UPD Thesis Guidelines
UPD Independent Thesis
Urban Planning and Urban Design students are not required by their degree to complete an Independent Thesis. The thesis project is an opportunity for students to pursue a design project they have researched and developed independently. UPD students are required to declare their second-year curricular pathway by the first Monday in April in their second semester. Eligible students who declare thesis will be required to submit a secondary petition by Thursday, May 1, 2025, which requires their topic and the signature of their advisor. UPD students who declare an Independent Thesis will be required to enroll in Thesis Prep in the fall of their final year.
Independent Design Thesis (ADV-9302; 8 units) is a full-year commitment and with Thesis Prep carries a total of 12-units.
Eligibility:
Urban Planning students who receive a minimum grade of “Pass” in both core studios are eligible to declare an Independent Design Thesis for their final year.
Urban Design students who receive a minimum grade of “Pass” in both Elements and their second semester UPD Option Studio and, at minimum, a “High Pass” in one of the two are eligible to declare an Independent Design Thesis in their final year. The Independent Design Thesis is taken in place of the fourth-semester Option Studio. Students who are eligible and declare an Independent Thesis instead in their fourth term must enroll in an Option Studio in the fall semester of their third term.
UPD Thesis Handbook 2024-2025
Recent UPD Theses
Addendum: Open Source Thesis Guide at the GSD
UPD Faculty Eligible for Thesis Advising in 2024-2025
UPD students must declare thesis by Monday, April 7, 2025, by submitting their second-year declaration form:
MUP Declaration Form
MAUD MLAUD Declaration Form
UPD students who declare Thesis will be required to submit a Secondary Thesis Petition form by Thursday, May 1, 2025, with their topic and the signature of their advisor:
Selected UPD theses are available through HOLLIS (Harvard Library), or as hard copy in the Loeb Design Library.
For current thesis students, all final PDF theses must be submitted to the Thesis Director and Program Coordinator by no later than 9:00 AM (ET) on May 19, 2025. The Department reserves the right to withhold student grades until thesis materials are submitted.