Major in Urban Planning? (planner, schools, architect, development)

[sheena12]

Someone who I know has recently expressed an interest in this major. My son. I can't find much about it. Is it an architectural, socio-cultural, or engineering based degree?

And, where is it taught?

[Malloric]

All of the above.

It's usually graduate-level or above. Some programs are more humanities-based, some are applied-economics, some are crash-courses for people with professional degrees in engineering or architecture.

[MIKEETC]

Originally Posted by sheena12

Someone who I know has recently expressed an interest in this major. My son. I can't find much about it. Is it an architectural, socio-cultural, or engineering based degree?

And, where is it taught?

This may be of assistance:

American Planning Association

[CodyW]

Originally Posted by sheena12

Someone who I know has recently expressed an interest in this major. My son. I can't find much about it. Is it an architectural, socio-cultural, or engineering based degree?

And, where is it taught?

Planners wear many hats. I like your son's taste!

If I had to describe it, I'd say planning was the gray center of a square with the corners being architecture, civil engineering, geography, and law. Planning as a field is MANY different things - and a day in a planner's life will reflect this. It's mostly government work, dealing with public policy, design standards, analyzing of development plans, etc.. Lots of different things.

That's a brief summary, I suppose.

There are a LOT of planning schools. The best list can be found at http://www.planetizen.com/schools/undergrad (broken link)

Check out this rundown if you want a better idea of the planning field. https://www.city-data.com/forum/22891417-post2.html

[wburg]

And here's a run-down based on a meme slightly past its prime:


Cyburbia | Urban Planning Community -

I'd be tempted to redo it with "What the Tea Party thinks I do" with images of a Communist Party sleeper cell and a copy of "Agenda 21," but I'm not sure where I'd get the photo...

[JFman00]

The major urban planning programs I know are at USC and UIUC.

[CodyW]

Originally Posted by JFman00

The major urban planning programs I know are at USC and UIUC.

UT Austin, UW Madison and MIT are also tops.

[jobaba]

Originally Posted by sheena12

Someone who I know has recently expressed an interest in this major. My son. I can't find much about it. Is it an architectural, socio-cultural, or engineering based degree?

And, where is it taught?

A little bit of all those, but closer to architecture.

Taught everywhere, mostly on the graduate level. Planning is a relatively narrow field and jobs are scarce.

If he really has an interest, I suggest he major in something more practical (engineering or economics) while taking urban planning classes as electives. Then, if he decides he likes it, he can go for an MUP.

I have a graduate degree in Urban Planning which has not yet paid for the paper it's printed on, but that's just my story. Some of my classmates decided to stick with the field and are doing well.