Urban Studies Major
Fostering a sustainable and equitable future
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Urban Studies provides interdisciplinary training for students who want to foster sustainable and equitable communities. The major integrates theories and analytical tools from the fields of urban planning and public policy to investigate the causes and consequences of city and regional challenges and to develop strategies to address them.
THEORY IN ACTION
Courses train students how to discover, engage, and transform complex urban systems by providing:
- Theoretical frameworks that assess social, institutional, and cultural contexts in cities
- Conceptual and analytical tools to understand complex and interconnected urban processes and systems
- Critical perspectives on strategies for addressing sustainability and equity challenges
ADVANCED SKILLS
Students gain technical and communicative skills needed to tackle challenges in urban planning, environmental management, and transportation. Internships and field study with government, nonprofit, community, and businesses provide Urban Studies majors opportunities to apply city planning concepts, gain practical experience, and sharpen data analysis, research, and communication skills which are highly valued by employers. Courses include training in urban data science and a three-course degree mapping specialization in Geographic Information Systems.
CAREER PATHWAYS
Graduates work in the fields of city and regional planning, community and labor organizing, environmental consulting, economic and real estate development, affordable housing, transportation planning, natural resource management, geographic information systems, and urban design.
Urban Studies also prepares students for professional graduate training in urban and regional planning, public policy, law, business, public administration, environmental sciences, public health, and social services.