Full-time students may complete all coursework within two years, although many doctoral students are employed professionals and part-time enrollment is common and acceptable. Courses are taught at a range of times and generally meet once a week for three hours. The faculty attempt to schedule courses to meet the needs of working students.
Core Curriculum, Research Core, and Dissertation Sequence
The 51-credit Ph.D. curriculum effective September 2016 consists of a 9-credit core curriculum, a 12-credit research core, an 18-credit specialization component, and a 12-credit dissertation sequence. Transfer credits are acceptable if the coursework is consonant with the student's plan of study.
Core Curriculum (9 credits):
- History of Global Metropolis (48:977:611 NJIT) or
- The Good City: Environmental Design and the Quality of Metropolitan Life (48:977:615 NJIT)
- Globalization, International Migration, and Contemporary Cities (26:977:617 Rutgers-Newark) or
- Urban Governance in Global Perspective (26:977:624:02 Rutgers-Newark)
- Urban Theory (TBD)
Research Core (12 credits):
- Research Seminar: Quantitative Methods I (49:977:631 Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences)
- Research Seminar: Qualitative Methods I (26:977:620 Rutgers-Newark )
- Research methods course by advisement
- Research methods course by advisement
Electives and specialization courses (18 credits):
- Varies by track; chosen in consultation with adviser and eventually dissertation committee
Dissertation Research (12 credits)
Programs, Faculty, and Courses 
