

Research supervision is complemented by a programme of fortnightly seminars throughout the academic year - some led by students, others by experts from UCL and around the world. 

In your first year, you will audit selected modules from Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities MSc/MRes or Architectural Computation MSc/Mres (depending on your study field), benefiting from the rigorous training in theories and computational methods that these provide.

Assessment is by means of a thesis, which should demonstrate your capacity to pursue original research based upon a good understanding of the research techniques and concepts appropriate to the discipline.

Initially, you will be registered for the MPhil degree. If you wish to proceed to a PhD, you will be required to pass an 'Upgrade' assessment. The purpose of the upgrade is to assess your progress and ability to complete your PhD programme to a good standard and in a reasonable time frame. It is expected that a full-time student will attempt upgrade within 18 months of registration.

Primarily, you are expected to conduct independent research, with guidance and supervision. The programme places emphasis on a close one-to-one working relationship between you and your supervisor. Your Principle Supervisor will establish a timetable of regular meetings with you at which all matters relating to you work can be discussed.

Research areas and structure

Architectural Space and Computation MPhil/PhD, associated with the world-renowned Space Syntax Laboratory , has two principal research areas.

Space and Society in Buildings and Cities : Students use space syntax theories and methods to study the effects of spatial design on aspects of the social, organisational and economic performance of buildings and urban areas.

Architectural Computation : Students apply technology to research into the built environment, bringing innovative computational analytical methods to the heart of the design process.

Research environment

Supervision and mentorship is typically available from researchers with national and international contacts and collaborations across policy, government, industry and academic sectors. These links provide real opportunities to network and collaborate with a variety of external partners. You will usually have the opportunity to showcase your research at national and international conferences. You may lead your own networking initiatives such as the Bartlett Film, Place, Architecture Network, which organises seminars and workshops for staff and students. You will usually also gain access to networking events, career workshops and seminars held by The Bartlett School of Architecture.

Your research supervision will be complemented by a programme of fortnightly seminars throughout the academic year - some student led, others by leading experts from UCL and around the world.

You will be expected to undertake independent research, with supervision and guidance, and normally are also expected to attend structured courses to learn about research methods in the field.

The Space and Computation programme will normally require you to use space syntax theories and methods to study the effects of spatial design on aspects of social, organisational and economic performance of buildings and urban areas; or to apply technology to research into the built environment, bringing innovative computational analytical methods to the heart of the design process. If you take this route, in your first year you may audit selected modules from related Master's programmes in Spatial Design or Architectural Computation, with the intention that you benefit from the rigorous training in theories and methods that these provide. The auditing of taught modules is not a formal part of your MPhil/PhD programme, and so is not formally assessed.

The Space and Computation programme is also associated with the InnoChain European research network and the Engineering Doctorate in Virtual Environments, Imaging & Visualisation. If you are on one of these programmes, you will typically take some taught modules jointly with the Space and Computation area of The Bartlett School of Architecture.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

Rouote code RRDBARSASC01

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

As a research student, your additional costs may include expenses such as books, conference attendance and field research, in the UK or overseas.

The Built Environment Faculty Office provides financial support to students through the Bartlett Student Conference Fund, Bartlett Doctoral Initiative Fund, Bartlett External Training Fund and Bartlett Extenuating Circumstances Fund. However, please note that these funds are limited and available through competition. 

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

UCL offers a range of financial awards aimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies.

Any additional funding available from  The Bartlett School of Architecture and the Built Environment Faculty Office are advertised on their respective websites.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Bartlett Promise PhD Scholarship

Deadline: 19 May 2024 Value: Full fees, plus £19,668 maintenance (Normal duration of programme) Criteria Based on financial need Eligibility: UK

UCL Research Opportunity Scholarship (ROS)

Deadline: 12 January 2024 Value: UK rate fees, a maintenance stipend, conference costs and professional development package (3 years) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK

Prospective MPhil/PhD applicants are encouraged to send an informal research enquiry before applying. This should be sent directly to the academic you would like to supervise you. Please refer to the staff list on the  department website  and see UCL's  Institutional Research Information Service  (IRIS) for staff profiles. Please attach to your e-mail a referenced research proposal of around 1,000 to 2,000 words and your curriculum vitae (CV).

Further details on how to apply to an MPhil/PhD can be found on the  UCL Graduate Admissions  website.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Got questions get in touch.

Bartlett School of Architecture

[email protected]

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MA & PhD in Architecture

Ucla architecture and urban design offers two academic graduate degrees: the master of arts in architecture (ma) and doctor of philosophy in architecture (phd)..

The programs produce students whose scholarship aims to provoke and operate within architecture’s public, professional, and scholarly constituencies. Both programs are supported by the Standing Committee, made up of six faculty members: Michael Osman (MA/PhD program director), Cristóbal Amunátegui , Dana Cuff , Samaa Elimam , Salmaan Craig , and Ayala Levin . A number of visiting faculty teach courses to expand the range of offerings.

Applications for the MA/PhD program (Fall 2025 matriculation) are completed via the UCLA Application for Graduate Admission , and are due January 6, 2025. Candidates will be notified of decisions in March 2025; admitted candidates who wish to accept the offer of matriculation must submit their Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) by April 15, 2025.

All MA and PhD students are required to enroll in a two-year colloquium focused on methods for writing, teaching, and researching in the field of architecture. The six courses that constitute the colloquium train students in the apparatus of academic scholarship. Over the two-year sequence, students produce original research projects and develop skills in long-format writing.

Research Opportunities

The intellectual life of the students in the MA and PhD programs are reinforced by the increasing number of opportunities afforded to students through specialized faculty-led research projects. These include cityLAB-UCLA and the Urban Humanities Institute .

MA in Architecture

This program prepares students to work in a variety of intellectual and programmatic milieus including historical research, cultural studies, and interdisciplinary studies with particular emphasis on connections with geography, design, art history, history of science and literary studies, as well as studio and design based research.

Beyond the core colloquium, MA students take a series of approved courses both at UCLA AUD and across campus. The MA program is a two-year degree, culminating in a thesis. The thesis is developed from a paper written by the student in their coursework and developed in consultation with the primary advisor and the standing committee. In addition to courses and individual research, students often participate in collective, project-based activities, including publications, symposia and exhibitions.

The program is distinguished by its engagement with contemporary design and historical techniques as well by the unusual balance it offers: fostering great independence and freedom in the students’ courses of study while providing fundamental training in architectural scholarship.

Recent MA Theses

• Jacqueline Meyer, “Crafting Utopia: Paolo Soleri and the Building of Arcosanti.”
• Joseph Maguid, “The Architecture of the Videogame: Architecture as the Link Between Representational and Participatory Immersion.”
• Meltem Al, “The Agency of Words and Images in the Transformation of Istanbul: The Case of Ayazma.”
• Courtney Coffman, “Addressing Architecture and Fashion: On Simulacrum, Time and Poché.”
• Joseph Ebert, “Prolegomena to a Poiesis of Architectural Phenomenology.”
• Jamie Aron, “Women Images: From the Bauhaus Weaving Workshop to the Knoll Textile Division.”
• Gustave Heully, “Moldy Assumptions.”
• Brigid McManama, “Interventions on Pacoima Wash: Repurposing Linear Infrastructure into Park Spaces.”

MA Typical Study Program

PhD in Architecture

This program prepares students to enter the academic professions, either in architectural history, architectural design, or other allied fields. PhD students are trained to teach courses in the history and theory of architecture while also engaging in studio pedagogy and curatorial work. In addition to the colloquium, PhD students take a series of approved courses both at UCLA Architecture and Urban Design and across campus. They select these courses in relation to their own research interests and in consultation with their primary advisor. The priorities for selection are breadth of knowledge and interdisciplinary experience that retains a focused area of expertise. To this end, the students identify Major and Minor Fields of study. The Minor Field is generally fulfilled by satisfactorily completing three courses given by another department and the Major Field by five courses offered by UCLA Architecture and Urban Design.

