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The program leading to the Ph.D. in Architecture awards neither a free-standing Master’s degree nor a Master’s degree award during progress toward the Ph.D. Eligibility for admission to the Ph.D. program is limited to students holding either a Master of Architecture degree or a five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree plus a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in the field of architectural history and theory. Under exceptional circumstances, students who hold a Master’s degree or its equivalent in another field are considered for admission. Should such an applicant be admitted into the program, he or she will be required to enroll in the summer Introduction to Architecture program at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) or an equivalent program elsewhere (to be approved by the program director) prior to enrolling in the Ph.D. program.

Each student confers with the program director and with their assigned program advisor (see below) regarding courses and independent studies throughout the University, as well as particular requirements within the program. Annual meetings with the program committee are also held to review each student’s progress.

Advanced Standing

Ordinarily, a student with a Master’s degree in architecture may expect up to two terms of Advanced Standing (30 points) and should thus anticipate two years of formal course work in residence.

The number of course credits of Advanced Standing granted depends on the quality and relevance of earlier graduate work and is determined by the program director, in consultation with members of the Ph.D. committee, during the student’s first year of residence. Requests for transfer of course credits for work completed in other divisions of Columbia University should be made through the Office of Admission in 107 Low Memorial Library.

If a student receives two Residence Units of advanced standing, all requirements ^^^ must be completed within three years. A student who receives fewer than two Residence Units of advanced standing must complete the work for the M. Phil. degree within four years.

Advising

Upon entering the program, students are assigned a program advisor from within the Ph.D. committee, with whom they consult for the duration of their coursework. The advisor is not selected because of an affinity between his or her research and the interests of the student. Rather, the program advisor’s role is to provide independent guidance and mentorship on all aspects of student academic life. Students meet at least once each semester with the director of the program and with the program advisor to discuss their academic progress and future plans.

Grades

The Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) uses a High Pass/Low Pass/Fail grading system. Ph.D. students, however, must receive letter grades.

No more than 15 of the 69 points of required work can be taken for an R credit. Grades of “Incomplete” are strongly discouraged. Any student who receives a grade of “Incomplete” must complete all outstanding coursework before the beginning of the next academic year. Those who do not meet these terms will be required to take a leave of absence at their own expense to complete all necessary coursework. This rule supersedes the rule on Incompletes of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Requirements for the M.Phil. degree

Coursework: Given the overall aims of the program, students are encouraged to pursue coursework in two main areas: the history and theory of architecture and urbanism, and cultural history and critical theory.

A student with a Master of Architecture degree or 30 points of Advanced Standing is required to register for four Residence Units and complete 39 points in approved courses. All students are therefore required to take a minimum of thirteen courses, of which at least nine must be seminars. These courses should be spread out over the first four semesters of study, with a typical load being eight courses in the first year and five in the second year. Specific requirements are as follows:

• Doctoral Colloquia: Four doctoral colloquia taken over the four-semester sequence. Three of these must be taken for a letter grade.

• History and Theory of Architecture, Urbanism, and Landscape Architecture: Six courses total: five courses in the history and theory of modern and contemporary architecture, urbanism, landscape, or design from the eighteenth century to the present, and one course covering a period prior to 1700.

• At least two courses covering eighteenth- and/or nineteenth-century subjects. All courses may be Western or non-Western in scope.

• University-wide Elective: Students are required to take at least one course in a department within the University other than Architecture or Art History, generally with an emphasis on comparative historical and critical studies.

Students with extensive prior graduate-level experience in any of the above subjects may request a waiver of certain requirements, to be granted at the discretion of the program director in consultation with the faculty.

Languages: Students are required to demonstrate adequate reading ability in two languages other than English, one of which must be French, German, Italian, or Spanish. It is recommended that at least one of the two languages be chosen in relation to the student’s area of specialization.

The four-semester course of study concludes with the M.Phil. examination, which must be taken in the third year.

The M.Phil. examination covers a major and a minor field of study and is divided into three sections:

1) Three revised research papers based on course work, chosen to reflect the student’s research interests and experience to date.

2) Three essays written in response to specific questions formulated by the examining committee and based on bibliographies submitted for the major and minor fields. Preparation of these bibliographies in consultation with faculty is an important component of the M.Phil. Two of the essays shall pertain to the major field and one to the minor field. The essays are to be completed in a three-week period and submitted at least two weeks prior to the oral examination.

3) The oral examination, based on parts 1 and 2, above.

Major and minor fields are to be determined in consultation with the program faculty. The major field should be relatively broad and comparative, covering at least a century in time. The minor field should focus on another topic, historical or theoretical in character, distinct from the major field. It is assumed that either the major or minor field will define a general context for dissertation research.

The examining committee will typically be composed of three members, two covering the major field and one covering the minor field. In general, at least two members of the examining committee should be drawn from the Ph.D. program committee or from the affiliated faculty. Each member of the committee will be responsible for one question.

By the date of the M.Phil. oral examination and prior to submitting the dissertation proposal, each student selects a Ph.D. dissertation sponsor, to act as a guide during the course of dissertation research and for the dissertation defense. During this or any other time, students’ program advisors may continue to mentor their work. After successfully completing the qualifying examination, each student defends his or her dissertation proposal before a faculty committee, typically composed of the student’s dissertation sponsor and two other readers, one of whom should be from the Ph.D. program committee or approved affiliated faculty.

The degree of Master of Philosophy is conferred on students who fulfill all requirements for the Ph.D. degree except the dissertation. Any student who has satisfactorily completed all required coursework, passed the comprehensive examinations, and has a dissertation proposal accepted is awarded the M.Phil. degree.

Ph.D. Dissertation

Following successful completion of the M.Phil. requirements, the candidate is free to pursue his or her research topic independently, in ongoing consultation with the dissertation sponsor and other faculty. It is expected that the dissertation be completed within two years of the approval of the proposal.

The dissertation must be submitted four weeks before the dissertation defense. A copy is to be provided for each member of the examining committee. This committee ordinarily consists of five members, at least three of whom are drawn from the Ph.D. committee or affiliated faculty. One member of the committee must be from outside the GSAPP. The student is granted the Ph.D. upon defending the dissertation successfully and depositing the final copy in accordance with University regulations.

Teaching Requirement

Participation in the instructional activities of the department for three years is required for the Ph.D. degree. As a rule, in the second, third, and either fourth or fifth years of study, students gain exposure to teaching as assistants to professors, as discussion section leaders, and as instructors. There are also opportunities for students to gain experience in curating exhibitions and in editing publications.

Financial Aid

A comprehensive program of financial aid is provided. Assuming that they maintain good academic standing for the duration of their five-year enrollment, all students receive a full tuition fellowship and a stipend to assist with living expenses.