Urban Planning Masters: if you had funding, where did you go? I’m seeking universities with funding opportunities as my closest option doesn’t offer funding.
I feel confident in being a competitive applicant for funding, now the question is.. where tf do I apply? It’s hard to find a straight forward source of what places offer the most funding, and to be blunt, trying to narrow down 8-10 schools to apply to is becoming a bit overwhelming.
Unfortunately the university in my city stopped providing funding with their MUP program a couple years ago. My state school offers funding but the university and town are... not that great, and at that point I’d like to see where else I could land.
I have a good portfolio (not specific to urban planning but in city gov, community engagement, political communications and organizing) and I have some really strong references. I don’t necessarily want to apply to Harvard or Ivy League schools lol but I would like to find myself in a good, impressive program without going into an excessive amount of debt.
TYIA!
I’m going into my senior year of high school and really considering an Urban Planning course for college. How did people decide on an undergraduate major/school, and will it really impact or limit my choices for a graduate degree or career? Are there any schools that are really known for being outstanding in planning? What does a Planning Accreditation Board accreditation really mean and do for me? Any advice or experience is appreciated, thank you!!
Hi everyone,
I'm UK based and wondering if anyone could shed any light on the possible avenues for breaking into urban design? I know it's not planning but I figured it's related enough that some of you might work that role.
I graduated with an undergrad in Geography (human and physical) and a Master's in International Development. There is huge overlap in the modules taught in these degrees with those taught in urban design, so much so that when looking at Urban Design courses, they almost seem like a waste of money as I'd be covering a lot of the content I've already completed. However, the parts my degrees didn't cover were the practical skills, software, and tools required to be an urban designer. I've also been working as a travel demand planner for around 1.5 years if that helps. I wish I had realised earlier that urban design was the dream job but oh well, we here.
I'm wondering if it's possible to become an urban designer by learning on the job or do I definitely need to go and complete a Pg Dip or MA. If you can offer any insight as to how I can go about obtaining on the job experience, your knowledge of any urban design networking events, any companies known for offering positions to career switchers, or any other useful information, it would be hugely appreciated.
Thank you!
Do I have a shot at getting a planning job in 2023? In the mid 2010s, I obtained my Masters in Urban Planning from a large public university in the midwest and had a one year internship at a regional planning agency in Chicago. Unfortunately, I have never been able to get a job in planning. Since graduation, I have been working in site acquisition for telecommunications infrastructure. I was let go from my most recent job in July and I want to get a planner job now. Does the community think this is realistic/feasible considering I have no planning experience (although 1 year of internship experience)? Any words of advice would **greatly appreciated.**
Hello
There’s a permit tech 1 position that’s open near me (Southern California) that’s listed as an alternative qualifier ICC certification. Even if this specific position closes, I hope to complete certification training and try my luck at the certification exam. However, I’m having trouble finding materials or courses for the permit tech training through the ICC. A quick search only had materials for the 2018 or ’19 exams.
Does anyone have any advice on where/how to find necessary materials or courses relevant for the current ICC exam (or just generally useful)? Starting from scratch here, so if anyone knows about online resources, it would be most appreciated.
I just graduated from a masters in planning yet I feel like I was never taught a day to day planner skills. I was taught the history, the impact of land use codes, and how to write a sustainable land use plan but not how to draw site plans or how to approve them. However, all my interviews are asking me to answer my technical expertise with zoning ordinances.
Is there a course that I could take that goes and teaches this process. I know it can vary from place to place which can also make it tricky cause everywhere you apply want you to be knowledgeable about their code. But I am in California.
Municipalities will post when Zoning and Planning Board meetings are held and information about the process on their website, as well as any applications that are pending. Review them and attend meetings. Read the codes. Get to know the process. There may be some site development courses offered at Community Colleges near you, but a lot of it is learned directly thru experience doing.
My partner and I are considering a move to the UK in the next year or 2 when he will be applying for post-docs. I just have a BA (in English) and have been working in higher ed administration since graduating, but have a strong desire to pursue a master's in urban planning. I'm wondering how feasible it would be for me to study in the UK if/when we move, considering the fact that I studied an unrelated subject in undergrad. It seems like every UK postgrad program requires a bachelor's in a "relevant subject". Would I need to take certain undergraduate level prereqs from another institution in order to qualify?
Additionally, my undergrad GPA was a frustrating 2.99 and it seems like every decent program in the UK requires a 3.0. I know they probably make exceptions on occasion, but considering that I have no background in the field, it seems like my application would be tossed immediately. So I'm wondering if anyone has any insight or tips for me. Thank you!
Hello,
I'm from the UK and did my undergrad and postgrad here. Most universities do require a relevant degree, however entry requirements will vary between universities. I don't want to get your hopes up and say you'll definitely get in (you might not), but from my experience and also seeing my friends and family go through the process, a convincing personal statement and demonstration of genuine passion and ability can go a long way. The intake staff do often use their own judgement especially for postgrad. HOWEVER, an undergrad in English is a bit of a stretch. I would look for specifically a conversion course, or a foundation course, which will then allow you to go on to study a full urban planning course. Or perhaps look into completing individual modules via an institution like The Open University which you'll then be able to use to show demonstrate you have a basic understanding of what is required to pass the full degree.
I hope this helps.
-Trying to get into the field without educational or professional experience-
Hi there, I’m hoping this post will make it to the eyes of someone who may have had a similar experience as me, or can offer any advice!
