Architecture (Ph.D.)
Illinois Institute of Technology offers the only Ph.D. program in architecture in Chicago, a metropolis characterized by a dynamic architectural culture, supportive research institutions, and renowned firms.
Founded in 1996 as a laboratory for applied research and scholarship, the Ph.D. program attracts graduate students from around the world who converge on our landmark Mies-designed campus.
Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program explore the historic and contemporary intersections among architecture, culture, and technology through two areas of specialization: Technologies of the Built Environment and History, Theory, and Criticism. Research topics are based on the expertise of our faculty and student interests. Possibilities include: building and urban energy use, environmental impacts of built environments, high-performance building skins, tall building design and performance, advanced structural systems, urban water systems, and histories and theories of architectural technology.
Direct admission into the Ph.D. program is preferred, but admission via the M.S. program is also an option. Funding opportunities are available in the form of teaching assistantships, and students can benefit from our relationships with large architecture and engineering firms based in Chicago.
Program Overview
Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program explore the historic and contemporary intersections among architecture, culture, and technology through two areas of specialized research: History, Theory, and Criticism, and Technologies of the Built Environment.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Ph.D. program in architecture typically pursue academic careers in universities, obtain positions in research institutions, or return to professional practice.
This 84-credit hour degree program consists of lecture and seminar courses, special problems, and research credits to help students complete their doctoral research projects. Each student has a committee with a chair that supervises this process.
The applicant should meet all entrance requirements of Illinois Institute of Technology's Graduate College, plus a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, a minimum revised GRE score of 144 in quantitative reasoning, 153 in verbal reasoning, and analytical writing of 4.0, and a TOEFL score of 577/90 (paper-based/internet-based test), or a minimum IELTS score of 6.