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Monday, February 14, 2011

The 10 Best Graduate Programs In Urban And Regional Planning


In order to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to adeptly perform the tasks associated with the urban and regional planning profession, an individual must begin with education. There are a very limited number of colleges which offer undergraduate degree programs in the planning field, approximately fifteen. However, the urban and regional planning field requires individuals with knowledge in a vast number of subject areas. Mathematics, earth sciences, life sciences, physics, geology, geography and policy are just a few. Majoring in any of these areas will provide some of the knowledge and skills that will be needed for the profession. Regardless of the discipline in which the individual earns their undergraduate degree, a graduate degree is preferred by the majority of those who will require the services of a planner. The advanced education provides the time necessary to acquire more of the knowledge and skills which are essential to success in the field of urban and regional planning.
Below are the colleges with the top ranked graduate programs in urban and regional planning:

10. University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

The Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, founded in 1946, endeavors to advance and disseminate knowledge in planning through research, education and service. The department is one of the oldest, largest and most renowned in the nation. The pioneering approach to planning taken by the University of North Carolina adopts a social science emphasis. The challenges and problems of planning are evaluated utilizing the principles and methodologies of the social sciences and incorporate the concepts of architecture and landscape design. The multidisciplinary approach develops a broad perspective in the program graduates enabling them to become respected leaders in the field of planning. Throughout its years, the department has broadened its approach and perspectives to include the emerging needs and advancing technologies of current societies.
The Department of City and Regional Planning offers degree programs with varying curriculum and specializations including planning in developing countries, real estate development, public policy analysis and history, design and preservation of the built environment. The two year Master of City and Regional Planning degree program provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary to become effective and successful planning professionals. Students select an area of specialization in community development, economic development, environmental planning, transportation planning or land use planning and design. The dual degree programs combine corresponding areas of study with relevance to the planning field such as business, public administration, public health and law providing graduates with the skills to address the complexities of the complicated field. The curriculum includes study of theory, techniques and methodology, problem solving workshops and a Master’s project.

9. University of California – Berkeley

The Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley, established in 1948, has earned international recognition for the quality of the degree programs and its pioneering research. 
 

University of California, Berkeley, photo by roger4336
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