Architecture

The School of Architecture, Princeton’s center for teaching and research in architectural design, history, and theory, offers advanced degrees at both the master’s and the doctoral levels. The curriculum for the master’s degree, which has both a professional and a post-professional track, emphasizes design expertise in the context of architectural scholarship. Architecture is understood as a cultural practice involving both speculative intelligence and practical know-how. Each student constructs a personal course of study around a core of required courses that represents the knowledge essential to the education of an architect today.

The five-year doctoral program focuses on the history, theory, and criticism of architecture, urbanism, landscape, and building technology. The approach is interdisciplinary, covering a broad range of research interests from an architectural perspective. Working closely with the faculty of the school and allied departments in the University, students build individual programs of study involving at least two years of course work, general examinations, and a dissertation.

In 2014 the School of Architecture launched a new architectural technology Ph.D. track for computation and energy. The new track is an addition to the Ph.D. program that develops and researches new techniques of embodied computation and new systems for energy and environmental performance. It is supported by many connections to the School of Engineering and Applied Science(link is external), particularly with the Department of Computer Science(link is external) and the Andlinger Center for Energy and Environment(link is external). New courses and curriculum for the track have been developed, and with the acquisition of a powerful industrial robotic arm and the planned renovation of the Architectural Laboratory, students will actively contribute to hands-on applied research in architecture while becoming experts in their field.

Courses:

History and Theory Track

The interdisciplinary nature of the doctoral (Ph.D.) program stresses the relationship of architecture, urbanism, landscape, and building technologies to their cultural, social, and political milieu. Supported by strong affiliations with other departments in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences, the program has developed a comprehensive approach to the study of the field. Students interact with their peers to sustain their individual projects in a context of collective research. The fields of study are normally, but not exclusively, selected within one of four primary areas: history and theory of architecture, urbanism, landscape, and engineering and building technology.

It is strongly suggested that students entering the Ph.D. program have a laptop computer at the school as part of their equipment. Incoming Ph.D. students are eligible to purchase one that is specially priced through the University.

During the first year of residence, a two-term proseminar introduces students to historical research and methodological approaches and guides the development of individual research proposals.

The course requirements for each student are set by the Ph.D. Program Committee according to the student’s previous experience, specialized interests, and progress through the program. For the first two years, each student engages in course work and independent study and is required to take a minimum of four classes each term, including required language and independent reading courses, for a total of 16 courses. The minimum number of courses shall be reduced by one when a student is an assistant in instruction (AI), which is considered an intrinsic part of a scholar’s training. This will not reduce the number of required papers; the AI assignment replaces an audited course.

Computation and Energy Track

The computation and energy Ph.D. track was launched in 2014.  The new track is an addition to the Ph.D. program that develops research in the field of embodied computation and new systems for energy and environmental performance.  Through associated faculty it is linked to the School of Engineering and Applied Science, particularly with Computer Science and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment.  A proseminar for the Ph.D. track supports the initial methods and processes for this research.  The applied research component of the track is supported by infrastructure for research such as the extension of the Architectural Laboratory with the Embodied Computation lab, an industrial robotic arm, as well as the Andlinger Center research facilities.

It is strongly suggested that students entering the Ph.D. program have a laptop computer at the school as part of their equipment.  Incoming Ph.D. students are eligible to purchase one that is specially priced through the University.

During the first year of residence, a two-term proseminar introduces students to the process of developing prototype-based research, the literature review process, and methods for innovative scientific hypothesis generation and analysis.  It also guides the development of individual research proposals.  The course requirements for each student are set by the Ph.D. Program Committee according to the student’s previous experience, specialized interests, and progress through the program. The course load consists of a total of sixteen courses, nine of which have to be taken for credit, including two required proseminar courses during the first two years of study. Based on the extension of the coursework four research projects have to be developed, documented in paper format, and submitted as a package for the general examination once coursework is completed. The coursework has to have an interdisciplinary focus that supports the student in developing expertise in an area of research as an extension of the architectural core that serves as the basis for developing a dissertation proposal.

Language(s):

A student must satisfy the program requirement of a reading knowledge of two foreign languages before the end of the second year in residence. These languages should be relevant to the general history of the discipline or specifically relevant to the student’s area of research. An examination of comprehension is administered by the appropriate language department.

Pre-Generals Requirements(s):

Each year in mid-May, Ph.D. students are expected to present a one-page progress report to the Ph.D. Program Committee. The purpose of these oral reviews is to give feedback to the student and to keep all members of the Ph.D. Committee informed about the work of all students. The annual progress report submitted by the student should list the courses taken for grades or audits, papers completed or in progress, grades received, and a description of how course work relates to the field(s) of concentration. The report should also describe any conferences attended, lectures given, teaching or research assistantships completed, and language requirements met. For second-year students, the report should incorporate a prospectus on the materials to be included in the general examination dossier. The prospectus must include a list of the six papers (History and Theory track) or four research projects documented in paper form (Computation and Energy track), including the professor, course number, and term taken. In addition, this prospectus must explain the major and minor fields of concentration that these papers reflect.

