• PLAN 2030

    Neighborhoods, Community, & Regions
     Rating

    2.33

     Difficulty

    1.00

     GPA

    3.60

    Last Taught

    Spring 2024

    Explores theories and concepts of economic, social, and cultural forces that influence urban and regional spatial structure.

  • PLAN 5230

    Design Dimensions of Real Estate
     Rating

    2.33

     Difficulty

    1.00

     GPA

    3.84

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Course examines the role good design and planning plays in adding value to real estate. Using a comparative case approach, the course will help students develop an understanding of how developer decision-making in regards to specific projects and their final built form is influenced by locational considerations, financial constraints, broader market dynamics, public perceptions of the project, and the legal framework.

  • PLAN 3040

    Metropolis
     Rating

    3.33

     Difficulty

    1.50

     GPA

    3.64

    Last Taught

    Spring 2024

    This lecture course focuses on cities as centers of cultural, social, and artistic activity. It considers how we define cities, the forces that create and sustain them, and what makes them culturally distinctive. It looks at several cities at their moments of cultural, political, and architectural glory: Istanbul in the 16thcentury, London in the late 17th and 18th centuries, Paris in the 19th century, New York in the 20th century, and Shanghai in the 21st century.

  • PLAN 1010

    Introduction to Urban and Environmental Planning
     Rating

    3.63

     Difficulty

    1.67

     GPA

    3.53

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Analyzes community and environmental planning in the United States; the planning process; and sustainable communities.

  • PLAN 3860

    Cities and Nature
     Rating

    3.33

     Difficulty

    1.86

     GPA

    3.66

    Last Taught

    Spring 2024

    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.

  • PLAN 3454

    Introduction to the Real Estate Development Process
     Rating

    4.67

     Difficulty

    2.00

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    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

  • PLAN 3030

    Neighborhoods, Community and Regions
     Rating

    3.26

     Difficulty

    2.44

     GPA

    3.64

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Explores theories and concepts of economic, social, and cultural forces that influence urban and regional spatial structure.

  • PLAN 3050

    Planning Methods
     Rating

    4.07

     Difficulty

    2.60

     GPA

    3.56

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Analyzes methods used in quantitative and qualitative investigations of urban and regional settings for planning purposes.

  • PLAN 2110

    Digital Visualization for Planners
     Rating

    4.33

     Difficulty

    2.67

     GPA

    3.55

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Digital technology for representing and analyzing planning data will include photo-editing, web page design, geographic information system mapping, spreadsheet modeling, and document layout and production. The major emphasis will be on two- and three- dimensional representation of spaces common to planning: streetscape, neighborhoods, communities and regions. Representation of the past, the present and prospective futures to both professional and citizen audiences will receive critical attention.

  • PLAN 2111

    GIS for Planners
     Rating

    5.00

     Difficulty

    3.00

     GPA

    3.70

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    This course will provide an introduction to geographic information systems (GIS) concepts and software. It is intended for undergraduate planning students but open to other undergraduates. The course introduces the concepts of GIS as well as practical training on ESRI's ArcGIS suite. Students successfully completing the course will have general familiarity with the major functionality of ArcGIS

  • PLAN 3011

    Race and the American City
     Rating

    4.67

     Difficulty

    3.00

     GPA

    3.89

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    A seminar exploring how racialized inequalities have shaped American cities North & South, past & present, and the influence of racialized urban structures on the idea & experience of race in America. Topics include the effects of segregation, redlining, urban planning, redevelopment, white flight, ghettoization, & neoliberal development on the form & culture of American cities & structures of inequality in the US.

  • PLAN 3500

    Special Topics in Planning
     Rating

    2.00

     Difficulty

    3.00

     GPA

    3.48

    Last Taught

    Spring 2024

    Topical offerings in planning.

  • PLAN 5500

    Special Topics in Planning
     Rating

    4.67

     Difficulty

    3.00

     GPA

    3.86

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Varies annually to meet the needs of graduate students.

  • PLAN 3060

    Law, Land and the Environment
     Rating

    4.03

     Difficulty

    3.27

     GPA

    3.45

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    This course introduces the legal framework and major legal issues arising in land use and environmental planning. We focus on notable US Supreme Court decisions related to tools such as zoning, the comprehensive plan, and eminent domain, as well as controversies and cases surrounding federal environmental laws such as NEPA, the Clean Water and Air Acts, and the Endangered Species Act. No previous legal knowledge or coursework necessary.