Once coursework is completed, PhD students move to the Comprehensive Exam, Qualifying Exam, and the writing of a dissertation, and final defense, if deemed appropriate by the doctoral committee. In the transition from coursework to exams, PhD students work on one paper beyond its original submission as coursework. The paper begins in the context of a departmental seminar, but often continues either in the context of an independent study, summer mentorship, or a second seminar with faculty consent. Upon the research paper’s acceptance, students begin preparing for their comprehensive exam. Before their third year, students must also satisfactorily complete three quarters of language study or its equivalent according to University standards. The particular language will be determined in consultation with the Standing Committee. The Comprehensive Exam is administered by at least two members of the Standing Committee and at most one faculty member from another Department at UCLA, also a member of the Academic Senate.

The Comprehensive Exam tests two fields: the first covers a breadth of historical knowledge—300 years at minimum—and the second focuses on in-depth knowledge of a specialization that is historically and thematically circumscribed. Students submit an abstract on each of these fields, provide a substantial bibliography, and prepare additional documentation requested by their primary advisor. These materials are submitted to the committee no less than two weeks before the exam, which occurs as early as the end of the second year. Students are encouraged to complete the Comprehensive Exam no later than the end of their third year of study.

The Comprehensive Exam itself consists of two parts: an oral component that takes place first, and then a written component. The oral component is comprised of questions posed by the committee based on the student’s submitted materials. The goal of the exam is for students to demonstrate their comprehensive knowledge of their chosen field. The written component of the exam (which may or may not be waived by the committee) consists of a written response to a choice of questions posed by the committee. The goal of this portion of the exam is for students to demonstrate their research skills, their ability to develop and substantiate an argument, and to show promise of original contribution to the field. Students have two weeks to write the exam. After the committee has read the exam, the advisor notifies the student of the committee’s decision. Upon the student’s successful completion of the Comprehensive Exam, they continue to the Qualifying Exam.

Students are expected to take the Qualifying Exam before the beginning of the fourth year. The exam focuses on a dissertation prospectus that a student develops with their primary advisor and in consultation with their PhD committee. Each student’s PhD committee consists of at least two members of the Standing Committee and one outside member from another department at the University (and a member of the Faculty Senate). Committees can also include faculty from another institution. All committees are comprised of at least three members of UCLA Academic Senate. The prospectus includes an argument with broad implications, demonstrates that the dissertation will make a contribution of knowledge and ideas to the field, demonstrates mastery of existing literature and discourses, and includes a plan and schedule for completion.

The PhD dissertation is written after the student passes the qualifying exam, at which point the student has entered PhD candidacy. The dissertation is defended around the sixth year of study. Students graduating from the program have taken posts in a wide range of universities, both in the United States and internationally.

Recent PhD Dissertations

• Marko Icev, "Building Solidarity: Architecture After Disaster and The Skopje 1963 Post-Earthquake Reconstruction." ( Read )
• Anas Alomaim, "Nation Building in Kuwait, 1961-1991."
• Tulay Atak, “Byzantine Modern: Displacements of Modernism in Istanbul.”
• Ewan Branda, “Virtual Machines: Culture, telematique, and the architecture of information at Centre Beaubourg, 1968–1977.”
• Aaron Cayer, "Design and Profit: Architectural Practice in the Age of Accumulation"
• Per-Johan Dahl, “Code Manipulation, Architecture In-Between Universal and Specific Urban Spaces.”
• Penelope Dean, “Delivery without Discipline: Architecture in the Age of Design.”
• Miriam Engler, “Gordon Cullen and the ‘Cut-and-Paste’ Urban Landscape.”
• Dora Epstein-Jones, “Architecture on the Move: Modernism and Mobility in the Postwar.”
• Sergio Figueiredo, “The Nai Effect: Museological Institutions and the Construction of Architectural Discourse.”
• Jose Gamez, “Contested Terrains: Space, Place, and Identity in Postcolonial Los Angeles.”
• Todd Gannon, “Dissipations, Accumulations, and Intermediations: Architecture, Media and the Archigrams, 1961–1974.”
• Whitney Moon, "The Architectural Happening: Diller and Scofidio, 1979-89"
• Eran Neuman, “Oblique Discourses: Claude Parent and Paul Virilio’s Oblique Function Theory and Postwar Architectural Modernity.”
• Alexander Ortenberg, “Drawing Practices: The Art and Craft of Architectural Representation.”
• Brian Sahotsky, "The Roman Construction Process: Building the Basilica of Maxentius"
• Marie Saldana, “A Procedural Reconstruction of the Urban Topography of Magnesia on The Maeander.”
• David Salomon, “One Thing or Another: The World Trade Center and the Implosion of Modernism.”
• Ari Seligmann, “Architectural Publicity in the Age of Globalization.”
• Zheng Tan, “Conditions of The Hong Kong Section: Spatial History and Regulatory Environment of Vertically Integrated Developments.”
• Jon Yoder, “Sight Design: The Immersive Visuality of John Lautner.”

A Sampling of PhD Alumni and Their Pedagogy

Iman Ansari , Assistant Professor of Architecture, the Knowlton School, Ohio State University

Tulay Atak , Adjunct Associate Professor, Pratt School of Architecture

Shannon Starkey , Associate Professor of Architecture, University of San Diego

Ece Okay , Affiliate Research, Université De Pau Et Des Pays De L'adour

Zheng Tan , Department of Architecture, Tongji University

Pelin Yoncaci , Assistant Professor, Department Of Architecture, Middle East Technical University

José L.S. Gámez , Interim Dean, College of Arts + Architecture, UNC Charlotte

Eran Neuman , Professor, School of Architecture, Tel Aviv University

Marie Saldana , Assistant Professor, School of Interior Architecture, University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Sergio M. Figueiredo , Assistant Professor, Eindhoven University of Technology

Rebecca Choi , Assistant Professor of Architecture History, School of Architecture, Tulane University

Will Davis , Lecturer in History, Theory and Criticism, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore

Maura Lucking , Faculty, School of Architecture & Urban Planning, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Kyle Stover , Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, Montana State University

Alex Maymind , Assistant Professor of Architecture and Director of Undergraduate Studies in Architecture, University of Minnesota

Gary Riichirō Fox , visiting faculty member at Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and lecturer at USC School of Architecture

Randy Nakamura , Adjunct Professor, College of Arts and Sciences, University of San Francisco

Aaron Cayer , Assistant Professor of Architecture History, School of Architecture + Planning, University of New Mexico

Whitney Moon , Associate Professor of Architecture, School of Architecture & Urban Planning, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Todd Gannon , Professor of Architecture, the Knowlton School, Ohio State University

Dora Epstein Jones , Professor of Practice, School of Architecture, the University of Texas at Austin

Sarah Hearne , Assistant Professor, College of Architecture and Planning, University of Colorado Denver

PhD Typical Study Program

*The choice of language to fulfill this requirement must be discussed with the Ph.D. Standing Committee

Our Current PhD Cohort

AUD's cohort of PhD candidates are leaders in their fields of study, deepening their scholarship at AUD and at UCLA while sharing their knowledge with the community.

Adam Boggs is a sixth year Ph.D candidate and interdisciplinary artist, scholar, educator and Urban Humanist. His research and teaching interests include the tension between creativity and automation, craft-based epistemologies, and the social and material history of architecture at the U.S.-Mexico border. He holds a BFA in Sculpture Cum Laude from the Ohio State University, and an MFA in Visual Art from the State University of New York at Purchase College. Prior to joining the doctoral program at UCLA he participated in courses in Architecture (studio and history) at Princeton University and Cornell University. His dissertation analyzes the history of indigenous labor during the Mexican baroque period to form a comparative analysis with the 20th century Spanish revival architecture movement in Southern California and how the implementation of the style along the U.S.-Mexico border might function as a Lefebvrian “thirdspace” that disrupts binary thinking. In Spring 2024 he will teach an undergraduate seminar course at AUD on the history of architecture at the U.S.-Mexico border as part of the CUTF program.

