The Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) at West Chester University prepares students to enter the workforce as professional planners and thereby meet the growing demand for urban and regional planners, and related professions in the region. Professional planners help to influence the future of neighborhood, local, regional and metropolitan areas. A planner plays a major role in shaping communities, in providing guidance for sustainable development, and in addressing social, economic, environmental and political problems of communities. The urban and regional planning curriculum equips students with the professional knowledge and technical skills to guide the complex processes of a changing world, to utilize geospatial and other technologies to create a sustainable built and natural environment.
Students will understand how to make decisions based on sound knowledge and guided by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Code of Ethics. The program has been designed to align with the standards of the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP). Students will develop specific competencies for planning research and analysis, plan making, effective communication skills, working with diverse environments and communities, applying ethical principles, advocating for social justice, and employing geospatial technologies for planning applications and decision-making.
Students will develop specific competencies for planning research and analysis, plan making, effective communication skills, working with diverse environments and communities, applying ethical principles, advocating for social justice, and employing geospatial technologies for planning applications and decision-making.
The program utilizes two state-of-the-art GIS labs and a fully-equipped Planning Studio, which are located in the Building and Public Management Center on the 1st floor. Check out some recent media coverage of the building with images of the labs and Studio here:
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2017/03/22/cutting-edge-technology-at-west-chester-u-prepares-students-for-real-world/ Curriculum
The MURP degree is comprised of nine required core courses (27 credits) and six or seven additional elective courses (21 credits)
Required modules:
PLN525 Planning History, Theory & Ethics
GEO509 Quantitative Methods
PLN527 Planning Law
GEO534 Geographic Information Systems
PLN508 Qualitative Methods & Community Engagement Techniques
PLN521 Land Use Planning
PLN536 Environmental Planning
PLN505 Planning Design (Studio A)
PLN605 Planning Design (Studio B)
In consultation with their graduate advisor, students select six or seven courses in their area(s) of interest from a range of course offerings. Students also have an option to complete an internship for course credit. If approved by a thesis committee, students also have an opportunity to complete a graduate thesis.
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