Architecture (Ph.D.)

History, Theory, and Criticism Specialization

As an architecture school within a science and technology-rich university, the College of Architecture, our faculty, and Ph.D. students are committed to fostering an environment of interdisciplinary inquiry

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.

As an architecture school within a science and technology-rich university, the College of Architecture, our faculty, and Ph.D. students are committed to fostering an environment of interdisciplinary inquiry. The research that our Ph.D. students in the History, Theory, and Criticism specialization produce utilizes different methodologies to explore questions related to architecture and engineering as well as allied disciplines such as design, landscape architecture, and urbanism.

Direct admission into the Ph.D. program is preferred, but admission via the master of science 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

The research that our Ph.D. students in the History, Theory, and Criticism specialization produce utilizes different methodologies to explore questions related to architecture and engineering as well as allied disciplines such as design, landscape architecture, and urbanism.

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.

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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.