Urban Planning Program Department of Geography Urban Planning Program Undergraduate Program Degrees . B.A., B.S. Urban Planning Major . This program is administered by the Department of Geography under the direction of an interdepartmental committee. Planning is a profession dedicated to helping society manage change. Urban planners assist in understanding and solving problems related to the preservation and enhancement of community life, the protection of the environment, the promotion of equitable economic opportunity, and the management of urban growth and change.
Planning typically involves the performance of a number of roles.
Some planners function as technical analysts or researchers, others as designers or program developers, some as social change agents, and still others as managers or educators. Unlike most careers, planning is a highly interdisciplinary profession. For planners to develop plans, programs, and policies, they have to assess, understand, and communicate the social, economic, political, and environmental consequences of policy options. Some specializations in the field include land use and environmental planning, economic development, housing and community development, transportation planning, urban design, historic preservation, and governmental information systems. Provide students a broadly based, interdisciplinary Urban Planning Program which cuts across traditional departmental and college boundaries.