Master of Urban and Environmental Planning

Admission

Students from a wide range of academic backgrounds are admitted to the Master of Urban and Environmental Planning degree program. Applicants with an accredited bachelor’s degree in the social sciences, engineering, design, or liberal arts contribute to the vitality of the program and to the field of planning.

Overview and Philosophy

The Master of Urban and Environmental Planning degree is a professional degree aimed at individuals interested in planning and creating healthy, safe, livable and equitable communities. Students in this degree program obtain the analytical skills, technical tools, theoretical insights, and applied experience needed to make them effective, ethical and compassionate professionals. 

A distinctive feature of our program is our commitment to community engagement, collaborative planning, and sustainability. While sustainability is addressed in specific courses with that title, it provides the underlying framework for virtually all of the department’s courses. The name of our department is Urban and Environmental Planning. We believe it is necessary to consider both the urban and environmental aspects of a setting to address its issues, problems, and opportunities. We are as much concerned with the economy and issues of equity as we are with the environment and find it more useful to emphasize linkages than distinctions. We hope to inspire our students to share our enthusiasm for addressing the planning needs of sustainable communities.

The degree requires 49 credits: 22 in the core generalist courses, 15 for a self-defined concentration, 3 in a required PLAN environment elective, 7 credits in 2 PLAC electives and one 2 credit elective. Graduate courses (5000-level or higher) are selected from those in the department and in other departments in the School and University. Students earning dual degrees or who have transferred from other planning programs may warrant advanced standing and be able to complete the planning program in less than two years. Students may take more than the minimum 49 credits if their schedules allow it.

Courses taken at other institutions are normally not accepted. Under exceptional circumstances a petition along with supporting materials (i.e. syllabus and work samples) may be submitted to receive an exemption from taking a required course. Candidates are required to fulfill the total degree credit requirement regardless of course exemptions granted. Petitions are to be submitted to the instructor of the course for which a waiver is desired; the Graduate Director must approve the waiver.

The Core Courses Required of All Students

• Core Generalist Courses:

• PLAN 6010 - Fundamentals of Planning Credits: 3
• PLAN 6020 - Methods of Community Research and Engagement Credits: 3
• PLAN 6030 - Introduction to GIS Credits: 3
• PLAN 6040 - Quantitative Methods of Planning Analysis Credits: 4
• PLAN 6050 - Law, Land and the Environment Credits: 3
• PLAN 6060 - Collaborative Planning Process for Sustainability Credits: 3
• PLAN 6070 - Planning Theory and Practice Credits: 3

• Planning Practicum:

• PLAC 6090 - Planning Practicum Credits: 4

• Required Environmental Course - Choose 1 from:

• PLAN 5810 - Sustainable Communities Credits: 3 OR
• PLAN 5830 - Environmental Policy and Planning Credits: 3 OR
• PLAN 5840 - Ethics of Environmental & Cities Credits: 3 OR
• PLAN 6860 - Cities + Nature Credits: 3

• OR another urban planning course approved by the department chair

Planning Application Courses (PLAC)

In addition to the above courses, all students must take one additional planning application course (PLAC). This course should be taken within the first three semesters of residency. A planning application course combines theory and practice, emphasizing application through a project approach. These are listed each semester through the Student Information System (SIS), with their subject matter rotating among land use planning, housing, community development, environmental impact analysis, social planning, transportation planning, neighborhood analysis, and other subjects.

Student Directed Planning Concentrations

In addition to completing the basic curriculum, students meet with their advisors to plan courses of specialized study called Planning Concentrations (PCs). Their purpose is to enable students to develop deeper expertise in a specific area (like transportation, housing, design) of greatest interest to them. Planning Concentrations should be crafted in consultation with departmental advisors; advisors have a template of courses that serve as foundation courses as well as complementary electives.  Of the 15 credits required for the concentration, at least 2 courses must be drawn from the planning department (i.e., be PLAN classes.)  Additionally, each self-directed planning concentration must include an appropriate PLAC. Students enrolled in specific certificate programs, such as the urban design and historic preservation certificates explained below, should use the certificate program as their planning concentration.

Certificate Programs

Internship

The degree has a required internship requirement.  An internship is an approved ten-week assignment in an agency, firm, or organization engaged in planning activities. It takes place during the summer between the first and second years of study, for which no course credit is given and no tuition is charged.  Students are required to secure their own internships.  Prior work experience may satisfy this requirement.  Students seeking a waiver of the internship requirement must confer with the Graduate Director for approval.

Two-Year Program Summary

A typical two-year program leading to the Master of Urban and Environmental Planning degree would follow this general pattern. The environmental course requirement may be taken in any semester.