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
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Planning Core Courses | 18 | |
| Planning Theory & History | ||
| Urban Economics | ||
| Applied Research Methods | ||
| Land Use & Planning Law | ||
| Urban Demography and GIS | ||
| Site Planning | ||
| Internship | 3 | |
| Internship and Professional Practice | ||
| Capstone | 6 | |
| Capstone Studio | ||
| Concentration Area (see tab for coursework) | 15 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 42 | |
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:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| URBS 601 | Planning Theory & History | 3 |
| URBS 614 | Transportation and Land Use Planning | 3 |
| URBS 672 | Mediation and Dispute Resolution | 3 |
| URBS 615 | Environmental Policy | 3 |
| URBS 662 | Public Budgeting and Finance | 3 |
| URBS 655 | Human Resources Management | 3 |
| URBS 651 | Foundations of Public Administration | 3 |
| URBS 624 | Urban Transportation Planning | 3 |
| URBS 621 | Housing and Community Development | 3 |
| URBS 622 | Historic Preservation & Sustainable Practice | 3 |
| URBS 611 | Real Estate Principles | 3 |
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 URBS 604/LAW 904, a three (3) credit hour interdisciplinary course cross-listed in both law and urban planning. URBS 604/LAW 904 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
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select five courses from the following: | 15 | |
| Real Estate Market Analysis | ||
| Transportation and Land Use Planning | ||
| Urban Design | ||
| Real Estate Principles | ||
| Financial Management of Nonprofits | ||
| Special Topics (Urban Justice & Policy) | ||
| Urban Transportation Planning | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 15 | |
Sustainability
Academic Plan Code(s): URPLMUPSUS
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select five courses from the following: | 15 | |
| Introduction to Sustainability | ||
| Transportation and Land Use Planning | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| Urban Justice & Policy | ||
| Sustainable Social-Ecological Systems | ||
| Special Topics (Environmental Law) | ||
| Special Topics (Water Resources Law & Policy) | ||
| Land and Ecosystem Conservation | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 15 | |
Non-Concentration Option
Academic Plan Code(s): URPLMUP
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Electives | 15 | |
Five Urban Planning electives (excludes core requirement courses) | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 15 | |
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.
