Planning
The Department of Planning has dynamic and thriving research degree programmes in planning and urban design with over 30 students studying for MRes, MAs by research, MPhils and PhDs. The department is a major centre for planning and urban design research, and offers top quality research training and support.
We offer the following research degrees:
- PhD direct, possible for students with a recently completed master’s degree in an area closely related to the proposed research topic.
- PhD by creative work, involving a major creative component. Students can use creative and design-based approaches for studying PhD topics.
- PhD by published work, for potential students linked to the department who have existing high quality research publications.
- Master’s by research: the department also offers a master’s degree by research in either Urban Planning, Urban Design or Environmental Impact Assessment. This is a taught postgraduate qualification which combines courses on advanced research methods, substantive modules in an area of specialism and an extended dissertation. It therefore provides an excellent foundation for further PhD study.
Support and Facilities
You can expect:
- Supervision from at least two experts in the field and to meet with them regularly (eg, every three weeks), meeting all together as a team at least once a semester.
- The opportunity to attend a faculty- wide taught research training course (part of a master’s by research programme). A more flexible, open research methods course is also available for part-time students.
- The opportunity to present work in a formal setting and to learn from the work of other students at events such as the yearly research student conference run by the faculty.
- A lively, vibrant community for research degree study is created by 100 research students across the faculty.
- Your own office space for the period of your study, if you are a full-time student. This includes a desk PC and easy access to a printer and telephone. Part-time students are given shared usage of desk space.
- Excellent facilities including studio space, advanced IT facilities and workshop.
- Access to facilities and special collections at our outstanding library, along with eligibility to become a member of the University of
Oxford’s Bodleian Library. - Access to the support and facilities offered by the university’s Graduate School.
Research Areas
You can undertake research degrees in the following areas:
- Environmental impact assessment
- Strategic environmental assessment
- Planning and climate change
- Regeneration, neighbourhood renewal and urban competitiveness
- Sustainable tourism
- Historic conservation
- Planning history
- Urban design, heritage-led regeneration, place identity
- Young people and urban space
- Participation and governance
- Transport and sustainable urban form
- Trans-national migration
- Urban growth and change in transitional and developing countries.
We also welcome applications from students wishing to study related topics.
Research Centres
- Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development (OISD)
- Joint Centre for Urban Design (JCUD)