Hanyu Chen is a second-year doctoral student at UCLA AUD. Her research focuses on the intersection between (sub)urban studies, heritage conservation, and the genders of the space. Specifically, it concerns the dynamics of genders in (sub)urban areas and how these dynamics are conserved as heritage. Born and raised in China for her first 18 years, Hanyu chose the conservation of comfort stations in China as her master's thesis at the University of Southern California, where she earned her master’s degree in Heritage Conservation and officially started her journey in architecture. Her thesis discusses the fluidity and genders of comfort stations and how they survive in contemporary China’s heritage conservation policies.

Hanyu also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in AMS (Applied Mathematics and Statistics) and Art History from Stony Brook University.

Yixuan Chen

Yixuan Chen is an architectural designer and a first-year doctoral student in the Department of Architecture and Urban Design at UCLA. Driven by an impulse to demystify both the grand promises and trivial familiarities of architecture, her research embarks on the notion of everydayness to elucidate the power dynamics it reveals. She investigates the conflicts between these two ends and focuses on modernization across different times and places.

Prior to joining UCLA AUD, she was trained as an architect and graduated from the University of Nottingham's China Campus with a first-class honors degree. Her graduation project “Local Culture Preservation Centre,” which questioned the validity of monumental architecture in the climate crisis, was nominated for the RIBA President's Medal in 2016.

She also holds a Master of Arts degree with distinction in Architectural History from the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London. Her dissertation, “Shijing, on the Debris of Shijing,” explores the vanishing shijing places, or urban villages, where rural migrant workers negotiate their urban identity in Chinese cities, revealing shifting power relations. Additionally, she authored an article in Prospectives Journal titled "Architectural Authorship in ‘the Last Mile,’" advocating for a change to relational architectural authorship in response to the digital revolution in architecture.

Pritam Dey is an urban designer and second-year doctoral student at UCLA AUD. His research interest lies at the intersection of colonial urbanism, sensorial history, and somatic inquiries. His architecture thesis investigated the crematorium and temple as sensorial infrastructure, and was presented at World Architecture Congress at Seoul in 2017. Previously Dey worked in the domain of urban design, specifically informal markets, as a shaper of urbanism in Indian cities. Prior to joining the AUD doctoral program, his past research focused on investigating the role of informal and wholesale markets in shaping up urbanity in the Indian city cores and co-mentored workshops on Urbanity of Chitpur Road, Kolkata with ENSAPLV, Paris which was both exhibited at Kolkata and Paris. He also co-mentored the documentation of the retrospective landscape of Hampi with the support of ENSAPLV and French Embassy. His investigations on the slums of Dharavi title ‘The tabooed city’ was published in the McGill University GLSA Research series 2021 under the theme: the city an object or subject of law?

An urban designer and architect, Pritam Dey pursued his post graduation from School of planning and Architecture, Delhi. During his academic tenure at SPA, he was the recipient of 2018 Design Innovation Center Fellowship for Habitat design allowing him to work on the social infrastructure for less catered communities in the Sub Himalayan Villages. In 2022 He mentored a series of exhibitions on the theme of Water, Mountains and Bodies at Ahmadabad.

He was the 2022-23 Urban Humanities Initiatives Fellow at UCLA and recipient of 2023 UCLA Center for India and South Asia fellowship for his summer research.

Carrie Gammell

Carrie Gammell is a doctoral candidate working at the intersection of architectural history, property law, and political economy. Her research focuses on claims, investments, and intermediary organizations in the United States, from the Homestead Act of 1862 to the Housing Act of 1934.

Carrie is also a Senior Research Associate at cityLAB UCLA, where she studies state appropriations for California community college student housing. In the past, she contributed to Education Workforce Housing in California: Developing the 21st Century Campus, a report and companion handbook that provides a comprehensive overview of the potential for land owned by school districts to be designed and developed for teachers and other employees.

Prior to joining AUD, Carrie worked as an architectural designer in Colombia and the United States, where she built a portfolio of affordable housing, multi-family residential, and single-family residential projects as well as civic and cultural renovations and additions. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Rice University and a Master in Design Studies (Critical Conservation) from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Anirudh Gurumoorthy

Anirudh Gurumoorthy is a PhD candidate at UCLA AUD. His dissertation, tentatively titled (Un)Certain Tropics and the Architecture of Certain Commodities, 1803-1926, focuses on the spatial and environmental histories of natural history/sciences in the long-nineteenth century as it related to the political economy of empire within South Asia. He is interested in the ways the materiality of commodity extraction and production contends with how, where, and why certain ‘tropical’ animals, vegetables, and minerals are attributed with a metropolitan sense of ‘value’. Moving from the United States to Britain (and back) through various parts of the Indian Ocean world as markets for singular forms of ice, rubber, and cattle form, peak, and collapse, the dissertation ultimately aims to reveal interconnected spatial settings of knowledge, control, regulation, display, and labor where knowledge systems, technical limits, human and nonhuman action/inaction, differentiated senses of environments and value continually contend with each other to uphold the fetishes of the world market. Gurumoorthy holds a B.Arch. from R.V. College of Architecture, Bangalore, and an M.Des in the History and Philosophy of Design and Media from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Chi-Chia Hou

Chi-Chia Hou is a doctoral candidate in his sixth year at UCLA AUD. His working dissertation, “New Frontier: Architecture and Service 1893-1960,” explores his interest in architecture and wealth, changing ideas of profit and management, and social scientific discourses for measuring work and worker, self and others, and values of landed property.

His research locates moments of theorizing methodologies to manage income-generating properties in schools of agriculture, home economics, and hotel studies. The schools taught their students theories, while instilling the imminence of faithful direction of oneself, of self-as-property. The pedagogies, existing beyond the purview of Architecture, were of immense architectural consideration.

Chi-Chia Hou took a break from school in the previous academic year to learn from his daughter and has now returned to school to learn from his brilliant cohorts.

Adam Lubitz

Adam Lubitz is an urban planner, heritage conservationist, and doctoral student. His research engages the intersection of critical heritage studies and migration studies, with an emphasis on how archival information can inform reparations. His community-based research has been most recently supported by the Columbia GSAPP Incubator Prize as well as the Ziman Center for Real Estate and Leve Center for Jewish Studies at UCLA.

Prior to joining AUD, Adam worked at World Monuments Fund within their Jewish Heritage Program, and taught GIS coursework at Barnard College. His master's thesis applied field research with experimental mapping techniques in the old town of a municipality in Palestine. Adam holds MS degrees in Historic Preservation and Urban Planning from Columbia University and a BA in Urban Studies from New College of Florida.

José Monge is a PhD candidate in the Department of Architecture and Urban Design. His dissertation, titled Maritime Labor, Candles, and the Architecture of the Enlightenment (1750-1872) , focuses on the role that whale-originated illuminants, specifically spermaceti candles and oil, played in the American Enlightenment as an intellectual project and the U.S. as a country. By unravelling the tension between binaries such as intellectual and manual labor–the consumers that bought these commodities and the producers that were not able to afford them–the project understands architecture as a history of activities that moved from sea to land and land to sea, challenging assumptions about the static “nature” of architecture.

Kurt Pelzer

Kurt Pelzer is a fourth-year PhD candidate at UCLA AUD. Their research explores the relational histories, material flows, and politics of land in and beyond California in the long nineteenth century during the United States parks, public lands, and conservation movements.

Their current scholarship traces the settler possession and exhibitionary display of a Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) in the 1850s; an act that contested the ways Miwok peoples ancestral to California's Sierra Nevada knew and related to life and land. Their broader interests include histories of colonialism and capitalism in the Americas, environmental history, and Blackness and Indigeneity as a methodological analytic for political solidarities and possibilities.

Prior to arriving at UCLA, Pelzer worked at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in the Architecture and Design Curatorial Department participating in exhibitions, programming, and collections work. Pelzer completed a Master of Advanced Architectural Design in the History, Theory, and Experiments program from California College of the Arts in San Francisco, and earned their Bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from the College of Design at Iowa State University.

