Design, Environment and the Arts (Design), PhD
Architecture, Creativity, Entrepreneurship, Environment, Innovation, Research, Resilience, design, sustainability, visual
Are you fascinated by the intersection of research, design thinking and human environments? You can explore your passion for research while contributing to measurable positive change, with this program's flexible curriculum, top-notch faculty, and studios and laboratories in architecture, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture, visual communication design, urban design and related disciplines.
The PhD in design, environment and the arts with a concentration in design is a flexible, interdisciplinary program that permits designers to develop the experience, skills and framework they need in order to become competent researchers, scholars, innovators, visionaries and leaders in the various disciplines of design, environment and the arts.
Broad in scope, the program involves interdisciplinary research interests at both the micro- and macro-scales of design, environment and the arts. There are opportunities for research specialization in areas such as:
- global health and human factors
- history, culture, theory and philosophy
- social justice, placemaking and placekeeping
- sustainability and resilience
- technology, innovation and entrepreneurship
- College/school:
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
- Location: Tempe
84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation
Required Core (6 credit hours) Concentration (15 credit hours) Other Requirements (12 credit hours) Research (12 credit hours) Electives (27 credit hours) Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree.
EPD 700 Research Methods (3)
EPD 710 Current Research in Design (3)
DSC 594 Conference and Workshop (3)
EPD 791 Seminar (3)
GRA 501 Creative Environment and Collaborative Leadership (3)
GRA 561 Methods in Visual Communication I (3)
GRA 562 Methods in Visual Communication II (3)
GRA 581 Internship in Teaching Design (3)
GRA 590 Reading and Conference (3)
INT 558 Lighting Design (3)
EPD 590 Reading and Conference (3)
EPD 790 Reading and Conference (9)
EPD 792 Research (12)
EPD 799 Dissertation (12)
Students choose five courses from the list of concentration courses above. Other equivalent courses may be used as concentration coursework with approval of the supervisory committee.
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a master's degree in a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution. Examples of appropriate fields include art history, architectural history and design history. Fields in the humanities such as history, literature, archaeology and anthropology also may be considered. Students without graduate experience in the history of art, history of architecture and history of design may be asked to fulfill deficiencies.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the applicable master's degree.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- GRE scores
- letters of recommendation
- personal statement
- abstract of proposed research
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
ASU does not accept the GRE® General Test at home edition.
Applicants must submit the personal statement, abstract of proposed research and contact information for two references to Slideroom (https://asudesign.slideroom.com/#/Login). It is required that these be submitted in addition to the Graduate College application requirements.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 01/15 | Priority |
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:
- Effectively utilize theories and concepts in design, environment, and the arts for critical analysis of real-world problems in their respective fields.
- Synthesize iterative ideas and design concepts into deliverables that meet the professional standards in design, environment, and the arts sectors.
- Disseminate the results of their design, environment, and the arts research in a public forum.
More than 80 people have completed the program, and many are pursuing university teaching and research careers in design, environment and the arts fields. Others have careers leading planning and design firms or are engaged in business, industry, government and advocacy careers.
Dean, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
|
CDN 152E
designgrad@asu.edu
480-965-3536
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
