The Doctor of Philosophy in Sustainable Urban Development at Oxford University supports students' research into urban sustainability, with guidance from leading scholars in the field.

The Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Sustainable Urban Development is a part-time doctoral programme that provides outstanding students with an opportunity to pursue in-depth and rigorous research about the pressing challenges of urban sustainability and the processes of environmental, economic and social development in urban environments around the world.

Students admitted to the programme are usually motivated to undertake detailed research in preparation for an academic career and other research-intensive occupations; to have a substantial impact on future policy-making processes; or to pursue and/or advance their professional career at organisations and institutions operating in the field of sustainable urban development.

The course provides support and an intellectual environment by leading scholars in the field to pursue your own independent research.

School: Oxford University
Course: DPhil in Sustainable Urban Development
Type: Postgraduate
Location: Oxford, UK
Course dates: Starts October 2026, with a duration of four to six years
Application deadline: rolling deadline

Find out more about the course and apply ›

What will I learn during this course?

– Research skills
– Knowledge in sustainable urban development

What are the requirements?

– As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent: a master's degree with distinction overall, or a distinction grade on the dissertation as a minimum, in a discipline relevant to sustainable urban development
– First-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in any discipline

What facilities and resources are available?

– A wide range of resources, including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services
– Bodleian Libraries, the largest library system in the UK, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera
– IT Services offer a range of IT learning courses for students to support their learning and research
– PCs in the library give access to the internet and the full range of electronic resources subscribed to by the University of Oxford

What career prospects can I expect upon graduating?

It is expected that students will already be in employment, working within some area related to urban development. The DPhil may enhance professional practice, career prospects and help secure promotions and other opportunities.

Who teaches this course?

– Idalina Baptista, course director
– Nihan Akyelken, potential supervisor
– Debbie Hopkins, potential supervisor
– Nigel Mehdi, potential supervisor
– Vlad Mykhnenko, potential supervisor
– Patricia Canelas, potential supervisor
– Idalina Baptista, associate professor in urban anthropology
– Nihan Akyelken, associate professor in sustainable urban development
– Debbie Hopkins, associate professor in human geography
– Francesca Froy, departmental lecturer in sustainable urban development

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