  • PLAN 2020

    Planning Design
     Rating

    3.44

     Difficulty

    3.33

     GPA

    3.71

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Studies the principles of design; the architecture of cities and urban design; perception of space and visual analysis; graphic presentation, including mapping techniques; and inventories, information storage, retrieval and use. Prerequisite PLAN 2110

  • PLAN 6122

    Urban Analytics
     Rating

    3.00

     Difficulty

    5.00

     GPA

    3.53

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Urban analytics draws upon statistics, visualization, and computation to better understand and ultimately to shape cities. This course emphasizes geospatial data, familiarizes students with statistical computing using R, and introduces principles and techniques of machine learning. Students will also learn to explain and to critique the results of visualization, analysis, and predictive modeling. Graduate course will have additional requirements.

  • PLAN 3020

    Planning in Government
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.71

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Examines the role of planning in government decision-making. Focuses on local government, but intergovernmental aspects of planning that influence local decisions are also stressed. Studies planning processes, such as transportation, community development, and social planning.

  • PLAN 3122

    Urban Analytics
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Urban analytics draws upon statistics, visualization, and computation to better understand and ultimately to shape cities. This course emphasizes geospatial data, familiarizes students with statistical computing using R, and introduces principles and techniques of machine learning. Students will also learn to explain and to critique the results of visualization, analysis, and predictive modeling.

  • PLAN 3810

    Climate Justice in Cities
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.79

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    This course introduces design & systems thinking techniques to address the interrelated crises of climate change & social inequity in U.S. cities. It asks how such transformational change might work - examining the socio-technical context,challenges, & opportunities that animate systems change in the built world. Students will learn through readings,discussions,lectures, & workshops to develop interdisciplinary creative problem-solving skills

  • PLAN 3840

    Ethics of Cities and Environment
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.70

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    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

  • PLAN 4800

    Professional Practice
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Structured internship experience and reporting as a reflective practitioner for ten weeks or 200 hours of experience.

  • PLAN 4901

    Distinguished Major Thesis 1
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    This course provides a framework for the completion of a Distinguished Major Thesis, a treatise containing an exposition of a chosen urban and environmental planning topic. A faculty advisor guides a student through the beginning phases of the process of research and writing. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Distinguished Major Program.

  • PLAN 4902

    Distinguished Major Thesis 2
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    This is the second semester of a two semester sequence for the purpose of the completion of a Distinguished Major Thesis. A faculty member guides the student through all phases of the process which culminates in an open presentation of the thesis to an audience including a faculty evaluation committee. Prerequisite: PLAN 4901

  • PLAN 4993

    Independent Study
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.78

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Elective courses offered at the request of faculty or students to provide an opportunity for internships, fieldwork, and independent study.

  • PLAN 5200

    Real Estate Develop Process I
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.83

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Foundational course for SARC real estate offerings. Covers fundamentals from basic real estate relationships, land acquisition decisions, "the cash cycle", legal aspects, public processes including entitlements, risk management, ethics, and preliminary feasibility analysis. The emphasis is on the creation of value in real estate (viewed holistically as financial profit informed by equity, sustainability, and design.)

  • PLAN 5220

    Real Estate Finance Fundamentals
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.55

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Finance is a critical element in determining whether a real estate development project goes forward and whether the project actually looks and performs in accordance with the original design and social/economic objectives. In this course, students will learn the fundamental analyses of real estate finance and develop an understanding of the ways finance impacts upon project completion and architectural and community outcomes.

  • PLAN 5300

    Preservation Planning
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.81

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Studies current literature on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of historic places. Develops techniques for surveying, documenting, evaluating, and planning for preservation. Analyzes current political, economic, and legal issues in preservation planning.

  • PLAN 5400

    Housing and Community Development
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.69

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Provides an introduction to the housing and community development area of planning practice. Topics include the housing and development industries, neighborhood change processes, social aspects of housing and development, and housing and development programs and policy issues.

  • PLAN 5421

    Building Construction Concepts and Methods
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    This course is an introduction to construction techniques and methods. This course covers project delivery methods, estimating, plan reading, and scheduling.

  • PLAN 5452

    Healthy Cities
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.85

    Last Taught

    Spring 2024

    This class explores what makes a healthy city, what are the constituent parts of that system and what are different peoples needs across the life span, from perinatal to older age. The class begins by exploring concepts of health including health resilience - and focuses on how our cities can be better designed to optimize human flourishing.

