Admission
Admission to the Master of Urban Design program will require a professional degree in architecture, landscape architecture or urban planning from a degree program that is accredited by the national accrediting body for the profession (Bachelor of Architecture, Master of Architecture, Master of Landscape Architecture, Master of Planning, or foreign equivalent). All students will be required to complete the general admission requirements of the Graduate School of Architecture
Master of Urban Design Curricula
The Master of Urban Design (MUD) degree is a 45-credit hour program. A thesis will be required.
The MUD program will provide advanced education in urban design history, theory, analysis and applied practice, with an emphasis on hands-on experience in the spatial design of environments across a variety of sites, scales and regional contexts. At the core of the curriculum is a three-semester sequence of urban design studios created specifically for Master of Urban Design students. Through these 18 credits of intense, focused project-based design training and skill-building, students will explore the environmental, structural, geographic and social factors impacting the sustainability and resilience of Virginia’s urban coastal regions, and rapid urbanization processes in select sites around the globe. With an emphasis on interdisciplinary, evidence-based design, the studios will train students to conduct, analyze and apply advanced research on significant urban challenges, including spatial equity and climate change.
The studio sequence will run alongside a trio of core seminars that will educate students in urban history and theory, urban analysis, and communication strategies. Students will learn various tools and software to simulate, model and visualize urban design projects; and build their collaboration and communication skills to effectively disseminate their research and design work to key constituencies. Restricted electives will introduce students to the processes of global urbanization, and the allied fields of urban ecology and urban economics, developing competencies that will be integrated and applied in their studio projects. Throughout the interwoven studio-seminar sequence, students will work together to examine urban design challenges through the lens of multiple disciplines; share working methods and acquire new skills; and identify, evaluate and apply best practices and effective, innovative design solutions. Open electives, chosen from the wide-ranging offerings of the School of Architecture and University at large, will allow students to further tailor the program to their personal interests and thesis.
For the required thesis, students will conduct and present an original research and design project. They will independently frame an urban design problem, conduct a thorough literature review and best practices analysis, and present their findings and recommendations verbally, visually and in writing.
Master of Urban Design Degree Curriculum
Program Requirements
Core Courses: 27 credits
- UD 9010 – Urban Design Foundation Studio* (6 credits) UD 9020 – Urban Design Next Cities Studio* (6 credits) UD 9030 – Urban Design Final Thesis Studio* (6 credits) UD 9601 – Urban Design Theory* (3 credits)
- UD 9611 – Urban Analysis* (3 credits)
- UD 9621 – Urban Design Communication Strategies* (3 credits)
Restricted Electives: 9 credits
Students choose one course from each of the following three content areas:
Global Urbanization Processes: 3 credits
- ARH/PLAN 7040 – Advanced Metropolis (3 credits)
- SARC 6100 – Urbanizing Worlds (3 credits)
Urban Ecologies: 3 credits
- LAR 6212 – EcoTech II (3 credits)
- UD 9212 – Urban Ecologies and Material Assemblies* (3 credits)
- EVSC 7040 – Climate Change: Science, Policy, Markets (3 credits)
Urban Economics/Policies: 3 credits
- PLAN 8050 – Advanced Land, Law and the Environment (3 credits)
- PLAN 8420 – Economic Development (3 credits)
- PLAN 8870 – Environment and the Economy (3 credits)
- PLAN 8200 – Real Estate Develop Process I (3 credits)
Electives: 9 credits
Students choose one course from each of the following three categories:
- One urban design elective within the School of Architecture (3 credits)
- One urban design elective within the School of Architecture or across the University (3 credits)
- One independent research or open elective in relation to thesis project (3 credits)
Total Credits: 45
Description of Required Thesis
Students will complete a thesis in the third and final required studio, UD 9030 – Urban Design Final Thesis Studio. Students must conduct original, independent research that informs an urban design project and will be expressed through: 1) visual representations such as plans, renderings, diagrams, analytical drawings, and physical models; and 2) a brief written text of up to 3,000 words. The project will be presented to a jury of internal and external reviewers and submitted in digital and physical form. The work will be evaluated by a committee of faculty who will determine whether the thesis meets the School of Architecture’s standards for originality, significance in the design field, use of research, and quality of design. The thesis will be issued a grade and must meet a minimum of a B-.
If a student does not meet the minimum grade requirement, they will be given a detailed evaluation and plan for revisions. The student will be expected to complete all revisions and resubmit the report within one semester of the initial submission. The student may be directed to undertake additional coursework or other measures deemed necessary for the success of the recommended revisions. A second grade below a B- will result in dismissal from the degree program.
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