Presentation
The doctorate in architecture aims to develop the construction of high-level scientific knowledge capable of nourishing professional practice, theoretical construction in architecture as much as training within ENSAs.
Targeted skills
- Design, develop and implement a research and development, studies and foresight approach
- Value and transfer the results of a research and development, studies and foresight approach
- Perform a scientific and technological watch on an international scale
- Train and disseminate scientific and technical culture
- Manage research teams
Training objectives
Acquire critical thinking skills and master the practice of design to address increasingly complex issues
Develop foresight and strategic intelligence skills for decision-makers and advisors
Preparing for the different ways of practicing architecture
Training location
3 rue Maurice Audin
69120 Vaulx-en-Velin
Program
Training structure
The doctorate is prepared within ENSAL's research teams: the EVS-LAURe laboratory, part of the joint research unit - UMR CNRS 5600 or the MAP-Aria laboratory, part of the MAP research unit.
The ENSAL carries the architecture major within the university doctoral school-ED 483 "Histoire, géographie, aménagement, urbanisme, architecture, archéologie, science politique, sociologie, anthropologie" of the Lyon-Saint-Etienne site.
The modalities of architectural research are vast, from fundamental research to finalized research or even project-based research. The fields of architectural research cover (non-exhaustive list) the sociology and anthropology of the inhabited, spatial planning and urbanism, the history of architecture, inhabitation (mobility, infrastructures), ambiences, environmental issues of built worlds, modeling, design and materials, project analysis, etc.
Funding is available for this cycle: doctoral contracts, grants, Conventions Industrielles de Formation par la Recherche - CIFRE. The doctoral student's work is then supervised by a thesis director, a member of the laboratory and Habilité à Diriger des Recherches-HDR.
The Doctor of Architecture degree is awarded by ENSAL, on behalf of the University of Lyon, following submission of the thesis manuscript and a public defense. Since 2016, the thesis can be co-supervised by an architect or any other recognized professional.
During the course of study, doctoral students are encouraged to take an active part in the life of the laboratory through doctoral meetings, seminars and colloquia, during which they have the opportunity to present and discuss their work in progress or learn about other research.
Access requires a level of training corresponding to the Master's degree.
Doctoral training
- Labeled training courses at the Doctoral School 483
- Training courses COMUE
The EVS laboratory offers its 130 PhD students, including those in EVS-LAURe, tool training, writing workshops, methodological and thematic seminars on the UMR 5600 site.
Discover EVS theses and the lab's PhD student blog by clicking here.
Further studies
- Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (to supervise theses in particular)
- Specialization in a specific field of architecture (Diplômes de spécialisation et d'approfondissement, DSA Architecture et patrimoine de l'Ecole de Chaillot, DSA Architecture et risques majeurs de l'ENSA de Paris-Belleville, DSA Projets de territoire de l'ENSA de Paris-La Villette).
Career opportunities
Where to work?
Public sector: CNRS (competitive entrance examination), universities, grandes écoles, architecture schools, art schools (competitive entrance examination), local authorities (competitive entrance examination), Ministries of Ecological Transition, Culture, and its offshoots CEREMA, ADEME, CSTB, national agencies (ANR, ANCT, ONEau, ONBiodiversité...)
Private sector: in the research arm of construction and public works companies, in design offices, architecture agencies.
Private sector: in the research arm of construction and public works companies, in design offices, architecture agencies.
Private sector: in the research arm of construction and public works companies, in design offices, architecture agencies.
Doctoral student
"PhDs in architecture provide a wealth of knowledge on a subject that can be explored over several years. Professional opportunities and project set-ups within the framework of research are numerous"
Marine Giraudon, PhD student EVS-LAURe - UMR CNRS 5600.
What teachers say
"A doctorate is a way of enhancing the value of stepping back and thinking for action on the ground"
Manuel Appert, research lecturer EVS-LAURe - UMR CNRS 5600.
"A doctorate is of interest to architects in many ways. It allows you to take the time to delve deeper into a subject, to share your visions, to build an alternative career path, to write about your architectural practice, to take a step back from contemporary production, to be published, to open the doors of major agencies with research and development centers or international research laboratories, communicate on one's work, gain easier access to higher education"
Cécile Regnault, head of doctoral training, head of the architecture specialization at ED 483 sciences humaines, Université de Lyon.
Financing
The reference thesis period for a full-time PhD student is three years. Thus, research grants or subsidies are spread over a maximum period of 36 months from the first year of registration. Applications must be approved by the HDR teacher, then by the laboratory and doctoral school directors.
There are various sources of funding, including two main ones: the doctoral contract and the CIFRE contract.
The doctoral contract
The one-year doctoral contract is renewable twice. It is equivalent to an employment contract, and provides a minimum monthly remuneration that enables the doctoral student to devote himself/herself to his/her research work: €1684.93 gross if the contract doctoral student carries out only research, or €2024.70 gross if he/she is also a teacher.
Applications are submitted around May/June, before the first thesis registration. The contract is awarded to doctoral students who have previously taken the research option and who have had the opportunity to demonstrate a real aptitude for research. Lastly, the candidate must obtain the agreement of a research supervisor and an attached laboratory.
Discover the doc contract from the Ministry of Culture.
The CIFRE contract
CIFRE (Conventions Industrielles de Formation par la Recherche) industrial research training agreements, managed by the ANRT (Association Nationale de la Recherche Technologie), bring together three partners around a doctoral project: a student who obtained a Master's degree less than 3 years ago, a laboratory and a company or local authority. Under a CIFRE contract, the doctoral student divides his or her time between the company or local authority concerned and the laboratory to which he or she is attached.
Applications for CIFRE contracts can be made at any time of the year, provided that the host company and laboratory have drawn up a research collaboration contract stipulating the terms and conditions of the partnership (research methodology, doctoral student's place of work, intellectual property, etc.) no later than nine months after the contract is signed.There are also other ways to finance your doctorate, depending on your research project. The Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region, France's second-largest in terms of research and innovation, for example, is setting up a number of schemes to support and promote interdisciplinary, cross-disciplinary research and to structure research around major societal issues.
Discover the CIFRE contract.
The Explo'RA DOC CMIRA grant
The Rhône-Alpes - CMIRA international cooperation and mobility grant managed by the Region encourages the international mobility of doctoral students in a foreign host institution accredited to award a degree equivalent to a French doctorate. This grant, which can only be paid once for a stay of three to six months, amounts to €710 net per month. Co-tutored doctoral students may renew it once.
Applications for the CMIRA Explor'RA DOC scholarship must be made through the institution and must be in line with the international strategy developed by the École. They will finally be evaluated by a selection panel made up of regional elected representatives, a representative of the Communauté d'universités et d'établissements - COMUE, a representative of the Alliance des grandes écoles d'Auvergne Rhône-Alpes - AGERA, a representative of the academic research communities, a representative of economic clusters and competitiveness clusters.
Finally, some organizations may call on a PhD student in the form of a call for tender to meet specific needs specific to their field of activity.
Other funding schemes
- Thesis funding types from the Ministry of Enseignement supérieur
- Association Andès for finding thesis funding
- Foundation grants Palladio
- Fundit, portal for calls for projects
PhD registration fees amount to 458 euros per year.