The information and program qualifications related to the Urban and Regional Planning Doctor of Philosophy Program, under the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of the Graduate School, are summarized below.
Information About The Program
The Urban and Regional Planning PhD Program aims to raise distinguished profession, scientist and academician who has a high level of knowledge on urban theory and policies; who would have the ability for deeper analysis of planning system to solve urban problems and can develop an alternative thinking system with a creative and broad perspective in urban and regional planning; and who would associate qualitative and quantitative methods with current technologies
Vision of Urban and Regional Planning Ph D Program is to be a program which evaluates the discipline of Urban and Regional Planning at all scales, is open to international and interdisciplinary cooperation, has a respectable and original place among other programs in its field, increase its contributions to the country and universal science; and transfers knowledge to social life in the fields of research and implementation by considering the public interest.
The mission of Urban and Regional Planning PhD program is to train planners, scientists and academicians who can integrate their knowledge with their creative identity in order to direct the future and disseminate this knowledge to social life in the interest of the public.
Click here for the program's website.
Registration Requirements
Application Term : Previous Term / 2024-2025 Spring Semester
Application Requirements (For T.C Nationality) ALES Numerical or Equally Weighted must be minimum 70 (old system GRE Quantitative minimum 675, new system GRE minimum 153 ). Graduate GPA must be minimum 3.00/4 (76.66/100). Minimum GPA from undergraduate to doctorate must be 3.5/4 (88.33/100). Graduation must be Geography, Economics / Ekonomi, Geomatics Engineering, Law, Civil Engineering, Geological Engineering, Architecture, Politics and Economy, Political sciences / Siyasal Bilimler, Political Science and International Relations, Sociology, Urban and Regional Planning.
Quota (For T.C Nationality): 10
Application Requirements (For International Students) ALES Numerical or Equally Weighted must be minimum 70 (old system GRE Quantitative minimum 675, new system GRE minimum 153 ). Graduate GPA must be minimum 3.00/4 (76.66/100). Minimum GPA from undergraduate to doctorate must be 3.5/4 (88.33/100). Graduation must be Geography, Economics / Ekonomi, Geomatics Engineering, Law, Civil Engineering, Geological Engineering, Architecture, Politics and Economy, Political sciences / Siyasal Bilimler, Political Science and International Relations, Sociology, Urban and Regional Planning.
Quota (For International Students): 5
Transfer Quota : 2
Application Page Graduate Education and Training Regulation Senate Principles
Application requirements, application dates, and quotas are updated in real-time from the Application System.
English Proficiency
Regulations and Guidelines
Academic Calendar
Course Plans
Course Schedules
Course Adjustment and Exemption Procedures
Program Educational Objectives
• The aim of the PhD Program is to give; competence on theories of policy and practice; knowledge on managerial, legal, political aspects of plan making and implementation; competence on problem formulation, research, data collection, analysis, technology; skills on efficient verbal and written communication, team work, synthesis and application; competence on management and participatory planning; respect to diverse value judges; professional ethics and responsibility; and to develop policies for natural, social and historical heritage.
Measurement and Evaluation
Evaluating Student Success
The student success is evaluated considering Articles 56, 57, 58, and 59 of the Istanbul Technical University Graduate Education and Training Regulation Senate Principles.
ARTICLE 56 - Before the enrollment for the courses begins, the faculty member who offers the course informs the Program Executive Committee about the types, number and contribution percentage to the final grade of the studies within the semester, as well as requirements for a right to take the semester final exam. These requirements shall be finalized by approval of the Program Executive Committee and approval of the chair of the department, who declares them to the student and informs the Graduate School.
ARTICLE 57 - A student may appeal the final grade of a course within one week following the announcement of the grades. Appeals must be submitted to the Graduate School in writing. The relevant faculty member shall re-evaluate the student's success status and submit the result to the Graduate School within one week. Appeals not submitted within the prescribed time frame shall not be considered by the Graduate School.
