Urban and Regional Planning, M.U.R.P.

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College of Arts and Sciences (AC)
School of Public Affairs

Major Contacts, Deadlines, and Delivery Information

The goal of the Urban and Regional Planning major is to train students to become planning practitioners capable of working in a variety of public, nonprofit, and private sector environments in a number of different fields. We prepare leaders in the field of urban and regional planning to meet community, national and global needs.

The major recognizes the need for effective planners to possess diverse skills in the planning and management of human settlements. Accordingly, the M.U.R.P. core coursework includes thematically-related courses in land use planning, research methods, quantitative analysis, planning theory and history, planning policy and politics, community and economic development, and geographic information systems (GIS). Students have the option of enrolling in electives that focus on housing and community development, land use planning, local economic development, GIS, coastal zone management, housing & community development, environmental and natural resources planning, natural hazards and resilience planning, and transportation planning. These specialized courses build on the strengths of existing faculty in our sister-major in Public Administration, as well as with colleagues and facilities across the University. The major is thus distinct in its flexibility. Graduates of the major will be able to:

Engage in policy-related research relevant to urban and regional issues.
Assume positions of leadership in public, private and nonprofit organizations engaged in planning, land use, and public policy.
Further public discourse on the problems confronting cities and regions.
Utilize communications and technical skills to become successful at all levels of the planning profession.

Accreditation:

Planning Accreditation Board (PAB)

Admission Information

Must meet University Admission and English Proficiency requirements as well as requirements for admission to the major, listed below.

Two letters of recommendation (one from a faculty member if BS/BA, in last 5 years).
Resume or curriculum vitae showing work experience.
A “letter of intent” explaining your background and interest in Urban and Regional Planning and your purpose and goals in pursuing the M.U.R.P. degree.

Curriculum Requirements

Total Minimum Hours: 48 hours

Core – 24 credit hours
Electives – 15 credit hours
Studio or Thesis option – 6 credit hours minimum
Internship or Additional Elective – 3 credit hours

Core Requirement (24 Credit Hours)

Electives (15 Credit Hours Minimum)

The elective coursework allows the URP student an opportunity to explore one or more fields of urban & regional planning through approved electives within and outside the School of Public Affairs. Twelve (12) of these elective credits must be taken in the School of Public Affairs from either the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program or the Master of Public Administration program. In some cases, an appropriate class from another department may be approved. Depending on personal interest, students may choose course work in the following areas:

Land Use and Comprehensive Planning
Transportation Planning
Community Development and Engagement
Economic Development
Environmental and Natural Resources Planning
Hazard Mitigation and Resiliency Planning

Sample electives include:
PAD 6134 Project Management Credit Hours: 3
URP 6743 Planning for Affordable Housing Credit Hours: 3
URP 6401 Planning for Floods Credit Hours: 3
URP 6406 Urban Environmental Policy Credit Hours: 3
URP 6422 Planning for Coastal Communities Credit Hours: 3
URP 6711 Multimodal Transportation Planning Credit Hours: 3

Studio (6 Credit Hours)

This is the default option for the M.U.R.P. major. All students are required to take and pass the six (6) credit URP 6342 Planning Studio course at the end of, or during, the last year of major coursework. The Studio is waived for students who elect, with the approval of the Graduate Director, to pursue the thesis option.

URP 6342 Planning Studio Credit Hours: 6

Thesis

With approval of the Graduate Director, students may request to complete a thesis in lieu of the Studio. Students electing the thesis option must form a thesis committee, identify a committee chair, and develop an approved proposal prior to enrolling in thesis coursework. The thesis option requires two consecutive semesters of coursework during the last year of major coursework. Because the thesis track includes six (6) credit hours of elective credits, students who do not complete a thesis will default to the Studio requirement.

URP 6971 Thesis Credit Hours: 2-19 (6 Credit hours required for this program)
Students who request to change from thesis to Studio must complete the necessary hours for the Studio option.

Comprehensive Exam

In lieu of the Comprehensive Exam all students are required to take and pass the six (6) credit URP 6342 Planning Studio with successful completion of the studio project. For students who pursue the thesis option, the thesis defense serves in lieu of the Comprehensive Exam. Should a student fail the Studio or Thesis defense, then a Comprehensive Exam will be administered.

Internship or Additional Elective (3 Credit Hours)

All MURP students are required to complete at least 180 hours of work in a planning agency to earn the three (3) credit hours stipulated as part of the core requirements above. This requirement is waived for students with at least one (1) year of relevant planning experience; in lieu of the internship, an additional elective will be completed.

URP 6940 Internship in Urban and Regional Planning Credit Hours: 3

University of South Florida

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