PDF version of this chapterDoctoral Degrees
The School of Policy, Planning, and Development offers the Doctor of Philosophy in Policy, Planning, and Development (Ph.D.) and the Doctor of Planning and Development Studies (D.P.D.S.). The Ph.D. degree is designed to prepare individuals for university level teaching and research. The D.P.D.S. degree is intended to develop a high level of conceptual and research competence for professional leadership in planning and development. The D.P.D.S. is administered by the School of Policy, Planning, and Development; the Ph.D. is administered by the Graduate School and the faculty of the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. Ph.D. students must consult the Graduate School section of this catalogue for regulations and requirements pertaining to its degrees. Students should also consult the Academic Policies section of this catalogue.
Completion of the requirements for all of these degrees is assumed to take a minimum of three years of approved graduate study and research beyond the bachelor's degree. For the Ph.D. student, a minimum of 24 graduate units completed in residence on the University Park campus in Los Angeles is required. D.P.D.S. students are required to complete a minimum of 12 units at the University Park campus. Full-time study is represented by enrollment in 6 units during the semester. Usually, the school and the student's guidance committee insist on a clear and mutually understood commitment of time and energy by the student to ensure significant involvement in the doctoral learning experience. For university policies regarding continuous enrollment, leave of absence and readmission, click here.
Application and Admission
Admission to graduate standing for the Ph.D. or D.P.D.S. is recommended by the school's admissions committee acting under guidelines established by the Graduate School as outlined in the Graduate School section, page 91, and the Graduate Admission section, page 76. In addition to those guidelines, D.P.D.S. students are expected to have a minimum of five years of substantial relevant experience. Students intending to apply should direct questions about the program and all materials for the admission application to Doctoral Programs, Office of Student Affairs, RGL 111, School of Policy, Planning, and Development, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0626.The deadline for applications for admission to the Ph.D. and D.P.D.S. programs is December 1. Applications for admission are made once each year for a fall semester admission.
Doctoral program applicants may be allowed to take master's level courses before the admission process is completed. Students may not take 600-level course work until after formal admission.
The admission decision for Ph.D. students is made using criteria which include verification that the applicant has a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, has maintained a high grade point average in the last 60 units of undergraduate work, and has earned a competitive score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Other elements of the applicant's educational and experiential background are also evaluated, including performance in other advanced degrees. D.P.D.S. applicants must also provide evidence of at least five years of practical administrative or other relevant experience. The GRE and GMAT scores are neither accepted nor required for the D.P.D.S. program.
Each applicant should submit the following: (1) one copy of official transcripts of all previous college and university work (be sure that these official transcripts show an awarded degree where appropriate); (2) copies of GRE scores; (3) a 1000-word essay discussing the applicant's background and reasons for wanting to pursue a Ph.D. degree and identifying his or her personal, educational and professional goals; (4) an up-to-date resume, including academic and professional accomplishments; (5) three letters of recommendation, two from previous instructors, the other from an instructor or from a professional supervisor or colleague. The letters should indicate the applicant's academic and professional accomplishments and potential; (6) a completed USC Graduate Admission Application, along with the nonrefundable application fee; (7) a writing sample of approximately 1,000 words (in addition to the applicant essay); and (8) a completed School of Policy, Planning, and Development Supplemental Graduate Application. International applicants are asked to submit additional information. See the International Admissions section under Master of Public Administration in this catalogue. Applicants should carefully choose, and clearly state, the degree objective (Ph.D. or D.P.D.S.) for which they are applying, since different sets of admissions criteria exist for each of them.
Transfer Credits
The application of any available transfer credits toward a graduate degree at USC will be determined by the faculty of the School of Policy, Planning, and Development, based on the semester units available for transfer as shown in the Transfer Credit Statement. Refer to Transfer of Course Work for more information.Students entering the doctoral program with a master's degree in a relevant area may be admitted with advanced standing in the Ph.D. in Policy, Planning, and Development. All students must complete a minimum of 36 units of doctoral classes, exclusive of the dissertation, at USC. Evaluation of advanced standing is normally conducted as part of the student's screening.
Deferral of Enrollment
Admission to the university is granted for a specified semester, and it is expected that students will begin their programs during that semester. The school will normally allow students to defer their enrollment up to one year from the admission semester. Students who wish to defer enrollment should notify the school in writing no more than 30 days after the beginning of the semester of admission. Students who do not inform the school in a timely manner of their intent to defer enrollment may be required to reapply for admission.Please note that more stringent regulations apply to international students. See the Admission section of this catalogue.
