The Curriculum

[Curriculum Basics] [Core Courses] [Areas of Concentration] [Courses] [Thesis] [Internship]
[Other Requirements] [Connections]

Planning is a dynamic and exciting field. Planners combine analysis with activism and policy evaluation with implementation, in order to improve the quality of life in cities and regions. Professionals are in demand in such diverse fields as regional transit management, environmental impact analysis, rural economic development, infrastructure investment, nonprofit neighborhood housing development, legislative analysis, and growth management planning.

The University of Iowa is recognized as a leader in developing a curriculum attuned to the changing world of planning. At the heart of the master’s degree program in urban and regional planning is an integrated core curriculum that gives first-year students a solid foundation in analyzing social problems and public policies, preparing them for a wide range of careers.

During the second semester, students begin to develop areas of concentration. These areas include economic development, land use and environmental planning, housing and community development, and transportation. Students often combine two of these areas. Other specialty areas, such as health services planning, human services planning, or urban management, may be tailored to the student’s goals. Joint degree programs are available with law, social work, health management and policy, engineering, and environmental health. Many of the elective courses in the program have an international component. Moreover, each year the program offers a seminar covering international planning issues, and a course in comparative aspects of planning. It is possible to register for summer courses through Iowa State University’s College of Design in Rome, Italy. Other study abroad options are also possible.

Iowa’s Graduate Program in Urban and Regional Planning is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board. The program enrolls 45 to 50 full-time and one to three part-time students, on average. Typically, enrollment is about half women, half men. Students bring a variety of educational backgrounds to the program, including such undergraduate majors as geography, economics, English, political science, engineering, architecture, sociology, urban studies, and history.

The common core of courses and the design of our facilities allow students to get to know each other quickly. Students also interact closely with faculty in the classroom, through informal conversations, or while working on research projects.

Graduates of the program work around the world in city, metropolitan, and regional planning agencies, state and federal government entities, nonprofit organizations, and private consulting firms.