Interdisciplinary: Ph.D. Program In The Built Environment
Criteria for Admission
Admission to the Ph.D. program is based on evidence of promise of high scholarly achievement and research orientation. The applicant's statement of purpose, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test results, letters of recommendation, and examples of past work constitute the basis for the admissions evaluation. Further, to ensure the highest level of faculty support and proper level of faculty guidance, the program accepts those students whose research interests match areas of specialized faculty competence. Students are encouraged to identify faculty whose interests coincide with theirs in their statement of purpose.
Applicants must have a Master's Degree in a discipline that either is one of the College's central areas of specialization (such as Architectural Studies or Urban Design and Planning) or a normal area of expertise in the College's activities (e.g. engineering, energy studies, real estate, geography, environmental psychology, computer aided design or GIS, and so on), or that is congruent with one of the three Fundamental Areas integrated into the Built Environment Program (such as environmental or sustainability studies, or materials science, or visual culture-representation studies).
The applicant's statement of purpose often proves to be the most important document in the application process. While other documents help establish general qualifications and background, the statement of purpose is a personal expression that distinguishes an applicant from other applicants and relates her or his specific interests to those of program faculty.
The objectives of the statement of purpose are twofold. First, it builds on the content of more generalized documents, such as transcripts and resumes, by providing further details regarding the applicant's background and academic qualifications. Second, it delivers a clear description of the applicant's objectives, including research interests and intended course of study. This information is critical to the application process and a focused, well-written document is essential to the decision to admit. For this reason, the statement of purpose should reflect your best thinking regarding your decision to pursue doctoral studies at the University of Washington.
In particular, the statement should be structured around the following five pieces of information. First, begin with a brief overview of your academic and professional background, including a description of any previous research experience. Second, describe your motivation for pursuing doctoral studies and your current research interests. Remember that this is your opportunity to explain what you would like to learn through advanced study and what you plan to achieve by doing so. Third, identify at least three members of the faculty you would like to work with. Fourth, briefly outline your intended course of study including your primary research interests. You may also want to list several courses that you would like to take during your first year in the program. Finally, conclude with a short description of your envisioned future and the role that you would like to play in the field.
As you write, please keep in mind that it is important to be as specific as possible. The admissions committee seeks to understand your objectives and to ensure that your interests are compatible with those of the program faculty. And while it is understood that your knowledge of the University of Washington may be limited, you are encouraged to seek information via the Internet and through faculty that you have an interest in working with. The more informed and focused your statement of purpose, the better your chances of admission.
All statements should be typed in twelve-point font and two to three pages in length. Due to the significance of the document, it is highly recommended that you allow yourself plenty of time to prepare it and that you seek feedback from academic advisors.
All applications for the Built Environment Ph.D. Program will be reviewed and evaluated by the Program Faculty. Decisions to admit or deny admission will be based on a combination of a) the ranking in light of the number of admissions that are possible that year and b) distribution across the three areas of specialization and available faculty (in light of then existing student enrollment and "placement," faculty availability and willingness to mentor in areas anticipated to be students' focus for dissertation research, and resource availability).