Admission to Candidacy
Acceptance to graduate standing does not in itself imply that the student is admitted or will be admitted to candidacy for an advanced degree. Application for admission as a candidate for an advanced degree is a separate and subsequent step. See the Graduate School section of this catalogue.Admission of International Students
All international applicants for admission to doctoral programs should submit materials to Doctoral Programs, Recruitment and Admissions Office, RGL 111, School of Policy, Planning, and Development, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0626. See the Admission section of this catalogue.Screening Procedure
Ph.D. students are required to pass a screening procedure after completing the core courses. D.P.D.S. students are required to pass a screening procedure after 16 units of course work. The procedure is designed to ensure that only those students who have demonstrated intellectual and scholarly potential continue in the program.There are differences between the screening process for Ph.D. in Policy, Planning, and Development and D.P.D.S. students. Students should consult the Director of Doctoral Programs for details.
Guidance Committee
A guidance committee assists the student in outlining an academic program leading toward the degree. This committee bears responsibility for counseling the doctoral student, for approving a course schedule and preliminary and qualifying examinations, and for recommending the student for admission to candidacy. After approval of the student's program and proposed time schedule, the program is submitted in writing to the Director of Doctoral Programs. This should be accomplished by the beginning of the second year, following successful screening.The guidance committee is to be established by the beginning of the second year and prior to starting course work in the area of concentration. The chair should have recognized expertise in the qualifying area and should be a regular participant in the qualifying examination committee for that area. The majority of the members of the guidance committee (typically at least three out of five) should be experts in the area in which the student is qualifying and should be regular participants in the qualifying examination committee. The remaining members should have a clear interest in this area.
Students will formalize their relationship with their committees through the development of a contract which specifies all courses completed, date of screening decision, the area of concentration, and which courses will be taken and when, in order to prepare for the area section of the qualifying examination. This contract will be signed by the student, the members of the guidance committee and the faculty doctoral advisor. It will be filed in the doctoral office.
Doctor of Philosophy in Policy, Planning, and Development
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Policy, Planning, and Development degree is under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Students should also refer to the Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degree must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.
The Doctor of Philosophy in Policy, Planning, and Development emphasizes a rigorous program of advanced study and research, stressing qualitative or quantitative analysis and the theoretical dimensions of planned intervention and social change. Within the context of governance, place and community, specialization and expertise in a substantive field such as public management, public policy, planning, or urban development is required.
Curriculum Requirements
The Doctor of Philosophy in Policy, Planning, and Development degree is administered by the doctoral committee of the school. Each student initially plans an interdisciplinary program comprising a set of core courses and two fields (inside and outside) of interest developed by the student with assistance from faculty advisors. The student must complete sufficient course work to prepare for written and oral qualifying examinations covering his or her field of interest. The student then completes the program with a dissertation which focuses on a research problem in an area related to planning, public management, public policy or urban development. The program requires the completion of 60 units of course work, comprising the following elements: master core in a substantive field (14 units), doctoral core (12 units), methodology (8 units), fields of study (20 units), teaching seminar (2 units), and dissertation (4 units minimum).Core Curriculum
| Doctoral core | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 701 | Knowledge and Practice | 4 |
| PPD 702 | Governance, Place and the Public Sphere | 4 |
| PPD 703 | Globalization and the Urban Context | 4 |
Methodology
| select two methodology courses: | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 706 | Paradigms of Research and the Design Inquiry | 4 |
select one from: | ||
| PPD 558 | Qualitative Analysis II | 4 |
| PPD 707 | Survey Research Methods | 4 |
| PPD 708 | Qualitative Methods | 4 |
| PPD 709 | Applications in Advanced Qualitative Methods | 4 |
Those students entering the doctoral program without a master's degree in a relevant area will be required to complete 14 units of prerequisites relevant to their chosen area of specialization. Public Management: PPD 500 (4), PPD 501 (4), PPD 525 (2), PPD 545 (4); Public Policy: PPD 500 (4), PPD 501 (4), PPD 525 (2), PPD 554 (4); Planning: PPD 500 (4), PPD 524 (2), PPD 525 (2), PPD 526 (2), PPD 527 (2), PPD 528 (2); Urban Development: PPD 500 (4), PPD 525 (2), PPD 526 (2), PPD 528 (2), PPD 634 (4).
