Master of Urban & Regional Planning (MURP)
The Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) prepares students to enter the workforce as professional planners and thereby meet the growing demand for urban and regional planners in the region. Professional planners help to influence the future of neighborhood, local, regional and metropolitan areas. A planner plays a major role in shaping communities, in providing guidance for sustainable development, and in addressing social, economic, environmental and political problems of communities.
The program curriculum equips students with the professional planning knowledge and technical skills to guide the complex processes of a changing world, and to utilize geospatial and other technologies to create a sustainable built and natural environment. Students will understand how to make decisions based on sound knowledge and guided by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Code of Ethics. The program has been designed to align with the standards of the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP). Students will develop specific competencies for planning research and analysis, plan making, effective communication skills, working with diverse environments and communities, applying ethical principles, advocating for social justice, and employing geospatial technologies for planning applications and decision-making.
The program utilizes two state-of-the-art GIS labs and a Planning Studio.
Curriculum
The MURP degree is a 45-48 credit degree, with nine required core courses (27 credits) and six or seven elective courses (21 credits)
Required Courses (9 courses, 27 semester hours):
- PLN525 Planning History, Theory & Ethics
- GEO509 Quantitative Methods
- PLN527 Planning Law & Organization
- GEO534 Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- PLN508 Qualitative Methods & Community Engagement Techniques
- GEO521 Suburbanization & Land Development
- PLN536 Environmental Planning
- PLN505 Planning Design (Studio A)
- PLN605 Planning Design (Studio B)
Elective Courses (6/7 courses, 18/21 semester hours):
In consultation with their graduate advisor, students select six or seven courses in their area(s) of interest from a range of course offerings. Students also have an option to complete an internship for course credit. If approved by a thesis committee, students also have an opportunity to complete a graduate thesis.
Advising Sheet
Admission to the Program
To meet the requirements for full admission to the program, applicants must have an undergraduate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.8. Provisional admission will be considered for students who do not meet the minimum requirements.
Interested persons will need to complete the online application and will need to submit the following materials:
- Completed graduate application, including a statement of how the MURP furthers the individual’s professional goals;
- Official academic transcript(s) from all colleges and universities attended at both the undergraduate and graduate levels;
- Two letters of reference from current or former professors or supervisors who can attest to the applicants knowledge and professional potential.
Applications received prior to May 15 for the fall semester and November 15 for the spring semester will receive priority consideration for graduate assistantships.
For more information, contact the Graduate Coordinator for Planning Programs:
Dr. Jongwoong Kim