  • PLAN 5580

    Short Courses in Planning
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    A series of one-credit short courses, whose topics vary from semester to semester.

  • PLAN 5614

    Urban Strategies
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.67

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Worldwide urbanization processes will increase in the next years reaching a rate of 75% until the middle of the century. Shrinkage, stagnation and rapid growth will be simultaneous phenomena and to achieve urban sustainability it will be important to innovate analytical methods and urban design frameworks. Discussions, lectures, and readings in combination with an urban design group project will introduce students to contemporary urban design methodologies.

  • PLAN 5710

    Transportation and Environment
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.82

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Course examines the impacts of transportation systems on the environment from roadside air quality to global climate change, exploring sustainable transportation policy, multimodal transportation, environmental justice, resilience,and community-based solutions.Building on course readings and discussion, PhD students will propose and develop a research paper on a topic of their choosing within the overall theme of transportation and the environment.

  • PLAN 5740

    Transportation Planning and Policy
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.80

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    This course introduces graduate and advanced undergraduate students to current issues in the field of transportation planning and policy. It addresses all modes of transportation (auto, walk, bike) and considers multiple scales (national, state, regional and local). Through the analysis of key topics such as congestion, air quality, social equity, and security, we will gain an understanding of how decisions about the transportation system

  • PLAN 5993

    Applied Independent Study
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.90

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Individual study directed by a faculty member. Prerequisite: Planning faculty approval of topic.

  • PLAN 6011

    Race and the American City
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.92

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    A seminar exploring how racialized inequalities have shaped American cities North & South, past & present, and the influence of racialized urban structures on the idea & experience of race in America. Topics include the effects of segregation, redlining, urban planning, redevelopment, white flight, ghettoization & neoliberal development on the form & culture of American cities & structures of inequality in the US. Graduate level will have additional requirements.

  • PLAN 6013

    Communication and Planning Analytics
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.56

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Required first semester course that introduces students to spatial analysis and representation through selected computer-based applications. Emphasis on 2D analysis and representation, use of secondary data and development of visualization techniques, and ways to communicate data and alternatives to a public audience.

  • PLAN 6015

    Sustainable Global Communities
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.80

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Examines sustainable communities through environmental, social, economic, political, and design lenses. Using case studies of cities, towns, and development projects from around the world, students will have the opportunity to reflect on principles of sustainability and innovative applications used by planners and designers from across the globe and that span multiple geographic scales.

  • PLAN 6020

    Methods of Community Research and Engagement
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.91

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    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.

  • PLAN 6040

    Quantitative Methods of Planning Analysis
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.71

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    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.

  • PLAN 6050

    Land Use and Environmental Law
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.48

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    This course introduces the legal framework & major legal issues arising in land use & environmental planning. We focus on notable US Supreme Court decisions related to tools such as zoning, the comprehensive plan, & eminent domain, as well as controversies & cases surrounding federal environmental laws such as NEPA, the Clean Water & Air Acts, & the Endangered Species Act. Graduate course will have additional course requirements.

  • PLAN 6070

    Planning Theory and Practice
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.71

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    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.

  • PLAN 6120

    Digital Technology for Planning and Design - GIS
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.75

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Required second semester technology class introducing students to the fundamental applications of geographic information systems central to planning analysis and practice.

  • PLAN 6454

    Introduction to the Real Estate Development Process
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    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

  • PLAN 6840

    Ethics of Cities and Environment
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    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.

  • PLAN 6860

    Cities + Nature
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.82

    Last Taught

    Spring 2024

    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.

  • PLAN 7040

    Advanced Metropolis
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2024

    This lecture course focuses on cities as centers of cultural, social, and artistic activity. It considers how we define cities, the forces that create and sustain them, and what makes them culturally distinctive. It looks at several cities at their moments of cultural, political, and architectural glory: Istanbul in the 16thcentury, London in the late 17th and 18th centuries, Paris in the 19th century, New York in the 20th century, and Shanghai in the 21st century.

  • PLAN 7993

    Independent Study
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Independent research on topics selected by individual students in consultation with a faculty advisor.

  • PLAN 8993

    Independent Studies in Urban and Environmental Planning
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Advanced work on independent research topics by individual students. Departmental approval of the topic is required.

  • PLAN 8994

    Thesis
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Fall 2024

    Preparation and completion of a thesis.

  • PLAN 8999

    Master's Thesis
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    A thesis is optional for the Master of Urban and Environmental Planning degree. Students should begin early to explore topics and to identify potential committee members. A guideline document is available.