Shota Vashakmadze

Email Shota Vashakmadze

Shota Vashakmadze is a sixth-year PhD candidate at UCLA AUD. His dissertation traces the conjoined histories of architectural computing, environmental design, and professional practice in the late 20th century, adopting critical approaches to architecture’s technical substrates—the algorithms, softwares, and user protocols of computation—to examine their social and political dispositions. In his scholarship and pedagogy, he aims to situate forms of architectural labor within the profession’s ongoing acculturation to environmental crisis. Most recently, he has been leading the development of the interdisciplinary “Building Climates” cluster, a year-long course sequence at UCLA, and co-organizing an initiative dedicated to fostering discourse on climate change and architecture, including a two-day conference entitled “Architecture After a Green New Deal.”

His research has been supported by the Canadian Centre for Architecture and appeared in journals including Architectural Theory Review , The Avery Review, and Pidgin Magazine. He is currently completing a contribution to a collection on landscape representation and a chapter for an edited volume on architecture, labor, and political economy.

Shota holds an MArch from Princeton University and has a professional background in architecture, landscape, and software development. Before coming to UCLA, he researched methods for designing with point cloud data and wrote Bison, a software plugin for landscape modeling.

Alexa Vaughn

Alexa Vaughn (ASLA, FAAR) is a first year PhD student in Architecture + Urban Design and a Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellow , from Long Beach, California. She is a Deaf landscape designer, accessibility specialist, consultant, and recent Fellow of the American Academy in Rome (2022-23). She is a visionary speaker, thought leader, prolific writer and researcher, and the author of “ DeafScape : Applying DeafSpace to Landscape,” which has been featured in numerous publications.

Her professional work is centered upon designing public landscapes with and for the Deaf and disabled communities, applying legal standards and Universal Design principles alongside lived experience and direct participation in the design process. She is an expert in designing landscapes for the Deaf community (DeafScape) and in facilitation of disabled community engagement. Prior to joining the A+UD program, Alexa worked for several landscape architecture firms over the course of six years, including OLIN and MIG, Inc.

Through a disability justice lens, her dissertation will seek to formally explore the historical exclusionary and inaccessible design of American urban landscapes and public spaces, as well as the response (activism, policy, and design) to this history through the present and speculative future. She will also actively take part in activist- and practice-based research with cityLAB and the Urban Humanities Institute .

Alexa holds both a BA in Landscape Architecture (with a minor in Conservation and Resource Studies) and a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture (MLA) from the University of California, Berkeley, with specialization in accessible and inclusive design. Much of her work can be found at www.designwithdisabledpeoplenow.com and on Instagram: @DeafScape.

Yashada Wagle

Yashada Wagle is a third year PhD student in Critical Studies at UCLA AUD, and a recipient of the department's Moss Scholarship. Her research focuses on imperial environmental-legislative regimes in British colonial India in the late nineteenth century. She is interested in exploring questions around the histories of spaces of extraction and production as they network between the metropole and the colony, and their relationship with the conceptions of laboring bodies therein. Her master's thesis focused on the Indian Forest Act of 1865, and elucidated the conceptualization of the space of the ‘forest’ through the lenses of its literary, legislative, and biopolitical trajectories, highlighting how these have informed its contemporary lived materiality.

Wagle holds a Bachelor in Architecture (BArch) from the Savitribai Phule Pune University in India, and a Master in Design Studies (History and Philosophy of Design and Media) from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. She was previously a Research Fellow at the Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies (KRVIA) in Mumbai, India.

In her spare time, Wagle enjoys illustrating and writing poetry, some of which can be found here .

Dexter Walcott

Dexter Walcott is a registered architect currently in his fifth year with the Critical Studies of Architecture program at UCLA. His research focuses on the Latrobe family and early nineteenth century builders in the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys. He is interested in the role of the built environment in histories of labor, capitalism, steam-power, and industry.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Joy is a fifth-year PhD student in architecture history. Her research explores geology as antiquity from early 19th – 20th century British colonial Hong Kong and China. She holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature with a focus in German from Middlebury College in 2017, and is a graduate of The New Normal program at Strelka Institute, Moscow in 2018. Previously, she has taught in the Department of Architecture at University of Hong Kong, as well as the Department of Design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

After working as a curatorial assistant at Tai Kwun Contemporary in 2019, she has continued the practice of art writing and translation, collaborating with many local Hong Kong artists as well as international curators such as Raimundas Malašauskas. In her spare time, she practices long-distance open water swimming. In 2022, she completed a 30km course at the South of Lantau Island, Hong Kong.

The MA and PhD programs welcome and accept applications from students with a diverse range of backgrounds. These programs are designed to help those interested in academic work in architecture develop those skills, so we strongly encourage that you become familiar with fundamental, celebrated works in the history and theory of architecture before entering the program.

Applicants to the academic graduate programs must hold a Bachelor’s degree, or the foreign equivalent. All new students must enter in the fall quarter. The program is full-time and does not accept part-time students.

Applications for the MA and PhD programs (Fall 2024 matriculation) will be available in Fall 2023, with application deadline of January 6, 2024; please revisit this page for updates. Accepted candidates who wish to enroll must file an online Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) by April 15, 2024.

How to Apply

Applying to the MA and PhD programs is an online process via the UCLA Application for Graduate Admission (AGA).

Completing the requirements will take some time, so we strongly recommend logging in to the AGA in advance to familiarize yourself with the site and downloading the documents and forms you will need to complete your application.

You can also download this checklist to make sure you have prepared and submitted all the relevant documents to complete your application.

Your Statement of Purpose is a critical part of your application to the MA and PhD programs. It is your opportunity to introduce yourself and tell us about your specific academic background, interests, achievements, and goals. Our selection committee use it to evaluate your aptitude for study, as well as consideration for merit-based financial support.

Your statement can be up to 1500 words in length. Below are some questions you might want to consider. You don’t need to answer every question; just focus on the elements that are most relevant to you.

• What is your purpose in applying to the MA or PhD program? Describe your area(s) of research interest, including any areas of concentration and specialization.
• What experiences have prepared you for this program? What relevant skills have you gained from these experiences? Have your experiences led to specific or tangible outcomes that would support your potential to contribute to this field (e.g. performances, publications, presentations, awards or recognitions)?
• What other information about your past experience might help the selection committee in evaluating your suitability for this program? E.g. research, employment, teaching, service, artistic or international experiences through which you have developed skills in leadership, communication, project management, teamwork, or other areas.
• Why is UCLA Architecture and Urban Design the best place for you to pursue your academic goals?
• What are your plans for your career after earning this degree?

Your Personal Statement is your opportunity to provide additional information to help the selection committee evaluate your aptitude for study. It will also be used to consider candidates for UCLA Graduate Division fellowships related to diversity. You can read more about the University of California Diversity Statement here .

Your statement can be up to 500 words in length. Below are some questions you might want to consider. You don’t need to answer every question; just focus on the elements that are most relevant to you.

• Are there educational, personal, cultural, economic, or social experiences, not described in your Statement of Purpose, that have shaped your academic journey? If so, how? Have any of these experiences provided unique perspective(s) that you would contribute to your program, field or profession?
• Describe challenge(s) or barriers that you have faced in your pursuit of higher education. What motivated you to persist, and how did you overcome them? What is the evidence of your persistence, progress or success?
• How have your life experiences and educational background informed your understanding of the barriers facing groups that are underrepresented in higher education?
• How have you been actively engaged (e.g., through participation, employment, service, teaching or other activities) in programs or activities focused on increasing participation by groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education?
• How do you intend to engage in scholarly discourse, research, teaching, creative efforts, and/or community engagement during your graduate program that have the potential to advance diversity and equal opportunity in higher education?
• How do you see yourself contributing to diversity in your profession after you complete your academic degree at UCLA Architecture and Urban Design?

A Curriculum Vitae (résumé of your academic and professional experience) is recommended but not required.

Applicants must upload a scanned copy of the official transcripts from each college or university you have attended both in the U.S. and abroad. If you are accepted into the program you will be required to submit hard copies. These can either be sent directly from each institution or hand-delivered as long as they remain in the official, signed, sealed envelopes from your college or university. As a general rule, UCLA Graduate Division sets a minimum required overall grade-point average of 3.0 (B), or the foreign equivalent.

