Master of Science (MS) in Urban and Regional Planning

The Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning program is designed to produce graduates with the analytical skills and managerial knowledge to pursue successful careers in urban, metropolitan, and regional planning and closely related fields.

Students will receive an interdisciplinary, holistic educational experience emphasizing sustainability and socially responsible planning.

The Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning consists of 42 credit hours. Each student completes a core of nine courses (27 credit hours), restricted elective courses (9 credit hours), and a Capstone project (6 credit hours).

The Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning (MSURP) program is a face-to-face program. While some courses are offered online, students admitted to the MSURP program are expected to attend face-to-face classes offered weeknights on the downtown campus. The MSURP also incorporates community-based projects into most courses. Group projects are intended to develop leadership abilities while also providing an opportunity to show students are capable of working as part of a team. Group projects promote important intellectual and social skills and help to prepare students for work in a world in which teamwork and collaboration are increasingly the norms.

Total Credit Hours Required: 42 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree

Degree Requirements

Core Courses

• Complete the following:
  • PAD5336 - Introduction to Urban Planning (3)
  • PAD5337 - Urban Design (3)
  • PAD5338 - Land Use and Planning Law (3)
  • PAD5356 - Managing Community and Economic Development (3)
  • PAD6316 - Planning Methods (3)
  • PAD6353 - Environmental Planning and Policy (3)
  • PAD6387 - Transportation Policy (3)
  • PAD6716 - Information Systems for Public Managers and Planners (3)
  • PAD5930 - Global Cities (3)

Capstone or Final Product

Capstone or Final Product
• Complete all of the following
  • The final product will be a studio experience for six credit hours. Students work in teams for the final product in the planning degree program under the supervision of a faculty adviser. Students work closely with community partners in conducting an applied planning project. Part of the capstone experience is a presentation of their final project.
  • Complete the following:
    • IDS6953 - Urban and Regional Planning Capstone I (3)
    • IDS6954 - Urban and Regional Planning Capstone II (3)

Planning Electives

• Complete at least 3 of the following:
  • PAD6847 - Planning Healthy Communities (3)
  • PAD6920 - Visualization and Presentation Workshop for Urban Planners (3)
  • PAD6397 - Managing Emergencies and Crises (3)
  • PAD6254 - Economics of Land Use Planning and Development (3)
  • PAD6339 - Housing Development and Planning (3)
  • PAD6357 - Urban Resilience (3)
  • PAD6946 - Internship (3)
  • URP6711 - Sustainable Transportation Planning (3)
  • PAD6826 - Urban Policy and Regional Governance (3)

Grand Total Credits: 42

Application Requirements

Application Deadlines

Financial Information

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Fellowship Information

Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.

Curriculum

The Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning consists of 42 credit hours. Each student completes a core of nine courses (27 credit hours), restricted elective courses (9 credit hours), and a Capstone project (6 credit hours).

The Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning (MSURP) program is a face-to-face program. While some courses are offered online, students admitted to the MSURP program are expected to attend face-to-face classes offered weeknights on the downtown campus. The MSURP also incorporates community-based projects into most courses. Group projects are intended to develop leadership abilities while also providing an opportunity to show students can work as part of a team. Group projects promote important intellectual and social skills and help to prepare students for work in a world in which teamwork and collaboration are increasingly the norms.

Courses and credit hours used for undergraduate degrees cannot be applied toward the MSURP degree, except for Senior Scholar students. UCF undergraduate students approved to participate in the Senior Scholar program may, with the permission of the MSURP program director, use up to 9 credit hours of graduate coursework from their bachelor's degree toward the MSURP degree. However, no undergraduate-level courses will be accepted in the MSURP program.

Additional Program Requirements

Students must achieve a grade of "B-" (80%) or higher in every course listed under core requirements and in the Capstone Experience courses.

Students must maintain a program of study and graduate status GPA of 3.0 or higher and can only graduate with a graduate status GPA of 3.0 or higher.

The School of Public Administration incorporates service learning into some courses. Service learning is a teaching method that provides a means for every student to enhance his or her academic program with experiential learning opportunities. Service learning provides an opportunity for students to work with community partners by collecting and compiling data and producing quality products that will be beneficial to both students and organizations.

Students are expected to be computer literate and have computer internet access upon entry to the program.

Shared /Transfer credit policy

Students interested in pursuing more than one master’s program must be aware of the transfer or shared credit policy in the Policy section of the graduate catalog. Only a maximum of 9 credit hours may be used to fulfill the requirements of 2 master’s degrees. In no case can hours be used to fulfill the requirements of more than 2 degrees.

Independent Learning

Independent learning is demonstrated throughout the curriculum through the process of inquiry and dialogue. Tangible projects, such as research scholarly papers, internships, and the Capstone/Final Project also contribute to the self-development of students. The planning study in the Capstone/Final Project will focus on reviewing and analyzing contemporary planning issues in order to help students acquire knowledge and skills pertaining to best practices in a variety of planning subfields. The Capstone/Final Project provides opportunities for independent learning experience.