PhD in Sustainable Built Environments

Sustainable Design Strategies | Advanced Energy Modelling | Urban Infrastructure and Transport | Interior Environment | Environmental Policy and Economics·Faculty of Engineering and It

PhD

Overview

The PhD in Sustainable Built Environments at The British University in Dubai addresses the urgent need for expertise in environmentally responsive design, following the British model in which students are mainly trained in the first year on research skills before beginning work on their thesis from the second year onwards.

Typical Job Titles

Professor/Researcher (Academia)
Researcher (Research Centres)
Policy Maker (Regulatory and Policy-Making Organisations)
Sustainability Strategy Manager (Private Sector Management and Strategy)

Secure your spot today!

Fall 2026 applications are now open! Apply today and get ready to begin an exciting journey at British University In Dubai.

Apply Now

Tuition & Fees

Contact admissions

The programme has a dedicated Fees page but the exact tuition figures could not be retrieved (page returned a verification/loading screen at time of scraping): https://www.buid.ac.ae/programmes/phd-in-sustainable-built-environments/fees/. Sibling BUiD PhD programmes on the same three-stage/540-credit British-model structure list total fees ranging AED 200,000-250,000.

Program Details

Degree level: PhD
College: Faculty of Engineering and It
Concentration: Sustainable Design Strategies | Advanced Energy Modelling | Urban Infrastructure and Transport | Interior Environment | Environmental Policy and Economics

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, graduates will be able to:

Demonstrate a high level of understanding of applicable research techniques for investigation and advanced academic inquiry in relevant Sustainability themes

Academic Requirements8

1A recognised Master's degree in a subject related to the programme with a cumulative GPA greater than 3.0 on a 4.0-point scale (or equivalent)
2A recognised Bachelor's degree in a subject related to the programme, in a Built Environment-related field (those without sufficient background may need to complete additional master's-level coursework at no extra cost)
3Minimum EmSAT score of 1400, TOEFL score of 550 (213 CBT, 79 iBT), or IELTS academic score of 6.0, or equivalent recognised test
4Chosen area of SBE study must be one which can be supervised by staff within the University
5Initial research proposal, including motivation to study for a PhD, discussed through an interview
6Certificate of equivalency issued by MOHESR for degrees awarded outside the UAE
7Copy of passport and Emirates ID (if available); Al Ethbara Number for UAE nationals
8Relevant professional experience (3+ years preferred), successful interview performance, satisfactory reference letters

Program Requirements5

1540 credits total, programme duration of four years across three stages
2Stage 1: RES691 Qualitative Research Methods and Paradigms (40), RES692 Quantitative Methods (40)
3Stage 2: RESSBE693 Research Design and Planning (40), SBE694 Proposal Defence (0)
4Stage 3: SBE699 Thesis (420)
5Year 1 focuses on research methodology courses across three terms; Year 2 includes proposal defence in Term 1; Years 3-4 involve research work, thesis write-up, completion and viva examination