Urban
and Regional Planning Major
What is Urban and Regional
Planning?
Planners deal with the fact that
human communities are always changing. The consequences
of this change can be chaotic and destructive, or life
enhancing. A planner's task is to help communities cope
with this steady growth, change, and renewal in ways that
will maintain and improve the community's quality of life.
Planners recognize the complexity of communities. As with
natural environments, human communities are strengthened
by diversity. One task is to help communities become even
more diverse, broadening the variety of employment, educational,
cultural, entertainment, shopping, and housing opportunities
and promoting a broad range of land uses, income levels,
and types of people. Another task is to help communities
deal with the clashes of interest produced by such variety
and turn these differences into a positive force for constructive
change. Urban and regional planning involves multiple
disciplines and addresses cities and people, human services
and infrastructure, fiscal issues and environmental concerns.
It aims to support the emergence of more just, efficient
and sustainable cities.
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What are Some Specializations
Within this Broad Major?
MyMajors.com cannot pinpoint your
interests beyond recommending this general major. Various
specializations related to this major may be offered by
colleges and universities. These specializations may be
of greater or lesser interest to you. A few of the specializations
related to this field include, but are not limited to:
City
or Urban Planning |
Community
Planning |
Regional
Planning |
Urban
Affairs/Studies |
Economic
Development |
Land
Use Infrastructure |
Planning
Analysis |
Public
Administration |
International
Planning Systems |
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What Kinds of Students
Major in Urban and Regional Planning?
Sometimes referred to as a specialization
within the field of architecture, urban and regional planning
is a major, which centralizes around providing the best
possible surroundings for people living in a growing city
environment. What is required is a sense of spatial planning
as well as a sense of what is best and most comfortable
for the inhabitants of a city, as these planners have
a direct affect upon positive and negative surroundings
for the masses. Students in this field blend intellectual,
aesthetic and interpersonal skills.
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What Courses Do Urban
and Regional Planning Majors Take?
The required and elective courses
you would take for majors vary considerably among institutions.
Courses are listed here that are illustrative of the breadth
of topics you are likely to experience were you to major
in this field.
Community
and Regional Planning |
Population
Projection |
Cost-Benefit
Analysis |
Demographic
Analysis |
Land
Use |
Multi-Goals
Project Evaluation |
Transportation
Planning |
Economic
Analysis |
|
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What Types of Positions
do Urban and Regional Planning Majors Take After College?
These professions and professional
organizations illustrate the types of positions you might
qualify for if you complete this major. Some majors are
more directly related to employment than others, however.
You should consider the likelihood of employment after
graduation carefully, if you do not plan to go on for
graduate work in a field. Even with the completion of
graduate work in some fields, however, employment is difficult,
so you should determine what the prospects are for this
or any major. Employment possibilities are often enhanced
by the selecting employment-related courses and by the
enrollment in second major or in a minor.
Architectural
Review |
Construction
Management |
Urban
Planner |
Regional
Planner |
Development
Consultant |
City
Planner |
Are you interested in detailed
information about the forecasted demand for a particular
profession? Are you interested in the estimated salaries
such positions are likely to pay? This government Web
site allows you to search on a particular job, whether
listed here or not, to give you this information.
Bureau
of Labor Statistics
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Related Links
If you are interested in learning
more about what professionals in this field do and what
kinds of activities they engage in, you might want to
begin with the following web sites. Also check the departmental
web sites of colleges and universities, which offer this
major.
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University Departments
to Consider
The following institutions are
the featured institutions on MyMajors because they support
MyMajors and you in your search for the best major available.
They offer excellent curriculums in well-rounded programs
for you to consider.
Other fine institutions offering
this major offer excellent programs to consider.
For information on options available
to campuses wishing to see their majors listed
on MyMajors, contact: admin@mymajors.com for details. |
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Two-Year College Curriculums
to Consider
Suggest to your two-year college
advisor that their institution's majors be included
to show you their course requirements and unique
resources. Two-year college representatives should
contact admin@mymajors.com for details. |
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Want
More Information? Look at major descriptions prepared
by university academic advisement staffs.
More on Choosing Your College Major 