Screening Procedures
Prior to screening, the student should have completed the 12 units of the Doctor of Philosophy core.Prior to screening, each student prepares a resume and a preliminary statement describing the fields of specialization. After passing the written screening examination, the student meets with the faculty committee to discuss the proposal for course work, fields of study and research interests. Once the student passes screening, a guidance committee is formed and its chair serves as the student's principal advisor in preparing for the qualifying examination.
Guidance Committee
Following screening, each student selects a guidance committee, which officially oversees the development of the student's academic program through the qualifying examination. Five committee members are designated to provide guidance in the field developed by the student. A minimum of three members, including at least one tenured member, must be from among the faculty participating in this Doctor of Philosophy program, and at least one member must be from outside the School of Policy, Planning, and Development.Fields of Study
Students will take course work in two disciplines or substantive areas according to particular interests and needs. The major field should fall under the disciplinary umbrella of one of the doctoral program substantive core tracks: planning, public management, public policy or urban development. There is ample opportunity to shape a degree program to each student's background, needs and interests, while drawing upon the diversity of resources available at USC. Twenty units of course work are required for the fields of study. Students are expected to actively participate in research workshops directed by faculty and to seek teaching experience.Qualifying Examination
The guidance committee prepares a comprehensive written examination covering the fields of study. The exact format for the written portion is determined by each committee in advance. Answers to the questions in the written portion are graded by all committee members. Following completion of the written portion, the entire committee conducts an oral examination of the student, focusing on material both complementary and supplementary to the written examination but relevant to the field and overall program selected by the student. Upon passing both portions of the qualifying examination, the student becomes a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.As part of their advancement to candidacy, students must complete 2 units of teaching seminar courses in order. Each student should produce at least one course description and syllabus, which addresses his or her substantive core experience, and one of these must be submitted prior to taking the qualifying exam.
Transfer of Units
Graduate work may be accepted by transfer from approved graduate schools as determined by the USC Office of Academic Records and Registrar upon recommendation of the dean of the school.Students entering the doctoral program with a master's degree in a relevant area may receive up to 14 units of advanced standing toward the Ph.D. in policy, planning, and development. All students must complete a
Some applicants for admission to the school will have been engaged in work in closely related activities. Although this experience should be of benefit to the students involved, it cannot be considered equivalent to academic education.
Proposal Defense
Following successful passage of the qualifying exam, students are strongly encouraged to plan for their proposal defense within one year of passing the qualifying exam. In order to meet the requirements of the proposal defense phase, students must complete an annual progress report, which is to be provided upon passage of the completion of a written as well as an oral defense of the dissertation proposal.Doctoral Dissertation
The dissertation is based on original research on a planning, public management, policy, or development issue requiring an interdisciplinary perspective. The research is supervised by a dissertation committee of three or more regular USC faculty, at least one of whom must be from outside the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. A two semester minimum registration in PLUS 794 (2) is required of all candidates. Students must maintain continuous registration until completion of the dissertation.Defense of the Dissertation
Oral defense of the dissertation before the dissertation committee is usually made on a preliminary draft.Format for Theses and Dissertations
All theses and dissertations submitted in fulfillment of requirements for graduate degrees must conform to university regulations with regard to format and method of preparation. See Regulations for Format and Presentation of Theses and Dissertations available from the Graduate School, Grace Ford Salvatori 315.General Requirements
Refer to the Graduate School section in this catalogue for policies regarding time limits, leave of absence, scholarship standing and probation.Doctor of Planning and Development Studies
Planning and development are critical concerns of the nation and the world at the end of the 20th century. Whether redesigning the health care system, reproducing economic innovation in our central cities, or facilitating economic and social relationships across the globe, planners and developers are on center stage.
Leading the way into the next century will be a group of experienced practitioners who have updated and expanded their professional achievements by developing additional conceptual and research competency through the Doctor of Planning and Development Studies (D.P.D.S.).
The goals of the program are: to create a unique educational environment that will forge these professionals into a cadre for urban change; to develop urban professionals who can merge development and planning tools to design new integrative policy planning and implementation systems; to establish a set of new problem solving paradigms for examining and altering planning and development decision-making and to equip professionals with sophisticated analytical tools and a sharper cultural awareness so they can practice planning and development anywhere in the world.
