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Urban planning education

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University-level urban planning education is offered as an academic degree in urban, city or regional planning, awarded as either an Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, or Doctorate.

Since planning programs are usually small, they tend not to be housed in distinct "planning schools" but rather, as part of an architecture school, a geography department, or a public policy school, since these are cognate fields. Generally speaking, planning programs in architecture schools focus primarily on physical planning and design, while those in policy schools tend to focus on policy and administration.

As urban planning is such a broad and interdisciplinary field, a typical planning degree program emphasizes breadth over depth, with core coursework that provides background for all areas of planning. Core courses typically include coursework in history/theory of urban planning, urban design, statistics, land use/planning law, urban economics, and planning practice. Many planning degree programs also allow a student to "concentrate" in a specific area of interest within planning, such as land use, environmental planning, housing, community development, economic development, historic preservation, international development, urban design, transportation planning, or geographic information systems (GIS). Some programs permit a student to concentrate in real estate, however, graduate real estate education has changed giving rise to specialized real estate programs.

Accreditation in America

City planning programs are typically accredited by one or more planning organizations for the purpose of establishing standards in planning education, as well as providing a route to certification. Some college planning degree programs are accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board, a professional accreditation board. Schools with planning programs in North America are accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board. There are two types of programs the PAB award accreditation to, graduate programs and undergraduate programs.[1] Currently there are 14 accredited undergraduate programs in the United States and 1 program in Canada. There are also 71 accredited graduate programs in the United States, 2 programs in Canada and 1 in Puerto Rico.

The Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) accredits university programs in North America leading to bachelors and masters degrees in planning. The accreditation process is based on standards approved by the PAB and its sponsoring organizations: the American Planning Association (APA); the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) (the professional planners’ institute within the American Planning Association); and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP).[2]

Also, graduation from a PAB accredited program allows a graduate to sit for the AICP Exam earlier in the career than a student with a degree from a non-accredited program or school.

Programs that desire accreditation through the PAB (Planning Accreditation Board) must meet strict guidelines, first to be considered for a candidate, then to actually be accredited. First the program in question must apply to be a candidate, which is a multiphase process.[3] The first step is to make sure the program has successfully completed the five preconditions for accreditation. The five preconditions are:[4]

  • Program graduation of at least 25 students in the degree to be accredited.
  • Program's parent school must be accredited by institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
  • Formal title of program and degree offered must include the term "Planning".
  • Undergraduate programs must offer 4 full time years of study or equivalent, while graduate programs must be 2 full time years of study or equivalent.
  • Program's primary goal is to educate students to become a practicing planning professional


Once these conditions have successfully been met by the program, the next step to be completed by the program is completion and submitting of the Self-Study Report.[5] This report serves as the basis of review for the Planning Accreditation Board, which ends in a meeting with a representative of a program before the PAB for questions about their program and review. There is also an application fee of $1,925.[6]

If candidacy is awarded, the Planning Accreditation Board will send a three member team to visit and formally review the program during a semester. The three member team will meet with faculty, staff, students, and members of the local planning community. The team will then submit a report to the Planning Accreditation Board, in which the program will have a chance to question and comment on the report in the final interview in front of the PAB. The board then decides if the program is awarded accreditation.[7]

Accreditation length is dependent on the extent the program complies with requirements of the Planning Accreditation Board, with the maximum length awarded is 7 years.[8] Programs can be awarded re-accreditation upon another review, similar to that of initial accreditation.

