Urban and Regional Planning
The Graduate Certificate in Urban & Regional Planning provides students with the option of deepening knowledge of urban, regional, and community planning principles and processes that will complement existing skills and knowledge.
Format
On campus
Credits Required
16
Time Commitment
1 year
Cost
2023-2024
$1,091/credit
Fees
2023-2024
$160/semester for part-time students
Required and elective courses are based on core concepts of sustainability and smart growth in order to provide a strong foundation for planning in a world of diminishing resources, environmental degradation, and climate change. Students who complete the certificate will have an understanding of the theory of planning, stakeholder engagement, land use and physical planning and its relationship to urban design, environmental/heritage conservation, transportation planning, sustainable development, planning law, and principles of equity and social justice. Potential areas of employment in which a student could use the skills gained through this certificate include architecture, landscape architecture and planning practices, in local governmental agencies, non-profit advocacy organizations, private consulting firms, and policy institutes.
The program is part of the Cummings School of Architecture, which offers additional graduate programs in Architecture, Preservation Practices, and Real Estate. The School is also home to the Cummings Institute for Real Estate.
RWU Master of Architecture and M.S. Preservation Practices students can earn the Urban & Regional Planning Graduate Certificate as part of their degree with no additional cost or coursework.
Required Courses (4 courses/13 credits)
- PLAN 501 - Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning
- PLAN 511 - Interdisciplinary Planning Workshop
- PLAN 581 - GIS for Planning, Design and Conservation
- ARCH 524 - Evolution of Urban Form *
or - ARCH 572 - Urban Design Theory from the Industrial Revolution to the Present *
Urban and Regional Planning Elective Options
(one course)
Electives from the menu below:
- ARCH 529 - History of Landscape Architecture
- ARCH 530 - Special Topics in Architecture (with prior approval)
- ARCH 536 - Special Topics in Sustainable Design (with prior approval)
- ARCH 537 - Special Topics in Urban Design
- ARCH 561 - Landscape Architecture: Theory and Practice
- ARCH 593 - Sustainable Paradigms
- ARCH 594 - Urban Ecology
- CD 521 - Social Theories of Community Based Practice
- CD 530 - Special Topics in Sustainable Community and Economic Development
- CD 554 - Introduction to Project Design, Implementation and Evaluation in Community Based Practice
- CD 555 - Fundamentals of Mixed Methods Research in Community Based Practices
- PRES 501 - Fundamentals of Preservation Practice
- PRES 530 - Special Topics in Historic Preservation (with prior approval)
- PRES 572 - Preservation Law and Regulation
- PRES 573 - Preservation Economics
Note:
*Both ARCH 524 and ARCH 572 may be taken with one counting as the required elective.
The Office of Graduate Admission hosts Open Houses and Virtual Information Sessions throughout the year.
View our upcoming events for the most current opportunities to hear about the Urban & Regional Planning Graduate Certificate.
Application Requirements
To be considered for admission to the Urban & Regional Planning Graduate Certificate program, applicants must hold an earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university. To apply, submit the following:
- Completed online application form accompanied by the $50 application fee
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework
- Letter of Intent (two double-spaced pages maximum) describing your interest in the program, relevant past experiences, and career goals
Where appropriate, documents should be submitted online through the applicant portal or via email to gradadmit@rwu.edu. Any official documents that must be mailed (i.e. transcripts) should be sent directly to:
Office of Graduate Admission
1 Old Ferry Rd.
Bristol, RI 02809
Have questions about the application process? Visit the How to Apply page from the Office of Graduate Admission.