As of this Fall 2023 cycle, the GRE is NOT required as part of your application to UCLA AUD. No preference will be given to those who choose to submit GRE scores as part of their application.

However, if you do take the GRE exam and wish to include it as part of your application: More information on this standardized exam can be found at www.ets.org/gre . In addition to uploading your GRE scores, please direct ETS to send us your official score sheets. Our ETS codes for the GRE are below:

UCLA Architecture and Urban Design Institution Code: 4837 Department Code: 4401

We recommend you take the exam at least three weeks before the application deadline as it usually takes 2-3 weeks for ETS to send us the test scores.

If you have received a Bachelor’s degree in a country where the official language of instruction and primary spoken language of daily life is not English, you must submit either a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Exempt countries include Australia, Barbados, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. This is a requirement that is regardless of your visa or citizenship status in the United States.

To be considered for admission to the M.Arch. program, international students must score at least a 92 on the TOEFL or a 7 on the IELTS exam. Because processing, sending, and receiving TOEFL and IELTS scores can take several weeks, international students must schedule their exam no later than October 31 in order to meet UCLA deadlines. TOEFL scores must be sent to us directly and uploaded as part of the online submission. Our ETS codes for the TOEFL are below:

UCLA Architecture and Urban Design Institution Code: 4837 Department Code: 12

If your score is less than 100 on the TOEFL or 7.5 on the IELTS, you are also required to take the English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE) on arrival at UCLA. The results of this test will determine any English as a Second Language (ESL) courses you need to take in your first term of residence. These courses cannot be applied towards your minimum course requirements. As such, you should expect to have a higher course load than students not required to take ESL courses.

If you have earned a degree or completed two years of full-time college-level coursework in the following countries, your TOEFL / IELTS and ESLPE requirements will be waived: U.S., U.K., Canada (other than Quebec), Australia, and New Zealand. Please provide official transcripts to demonstrate course completion. Unfortunately, we cannot accept any other documentation to demonstrate language proficiency.

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required. These letters should be from individuals who are familiar with your academic and professional experiences and can evaluate your capacity to successfully undertake graduate studies at UCLA. If you do not have an architecture background please note that we are looking for letters that evaluate your potential as a graduate student, not necessarily your architecture experience.

Letters of recommendation must be sent electronically directly to UCLA by the recommender. When logged in, you can enter the name and email address of each of your recommenders. They will be contacted by email with a request to submit a letter on your behalf. You can track which letters have and have not been received. You can also send reminders to your recommenders to send their letters.

Writing samples should illustrate an applicant’s capacities for research, analytical writing and scholarly citation. Texts may include seminar papers, theses, and/or professional writing.

Please complete and submit the Department Supplement Form to confirm your intention to apply to the MA or PhD program.

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• Women's and Gender Studies
• Advanced Urbanism
• Computational and Systems Biology

Computational Science and Engineering

• Design and Management (IDM &​ SDM)
• Joint Program with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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• Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making (Course 6-​4)
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• Brain and Cognitive Sciences (PhD)
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• Interdisciplinary Programs (SB)
• Climate System Science and Engineering (Course 1-​12)
• Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science (Course 6-​14)
• Interdisciplinary Programs (Graduate)
• Biological Oceanography (PhD)
• Computation and Cognition (MEng)
• Computational Science and Engineering (SM)
• Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science (MEng)
• Engineering and Management (SM)
• Leaders for Global Operations (MBA/​SM and SM)
• Music Technology and Computation (SM and MASc)
• Real Estate Development (SM)
• Statistics (PhD)
• Supply Chain Management (MEng and MASc)
• Technology and Policy (SM)
• Transportation (SM)
• Aeronautics and Astronautics (Course 16)
• Aerospace Studies (AS)
• Architecture (Course 4)
• Biological Engineering (Course 20)
• Civil and Environmental Engineering (Course 1)
• Comparative Media Studies /​ Writing (CMS)
• Comparative Media Studies /​ Writing (Course 21W)
• Computational and Systems Biology (CSB)
• Computational Science and Engineering (CSE)
• Concourse (CC)
• Data, Systems, and Society (IDS)
• Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (Course 12)
• Economics (Course 14)
• Edgerton Center (EC)
• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Course 6)
• Engineering Management (EM)
• Experimental Study Group (ES)
• Global Languages (Course 21G)
• Health Sciences and Technology (HST)
• Linguistics and Philosophy (Course 24)
• Management (Course 15)
• Media Arts and Sciences (MAS)
• Military Science (MS)
• Music (Course 21M)
• Naval Science (NS)
• Science, Technology, and Society (STS)
• Special Programs
• Supply Chain Management (SCM)
• Theater Arts (21T)
• Urban Studies and Planning (Course 11)
• Women's and Gender Studies (WGS)

Doctoral Programs in Computational Science and Engineering

Doctor of philosophy in computational science and engineering, program requirements.

Programs Offered by CCSE in Conjunction with Select Departments in the Schools of Engineering and Science

The interdisciplinary doctoral program in Computational Science and Engineering ( PhD in CSE + Engineering or Science ) offers students the opportunity to specialize at the doctoral level in a computation-related field of their choice via computationally-oriented coursework and a doctoral thesis with a disciplinary focus related to one of eight participating host departments, namely, Aeronautics and Astronautics; Chemical Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences; Materials Science and Engineering; Mathematics; Mechanical Engineering; or Nuclear Science and Engineering.

Doctoral thesis fields associated with each department are as follows:

• Aerospace Engineering and Computational Science
• Computational Science and Engineering (available only to students who matriculate in 2023–2024 or earlier)
• Chemical Engineering and Computation
• Civil Engineering and Computation
• Environmental Engineering and Computation
• Computational Materials Science and Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering and Computation
• Computational Nuclear Science and Engineering
• Nuclear Engineering and Computation
• Computational Earth, Science and Planetary Sciences
• Mathematics and Computational Science

As with the standalone CSE PhD program, the emphasis of thesis research activities is the development of new computational methods and/or the innovative application of state-of-the-art computational techniques to important problems in engineering and science. In contrast to the standalone PhD program, however, this research is expected to have a strong disciplinary component of interest to the host department.

The interdisciplinary CSE PhD program is administered jointly by CCSE and the host departments. Students must submit an application to the CSE PhD program, indicating the department in which they wish to be hosted. To gain admission, CSE program applicants must receive approval from both the host department graduate admission committee and the CSE graduate admission committee. See the website for more information about the application process, requirements, and relevant deadlines .

Once admitted, doctoral degree candidates are expected to complete the host department's degree requirements (including qualifying exam) with some deviations relating to coursework, thesis committee composition, and thesis submission that are specific to the CSE program and are discussed in more detail on the CSE website . The most notable coursework requirement associated with this CSE degree is a course of study comprising five graduate subjects in CSE (below).

Computational Concentration Subjects

Note: Students may not use more than 12 units of credit from a "meets with undergraduate" subject to fulfill the CSE curriculum requirements

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The PDF includes all information on this page and its related tabs. Subject (course) information includes any changes approved for the current academic year.

School of Architecture

College of design, parametric design.

The School’s technology programs coalesce in the context of design work, through studio, workshop, and professional applications. The computational design program focuses on how digital technologies impact the design process, production, and the resulting forms and products. Aspects of computational design are explored throughout the community through research, educational coursework, and real-world applications. 

Tristan Al-Haddad

Daniel Baerlecken

Keith Kaseman

Thanos Economou, Ph.D.

James Park, M.Arch

Tzu-Chieh Kurt Hong, ME, M.Arch, MSArch

Real-world application.

Our School offers numerous courses on aspects of computational design, including formal and geometric study, parametric, scripting, and automation. Student teams and faculty professional work extend this study to real-world applications.

Beyond that application of digital tools and techniques, the school’s computational design efforts work to rethink the relationship between formal description, systematic building, performance analysis, and industrial production. Computational design is explored as a means for capturing and encoding these discrete dimensions of design into a synthetic project of building design, engineering, fabrication, and inhabitation.