Accredited planning programs

School Location Undergraduate[9][10] Since[11] Graduate[12] Since[13] Accreditation Through
Alabama A&M University Normal, AL Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning 1986 Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1976 December 31, 2012
Auburn University Auburn, AL not offered Master of Community Planning 2000 December 31, 2012
Arizona State University Tempe, AZ Bachelor of Science in Planning 2002 Master of Urban & Environmental Planning 1992 December 31, 2011
University of Arizona Tucson, AZ not offered Master of Planning 1998 December 31, 2012
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA Bachelor of Science in City & Regional Planning 1973 Master of City & Regional Planning 1993 December 31, 2012
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Pomona, CA Bachelor of Science in Urban & Regional Planning 1970 Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1972 December 31, 2010
San Jose State University San Jose, CA not offered Master of Urban Planning 1972 December 31, 2012
University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA not offered Master of City Planning 1960 December 31, 2012
University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1998 December 31, 2011
University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA not offered Master of Urban Planning 1971 December 31, 2012
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Bachelor of Science in Public Policy, Management, and Planning 1929 Master of Planning 1967 December 31, 2014
University of Colorado, Denver Denver, CO not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1975 December 31, 2011
Florida Atlantic University Fort Lauderdale, FL not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1995 December 31, 2010
Florida State University Tallahassee, FL not offered Master of Planning 1965 December 31, 2012
University of Florida Gainesville, FL not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1978 December 31, 2012
University of Miami Coral Gables, FL not offered Master of Urban Design - -
Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA not offered Master of City & Regional Planning 1969 December 31, 2012
University of Hawaii Honolulu, HI not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1981 December 31, 2013
University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL Bachelor in Urban and Public Affairs Master of Urban Planning & Policy 1979 December 31, 2012
University of Illinois Champaign, IL Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning 1953 Master of Urban Planning 1945 December 31, 2016
Ball State University Muncie, IN Bachelor of Urban Planning & Development 1995 Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1993 December 31, 2013
Iowa State University Ames, IA Bachelor of Science in Community & Regional Planning 1979 Master of Community & Regional Planning 1979 December 31, 2012
University of Iowa Iowa City, IA not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1970 December 31, 2013
Kansas State University Manhattan, KS not offered Master of Regional & Community Planning 1961 December 31, 2015
University of Kansas Lawrence, KS not offered Master of Urban Planning 1983 December 31, 2010
University of Louisville Louisville, KY not offered Master of Urban Planning 2010 December 31, 2013*
University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1976 December 31, 2013
Morgan State University Baltimore, MD not offered Master of City & Regional Planning 1973 December 31, 2011
University of Maryland College Park, MD not offered Master of Community Planning 1978 December 31, 2013
Harvard University Cambridge, MA not offered Master in Urban Planning 1923 December 31, 2012
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA not offered Master in City Planning 1932 December 31, 2013
Tufts University Medford, MA not offered Master of Urban, Environmental Policy & Planning 2004 December 31, 2011
University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA not offered Master of Regional Planning 1987 December 31, 2012
Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI Bachelor of Science or Arts in Urban & Regional Planning 1998 not offered December 31, 2009*
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Bachelor of Science in Urban & Regional Planning 1952 Master in Urban & Regional Planning 1987 December 31, 2012
University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI not offered Master of Urban Planning 1968 December 31, 2015
Wayne State University Detroit, MI not offered Master of Urban Planning 1975 December 31, 2013
University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1982 December 31, 2015
Jackson State University Jackson, MS not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 2010 December 31, 2014*
Missouri State University Springfield, MO Bachelor of Science in Planning 2004 not offered December 31, 2013
University of Missouri-Kansas City Kansas City, MO Bachelor of Urban Planning & Design not offered December 31, 2011**
University of Nebraska Lincoln, NE not offered Master of Community & Regional Planning 1978 December 31, 2013
Rutgers University New Brunswick, NJ not offered Master of City & Regional Planning 1968 December 31, 2014
Ryerson University Toronto, Ontario Bachelor of Urban & Regional Planning Masters of Urban & Regional Planning
University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM not offered Master of Community & Regional Planning 1978 December 31, 2014
Columbia University New York, NY not offered Master of Urban Planning 1970 December 31, 2013
Cornell University Ithaca, NY not offered Master of Regional Planning 1959 December 31, 2014
Hunter College New York, NY Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies Master in Urban & Regional Planning 1969 December 31, 2010
New York University New York, NY not offered Master of Urban Planning 1961 December 31, 2013
Pratt Institute Brooklyn, NY not offered Master of City & Regional Planning 1962 December 31, 2014
University at Albany Albany, NY not offered Master of Regional Planning 2000 December 31, 2010
University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY not offered Master of Urban Planning 1988 December 31, 2014
East Carolina University Greenville, NC Bachelor of Science in Urban & Regional Planning 2003 not offered December 31, 2009
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC not offered Master of City & Regional Planning 1963 December 31, 2011
Cleveland State University Cleveland, OH not offered Master of Urban Planning, Design & Development 1998 December 31, 2013
Ohio State University Columbus, OH not offered Master of City & Regional Planning 1961 December 31, 2011
University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH Bachelor of Urban Planning 1966 Master of Community Planning 1964 December 31, 2012
University of Oklahoma Norman, OK not offered Master of Regional & City Planning 1957 December 31, 2012
Portland State University Portland, OR not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1980 December 31, 2013
University of Oregon Eugene, OR not offered Master of Community & Regional Planning 1970 December 31, 2016
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, PA Bachelor of Science in Regional Planning not offered December 31, 2011**
Temple University Ambler, PA not offered Master of Community & Regional Planning December 31, 2011**
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA not offered Master of City Planning 1969 December 31, 2013
Clemson University Clemson, SC not offered Master of City & Regional Planning 1972 December 31, 2014
University of Memphis Memphis, TN not offered Master of City & Regional Planning 1981 December 31, 2013
Texas A&M University College Station, TX not offered Master of Urban Planning 1968 December 31, 2011
Texas Southern University Houston, TX not offered Master of Urban Planning & Environmental Policy 2009 December 31, 2011
The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX not offered Master of City & Regional Planning 1978 December 31, 2013
The University of Texas Austin, TX not offered Master of Community & Regional Planning 1969 December 31, 2010
University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT B.S./B.A. in Urban Planning Master of City & Metropolitan Planning December 31, 2010*
University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA Bachelor of Urban & Environmental Planning 1963 Master of Urban & Environmental Planning 1968 December 31, 2013
Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Studies Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1977 December 31, 2014
Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1961 December 31, 2014
Eastern Washington University Spokane, WA Bachelor of Arts in Urban & Regional Planning 1983 Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1983 December 31, 2014
University of Washington Seattle, WA Bachelor of Arts in Community, Environment, and Planning Master of Urban Planning 1941 December 31, 2010
University of Wisconsin Madison, WI not offered Master of Urban & Regional Planning 1962 December 31, 2014
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI not offered Master of Urban Planning 1974 December 31, 2013
Université de Montréal Montréal, Quebec Baccalauréat Specialisé en Urbanisme 1982 Maîtrise en Urbanisme 1965 December 31, 2010
University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia not offered Master of Planning 1970 December 31, 2010
University of Puerto Rico San Juan, Puerto Rico not offered Master in Planning 1977 December 31, 2010