General Exam:

The general examination is designed to ascertain the student’s general knowledge of the subject, acquaintance with scholarly methods of research, and ability to organize and present material. The components of the general examination are assembled sequentially during the student’s period in residence, according to a program overseen and approved by the Ph.D. Program Committee. The general examination is normally taken upon completion of two years of course work (preferably in the fall of the third year in residence).

Students begin this process by requesting that the examination be held and submitting a list of suggested committee members. The next step is the preparation of a dossier of six papers (History and Theory track) or four project papers (Computation and Energy track) to be presented by the student, including at least one research paper in the area of the dissertation topic and a short (one- or two-page) outline of the intended dissertation topic. The research paper must clearly define the field of research; it must comment on the state of existing research in the selected field and explain the contribution to the field that the paper is making. It must make a coherent statement about the archival sources or theoretical objects under examination and the methodological approaches taken. The research paper is either devoted to archival research, or encompasses an original theoretical exploration. An annotated bibliography must be included.  For the Computation and Energy track, the research paper is to be developed into an academic paper at a level of submission to peer-reviewed scientific journals. For the History and Theory track, a paper in the generals package can be replaced with an annotated bibliography, accompanied by an introductory essay.  The bibliography will outline a focused historico-theoretical field in the area of the intended dissertation.

The general examination itself is conducted in two parts: a satisfactory oral defense, and the acceptance by the committee of the dissertation proposal, followed by a public presentation. The oral defense is scheduled after the examination committee has read and reviewed the papers, and confirmed that the language requirement is satisfied and that no incompletes or failing grades remain on the student’s record. Following the successful completion of the oral defense, and within a period of two to three weeks, the student selects a primary dissertation adviser from among the Ph.D. Program Committee to guide the dissertation research. The assignment of the adviser is subject to approval by the Ph.D. Program Committee. The student works with the dissertation adviser to develop a detailed proposal that clearly defines the field of research, comments on the state of existing research in the selected field, and explains the contributions to the field the dissertation will make.

The student presents the dissertation proposal within six months of completion of the general exam. After the successful public presentation of the proposal, the examination committee discusses the proposal and other relevant aspects of the program with the student. Successful completion of the two parts of the general examination signals the transition to supervised independent scholarly work on a topic of the student’s choosing.

Qualifying for the M.A.:

The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree is normally an incidental degree on the way to full Ph.D. candidacy and is earned after a student successfully completes the general examination. It may also be awarded to students who, for various reasons, leave the Ph.D. program, provided that this requirement has been met.

Teaching:

Teaching experience is considered to be a significant part of graduate education. It is recommended that Ph.D. candidates assist with course instruction for at least one term.

Post-Generals Requirement(s):

Post-generals Ph.D. students are expected to continue to present a one-page progress report to the Ph.D. Program Committee each year in mid-May. The purpose of these reviews is to give feedback to the student and to keep all members of the Ph.D. Committee informed about the work of all students. The annual progress report submitted by the student should describe any publications, conferences attended, lectures given, teaching or research assistantships completed. The report should also include progress on the dissertation writing, funding applications, etc. At least one new dissertation chapter must be submitted in each of the post-generals years.

Dissertation and FPO:

The culmination of the program is the defense of the finished dissertation at the final public oral (FPO) examination, which includes the thesis adviser, a second reader from the Ph.D. Committee, and a third internal or external reader. 

Advisers read and comment on initial drafts of the student’s dissertation, consult on methods and sources, and approve any changes in the dissertation outline stemming from research discoveries and shifting emphases. It is often recommended that additional readers from inside or outside the School review sections of the research.  The research toward a dissertation normally includes at least one year spent on archival research.

The Ph.D. is awarded after the candidate’s doctoral dissertation has been accepted and the final public oral examination sustained.

• Application Fee: $90
• Statement of Academic Purpose
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Recommendation Letters
• Transcripts
• Fall Semester Grades
• Prerequisite Tests
• English Language Tests
• GRE : General test
• Sample of written work published or unpublished. In the statement of academic purpose, candidates must describe professional and academic experience and its relevance to future plans for research and teaching. Also outline potential areas of research in the context of Princeton’s program.
• Architecture portfolios MUST be mailed in hard copy format and received by December 31.
• Please avoid special packaging as this delays the processing of your materials, and does not increase your opportunity for admission. Be sure to include your full name, date of birth, and department on all materials sent.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

For Ph.D. candidates, tuition and fees during a student’s regular period of enrollment are provided in full from a student’s graduate student financial support, in the form of tuition support from fellowships, assistantships, or external sources.

The annual stipend amount provided to Ph.D. candidates during their regular enrollment is intended to support a single graduate student based on estimated costs. Master’s students or students with spouses and/or dependents may require additional resources to support their living expenses