School of Planning, Design and Construction

Vision/Mission  

The overall vision/mission of the Urban & Regional Planning (URP) Program is to create a sustainable built and natural environment that enriches communities through leadership, entrepreneurial creativity, social responsibility and environmentally sustainable planning and policy. Toward that end, the URP program strives to offer exemplary teaching in the programs offered, relevant and timely research, and foster a sense of community among faculty, students, alumni, staff and other stakeholders. More information about the URP program’s goals, objectives and measures is available in the 2024-2029 URP Strategic Plan. The URP program is part of the MSU College of Social Science.

Accreditation/History

Established in 1946, the Urban & Regional Planning Program is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) since 1987. We offer a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning, a Master of Urban and Regional planning, and a MURP/JD dual degree.

For information about the PAB, the accreditation process, and more, visit the PAB website. Summary information about student achievement, tuition, financial aid, AICP and placement is available for the Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning and the Master of Urban and Regional Planning.

Urban and regional planning deals with aspects of design and regulation of the uses of space that focus on the physical form, economic functions, and social impacts of the urban environment and on the location and flow of different activities within it. It stimulates creative and systematic approaches for addressing and resolving the physical, economic and social problems of towns, cities and larger regions.

Teaching Focus

• Urban Policy and Governance;
• Community and Economic Development and Methods;
• Land Use and the Environment Planning;
• Transportation Planning;
• Environmental and Sustainable Development;
• Globalization and Urbanization; and
• Technology and Development.

The Urban & Regional Planning Program at Michigan State University was established in 1946 and offers a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning.

The Program provides a broad education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, with particular expertise in community development, environment and sustainability, real estate and housing, economic development, and transportation. Faculty members have strong academic and professional backgrounds, offering a diverse range of perspectives on the practice of planning. The Program adopts a global focus and provides several international opportunities for students to study abroad, and to work with international students and faculty visiting the Program.

Student Achievement - BSURP

Summary information about student achievement, tuition, financial aid, AICP and placement is available here: Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning

The program measures student learning and achievement through direct (tests, capstone projects, rubrics, employer ratings, scores and pass rates on licensure exams) and indirect (course grades, surveys, student self- ratings, alumni satisfaction with learning) assessment methods. Our expectation is that upon graduation, students demonstrate mastery in knowledge, skills and values of the planning profession preparing them for an entry-level position.

The first measure is an objective evaluation by faculty members through the rubric systems, assessing the Program's Culminating Experience with emphasis on knowledge, skills, attitudes, competencies, and habits of mind. This evaluation tool has four levels of mastery, with LEVEL I = Unacceptable, indicating being a beginner in learning about the planning profession; LEVEL 2 = Acceptable, indicating someone who willingly learns about the profession; LEVEL 3 = Good, indicating someone who has a self-motivated drive to learn and benefit the profession; and LEVEL 4 = Exemplary, indicating someone who is mastering knowledge, skills, attitudes, competencies, and habits of mind of the planning profession.

The second measure is feedback from our capstone clients, who are qualified external sources that provide specific information about our program learning outcomes. Planning practicum is the capstone project in our curriculum and the final milestone in our student's development. As our students apply their knowledge, skills and values to real world examples, they are evaluated by external stakeholders.

Student Achievement - MURP

Summary information about student achievement, tuition, financial aid, AICP and placement is available here: Master of Urban and Regional Planning

The program measures student learning and achievement through direct (tests, capstone projects, rubrics, employer ratings, scores and pass rates on licensure exams) and indirect (course grades, surveys, student self- ratings, alumni satisfaction with learning) assessment methods. Our expectation is that upon graduation, students demonstrate mastery in knowledge, skills and values of the planning profession preparing them for an entry-level position.

The first measure is an objective evaluation by faculty members through the rubric systems, assessing the Program's Culminating Experience with emphasis on knowledge, skills, attitudes, competencies, and habits of mind. This evaluation tool has four levels, with 1 being a beginner in learning about the planning profession and 4 mastering knowledge, skills, attitudes, competencies, and habits of mind of the planning profession.

The second measure is feedback from our capstone clients, who are qualified external sources that provide specific information about our program learning outcomes. Planning practicum is the capstone project in our curriculum and the final milestone in our student's development. As our students apply their knowledge, skills and values to real world examples, they are evaluated by external stakeholders.