Master of Science Program in Computation for Design and Optimization

The master’s degree in Computation for Design and Optimization (CDO) is an interdisciplinary program designed to prepare tomorrow’s engineers and scientists in advanced computational methods and applications. The program provides a strong foundation in computational approaches to the design and operation of complex engineered and scientific systems. As an interdisciplinary academic program, CDO is housed in the Center for Computational Engineering.

PhD in Computational Media

Conduct interdisciplinary research that will shape the future of computationally based creative expression. Housed in WPI’s Interactive Media & Game Development program (IMGD), WPI’s new PhD in computational media provides space and expertise for students to research computational approaches that reflect, inspire, and shape human creativity and new media.

An interdisciplinary approach to how computers support and connect with human expression forms the research basis for WPI’s PhD in computational media. The best game design graduate programs like WPI’s include perspectives that cross disciplines to understand how computational media impacts society. As technology becomes increasingly entwined in all aspects of human life, professionals who can connect creativity and humanistic expression with computational media are in demand.

They will be navigating the technological complexity of this field, but shaping its future as well. With a nuanced understanding of creative methods and humanistic concerns, they will develop new tools and services that positively change the way humans work, play, express themselves, and connect with others.

This research-based program is focused on play and art as fundamentally important aspects of human experience that can be shaped in compelling ways via technological tools and methods. Join an interdisciplinary group of faculty and students in exploring the effect of technology on individual and group creative practice. The PhD in computational media supports students whose research focuses on artistic and humanistic expression--whether through the creation of new computational tools or the novel application of existing platforms. Learn more about how WPI offers some of the best game design graduate programs in the nation.

The PhD in computational media is a 60-credit hour program. Program requirements are divided equally between coursework (30 credits, 15 of which are computational media core) and research (30 credits). Individual paths could be as diverse as the study and design of human-computer interfaces, games and game engines, narratives, artificial intelligence, creativity, communication, and visual and sonic media, among others.

Computational media research is inherently interdisciplinary—students will find opportunities to explore related fields, including computer science, data science, electrical and computer engineering, systems dynamics, robotics engineering, business, and psychology.

Additional requirements for the PhD in computational media include the following:

• Paper requirement
• PhD qualifying exam
• Advancement to PhD candidacy
• Dissertation defense

Similar Majors

Refer a Friend

Do you have a friend, colleague, or family member who might be interested in Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s (WPI) graduate programs? Click below to tell them about our programs.

Research in the PhD in computational media encourages alternative forms of scholarship (published games, live performances, artistic installations) in addition to traditional publications.      

This heterogeneous approach to research will uniquely enable students to become teachers, researchers, and creators who contribute to academic and commercial institutions that are increasingly focused on ways in which computational media shape the worlds of art, entertainment, and social interaction.

Interested in degrees similar to the PhD in computational media? Explore our  Interactive Media & Game Development master of science .

Need to Obtain a Master’s in Game Development and Design First?

Do you need to start with a technical master’s degree in IMGD instead? Explore our master’s in game development and design degree which explores design, technical expertise, and more.

Maybe you’re interested in a degree that’s focused on the artistic side of IMGD? Our MFA in IMGD helps you develop your artistic voice for use in academia, industry, and your personal creative practice.

Earn a BS in Game Development IMGD First

Are you interested in an interactive media & game development path but need your bachelor’s degree first? Check out WPI’s top-ranked BS in IMGD which explores technical and artistic aspects of gaming. Maybe you prefer to explore an art-based IMGD bachelor’s degree? Our BA in IMGD has just what you’re looking for with a focus on design, animation, 3-D sculpting, and more.

You might want a solid understanding of game design and development but don’t want to pursue a full degree program. That’s why we offer a minor in IMGD that can complement your academic path.

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Department of Computer Science

Computer Science

Physical Address: Janssen Engineering Building 236

Computer Science University of Idaho 875 Perimeter Drive MS 1010 Moscow, ID 83844-1010

Phone: 208-885-6592

Fax: 208-885-9052

Email: [email protected]

Web: Computer Science

Student Services

Email: [email protected]

Ph.D. Computer Science

Career information is not specific to degree level. Some career options may require an advanced degree.

Current Job Openings and Salary Range

in ID, WA, OR, MT and HI

Entry-Level

Senior-Level

• Career Options
• Computer and Information Systems Manager
• Computer Science Teacher, Postsecondary

Regional Employment Trends

Employment trends and projected job growth in ID, WA, OR, MT & HI

*Job data is collected from national, state and private sources. For more information, visit EMSI's data sources page .

• Degree Prep

View the Ph.D. Computer Science prerequisites, deadlines and contact information on the U of I Admissions website .

• Most applicants hold a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or closely related field from an accredited institution and demonstrate a strong background in the fundamentals.
• If your undergraduate degree is not in Computer Science, you may be required to complete background courses to remove deficiencies before beginning the graduate program.

As a prerequisite to enter the Computer Science Ph.D. program, competence in the following areas must be demonstrated: knowledge of a structured, high-level language (CS120); algorithms and data structures (CS121); and a full year of calculus.

If prerequisite requirements are met, a student who does not have an adequate coursework background in computer science may be admitted with deficiencies in computer organization and architecture (CS150); computer languages (CS210); computer operating systems (CS240); software engineering (CS383); analysis of algorithms (CS395); or theory of computation (CS385).

• Degree Roadmap

Depending on your interests, your academic adviser will help you develop a focused plan of study for the Ph.D. Computer Science degree. Some examples include:

• Cyber security
• Survivable systems (fault-tolerant computing)
• Artificial intelligence & machine learning
• Collaborative virtual environments
• Data science

View current Computer Science courses Catalogs are released each year with up-to-date course listings. Students reference the catalog released during their first year of enrollment. For catalog related questions, email [email protected] or call 208-885-6731.

• Degree Requirements
• Students are required to write a dissertation and give a final dissertation defense at the end of their degree program
• Computer Science graduate requirements
• College of Graduate Studies requirements

For questions relating to Computer Science degrees, please email [email protected] or call 208-885-6592.

• Funding Opportunities

The University of Idaho is awarded more than $100 million in annual grants, contracts and research appropriations.

• CyberCorps®: Scholarship for Service – graduate recipients receive a $34,000 stipend. All tuition and degree-related fees are paid through this National Science Foundation grant open to computer science and computer engineering students.
• Stone Scholars Program – awarded annually to support students enrolled in the Computer Science program at the University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene Center.
• Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Graduate Fellowship Program – Recipients of this competitive fellowship receive full tuition and fees by U of I during their first three years of graduate school. INL covers tuition, fees, and a $60,000 annual salary during the final two years of their doctoral research, to be conducted at INL.
• National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Graduate Fellowship Program – These year-long salaried assignments offer hands-on experience in nuclear security and nonproliferation. Administered by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and open to all engineering disciplines.
• NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) – $25,000 fellowship programs that contribute to NASA’s mission of exploration and discovery. Open to full-time graduate and doctoral students.
• National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP ) – For outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees.
• National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship – Three-year fellowship with full coverage of tuition and all mandatory fees, including a monthly stipend and up to $1,000 a year in medical insurance.
• DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE Professional) Programs – RISE Professional offers summer research internships in Germany to Master’s and Ph.D. students at companies and non-university research institutions with strong relations to industry.
• Faculty provide funding through a variety of external agencies and industry partners. Contact our faculty  to learn more about these funding opportunities.

For more funding options, visit the College of Graduate Studies’ funding website .

• Clubs & Organizations

Our college offers 20+ clubs and organizations tied to international and national engineering organizations, including national competition teams.

Learn about clubs related to your major:

• Cyber Defense Club
• CyberForce Competition Team
• Graduate & Professional Student Association (GPSA)
• Humanitarian Engineering Corps (HEC)
• Polymorphic Games Studio
• National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
• Robotics Club
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
• Job Openings and Salary Range
• Employment Trends

Advanced Computer Concepts

As a graduate student in this field, you will gain an in-depth understanding of the limitations and opportunities in the use of computers to solve problems. Work alongside faculty on leading research and explore high-level concepts in computational biology and more to prepare for your career in the field or in academia.

