Master of Science Degree in Urban and Regional Planning
The Master of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning is designed to prepare students for leadership roles and careers in the public and private sectors for the purpose of planning and designing communities and regions. The degree is in collaboration with the Department of Public Administration in the College of Public Policy. The program has a strong focus on land use planning; design; policy; and economic, environmental, and cultural issues that shape urban and regional land development patterns in terms of infrastructure, housing, and open space systems. Emphasis is placed on developing research capabilities and graphic skills needed in planning and design. The program’s primary focus is to prepare students to become practitioners in the planning profession.
Admission Requirements. Applicants must satisfy University-wide graduate admission requirements.
A completed application package consists of the following:
- Completed Application form
- Official transcripts from all universities attended
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
- Two Letters of Recommendation addressing the applicant’s academic and/or professional skills
- Letter of Intent, outlining the applicant’s reasons for pursuing the Master of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning and career plans
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores for international applicants whose first language is not English.
Applicants may be admitted as unconditional or conditional, degree-seeking graduate students, or as non-degree-seeking students. Admission as a special graduate student or as non-degree-seeking does not guarantee subsequent admission as a degree-seeking student; such students must reapply for degree-seeking status.
An application fee and all application materials must be sent directly to the UTSA Graduate School at One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249. Please consult the College of Architecture’s Web site (http://utsa.edu/architecture/) for applicable dates when the review of applications will begin and for more information about the College and its programs.
Degree Requirements. The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the Master of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning, exclusive of coursework or other study required to remove deficiencies is 48. Students may pursue a thesis or nonthesis option.
Degree candidates must complete 48 semester credit hours of coursework consisting of the following requirements:
- 27 semester credit hours of the following required courses:
- 15 semester credit hours of planning courses in the College of Architecture:
URP 5323 International Community Planning and Design
URP 5333 Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning
URP 5343 History and Theory of Urban and Regional Planning
URP 5363 Intermediate Urban Planning Methods
URP 5453 Urban and Regional Sustainability - 12 semester credit hours of public administration courses in the College of Public Policy:
PAD 5103 Planning and Land Use Law
PAD 5393 Economics for Public Affairs
PAD 5473 Land Use Policy
PAD 5563 Introduction to Urban Planning Methods
- 15 semester credit hours of planning courses in the College of Architecture:
- 15 semester credit hours of electives, chosen in consultation with the Graduate Advisor of Record to meet degree candidates’ individual needs. Students can select an area of focus involving four or more courses or take courses from a variety of areas that pertain to urban and regional planning. Electives may also be taken in other graduate programs with approval of the Graduate Advisor. The electives include:
ARC 5203 History and Theory of Preservation
ARC 5403 Historic Preservation Seminar
ARC 5423 Legal and Economic Aspects of Preservation
ARC 5613 American Architecture
ARC 5663 The Architecture and Cities of Northern Mexico
ARC 5673 Advanced Topics in the Architecture and Urbanism of Mexico
ARC 6003 Morphology of the Architecture and Landscape of South Texas and Borderlands
ARC 6013 Theories and Philosophies of Regionalism
ARC 6313 Health and the Built Environment
ARC 6323 Architecture, Health and Wellness
PAD 5033 Theories of Public Organizations
PAD 5223 Urban Management
PAD 5383 Housing Policy
PAD 5463 Collaborative Governance (formerly Intergovernmental Relations)
PAD 5483 Environmental Policy
PAD 5513 Urban and Regional Economic Development
PAD 5523 Community Sustainability
PAD 5583 Urban Policy
PAD 5813 Health Issues and Policies
PAD 6543 Urban Service Systems
URP 5313 International Housing Design and Neighborhood Planning
URP 5353 Structure and Function of Cities and Regions
URP 5373 Planning and Design of Suburbs
URP 5383 Planning and Housing for Rural Communities
URP 5393 Advanced Urban Planning Methods
URP 5433 Transportation Planning
URP 5443 Community Development
URP 5463 Environmental Planning and Assessment
URP 5473 Introduction to Health Planning - 6 semester credit hours of the following “capstone” coursework consisting of either the Thesis or Nonthesis Option described below.
Thesis Option Requirements. All candidates for the Master of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning with thesis option must complete 6 semester credit hours of URP 6983 Master’s Thesis (includes thesis defense/seminar presentation).
Nonthesis Option Requirements. All candidates for the Master of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning with a nonthesis option must complete 6 semester credit hours consisting of URP 6943 Professional Internship and URP 6933 Planning Professional Report. Degree candidates in the nonthesis option are required to pass a comprehensive examination, and enroll in URP 6961 Comprehensive Examination if no other courses are being taken that term.
