Explores methods beyond the conventional town-hall meeting to gather insights from communities on planning issues. Topics will include more traditional methods of qualitative research such as focus groups, interviews, charrettes, participatory action research, and scenario planning, as well as strategies like asset mapping, visual preference surveys, games, art-based visioning, participatory budgeting.

Applies quantitative skills to the planning process: analyzes decision situations and develops precise languages communicating the quantitative dimensions of planning problems. Includes lectures, case studies, and applied assignments addressing statistical methods, survey methods, census data analysis, program and plan evaluation, and emerging methods used by planners.

This course is an introduction to the basic legal frameworks for regulating land use in the United States.  Topics to be covered include zoning & comprehensive planning; the constitutional & statutory rights of landowners & developers to challenge government action; the rights of neighbors; legal constraints on zoning changes by local governments; public financing of local land use development; discriminatory land use controls; eminent domain; and state & federal housing & homebuilding programs.

In this course students grapple with the dynamic tensions between planning and democracy, the various responses that have been proposed, and planning failures and successes. They explore the development of theories about how we ought to plan, why, and for whom.

Technology class introducing students to the fundamental applications of geographic information systems central to planning analysis and practice.

This course will provide students with an interdisciplinary learning process related to real estate development including finance, branding, design, planning, land use, site planning permitting, adaptive reuse among others. Situated in an actual case, students will have the opportunity to work with a multi-disciplinary team on a real-world development project. Graduate course will have additional course requirement

Topical offerings in planning.

This class explores the wide range of approaches that have been taken to the complex relationships between body, sex, gender, and the built environment. Some see buildings as a direct expression of sexed bodies (phallic towers and breast-like domes), while others see buildings and settlements as expressions and reiterations of the gender structures of a culture.

Detailed exploration of the normative debate surrounding environmental issues. Focus on the foundations of environmental economics, questions about the value of endangered species, concerns of future generations, appropriateness of a sustainable society, notions of stewardship, and obligations toward equity. Graduate course will have additional course requirements.

This class begins with the premise that contact with nature is essential to modern life.The class will examine the evidence for why nature in important,and the many creative ways in which cities can plan for,and design-in nature, and foster meaningful and everyday connections with the natural world.