Availability

• No. 1 Best Value Public University in the West – ranked for the fourth year in a row by U.S. News and World Report . We’re also the only public university in Idaho to be ranked best value by Forbes , Money , and The Princeton Review .
• Highest Salary Earnings for early- and mid-career undergraduate degree recipients than any other public university in Idaho – Payscale
• Personalized Attention from nationally and internationally recognized faculty and staff through 1-on-1 interaction, mentorship, advising and research collaboration. All faculty  hold Ph.D.s in their field.

Feature: Rolling With the Beat

13-09-04 band-beesten

Meet the Faculty

View our Faculty

2024-2025 Catalog

Doctoral degrees.

The University of Idaho awards the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in recognition of high achievement in scholarly and research activity. The degree of Doctor of Education is granted for high scholarly attainment and in recognition of the completion of academic preparation for professional practice. See the "Ph.D. and Ed.D. Procedures" tab for more details. The Doctor of Athletic Training is offered through the College of Education and the Department of Movement Sciences (see the "DAT Procedures" tab for more details).

The major professor and program offering a particular doctoral program indicate the general philosophy of the degree program, the objectives of courses and seminars, the research specialties available, and requirements unique to the department. Admission to the doctoral program is granted only to those who have a recognized potential for completing the degree.

Requirements for Doctoral Degrees

Credit requirements.

For the Ph.D. and Ed.D., a minimum of 78 credits beyond the bachelor's degree is required.; At least 52 credits must be at the 500 level or above and at least 33 of the 78 credits must be in courses other than 600 (Doctoral Research and Dissertation). A maximum of 45 research credits in 600 (Doctoral Research and Dissertation) including 6 credits of 599 (Non-thesis Research) or 500 (Master's Research and Thesis) may be in the 45 research credits used toward the degree. For the D.A.T., a minimum of 66 credits is required and follows a prescribed set of courses set by the program.

Courses numbered below 300 may not be used to fulfill the requirements for a doctoral degree; courses numbered 300-399 may be used only in supporting areas and are not to be used to make up deficiencies. Individual programs may require additional course work. Applicants having a doctoral degree may obtain a second doctoral degree subject to the approval of the Graduate Council. The Graduate Council will establish the requirements for the second degree.

Credit Limitations for Transfer, Correspondence Study, and Non-degree

For the Ph.D. and Ed.D. degrees, a student must complete at least 39 of the 78 required credits at the University of Idaho (U of I) while matriculated in the College of Graduate Studies. Credits can be transferred to U of I with the consent of the student's major professor, the committee (if required by the program), the program's administrator, and the dean of the College of Graduate Studies. Credits can be transferred only if the institution from which the credits are being transferred has a graduate program in the course's discipline. All credits used toward graduate degrees must be from regionally accredited American institutions or from non-US institutions recognized by the appropriate authorities in their respective countries. Transfer credits are subject to all other College of Graduate Studies rules and regulations. Correspondence study courses may be applied to the degree only with the prior written approval of the College of Graduate Studies. Courses used toward an undergraduate degree, professional development courses, and courses on a professional development transcript are not available to be used toward a doctoral degree.

Time Limits

Of the credits submitted to satisfy the requirements for a Ph.D. or Ed.D. degree, a maximum of 30 may be more than eight years old when the degree is conferred, provided the student's committee and program administrator determine that the student has kept current in the subjects concerned. Graduation must occur no later than five years after the date on which the candidate passed their preliminary or general examination. These time limitations can be extended only on recommendation of the committee and approval by the Graduate Council.

Awarding Doctoral Degrees to Members of the Faculty

Regulations are outlined in Section 4920 of the Faculty-Staff Handbook.

Particular Requirements for the Ed.D. Degree

A period of professional practice is required for the Doctor of Education degree; the period involved is determined by the student's supervisory committee. While the Ed.D. is a College of Education degree, you should consult with the departments in the College of Education to learn of specific emphasis requirements.

Procedures for Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Education Degrees

Appointment of major professor and committee.

Refer to " Appointment of Major Professor and Committee for All Degree Seeking Graduate Students " in the preceding General Graduate Regulations section. In addition, a doctoral supervisory committee consists of at least four people: the major professor as chair and at least one additional UI faculty member from the program, the balance of the committee may be made up of faculty members from a minor or supporting area, and faculty members from a discipline outside the major. If the committee has a co-chair, the minimum number of committee members is five.

Qualifying Examination

The qualifying examination is a program option and serves to assess the background of the student in both the major and supporting fields and to provide partially the basis for preparation of the student's study program. A particular program may or may not require a master's degree as a prerequisite for the qualifying evaluation. As soon as the program's qualifications are met, a supervisory committee is appointed.

Preparation of Study Plan

Refer to " Preparation and Submission of Study Plan " in the preceding General Graduate Regulations section.

Preliminary Examination for Ph.D. Degree

The preliminary examination should be scheduled only after the student has completed the majority of the courses on their study plan. The student is required to be registered during the semester the preliminary examination is taken. The student's committee certifies to the College of Graduate Studies the results of the preliminary examination and if passed, the student is advanced to candidacy. Graduation must occur no later than five years after the date on which the candidate passed their examination. If the preliminary examination is failed, it may be repeated only once; the repeat examination must be taken within a period of not less than three months or more than one year following the first attempt. If a student fails the preliminary examination a second time, or the program does not allow the student to repeat the examination after the first failure or the student does not retake the examination within one year, the student is automatically moved to unclassified enrollment status and is no longer in the degree program.

General Examination for Ed.D . Degree

When the student approaches the end of their course work, has completed the professional experience requirement, and has outlined the dissertation subject in detail, the supervisory committee approves the holding of the general examination. The student is required to be registered during the semester the general examination is taken. The examination is both written and oral and is intended to assess progress toward degree objectives. The student's committee certifies to the College of Graduate Studies the results of the general examination and if passed, the student is advanced to candidacy. Graduation must occur no later than five years after the date on which the candidate passed their examination. If the general examination is failed, it may be repeated only once; the repeat examination must be taken within a period of not less than three months or more than one year following the first attempt. If a student fails the general examination a second time, or the program does not allow the student to repeat the examination after the first failure or the student does not retake the examination within one year, the student is automatically moved to unclassified status and is no longer in the degree program.

See the General Graduate Regulations section regarding application for advanced degree, registration requirements, final defense and dissertation requirements.

Procedures for Doctor of Athletic Training

The culminating clinical project.

Students enrolled in the Doctor of Athletic Training (D.A.T.) will engage in research projects during the curricular phase of the program. These project(s) will lead to at least two publication ready manuscripts, and all students must meet professional authorship requirements (regardless of order). See the  Department of Movement Sciences and Doctor of Athletic Training webpages for more information.

The Team (Committee)

All D.A.T. project team committees will have at least four committee members: two members of the athletic training faculty (all with graduate faculty status), the student's attending clinician (who is the student's on-site mentor during the student's residency), and an expert in the student's chosen area of clinical research. The athletic training faculty members will always chair the CCP, provide research guidance, and serve as the experts in the development of advanced practice in Athletic Training. A situation may arise in which one or both of the members of the committee that are outside of the AT program faculty may have a degree less than that of which the student is seeking; however, the intent of the third and fourth D.A.T. committee membership is to provide outside validation of the student's progress toward advanced practice and clinical utility of action research studies.

Culminating Clinical Project Hours

These dissertation hours may be used in instances when the CCP has not been successfully completed and the curricular phase of program has been completed.

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PhD Studentship: Computational Modelling of Seals for High-Pressure, Low-Carbon Storage Technologies - Help Shape the Future of Clean Energy Storage!

University of sheffield - mechanical engineering.

Join Our Exciting Funded PhD Project: Computational Modelling of Seals for High-Pressure, Low-Carbon Storage Technologies - Help Shape the Future of Clean Energy Storage!

Are you passionate about pushing the boundaries of engineering and accelerating the transition to a carbon-neutral energy system through groundbreaking research?

The University of Sheffield ’s Department of Mechanical Engineering ’s Thermofluids Group seeks am enthusiastic and self-motivated PhD student to join a groundbreaking project on Computational Modelling of Mechanical Seals. This project is funded by John Crane Ltd , one of the world’s leading providers of engineered technology.

