Urban Planning (MUP)

Admission Requirements

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree (any major is acceptable) and must submit two letters of reference (at least one from someone familiar with the applicant's academic abilities) and a statement of purpose. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are recommended but are not required. Applicants whose native language is not English and who do not hold a degree from a university where the language of instruction is English must submit the results from an English proficiency exam. The minimum acceptable scores are 105 for Duolingo English, 80 for TOEFL, and 6.5 for IELTS.

Admission is competitive; successful candidates have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (B).

An application form can be obtained at the program website. All required application materials must first be submitted to the Graduate School, including the application for admission. Those materials will then be forwarded to the MUP Program for review by the Admissions Committee.

The program will notify the applicant of the Committee's decision.

Program Requirements 

Master of Urban Planning Degree Program

Urban Planning Core Courses18
Planning Theory & History
Urban Economics
Applied Research Methods
Land Use & Planning Law
Urban Demography and GIS
Site Planning
Internship3
Internship & Professional Practice
Capstone6
Capstone Studio
Concentration Area (see tab for coursework)15
Minimum Total Hours42

Juris Doctor/Master of Urban Planning Dual Degree Program

The Brandeis School of Law will allow students in the dual degree program to apply nine (9) credit hours of approved courses in urban planning as electives toward the JD degree. The Brandeis School of Law will accept each of these urban planning courses on a pass/fail basis, provided that the student earn at least a B (3.0) in the course. The following MUP courses are approved to be counted as electives toward the JD degree:

PLAN 601Planning Theory & History3
PLAN 607Land Use Planning3
PLAN 612Mediation and Dispute Resolution3
PLAN 620Environmental Policy3
PLAN 609Public Budgeting 3
PLAN 611Human Resources Management3
PLAN 613Foundations of Public Administration3
PLAN 624Urban Transportation Planning3
PLAN 617Housing and Community Development3
PLAN 625Historic Preservation and Sustainable Practice3
PLAN 631Real Estate Principles3

Any other MUP course approved by the Associate Dean of Student Life at the Brandeis School of Law, upon individual petition by a dual-degree student.

The urban planning program will allow students in the dual degree program to apply nine (9) credit hours of approved courses in law as electives toward the MUP degree. The urban planning program will accept each of these law courses on a pass/fail basis, provided that the student earn at least a C (2.0) in the course. The following JD courses are approved to be counted as electives toward the MUP degree:

  • LAW 862 Administrative Law
  • LAW 841 Energy Law
  • LAW 931 Environmental Law
  • LAW 820 Constitutional Law II 
  • LAW 807 Property II 
  • LAW 902 Real Estate Transactions
  • LAW 839 Water Resources Law and Policy
  • Any other JD course approved by the Director of the MUP Program in the School of Urban and Public Affairs, upon individual petition by a dual degree student.

In addition to the above cross-application of urban planning credits toward the JD degree and of law credits toward the MUP degree, students in the dual degree program shall be required to take UPA 678/PADM 688 Land Use and Planning Law, a three (3) credit hour interdisciplinary course cross-listed in both law and urban planning. Land Use and Planning Law (PADM 688) shall count as a three (3) credit hour graded elective toward the JD degree, and likewise shall count as a three (3) credit hour graded elective toward the MUP degree. To receive MUP credit, the student must earn at least a B (3.0) in the course.

Concentration Requirements

Community Development

Academic Plan Code(s): URPLMUPHCD

Select five courses from the following:15
Real Estate Market Analysis
Land Use Planning
Urban Design
Real Estate Principles
Financial Management of Nonprofits
Special Topics in Urban Planning (Urban Justice & Policy)
Urban Transportation Planning
Minimum Total Hours15

Sustainability

Academic Plan Code(s): URPLMUPSUS

Select five courses from the following:15
Introduction to Sustainability
Land Use Planning
Environmental Policy
Urban Justice & Policy
Sustainable Social-Ecological Systems
Special Topics in Urban Planning (Environmental Law)
Special Topics in Urban and Public Affairs (Water Resources Law & Policy)
Land and Ecosystem Conservation
Minimum Total Hours15

Non-Concentration Option

Academic Plan Code(s): URPLMUP

Electives15
Five Urban Planning electives (excludes core requirement courses)
Minimum Total Hours15

The Master of Urban Planning program prepares students to meet the requirements for certification and/or licensure.  If you plan to pursue professional licensure or certification you should first determine your state’s criteria for examination and licensure to see how/if our program meets those requirements prior to enrollment. We recommend that you also contact your state’s licensing board directly to verify that the requirements have not changed recently and to answer any questions especially those regarding additional requirements beyond the degree.

More information about certification or licensure is available at the following website:  https://louisville.edu/oapa/licensure-information (you may search by school or by the name of the program then click on 'View Details' to display the information).

For programs with an online option, more information about certification or licensure is available here: https://louisville.edu/online/About-Us?tab=disclosures.