Admission
The program is intended for people with considerable professional experience and intellectual interests. Requirements for admission include: GPA of 3.0 (A = 4.0) for all post-high school academic work, and, for international students, submission of TOEFL scores; five letters of recommendation, including at least one academic and one professional; five or more years of professional experience; a resume and, if appropriate, a portfolio; and a study prospectus detailing a proposed field of study. Guidelines for preparing the prospectus are included in the application package. Additional requirements for international students are listed under Admission of International Students, page 77. The GRE and GMAT are neither accepted nor required for the D.P.D.S. program. Each application will be examined with the aim of admitting an applicant whose study prospectus suggests the ability and focus to produce an innovative approach to professional practice.Applicants are expected to hold a master's degree in architecture, landscape architecture, public administration, real estate development, urban/city/regional planning, urban design or a closely related field. Applicants with master's degrees in other fields will be expected to complete foundation courses prior to entering the degree's core classes.
Upon admission to the program, each student will be assigned a faculty advisor who will oversee his or her program.
Curriculum Requirements
The Doctor of Planning and Development Studies is administered by the School of Policy, Planning, and Development for full-time and part-time students. The D.P.D.S. requires completion of 60 units of course work comprising the following elements:| Requirements | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation courses | 20 | |
| Core courses | 8 | |
| Methods course | 4 | |
| Field of study | 20 | |
| Conspectus Preparation | 4 | |
| Planning, design and development project | (minimum) 4 | |
Foundation Courses
Up to 20 units of foundation courses are required. These courses may be taken from the school's master's degree programs or, with prior approval, from other USC graduate degree programs. Students who hold a related master's degree may be admitted with advanced standing. Students are required to complete 36 units of course work and 4 units of PLUS 694 (project units).| Required Courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
Core Courses | ||
| PLUS 603 | Planning and Development Paradigms | 4 |
| PLUS 623 | Politics of Planning and the Urban Environment | 4 |
Conspectus Preparation | ||
| PLUS 692 | Conspectus Preparation | 4 |
Methods
A student's methods course should be approved by the student's Professional Advisory Committee. Possible courses include:
| PLUS 612 | Analysis of Quantitative Data for Planning and Development | 4 |
| PPD 627 | Design Skills for Urban Planners | 4 |
| PPD 632 | Planning Analysis and Evaluation | 4 |
| PPD 707 | Survey Research Methods | 4 |
| PPD 708 | Qualitative Methods | 4 |
Screening Process
As quickly as possible, the student will form a Professional Advisory Committee consisting of the student's advisor and two other school and/or USC faculty and up to five professionals whose activities are related to the student's. This committee shall oversee the student's program to its conclusion.At the completion of no more than 16 units beyond the foundation courses and/or PLUS 603 and PLUS 623, students will complete a written examination which will consist of responding to a short list of specific planning and development problems using appropriate professional paradigms. The student will then meet with the Professional Advisory Committee to formally review the student's progress toward the degree.
Field of Study
In consultation with their faculty advisor and Professional Advisory Committee, students will craft a field of study related to the professional arena of practice. The field may or may not reflect standard academic boundaries, such as transportation and land use planning. Students should take advantage of USC's resources in developing the field, especially taking into consideration the relationship of practice to theory and context. Twenty units of course work are required for the field of study, 8 of which may be taken outside the School of Policy, Planning, and Development.Conspectus Preparation
In PLUS 692 students complete a professional conspectus that defines their field of study, its structure and place within professional practice, and other related questions. The conspectus will be presented to the student's Professional Advisory Committee for acceptance. Only after it is accepted may the student proceed to the Planning, Design and Development Project.Planning, Design and Development Project
The capstone project of the D.P.D.S. is the student's completion of the Planning, Design and Development Project (PDDP). The PDDP is a study of an aspect, site, issue or other such element of professional practice. Each PDDP should be designed to present an innovative or original contribution to the practice of planning and development. The parameters of the PDDP are intentionally left wide, allowing the project to be produced as solely text, or text in conjunction with film, computer program, design or another multimedia format.The PDDP is supervised by the student's Professional Advisory Committee. Students must maintain continuous registration in the PLUS 694 series until completion of the PDDP. Upon completion of an approved draft of the PDDP, students will present their findings in an open session, but the Professional Advisory Committee is the sole evaluator.