Urban design is the process by which cities, towns, and villages are shaped, with the goal of making urban areas functional, attractive, and sustainable. It unites all the built environment professions, including urban planning, landscape architecture, architecture, civil and municipal engineering, and focuses on the design, quality, character, and appearance of places. Urban planning is the process concerned with the use of land and design of the urban environment, including air, water, and infrastructure networks. It guides and ensures the orderly development of communities, and concerns itself with research and analysis, strategic thinking, policy recommendations, implementation, and management. The major in Urban Planning and Design (971, 971D) combines these two processes to provide students with a sharper focus on city design, community development, GIS and graphic communication, as well as planning practice.
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The Urban Planning and Design (UPD) major is sequence-dependent. To prepare students for two capstone design studios during their final undergraduate year, the curriculum builds knowledge and skills in urban planning and design over the preceding two semesters. The required sequence of courses is listed below. Please note that the capstone courses, Planning and Design Studio I and II are only offered consecutively in the fall and spring semester. Because all required courses are sequenced, it is important that a student develop an academic plan with their Bloustein major advisor when they declare the Urban Planning & Design major.
SAS students seeking to declare the Urban Planning & Design major must apply for admission to the major prior to declaring it. SEBS students wishing to declare Urban Planning & Design as their second major should contact the Bloustein School’s Office of Student and Academic Services at ugadmissions@ejb.rutgers.edu.
Students can apply during one of our application cycles.
As a credit intensive major, Urban Planning and Design does not require declared students to complete a minor. However, students may benefit from completing a minor and this option should be discussed with the Bloustein School major advisor while developing their academic plan. In addition, if choosing a minor, students are encouraged to meet with the Urban Planning and Design Program Coordinator for career advice.
To ensure degree completion by their anticipated graduation date, students are advised to declare the UPD major no later than the first semester of their junior year. However, students must start planning their scheduled set of courses with a Bloustein advisor during the first semester of sophomore year. SAS students may pursue Urban Planning and Design as their first major and remain within SAS.
Only courses with “C” or better may be counted towards the major, and students must complete the Core Curriculum requirements of their primary school. The degree is awarded jointly by the Bloustein School and SAS.
Applicants must have achieved a minimum grade of “C” or better in each of the pre-requisite courses and be in good academic standing.
Prerequisites (3 cr)