The Architecture and Urban Planning PhD course at the Estonian Academy of the Arts supports students in conducting research at various scales, spanning from interior design and architecture to landscape architecture and urban studies.

Students will develop advanced skills in architectural and urban research, including both theoretical and design-based research approaches.

The course includes a mixture of design research and creative practice research. Students will also explore critical analysis of spatial environments and sustainable development and spatial planning, addressing contemporary challenges in cities, regions, and the built environment.

School: Estonian Academy of the Arts
Course: Architecture and Urban Planning PhD
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Course dates: September 2027 to June 2031
Application deadline: 31 March 2027

Find out more about the course and apply ›

What will I learn during this course?

– Architectural and urban research, including both theoretical and design-based research approaches
– Research by design and creative practice research
– Critical analysis of spatial environments
– Sustainable development and spatial planning, addressing contemporary challenges in cities, regions, and the built environment
– Interdisciplinary collaboration, working across architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, interior architecture, and related disciplines
– Development of innovative research methods and strategies for investigating spatial and urban issues
– Academic writing, publication, and presentation
– International research collaboration and networking

What are the requirements?

– A master’s degree or an equivalent qualification
– English proficiency at at least B2 level
– CV, portfolio, motivation letter, proposal of the doctoral thesis
– optional documents: academic CV of the prospective supervisor/s

What facilities and resources are available?

– A library
– A technical equipment rental
– A prototyping lab
– Professional photography and sound studios
– Workshops for wood and metalworking
– 3D modelling
– Workshops for textiles, glass, ceramics, printmaking, metalwork, and many more (all EKA workshops and studios are open to all students)

What career prospects can I expect upon graduating?

– Academia, as university lecturers, researchers, professors, and doctoral supervisors
– Research institutes and think tanks focused on architecture, urbanism, sustainability, and spatial development
– Architecture and urban planning practices, particularly in senior, specialist, or research-oriented roles
– Government agencies and municipalities, contributing to urban development, planning policy, housing, infrastructure, and sustainability initiatives
– International organisations and consultancies working on urban development, climate adaptation, and spatial policy
– Leadership positions in architecture, planning, landscape architecture, and design organisations
– Independent research and consultancy, developing new methodologies, design strategies, and knowledge in the field of the built environment

Who teaches this course?

– Eik Hermann, head of the curriculum and lecturer
– Antoine Picon, Ware Travelstead professor of the history of architecture and technology and director of research at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, supervisor
– Roland Snooks, associate professor at RMIT University in the School of Architecture and Urban Design, supervisor
– Mario Carpo, a Reyner Banham professor of architectural theory and history, the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, supervisor
– Jüri Soolep, professor in the Faculty of Architecture in EKA, supervisor
– Andres Kurg, PhD, professor of architectural history and visual culture at the Institute of Art History in EKA and senior research fellow at the Faculty of History in Vilnius University, supervisor
– Jüri Kermik, a professor of interior architecture in the Faculty of Architecture at EKA
– Maroš Krivý, a professor of urban studies at the Faculty of Architecture in EKA

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