Urban Planning Concentrations

Each student specializes in one substantive area among the following four: environmental and land use planning, housing and development planning, transportation planning, or physical development planning. The student should declare this area by the second semester of his/her course of study. The minimum number of course hours for the major area depends on whether the student pursues the comprehensive examination or thesis option. Concentration area requirements for the two options are as follows:

(1) Comprehensive Exam Option - At least four courses (twelve credit hours) are taken by each student in his/her area of concentration.

(2) Thesis Option - At least three courses (nine credit hours) are taken by each student.

In each specialty area, relevant courses are classified in three groups: theory/policy, methods, and implementation. Each student must take at least one course in each of the above three groups. Faculty advisors have some latitude to designate supplementary courses that they think useful to the student's education. In addition, students may take Directed Readings courses to complete their concentration. Following are the theory/policy, methods and implementation courses in each specialty area:

Environmental Planning

Analysis of human interaction with the natural environment, policy alternatives for balancing interests and sustaining the function of natural systems, and techniques for minimizing environmental harms.

Housing and Development Planning

Analysis of housing and neighborhood problems, the real estate market, study of public policy alternatives directed to new construction, rehabilitation and community development at the federal, state, and local levels.

Land Use Planning and Urban Design

Land use and urban design combine the art and science of making places. Through the layout of city functions and the interplay of buildings and open space, planners help build sustainable communities. They use their understanding of regulatory and cooperative techniques and different policy contexts to help elected officials and citizens balance economic, environmental, equity, and livability values.

Transportation Planning

Physical characteristics of urban transportation systems (highways and mass transit), transportation planning techniques including travel demand forecasting, evaluation of alternative transportation plans, institutional and policy aspects of urban transportation.