PhD Geography Planning and Environmental Policy
The School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy is a vibrant centre for geography, planning, environmental and related public-policy research. In addition to having an active research programme, the School offers a range of opportunities for postgraduate study at PhD level within its Research Degrees Programme in Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy.
The School is committed to providing excellent facilities and training for research students, including well-equipped research suites for students with state-of-the-art computing facilities, on-site library services, access to taught modules across the College of Human Sciences Graduate School and regular student and staff seminars. All research students are supervised by two or more staff members with a recognised expertise in their field. To pursue a doctoral programme students will be required to complete a series of taught modules, in addition to preparing a thesis which makes a substantial original contribution to their field. The normal period of registration for the PhD degree is three years. In order to be awarded the degree, the work of the candidate must be adjudged by the examiners to be worthy of publication as a whole or in part as a work of serious scholarship.
We would welcome expressions of interest from students with ambitions to pursue Doctoral Research in any of the following areas: Civil Society and Governance; Climatology; Cultural Geography; Environmental Economics and Natural Resource Management; Housing; Political Geography; Quality of Life; Rural Planning and Development; Transportation; the Urban Environment; Urban Geography; Urban Regeneration or Urban and Regional Development.
For further information on the school’s research themes, staff interests and expertise, together with details of current PhD students and topics please visit our staff and research web pages.
Applicants for Research Degrees should have a minimum of a second-class honours primary degree in a subject related to geography, planning, environmental policy or environmental economics such as: geography, economics, agricultural economics, planning, public policy and politics, business studies, commerce, social sciences, environmental studies or resource management, engineering, architecture, and law.
Application Procedure
Applications for September 2011/12 are now open via the UCD Online Applications system (www.ucd.ie/apply). The closing date is 31st May 2011, though applications are considered on a rolling basis and it is advised that you apply as soon as possible. All applicants MUST include a research proposal of around 4000 words (organized as per instructions on the online form).
Applicants for Research Degrees should have a minimum of a second-class honours primary degree in a subject related to Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy or environmental economics such as but not necessarily limited to: geography, economics, agricultural economics, planning, public policy and politics, business studies, commerce, social sciences, environmental studies or resource management, engineering, architecture and law.
For candidates applying for a research degree in Environmental Economics, successful completion of a Masters degree in Economics is strongly recommended.
Information on Language Requirements and Fees
Students whose education prior to university level has not been carried out through the medium of English must satisfy English language requirements of a minimum score of 600 TOEFL (250 computer based, with test of written English at 475+) or 6.5 IELTS (minimum of 6.0 in each band). Please also note that in all cases the test results must be less than 2 years old.
For information on fees for PhD Degrees, please refer to www.ucd.ie/fees .
Interdisciplinary PhD in Sustainable Development in association with the Urban Institute Ireland
If your area of interest, whether in Geography, Planning or Environmental Policy, falls under the broad ambit of Sustainable Development, please consider applying to the New Sustainable Development PhD programme. For more information on this Programme please click here: **NEW PhD in Sustainable Development**
For all queries on PhD programmes in the School, please contact Dominic Shellard at gpep.postgrad@ucd.ie