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Student in Garden

Urban Leadership and Entrepreneurship - Ph.D.

Program Overview

Ph.D. in Urban Leadership and Entrepreneurship 

Are you curious about the world around us and its complexities? Then take your education to the highest level with a Ph.D. in Urban Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ULAE) from the University of the District of Columbia. The program offers four concentrations: (1) Urban sustainability and resilience, (2) Urban governance and policy, (3) Urban education and (4) Urban entrepreneurship. The program is interdisciplinary, committed to the scholar practitioner model of knowledge creation and accepts qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and with almost any master's degree. As one of UDC's two doctoral programs, our current Ph.D. students and candidates include educators, dieticians, medical doctors, public health specialists, urban planners, transportation specialists and more.

Once accepted, you will be admitted within a cohort with a focus on how your skills and professional interests complement those of your peers. You will learn as much from each other as you will our faculty. The cohort model facilitates a supportive learning environment that will help you pursue your degree.

Student in garden

As a Ph.D. ULAE student, you will have the opportunity to determine what field you want to focus on and what knowledge you want to contribute. Starting as early as the application process, we encourage you to let us know what problems you want to solve and to what scholarly or practitioner field you want to contribute. The program is offered in collaboration with Fielding Graduate University which is well known for its human development and leadership programs.

At UDC, we hope that our program provides you the chance to pursue your goals for your community and the world at large. Our advisors in the ULAE program will help you turn your interests into valuable research projects, providing you with the expertise and support needed to achieve success while also drawing on tier experience and record and successful scholar practitioners.

Note: The ULAE program is structured into two years of coursework and a cumulative dissertation. To fulfill the dissertation requirement, you must be the lead author or sole author of two published articles in reputable peer-reviewed journals. 

Dissertation Guidelines

Concentrations

Admission Requirements and How to Apply

The ULAE program follows a semester schedule and typically starts in mid-August of each year. To be considered for admission, you must submit your application by April 15 of the same year you intend to begin your course of study. 

The Ph.D. program in Urban Leadership and Entrepreneurship is currently not open to international applicants.

To qualify, you must meet the following criteria and submit the materials listed below:

  • Bachelor's degree and master's degree (in any field)
  • Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0


Required Documents and Materials

  • Application
  • Official transcript(s) from all previous institutions
  • Current Resume/CV
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Statement of purpose explaining your reason for interest in the program
  • Critical thinking writing sample (500-word minimum) addressing the following:
    • "What do you see as the most critical urban issue today?"
    • "Why do you consider it a critical issue?"
    • "What suggestions (if any) do you have to address it?"
  • Pay the applicable non-refundable graduate WebAdMIT application fee. The UDC $50 application fee is waived.
  • Standardized test scores are NOT required for admission into the program. However, you may include them as part of your admission materials.

If you have a Master of Science degree from a higher learning institution outside of the United States, you must also submit the following documents in addition to those listed above:

  • NACES course by course evaluation of transcripts
  • TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo scores
  • Pay the non-refundable $38 WebAdMIT application fee. UDC $50 application fee is waived.
  • Aside from the TOEFL/IELTS scores, standardized test scores are not required for admission into the program. You may include these scores as part of your admission submission.

Apply Now! 

Program Outcomes

Contact Us

To learn more about the Ph.D. in Urban Leadership and Entrepreneurship program at UDC, contact us today!

Dr. Sabine O'Hara
Distinguished Professor, Ph.D. Program Director
Architecture and Urban Sustainability
4250 Connecticut Ave. NW
Office 5111
202-274-7171 or 202-368-9504
sabine.ohara@gmail.com

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