ObjectivesThe Urban Studies and the Urban Planning programs are uniquely designed to address the rapidly expanding needs of the paragovernmental and private sectors. The hands‑on curriculum with a strong laboratory and applied focus provides the theoretical and methodological tools for carrying out urban studies and designs. Urban planners are among the more coveted professionals in our increasingly competitive and integrated environment. Their work covers an enormous range and scope, from choosing a location for a new store or managing the property portfolio of a corporation, to measuring the impact of an urban project on the environment or local community. Students in our Urban Studies and Urban Planning programs develop key problem‑solving skills, learning how to assess a problem, gather relevant information and come up with solutions. Graduates have gone on to careers in urban planning, risk assessment, and urban design.
Academic titleBachelor of Arts in Urban Studies
Course descriptionMajor in Urban Studies: 42 credits
* 12 elective credits at the introductory level in Urban Development, Planning, Representation Methods in Urban Studies, Analytical Methods in Urban Studies, Law and Regulation in Urban Planning
* 12 required credits at the intermediate level in Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods, Urban Systems, Vanishing Borders: Regions and the New International Order, Urban and Regional Economic Development
* 9 elective credits in Anthropology, Sociology, Art History, Geography, Political Science or other courses approved by the advisor
* 9 elective credits in advanced Urban Studies courses
* 48 elective credits in any department, some of which may take the form of a Major or Minor in another discipline
Minor in Urban Studies: 30 credits
* 6 credits in Urban Development and Planning
* 24 elective credits in Representation Methods in Urban Studies, Analytical Methods in Urban Studies, Law and Regulation in Urban Planning, Urban Systems, Urban Ecology, Industrial Restructuring, Reading the Urban Form, Impact Assessment, Urban Planning in the Developing World, Behaviour and the Environment, Public Space and Public Interest, the Human Environment: Place, Space and Identity, Urban Geography and Urban Transportation