We are part of one of the nation's great universities. Our interdisciplinary approach encourages students to explore the University's strong professional schools and social sciences departments, distinguished international area studies centers, and noted sciences and engineering. These departments and programs offer opportunities for a range of dual degrees that strengthen specialization in areas such as environmental planning, spatial analysis, community planning, urban policy, real estate development, gaming and simulation, and many others. The International Institute provides opportunities for study in international settings. The University's library system is at the forefront of the use of electronic resources and has a large, diverse collection of materials.
Graduates join a network of alumni known around the world.
In our department we define urban and regional planning as a profession and scholarly field focused on improving the quality of life in places. Urban and regional planning is a broad field that blends into numerous other social sciences and professional practices at its margins. At the master's level, we offer a core curriculum that covers material we believe all planners should know, augmented by seven concentrations that give students an opportunity to gain expertise in a particular field. The core provides about a third of the coursework for a master's student. The concentrations are transportation, environmental planning, land use and physical planning, urban design, economic development, international development, and community development and housing.