The faculty in the school also participate in offering the Ph.D. degree in Environmental Design and Planning program. Graduates acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for leadership roles in the planning profession.
Students take a core and select additional courses from the area of specialty.
Urban and regional development prepares students for employment in areas such as housing, economic and community development, policy analysis, transportation, and the politics of planning. Students selecting this area of specialty should have a degree in design or planning or be prepared to take basic design courses as a prerequisite. Students are prepared to work in land-use planning, the design of specific parcels of land, the preparation of development controls, and the drafting of guidelines for development controls and design. Landscape ecological planning prepares students for careers in public land management, conservation of renewable and nonrenewable resources, the management of solid and hazardous wastes, environmental impact assessment, and land-use planning. All areas of specialty emphasize environmental and urban planning in rapidly developing metropolitan areas, preparing graduates for advanced careers in either the public or private sector.