The PhD program in Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design (IUSD) is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary, international, interactive, and intercultural education. Building upon our success as a pioneering Master’s program, this PhD program aims to cultivate a new generation of experts, decision-makers, practitioners, and academics. Our core vision combines academic excellence with on-the-ground actions to provide students with a transformative learning experience and unlock boundless opportunities for personal and professional growth. 

This immersive learning experience fosters a collaborative environment where students from diverse disciplines and backgrounds can engage with real-world issues, develop sustainable solutions, and contribute to the global dialogue on urbanism and design. Our interdisciplinary approach ensures that students gain comprehensive knowledge and practical skills, enabling them to shape the future of cities worldwide. 

 Duration of study: 

Duration of study is determined by the number of semesters allowed (fall and spring only, not including summer semesters), as the following: 

The student must complete 18 credit hours of courses from the approved course lists and prepare a scientific thesis equivalent to 36 credit hours, totaling at least 54 credit hours to earn the Ph.D. degree.

Programme Timeline

The enrolled PhD students are required to study 18 credit hours of courses and prepare a scientific thesis equivalent to 36 credit hours, with at least 54 credit hours to obtain the Ph.D. degree.

1. Courses Track

With a total of at least 18 credit hours, the courses track is divided into:

1.1 Core Courses

 Upon enrollment, students begin with three core courses totaling 9 credit hours.

1.2 Specialized Courses

In coordination with the main supervisor, students select courses that would provide knowledge and a better understanding of the research topic they are working on. Students may start these courses following the thesis topic registration, totaling at least 9 credit hours.

2. Aptitude Test

Students must pass an aptitude test after completing the core courses. In this test, an examination committee sets questions for the students, which they answer and present to the committee along with their developed research proposal. Once they pass the test, they can register their research topic and be assigned a supervisory committee. The aptitude test marks the beginning of students’ focused research journey.

3. Research Track

The research track starts with PhD Proposal Development, in which the students develop their research plan parallel to the core courses with the guidance of an initial supervisory committee.

Following the thesis topic registration, students may start their focused academic research process equivalent to 36 credit hours as follows:

3.1 PhD Research Phase 1 (12 Credit Hours)

During this stage, students gather information about the background of their study, review relevant literature, and collect data. This phase concludes with Seminar 1.

3.2 PhD Research Phase 2 (12 Credit Hours)

Upon passing Seminar 1, students analyze the collected data, leading to conclusions and proposals. This phase concludes with seminar 2.

3.3 PhD Research Phase 3 (12 Credit Hours)

The final phase involves finalizing thesis writing and completing the publishing of at least two research papers derived from their thesis. This stage concludes with requesting a public thesis defense and forming a judging committee.

4. Thesis Defense

Students defend their research to a judging committee formed by the program council. Upon positive evaluation, the committee will submit evaluation reports to the Program Council and then to the University for consideration to award the degree.

Start of the programme

For the Spring Semester 24/25, the study period will start in February 2025 

Who can apply and How: (Eligibility and application requirements) 

Applicants with an M.Sc. in engineering or equivalent academic degrees as recognized by Ain Shams University or a Master’s degree in Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design, regardless of their original major.  

To apply, please fill in our application form and make sure that you submit the following documents : 

1. A filled in Application form 
2. A Bachelor’s degree certificate issued by a recognized Egyptian or foreign university. 
3. A Master’s degree certificate issued by a recognized Egyptian or foreign university 
4. A Master’s degree transcript (English) 
5. A certificate of English proficiency from accredited bodies locally, regionally, internationally, or its alternative. 

*Whoever applies is required to submit evidence proving that he has obtained an International English Language Proficiency Certificate (IELTS) with a grade point average of 6.5, or (TOEFL) with a grade point average of 79. It is also permissible to obtain a local exam certificate from Ain Shams University (TELP) with a score of 550. The programme board may exempt the applicant from this condition if there is proof of previous studies entirely in English or in case English is the applicant’s mother tongue.  

       6. An updated C.V.  

       7. Two letters of recommendation (English, no longer than 350 words each) 

         Letters need to be signed and dated; one from an academic authority and the other from a work   authority.

        8. A motivation letter  (English, no longer than 350 words) 

          Please Note: The recommended content for your motivation letter is as follows: Why are you interested in this specific program – its content and its focus? What special qualifications and skills did you gain through your previous academic career that are relevant to this program and that you can build on? What specific professional experience do you have that will contribute to the aims of this program? How do you hope to develop your career after receiving the PhD degree? 

      9. A preliminary research proposal of 2500 words maximum (excluding references) outlining the research objectives, methodology, and significance 

      10. A sample of your scientific writing, preferably a published article. If not, you may send a working paper or your MSc. Thesis. 

     11. A copy of the national ID card or passport 

Please send all the required documents as PDF files with title + your name to Phdapplications.iusd@eng.asu.edu.eg From 17.11.2024 till 20.12.2024 (For Spring 2024/25) 

It will take a maximum of 4 weeks from the end of the call to assess all documents based on the following criteria: 

• The fulfillment of our requirements 
• The scientific quality of the research proposal 
• The relevance of the research proposal 
• The quality of the CV, motivation letter, and the scientific writing sample 

Following a favorable result, we will invite you for an interview in person or via Teams. Afterward, we will determine whether you are accepted as a PhD candidate.