Program Director Statement
The Doctor of Design (DDes) program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design is a doctoral degree program for highly creative and motivated professionals who wish to conduct intensive design research. DDes research covers a broad range of subjects related to the built environment, and represents the cutting edge of professional design investigation. The multidisciplinary nature of DDes research in areas such as technology applied to the built environment, urban design, planning, and environmental studies related to landscape, provides a rich opportunity for diverse research but does not necessarily correspond to the individual academic disciplines represented in other schools at Harvard University. With this in mind, the program is composed of researchers whose areas of expertise and study are closely related with the academic curricula at Harvard GSD.
Once admitted to the program, DDes students are required to spend four of their six semesters in residence at Harvard GSD. In their first year, students must take 32 units of course work, including a DDes pro-seminar. After their first year, DDes students must pass a general exam where an advisory committee will review the student’s research proposal based on three important criteria: originality, contribution to the field, and feasibility. Upon passing their general exam, students can apply for two semesters of leave of absence, but must be in residence for at least two additional semesters. During the second year in the DDes program students have the opportunity to work as Teaching Fellows to enhance their teaching experience while completing 32 units of thesis research. The third year of study requires DDes students to complete another 32 units of thesis work, culminated by a public thesis defense and the approval of the thesis by the advisory committee.
DDes alumni hold prestigious positions ranging from private practice to academia that bear testimony to the high quality of the program.
Antoine Picon
Doctor of Design Program Director, Harvard GSD