(* probationary accreditation granted by the PAB)

(** candidate for accreditation)

Master of City Planning

The Master of City Planning (MCP) or is a one- to two-year academic/professional Master's degree that qualifies graduates to work as urban planners. Some schools offer the degree as a Master of Community Planning (MUP), Master of Community Planning, Master of Regional Planning (MRP), Master of Town Planning (MTP), Master of Planning (MPlan), Master of Environmental Planning (MEP) or in some combination of the aforementioned (e.g., Master of Urban and Regional Planning), depending on the program's specific focus. Some schools offer a Master of Arts or Master of Science in planning. Regardless of the name, the degree remains generally the same.

A thesis, final project or capstone project is usually required to graduate. Additionally, an internship component is almost always mandatory due to the high value placed on work experience by prospective employers in the field.

Like most professional Master's degree programs, the MUP is a terminal degree. However, some graduates choose to continue on to doctoral studies in urban planning or cognate fields. The PhD is a research degree, as opposed to the professional MUP, and thus focuses on training planners to engage in scholarly activity directed towards providing greater insight in to the discipline and underlying issues related to urban development.

Rankings

While there is not official rankings of the graduate programs for planning, Planetizen publishes an annual list of the Top 10 planning graduate programs.[14] First published in 2006, the Planetizen Guide to Graduate Urban Planning Programs has been widely praised by prospective planning students as being the single most important tool used in deciding which schools they would apply to and attend. This new edition of the Guide includes even more information previously unavailable to prospective planning students. In addition, Planetizen consulted with a special committee of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) during the production of the Guide to ensure that the 2009 edition met the needs and expectations of students, planning programs and faculty alike. The top schools in 2009 are as follows:

Rank[15] School
1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2 University of California, Berkeley
3 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
4 Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
5 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
6 Cornell University
7 Harvard University
8 University of California, Los Angeles
9 University of Southern California
10 University of Pennsylvania

References

  1. ^ Accredited Planning Programs
  2. ^ Planning Accreditation Brief
  3. ^ Candidacy Information
  4. ^ Application for Candidacy Status
  5. ^ Self-Study Report Manual
  6. ^ Candidacy Information
  7. ^ Applying for Initial Accreditation
  8. ^ The Accreditation Document, Pg. 38
  9. ^ Accredited Planning Programs
  10. ^ [1]
  11. ^ History of Accredited Programs
  12. ^ Accredited Planning Programs
  13. ^ History of Accredited Programs
  14. ^ Plantizen's Top Graduate Schools
  15. ^ Planetizen. 2009 Guide to Graduate Urban Planning Programs. Published by Planetizen Press (May 2008).

See also

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