Mar 28, 2024  
Undergraduate Record 2013-2014 
    
Undergraduate Record 2013-2014 [ARCHIVED RECORD]

Urban and Environmental Planning


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Programs

The Program in Urban and Environmental Planning balances professional planning skills with a liberal education emphasizing interdisciplinary study. Students typically take courses in the social and natural sciences, the humanities, and in design fields that complement professional courses in planning practice and theory. Graduates  begin work in the public,  private, or nonprofit sectors in urban and rural areas; some continue  to graduate professional studies.

The scope of the planner’s work encompasses present and future urban and environmental concerns, including such diverse issues as environmental impact, quality of life, and the public and private costs of development.  Public sector planners work for all levels of government, formulating plans to redevelop or rehabilitate downtowns and neighborhoods, develop land aesthetically and profitably, and regulate private development to protect public interests. Although planners frame long-range designs, anticipating futures 5 to 20 years away, they are also deeply involved in choosing among current projects. Private sector planners employed with land developers, utilities, banks, property management firms, industries, and other major corporations do similar work according to the particular concerns of each business. Planners in the nonprofit sector represent a variety of environmental and citizen advocacy organizations.  Many of these concerns are integrated with the department’s focus on sustainable community development.

Students may enter the program directly from high school, or as is most often the case, they may apply for transfer from another University school or other accredited universities or colleges. Students who start the program as first-years will follow the first-year curriculum for all architecture students (see the Architecture Program); students who transfer in after their first year will follow a modified version of the curriculum below.  Students who wish to transfer to the program should consult with the director of undergraduate studies before applying for transfer for the spring or fall semesters. If other prerequisites have been met, it is possible for transfer students to complete the required planning courses in two years. 

Accreditation The undergraduate program in Urban and Environmental Planning is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board, sponsored jointly by the American Institute of Certified Planners and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.

Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning


Students must have a minimum of 124 credits with at least a 2.000 average in order to graduate with a Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning degree. A minimum of C- is required of all PLAN/PLAC and Language of Architecture courses. Students who start the program as first-years will follow the curriculum listed below; students who transfer in after their first year should consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies about appropriate course substitutions. Students who wish to transfer to the program should consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies before applying for transfer for the spring or fall semesters. If other prerequisites have been met, it is possible for transfer students to complete the required planning courses in two years.

Second Year


Fall Semester - Credits: 16 Spring Semester - Credits: 16

 

Third Year


Fall Semeser - Credits: 15 Spring Semester - Credits: 15
  • Open Electives Credits: 6
  •  
  • Politics Elective Credits: 3
  • Professional Elective Credits: 3
    • (A Professional Elective can be taken in a professional school at the 3000 level or above with advisor’s permission.)

 

Fourth Year


Fall Semester - Credits: 15 Spring Semester - Credits: 15
  •  
  • Planning Application Course (PLAC) Credits: 3
    • (Planning applications courses are designated as PLAC. These courses emphasize field work, analysis, plan development, and document preparations.)
  • PLAN Elective or Fourth Year project Credits: 3
  • Open Elective Credits: 3
  • Social Science Credits: 3

 

NOTES


  1. English requirement is proficiency at ENWR 1510 level plus a second writing requirement as in Arts and Sciences.
  2. Environmental Science and Math are encouraged (Alert: some EVSC are classified as Social Science)
  3. Majors take six credits of Politics and 12 other credits of Social Science in addition to ECON 2010 and 2020.
  4. One of the Humanities or Open Elective credits must be of Non-Western Studies designation.

Urban and Environmental Planning Mnor


Requirements

A minor in urban and environmental planning requires 15 credits of PLAN courses with a minimum grade of C-. Students may choose from among any PLAN course, with no more than 6 credits at the 5000 level. PLAN courses taken as a completed Planning Minor do not count against the limit of credits college students can take outside the College.

Jointly listed courses PLAN/ARCH, PLAN/EVSC, etc. also count toward the minor.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Programs