School of Planning, Design and Construction launches new PhD concentration
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EmailThe School of Planning, Design, and Construction (SPDC) at Michigan State University is now accepting applications for a new concentration in Urban and Regional Planning.
By: SPDC Communications
The School of Planning, Design, and Construction (SPDC) at Michigan State University is now accepting applications for a new concentration in Urban and Regional Planning in their Doctorate Program in Planning, Design and Construction, culminating a process that began nine years ago.
The SPDC formed in 2004, with the intent of having doctoral concentrations in each of its fields of study: Construction Management, Environmental Design (combines Interior Design and Landscape Architecture), and Urban and Regional Planning.
“I think the bottom line is that if you want to be a faculty member at a major university you cannot be unless you have a PhD,” said SPDC Director of PhD programs and Construction Management Professor Dr. Matt Syal. “If you go to a major university, you not only have to teach, but you have to be active in research. If you do a PhD in urban and regional planning, then you have an in-depth understanding of the area, you know what the latest research directions are, and you are able to develop research expertise in one area.”
The Construction Management doctorate concentration launched in 2006, followed by Environmental Design, in 2011. The concentration in Urban and Regional Planning is now accepting applications for admission in its inaugural class for Fall 2014.
“I’m told that there’s a shortage of PhDs in urban planning,” Syal said. “If you are a PhD in urban planning, you are sought after.”
The strength of the Urban and Regional Planning concentration is in the interdisciplinary nature of the program. In addition to the seven doctorate faculty members and advisors from the Urban & Regional Planning Program, doctoral students are required to take interdisciplinary courses in order to expose them to the entire planning, design and construction process. The URP doctorate faculty includes:
- Dr. Peilei Fan, fanpeile@msu.edu;
- Dr. Roger Hamlin, hamlin@msu.edu;
- Dr. Eva Kassens-Noor, ekn@msu.edu;
- Dr. Zenia Kotval, kotval@msu.edu;
- Dr. Trish Machemer, machemer@msu.edu;
- Dr. Eric Strauss, strausse@msu.edu; and
- Dr. Mark Wilson, wilsonmm@msu.edu.
Doctoral students will also have the opportunity to take interdisciplinary electives and choose faculty advisors across fields depending on how their research interests evolve during their academic careers.
“We are in a school where all these connected programs exist,” Syal said.
For more information the PhD Program at SPDC, take a look at the PhD Graduate Handbook, or reach out to Matt Syal at syalm@msu.edu or Robin Rennie, the SPDC Graduate Advisor, at rennier@msu.edu.
