Research doctorate (PhD)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Architecture, Urban Design and Urban Planning
The University of Auckland · School of Architecture and Planning · Auckland, New Zealand
- Official award
- Doctor of PhilosophyPhD
- Pathway
- ResearchStated for New Zealand
- Format
- On campusFull-time 3 to 4 years; part-time 6 to 8 years
- Tuition
- NZ$8,847.60per year, 2026
About this program
Research doctorate in the School of Architecture and Planning examined on a thesis of up to 100,000 words.
- Subject
- Architecture
- Department
- School of Architecture and Planning
- Awarding body
- Not stated on the pages we checked
Qualification and professional pathway
Pathway is classified only from a statement on an official page. A degree title such as B.Arch, BA, BSc, M.Arch or MSc does not decide it, and no degree by itself grants permission to practise as an architect.
- Degree level
- Research doctorate (PhD)A research doctorate focused on architecture (PhD, Dr.-Ing. and equivalents).
- Pathway
- Research degreeA research degree. It does not qualify anyone to practise as an architect.
- Why we classify it this way
- The page describes the PhD as formal advanced research examined by thesis.“The traditional PhD thesis is a formal piece of advanced research, with a final examined thesis of up to 100,000 words.”Source
- Previous architecture degree required
- Not published
- Applicants without an architecture degree
- Not published
Accreditation, validation and recognition
Recorded for this program and campus, with the authority’s role. Institutional recognition, degree-awarding authority, program accreditation, professional validation and eligibility toward registration are different things; none of them is full professional registration.
No accreditation, validation or registration-pathway record for this program has been verified yet. That does not mean none exists; check the national authority and the institution.
Study structure
- Delivery
- On campusTaught at the listed campus.
- Study mode
- Full-time, Part-time
- Duration
- Full-time 3 to 4 years; part-time 6 to 8 years
- Thesis or dissertation
- Examined thesis of up to 100,000 words
- Intakes
- Any time of year
- Campus
- City campus
Teaching language
- Taught in
- Not stated on the pages we checked
- English
- English teaching not verifiedAn English-language website does not mean a program is taught in English.
Admissions
- Portfolio
- Not published
- Interview
- Not published
- Documents
- Statement of Research Intent for Doctoral Study
Research degree details
- Department
- School of Architecture and Planning
- Research themes
- Design and fabrication
- Pedagogy
- Urban design, spatial planning and place making
- Māori and Pacific research
- Theory and history
- Resilience and sustainability
- Finding a supervisor
- Applicants submit a Statement of Research Intent so the school can assess the application and allocate supervisors; PhD advisers can be contacted before applying
- Research proposal
- Statement of Research Intent for Doctoral Study submitted with the application
- Residency expectations
- International students' visa conditions will generally stipulate full-time PhD study
- Study modes
- Full-time 3 to 4 years; part-time 6 to 8 years (part-time for New Zealand students)
- Deadlines
- Eligible candidates can enrol and start their PhD at any time of year
Fees and costs
Original currency is authoritative. Each price keeps its basis (per year, per credit, whole program), academic year and student category, and is never converted. Annual tuition and whole-program tuition are different figures.
| Item | Amount | Applies to | Dated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor of Philosophy tuition, 2026 (indicative; University of Auckland PhD fee page)Tuition | NZ$8,847.60per year, 2026 | Same tuition fees for NZ and international PhD students under a government funding scheme, per the page | 19 October 2026Source |
No total is shown: the sources do not state a whole-program figure and the published duration and fee basis do not support a calculation.
Studio fees, materials, model-making, printing, software, equipment, field trips and residencies are not listed by the institution on the pages we checked; architecture students often meet such costs.
Sources and verification
Not published on the program’s source pages: portfolio requirement, whether a previous architecture degree is required, accreditation or validation record.
Sources and how this was checked
Last checked 19 October 2026. Each fact carries a verbatim quote that is re-checked against the live page. Research methodology.
Sources (checked 19 October 2026)