The Master of Community Planning (MCP) is a professional, non-thesis degree. Students earn the degree by successfully completing forty-five (45) credit hours of coursework that incorporates lecture, workshop and seminar courses and culminates with a synthesis or capstone project.
The first year of the program sequence provides the methodological, theoretical and substantive base of knowledge that is common among all planners. The second year allows students to take electives that will either broaden or focus their education into specific aspects of planning practice. The capstone project is a two-semester long synthesis studio, in which students work on a professional plan for a real client.
Core Courses (30 credit hours)
- CPLN 6010: Introduction to Community Planning (3)
- CPLN 6050: Land and Urban Economics (3)
- CPLN 6460: GIS of Planning and Policy (3)
- CPLN 7200: Urban Design Studio (3)
- CPLN 7240: Quantitative Methods for Planning (3)
- CPLN 7300: Community-based Qualitative Methods (3)
- CPLN 7350: Planning History and Theory (3)
- CPLN 7430: Land Use Law (3)
- CPLN 7600: Synthesis Studio 1 (3)
- CPLN 7610: Synthesis Studio 2 (3)
Comprehensive Exam (required)
A comprehensive examination is required of all students who have successfully completed 24 credit hours or all core classes (except the Synthesis Studio) in the MCP program and/or before registration for the Synthesis Studio courses. Students are notified of their eligibility for the comprehensive exam by the MCP program director.
Electives (15 credit hours)
Through five (5) elective courses, students have the opportunity either to focus on specific areas within planning or to broaden their experiences across many areas of planning. We currently offer elective courses in the following areas of faculty expertise: sustainable development and environmental planning, GIS and mapping, transportation, urban design, historic preservation, land use planning, revitalization and economic development, affordable housing, community development, real estate development, and public policy and administration.
- CPLN 6000: History and Theory of Urban Form
- CPLN 6020: Cities, Planning and Climate Change
- CPLN 6040: Land Use Planning
- CPLN 6060: Sustainable Transportation Planning
- CPLN 6080: Affordable Housing Planning and Policy
- CPLN 6090: Community Development
- CPLN 6110: Sustainable Urbanism and Growth Management
- CPLN 6400: Historic Preservation Planning
- CPLN 6970: Special Topics – Public Sector Grantsmanship
- CPLN 6970: Special Topics – Principles of Real Estate Development
- CPLN 7920: Planning Internship
Course Sequence - Fall Admission PDF
| Fall, Year 1 (12 credit hours) | Spring, Year 1 (12 credit hours) |
| CPLN 6010: Intro to Community Planning (3) CPLN 6050: Land & Urban Economics (3) CPLN 7350: Planning History & Theory (3) CPLN 7300: Community-based Qualitative Methods (3) |
CPLN 7200: Urban Design Studio (3) CPLN 7240: Quantitative Methods (3) CPLN 7430: Land Use Law (3) CPLN 6460: GIS of Planning & Policy (3) |
| * comprehensive exams are usually taken at the end of the full second semester |
|
| Fall, Year 2 (12 credit hours) | Spring, Year 2 (9 credit hours) |
| CPLN 7600: Synthesis Studio 1 (3) Elective (3) Elective (3) Elective (3) |
CPLN 7610: Synthesis Studio 2 (3) Elective (3) Elective (3) |
Course Sequence - Spring Admission PDF
| Spring, Year 1 (12 credit hours) | Fall, Year 1 (12 credit hours) |
| CPLN 6010: Intro to Community Planning (3) CPLN 7200: Urban Design Studio (3) CPLN 7240: Quantitative Methods (3) CPLN 7430: Land Use Law (3) |
CPLN 7350: Planning History & Theory (3) CPLN 6050: Land & Urban Economics (3) CPLN 6460: GIS of Planning & Policy (3) CPLN 7300: Community-based Qualitative Methods (3) |
* comprehensive exams are usually taken at the end of the full second semester |
|
| Spring, Year 2 (12 credit hours) | Fall, Year 2 (9 credit hours) |
| CPLN 7610: Synthesis Studio 2 (3) Elective (3) Elective (3) Elective (3) |
CPLN 7600: Synthesis Studio 1 (3) Elective (3) Elective (3) |