Planning - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Environment 3

Environment 3 (EV3) Building located on Waterloo's Campus, across from Laurel Creek.

Advance and create new knowledge in the field of planning and work towards a career in academia or the policy world with the PhD in Planning program.

You’ll gain a practice-oriented and conceptually rigorous education that offers unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional growth.  

Through your research, explore some of the most pressing societal issues such as affordable housing, climate change, environmental conservation and policy, active transportation, urban economies, participatory planning processes, and equity and inclusion, among many other subjects.

While much of the research in the School of Planning is multidisciplinary, professors' research activities generally fall into two major theme areas; the physical/natural environment and the human and built environment. Funding packages are available for incoming planning graduate students who meet certain levels of academic merit and apply by the application deadline. Graduates from this program have gone on to work in a variety of positions in academic, government and private industry.

Research fields

  • Human and Built Environment

  • Physical/Natural Environment

Research project opportunities for this program

Environmental Sociology of Natural Assets and Nature-based Solutions

Natural assets are the stocks of natural resources and ecosystems that produce ecosystem services. Nature-based solutions, then, are actions we take to optimize ecosystem services use to help resolve societal challenges such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, floodwater control, environmental pollution, biodiversity loss, and threats to people's physical and mental health.

'Blackwards' to the Future: Past, present, and futures of the African American community of South Phoenix, AZ

Blackward to the Future is a community-led, participatory action research initiative dedicated to reclaiming the past, present, and future of the African American community in Phoenix, Arizona. The project seeks to address the erasure of Black histories from the city’s cultural landscape by documenting oral histories, preserving community archives, facilitating intergenerational dialogue, and co-creating future urban visions. Drawing on the Adinkra concept of sankofa—the principle of looking to the past to move forward—the project emphasizes joy, resistance, and self-determination over damage-centered narratives.

Spatial Data Sharing Between Government and the Private Sector

The Waterloo Civic Map Lab is a research team focused on how geospatial technologies and data are used to meet the needs of community, government, and civic organizations. Student researchers at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral) work to create applied and theoretical research that matters - understanding the challenges, benefits, and issues created by civic technologies and geospatial data.

Program overview

Department/School: School of Planning
Faculty: Faculty of Environment
Admit term(s): Fall (September - December)
Delivery mode: On-campus
Program type: Doctoral, Research
Length of program: 48 months (full-time)
Registration option(s): Full-time, Part-time
Study option(s): Thesis

Application deadlines

  • January 15 (for admission in September)

Key contacts

Tracey Beirness
env-plan@uwaterloo.ca

Alexander Petric

Alex Petric’s research on housing inequalities in the Region of Waterloo reveals the need to integrate social and demographic data into housing needs assessments.

Supervisors

Admission requirements

  • A master's degree with excellent standing (minimum 80%) from a recognized university. Evidence of ability to pursue independent research is essential.

Degree requirements

Application materials

  • Resume
  • Statement of interest
    • A statement of maximum 500 words explaining your interest in and fit for the program you’re applying to, uploaded as a supporting document in the online application. Review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion.
  • Program-specific questions (PSQ)
    • These are questions specific to the program you’re applying to. They can be viewed once you’ve started an application and are completed through a form in the online application.
  • Transcript(s)
  • Writing sample
    • At least one substantial example of work completed during the last two years of academic study. Students with professional experience may submit a professional report of which they were sole or senior author.
  • References
    • Three references are required, at least two academic.
  • Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
    • TOEFL 100 (writing 26, speaking 26), IELTS 7.5 (writing 7.0, speaking 7.0)

Tuition and fees