ARTICLE 58 - Courses in graduate programs shall be evaluated according to the following grading system.
| Grade Description |
Grade |
Scale |
| Excellent |
AA |
4.00 |
| Very good plus |
BA+ |
3.75 |
| Very good |
BA |
3.50 |
| Good plus |
BB+ |
3.25 |
| Good |
BB |
3.00 |
| Conditional Pass |
CB+ |
2.75 |
| Conditional Pass |
CB |
2.50 |
| Conditional Pass |
CC+ |
2.25 |
| Conditional Pass |
CC |
2.00 |
| Fail |
FF |
0.00 |
| Fail(No Exam) |
VF |
0.00 |
ARTICLE 59 - Students who wish to improve their cumulative grade point average may retake courses during the course-taking period. The most recent grade will be counted for the repeated courses.
Internship
There is no internship in this program.
Graduation Requirements
Students who have completed their 21-credit courses, successfully passed the Ph D Qualification Exam, and regularly fulfill the thesis progression; submits the thesis in accordance with the thesis writing format determined by the institute. The candidate whose thesis is accepted by the five-person thesis defense jury is entitled to receive the title of doctor. After the thesis approved by the Science Board, the candidate is deemed to have graduated. In the submission of the doctoral thesis, the conditions of the ITU Graduate Education and Training Regulations and the Senate Conditions of the ITU Graduate Education and Training Regulations apply.
The Awarded Degree and Title
Degree : Doctor of Philosophy Title : Doctor of Philosophy
Program Employment Opportunities
Our graduates are employed private and public sectors as well as academics in urban planning and other related departments at universities.
Number of Graduates
Graduate Statistics
| Year | Number of Graduates |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2019 | 11 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 20 |
Program Outcomes
P.O.1 Developing and intensifying the current and high-level knowledge in the area with the use of original thinking and/or research processes and in a specialist level, based upon the competency in Msc level (knowledge).
P.O.2 Grasping the inter-disciplinary interaction related to one’s area; reaching original results by using the specialist knowledge in analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating new and complex ideas (knowledge).
P.O.3 The ability to evaluate and use new information in the area with a systematical approach (skill).
P.O.4 Developing a new idea, method, design and/or application which brings about innovation in the area; or, applying a conventional idea, method, design and/or application to a different environment; researching, grasping, designing and applying an original subject (skill).
P.O.5 The ability to critically analyze, synthesize and evaluate the new and complex ideas (skill).
P.O.6 Acquiring the most developed skills about using the research methods in studies in the related area (skill).
P.O.7 Contributing to the progress in the area by independently carrying out a study which uses a new idea, method, design and/or application which brings about innovation in the area; or, applying a conventional idea, method, design and/or application to a different environment (Competence to work independently and take responsibility).
P.O.8 Expanding the limits of knowledge in the area by publishing at least one scientific article in an international journal (A,B,C, Categories) and/or creating or interpreting an original work(Competence to work independently and take responsibility).
P.O.9 Fulfilling the leader role in the environments where solutions are sought for the original and inter-disciplinary problems (Competence to work independently and take responsibility).
P.O.10 Developing area-related new ideas and methods by making use of high level intellectual processes such as creative and critical thinking, problem solving and decision making (Learning Competence).
P.O.11 Ability to see and develop social relationships and the norms directing these relationships with a critical look and the ability to direct the actions to change these when necessary. (Communication and Social Competency).
P.O.12 The ability to establish effective communication with experts in the international environments to discuss the area-related subjects and to defend original opinions, showing one’s competency in the area (Communication and Social Competency).
P.O.13 Proficiency in a foreign language –at least European Language Portfolio C1 Level- and establishing written, oral and visual communication and developing argumentation skills with that language (Communication and Social Competency).
P.O.14 Contributing to the society’s state and progress towards being an information society by announcing and promoting the technological, scientific and social developments in one’s area (Area Specific Competency).
P.O.15 Ability to establish effective communication in the solving of the problems faced in the area, by using the strategic decision making processes (Area Specific Competency
P.O.16 Contributing to the solution of area-related social, scientific, cultural and ethical problems and promoting the development of these values (Area Specific Competency).
Program Coordinator
Head of the Department
Links