Planning is a dynamic and exciting field.
Planners combine analysis with activism and policy evaluation with implementation in order to improve the quality of life in cities and regions. Professionals are in demand in such diverse fields as community energy management, regional transit, pollution control analysis, public facilities engineering, rural economic development, public health, nonprofit neighborhood housing, legislative analysis, and real estate development. The University of Iowa is recognized as a leader in developing a curriculum attuned to the changing world of planning. At the heart of the master's degree program in Urban and Regional Planning is an integrated core curriculum that gives first-year students a solid foundation in social problem and public policy analysis, and prepares them for careers beyond the traditional position of city planner. During the second semester, students begin to develop areas of concentration.