John Crane Ltd is a $1Bn industry and the world leader in mechanical sealing. They design, manufacture, install, and support sealing for all kinds of rotating machines for all industries. You would be working with the research centre in Manchester and the manufacturing site in Slough.

Your project:

• Develop a three-dimensional digital model of high-pressure mechanical seals
• Use  Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to model the gas film flow within the seal gap.
• Coupled CFD with models of the seal rings enabling the study of fluid-structure interaction and the dynamic response of the seal rings.
• Collaborate with researchers at the University's renowned  Leonardo Centre  for Tribology.
• Gain valuable industry experience by working closely with  John Crane , gaining valuable experience in a world-renowned company.  John Crane is a $1Bn industry and the world leader in mechanical sealing. Plus, the opportunity to work at  John Crane's  research centre (Manchester) and manufacturing site (Slough).
• Flexible Start Date

Why Choose Us?

• Funded PhD: at the standard EPSRC rate covering fees and bursary. (NB Funding is only available to cover the level of fees set for UK applicants for 4 years. Applicants from non-UK/EU will need to cover the extra fees from their own funds).
• World-Class Environment: Join a vibrant research group and access state-of-the-art facilities.
• Industry Experience: Gain practical experience with a leading company in the field.
• Make a Global Impact: Contribute to a project with significant implications for clean energy.

Requirements:

• First-class or upper-second class honours degree (or international equivalents) in Engineering, Physics, or Applied Mathematics.
• Prior experience with coding and CFD / CFD programming is desirable but not mandatory.

Interested?

Contact Dr. Marco Colombo ( [email protected] ) for informal inquiries.

Apply Now: http://www.shef.ac.uk/mecheng/phd/applying (include personal statement, curriculum vitae, two reference letters and degree transcripts to date).

Funding Notes

The PhD is funded at the standard EPSRC rate (£19,237 in 2024/25) covering fees and bursary. Funding is only available to cover the level of fees set for UK applicants for 4 years. Applicants from non-UK/EU will need to cover the extra fees from their own funds.

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• Meet Jack Winkler: A Visionary in Footwear Design

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A recent graduate of SCAD, Jack Winkler earned his BFA in Accessory Design with a focus on footwear , propelling him into the creation of groundbreaking projects such as Spore, the world’s first commercially available 3D-printed skate shoe. Currently residing in Dallas, Texas, he continues to redefine traditional design norms — seamlessly blending functionality with futuristic aesthetics.

With a growing list of accolades such as the 2024 Pensole x New Balance Certificate and repeated recognition at the Global Footwear Awards, Winkler’s resume is as impressive as his creative output. His roles vary from being a student ambassador for Gravity Sketch to a scholarship recipient from fashion-forward brands such as PacSun and Dick’s Sporting Goods, showcasing his widespread recognition and support within the fashion industry.

In this Q&A, Jack provides insights into the motivations behind founding his innovative brand, Spore, the advanced technologies he employs to enhance sustainability, and his experiences that range from collaborative projects at SCAD to working hands-on with industry giants like Sam Edelman.

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Fairchild Studio: What was the impetus behind founding Spore?

Jack Winkler: The initial drive to create and learn was what sparked the founding of Spore. I started concepting in high school a small streetwear brand to gain experience. Once at SCAD, I truly was able to expand my focus to build my streetwear brand to include footwear and accessories. From that point, Spore evolved into an umbrella that encapsulates all my work, reflecting my aesthetic and design philosophy. The metaphor behind “Spore” is rooted in the idea that life is the force of interconnectedness across space and time, the glue that holds our galaxies together. With that concept in mind, I create objects that are timeless, designed for both the present and the future.

Fairchild Studio: Can you describe the technology behind the construction and what makes it a more sustainable process?

J.W.: Definitely, the process begins by using 3D scanning technology on your phone to create a precise digital model of your foot. This is the same scanning process as scanning one’s face in their phone for facial recognition. This digital last allows us to print a design that is custom-tailored to your foot shape, with zero wasted material. The shoes are printed using a durable thermoplastic material, which is more resilient than traditional foams and rubbers, extending the lifespan of each pair. Additionally, this thermoplastic is fully recyclable, meaning old pairs can be infinitely recycled into new ones, making the entire process more sustainable.

Fairchild Studio: How does the fit technology work, and why is fit so important for athletes and active lifestyles?

J.W.: Custom-fitted footwear, designed specifically for the shape of your foot, allows for more natural movement. A century ago, shoes were typically customized to match your foot width, but today, most shoes follow a standardized sizing model due to supply chain efficiency and production costs. Custom fit is not only more comfortable, but it also enhances performance by allowing you to engage all your muscles effectively while still providing proper support.

Fairchild Studio: Where do your design inspirations come from? What else inspires you?

J.W.: My design inspirations come from several different industries, from action figure manufacturing, video game creature design, to practical effects. These unique influences help me expand and enrich my creative palette. Science fiction, classic movies, and animation also play a significant role in shaping my ideas. Beyond man made things, I often turn to nature itself, even referencing old biology and paleontology textbooks, to generate fresh, original concepts by blending different elements. I believe in looking to the past to stay relevant in the future, creating a sense of nostalgia for what’s to come in my work. In today’s world of social media and AI, where convergent creativity is common, there’s immense value in developing a unique style and perspective through distinctive research and references.

Fairchild Studio: What it like to work at the legendary Sam Edelman?

J.W.: Working with Sam Edelman on this special project through SCADpro, the university’s collaborative design studio was an incredible experience. Collaborating across teams with my peers from not only accessory and sneaker design, but industrial design, fashion marketing and management, design management, and photography to fully design a collection of sneakers that were then exclusively launched at Nordstrom was a dream come true. Bringing our collective efforts to market at Nordstrom was highly rewarding. Sam and Libby Edelman are visionaries and provided tremendous mentorship throughout the project, but also offered such meaningful insights into navigating the industry, which has greatly helped my understanding of the business as I launch my own collection.

Fairchild Studio: What was your experience like at SCAD?

J.W.: My time at SCAD was an incredible learning experience and I am so grateful for the guidance and mentorship of my professors, and opportunities that were available to me as a student. I loved studying accessory design because for me, it felt like a hybrid of industrial design and fashion design, which made it super interesting. The first couple of years were all about learning traditional techniques like pattern-making and crafting heritage cobbler leather styles, while incorporating digital tools like 3D printing into our process. This mix of hands-on skills and modern tech gave me a strong foundation to navigate the industry after graduation. The connections I made and the opportunities provided were invaluable, but the biggest takeaway was the value of collaboration.

Fairchild Studio: Who were your mentors at SCAD and what were some of the key learnings?

J.W.: Michael Mack, Quentin Williams, and Andrew Fionda were three professors and mentors I’m incredibly grateful to have worked with at SCAD. Professor Mack provided limitless wisdom and motivation for navigating the industry, always pushing our skills to the next level. Likewise, Quentin Williams brought a combination of work ethic and industry insights, which have been crucial to my growth in my current career chapter. Both Mack and Williams are SCAD alumni, hearing about their journeys and professional success made their guidance even more impactful. Andrew Fionda supported me from my early days in the Fashion department, he pushed me to apply to every design competition possible and to never give up. I am so grateful for the unwavering support from my professors.

Fairchild Studio: How do you see your brand evolving?

J.W.: I envision Spore evolving into a comprehensive lifestyle brand. Building upon the success of the shoe that is currently on market, moving forward I’m focused on expanding Spore’s offerings with products that truly reflect a lifestyle brand. My goal is to create a cohesive world around Spore, incorporating elements of furniture, homeware, and other unique design categories to fully immerse our customers in the brand’s narrative.

Fairchild Studio: What’s next for you?

J.W.:  I’ve accepted a position at  FCTRY Lab  as a 3D Modeler and Footwear Designer. On my own time, I will continue to expand Spore as a label. However, I’m extremely excited to work with Omar Bailey and the amazing creative team he’s built.

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