PhD in Urban and Regional Planning and Design at UMD
Shape the future of planning and design
The University of Maryland’s PhD program in Urban and Regional Planning and Design prepares students for careers in university teaching, research, and practice across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. This highly competitive, 39-credit program requires a related master’s degree, two graduate-level research methods courses (one in quantitative methods preferred), four semesters of coursework, and two years in residence.
Learn from vibrant urban contexts
Located just outside Washington, DC, our College Park campus offers access to Annapolis, Baltimore, and the nation’s capital, as well as innovative Maryland communities like Bethesda, Columbia, College Park, Hyattsville, and Silver Spring—living laboratories for urban and regional planning.
Build a foundation of interdisciplinary expertise
The program is enriched by connections to the National Center for Smart Growth and a wide network of labs, initiatives, and programs across campus, creating a collaborative environment for cutting-edge, interdisciplinary scholarship.
PhD in Urban and Regional Planning and Design
PhD students develop two fields of specialization: a major and a minor. The major is a specific academic expertise, while the minor complements or focuses on a facet of the major. Fields include but are not limited to:
- Land Use Planning
- Urban Spatial Structure
- Economic Development
- Environmental Planning
- International Planning
- Urban Design
- Urban Community Social Development
- Transportation Planning and Policy
- Housing Policy
- Architectural History
- Building Technology and Sustainability
- Real Estate Development
- Historic Preservation
Other fields can be developed with the guidance of faculty advisers. Only tenured and tenure-track faculty members will serve as primary academic advisors, not including Emeritus/Emerita Professors and adjunct faculty.
Curriculum
Overview
Comprehensive Exam: After coursework, doctoral students take written exams to show mastery in planning and design theory, major, and minor fields. A committee of at least three faculty members is chosen with advisor approval. Exam results are pass, rewrite, or fail. Complete the Comprehensive Exam Sign Off Sheet (available from the program coordinator) before setting exam dates.
Advancement to Candidacy: Passing the comprehensive exam admits students to advance to candidacy and URSP899 dissertation research courses. Complete the advancement to candidacy application.
Proposal: The oral dissertation proposal outlines planned research. Develop a committee per Graduate School requirements (see the Graduate School policies on the Doctoral Dissertation and Examination). The written prospectus includes hypotheses and methodology for significant, original contributions. Prepare the Nomination of Thesis or Dissertation Committee form in advance of the proposal defense date.
Dissertation: Demonstrates independent research ability on an approved topic. Complete the Nomination of Thesis or Dissertation Committee form. Also see the information on dissertation filing.
Curriculum
- To view the degree's most updated curriculum, please visit UMD's Graduate Catalog.
- To view current course offerings visit Testudo.
Your Maryland PhD Experience
Our Faculty
With specialties ranging from education and housing to transportation and heritage studies, our PhD faculty provide academic mentorship in a supportive, enriching environment.
Centers and Labs
Our research centers, labs, programs, and initiatives work on the ground with regional communities on pressing issues related to housing, the environment, transportation, economic, and social policy.
Campus to Capitol
Your professional scholarship only starts in College Park. At UMD, you're just minutes from Washington, D.C. and the diverse urban and rural communities across the mid-Atlantic.
Admissions
Overview
The selective PhD program in Urban and Regional Planning and Design prioritizes full-time students. Submit a complete application to the university's official application submission site, TerpEngage, by the deadline; late submissions and submissions by email aren't accepted or reviewed. Before applying, review faculty research and contact potential advisors with shared interests. Admissions and funding decisions are committee-based.
Visit the graduate school website for requirements and deadlines or select the accordions below.
Questions about the program must be addressed to urpdadmin@umd.edu, while questions regarding individual faculty research interests must be addressed to each faculty.
Interested in our School? Let us know and: Find Out If Our Program Is Right for You OR: APPLY TODAY!
Admission Requirements
PhD applicants must have a master's degree in a related field, such as urban planning, architecture, historic preservation, or landscape architecture. Two semesters of graduate-level quantitative research methods are expected, which can be completed after entering the program and before the advanced methods course.
Application Requirements
Apply: Through the graduate application website with code URPD.
Fee: $80 non-refundable, payable online. Check fee waiver eligibility of the Graduate School Note that the URPD program provides a limited number of fee waivers to applicants who submit a qualified complete application by mid-December.
Transcripts: Attach unofficial copies; send official ones if admitted.
Recommendations: Three required, from individuals familiar with your academic and research abilities.
Statement of Purpose: 1000-2000 words detailing preparation, motivation, research interests, and program fit. No external links will be reviewed.
Resume/CV: Submit a comprehensive CV highlighting achievements and relevant experience. No external links will be reviewed.
Writing Samples: Provide up to two samples (e.g., research paper, thesis chapter); an optional third sample may be uploaded, but is not required for review.
International Applicants
Applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must submit additional documents. Particularly, all applicants are strongly encouraged to meet the English Language Proficiency Requirements for full enrollment when applying to the program. Note that it is unlikely that the program admits international applicants who do not meet the "requirements of full enrollment" under regular circumstances, and that conditional admission usually incurs additional costs to admitted students.
Updated information is available on the Graduate School website.
Deadline
The Fall 2026 deadline for application to the PhD in Urban and Regional Planning and Design is January 9, 2026.
Tuition and Fees
Visit the Student Financial Services and Cashiering website for current tuition, fees, and expenses. Pre-candidacy PhD students pay standard graduate tuition rates, while those advanced to candidacy pay flat rates for 899-level courses and fees.
Apply
Apply via the graduate application website. Use application code URPD.