Dr. Nicholas Marantz, Faculty Director:
Urban and Regional Planning is a dynamic, cutting edge field that attracts diverse individuals and integrates backgrounds in geography, economics, design, sociology, environmental studies, political science, urban studies, and many other disciplines. Professional planners apply a broad range of knowledge and skills to understand and improve our world.
The UCI Master of Urban and Regional Planning program prepares students to play a significant role in creating a desirable future by confronting the complex physical and social challenges in our cities and regions. Our professional degree is a gateway to opportunities in planning and planning-related careers across private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Planners hold positions in all aspects of planning and development, such as environmental sustainability, economic development, housing production and policy, land use and transportation planning, community organizing and development, and international development planning.
Orange County is a vibrant and exciting place to study planning and engage the profession. With its broad spectrum of cities and suburban areas, you will experience urban planning in action and translate your knowledge to a career that is dedicated to improving urban conditions at local, regional, national, and global levels. Our curriculum balances the critical thinking and skills development required to understand and address complex urban challenges. You will build connections with faculty and planning practioners through courses and career development activities, including skills-based courses and workshops, guest lectures, career fairs, job shadowing, site visits, small-group discussions, and professional association conferences. With all of these elements, UCI MURP is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top professional planning programs, with full accreditation from the Planning Accreditation Board, and employers are eager to hire our graduates.
If you are curious, thoughtful, socially responsible, and wish to make an impact, today and in the future, you are an excellent candidate for UCI's Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree program.