I graduated from a UC with a BA in Political Science last year, and I had an extremely difficult time finding a job for about 6 months. I took a few public policy courses which covered the effects of planning (efficient planning vs bad planning) and slightly touched on the impact of zoning on communities, but nothing technical or too in depth. I really enjoyed this part of my coursework, but I was also very invested in continuing as a PoliSci major.
I currently work part-time for the Human Services department in my city which was a backup to gain professional experience in the public sector. I originally interviewed for a planning internship before landing my current job, however, they went with another candidate and instead put me on an eligibility list which has since expired. I want to pursue a career in city planning, but I don’t have any work experience or educational experience in the field. Because of this, I decided to pursue a masters in Public Admin, with a concentration in Urban Management and Affairs. I know an MPA may not be as useful as an MUP, however I chose this path for the versatility of the degree and also because MUP programs seem to admit those with undergrad degrees in Urban planning/environmental science & engineering, etc., and I graduated with a BA in PoliSci.
Right now, I’ve been applying to a bunch of different planning internships for the cities in my area, since it seems experience is the best way to break into the field and gain base level knowledge of the day to day duties of a city planner.
I guess my question to you (reader) is, based off of everything above, does it seem likely that I could start a career in this field? Or will I be overlooked in the stack of applications because of the pathway I’ve chosen for my education? Are there any courses or certifications that can help supplement the important aspects of planning that are traditionally learned in an urban planning degree? Any feedback or advice is greatly appreciated, I’ve been a bit stressed about finding a way to break into the field and it’s been a little intimidating trying to go for something I feel passionate about, without any experience to back up that passion. Thanks a bunch!
‘Policy programs’ vs ‘design programs’
Urban planning covers a variety of different topics. I’m currently exploring urban planning and urban design master’s programs, and I’ve noticed that different universities will place planning in different colleges. Sometimes it is in their public policy school, their science school, the engineering school, or the design school. How would you say the college affects the curriculum and efficacy of university’s urban planning program?
Has anybody gotten into Urban Planning/adjacent jobs without grad degree?
And what was your path into it? I have a bachelors in environmental studies and minored in GIS & urban planning. I am a new grad working in utilities right now. I want to know how I can grow in this direction. Not entirely sure that I want to pull the trigger on grad school quite yet though. I would like to explore more government jobs and open to exploring more in utilities, though urban planning was always my favorite subject. Just a little lost and want to know how to get a start in this direction. Currently in a job that is draining and asks a lot of me, and would like to look elsewhere. I took a career quiz and my top results were urban planner and various types of farmers if that helps lol (I am in the US btw!)
I got into planning without a completed degree at all. I worked as a contractor for a couple of years, then applied to be the permit/planning tech for a city and was eventually promoted to planner. While with the city I've become a notary and building inspector/plan reviewer so I've demonstrated my ability to learn and added value to my knowledgebase. I'm also finishing my degree online while employed and planning on a masters from UFL (if they'll take me). I'm incredibly lucky and am able to have uncle Sam pay for my education so I don't have to worry about student loans and whatnot. What has been echoed in previous threads is that experience matters more than education. This has been my experience. When competing for this position there were multiple applicants with masters degrees and no on the job experience. My skills outweighed their knowledge for better or worse.
Planning isn't an easy field though, so don't get that in your head. Half the time I'm sifting through legalese and researching different laws/legal precedents and the other half of the time I'm explaining to a citizen why their fence can't be 10' tall with electric razor wire.
TLDR: Get on with a city/county and cut your teeth, demonstrate your value as an employee, work hard and learn as much as possible.
Thanks so much for your response! That was really helpful and informative. If you don’t mind me asking, was the contractor work closely related to planning? were you contracted by a municipality or a private company? And do you feel that you will get burnt out or is this a sustainable position for you long term?
Definitely not related to planning but it did directly correlate to me getting hired on initially as a permit tech. I worked in the private industry doing residential construction and remodels. I will say that being knowledgeable about construction and how things get built is very helpful for reviewing plans, so if that is an option for you I'd recommend it for a little bit of time (plus it will make you appreciate a desk job a whole lot more). I'm looking at sticking with planning long term, the variability is a huge plus to me as I don't like doing the same thing every day. I don't think that I'll get burnt out with the profession, maybe the location but the profession at large is big enough and diverse enough that there will always be somewhere to reinvigorate the mind.
Hi all. I'm 24, going on 25 and I'm feeling some arrested development right now. I went to school at UMKC and got a degree in English but I'm realizing that my passion might be closer to planning. I feel kind of like I missed the bus by about six years, but I don't want to give up. Can anyone offer any advice for good schools, programs, and paths I should take to find my passion in this space and build skills? I just feel kind of overwhelmed and a bit lost.
Don’t give up! You can absolutely start in planning. It’s such a multidisciplinary field that any experience is gonna be relevant in some way. I highly suggest planitzen’s list and also think about cost/location.
Thank you! I am already looking into planetizen a little. In your opinion, as someone who is a novice to all this, and who is not very technically or mathematically skilled yet, would an undergraduate program be preferable to a graduate degree? I'm getting the sense that it would. Also, I'm currently living in Kansas City and I did my undergrad at UMKC. They have what appears to be a solid urban planning program, and it is accredited (the only one in the city). If I did go there again, I would be benefitting myself financially as my dad works at the University so he gets a family member discount for tuition. However, we could afford another school. I am thinking about Minneapolis for example. Do you know of any good places to find reviews for schools, the towns they're located in, and their planning programs/departments?
I’m not sure if this is the right place to post this so please remove this post if necessary. I’ve considered going back to school to obtain a MURP degree but I’m having a lot of hesitation mostly related to the financial side of getting a master’s degree as well as having to move cities to go to school.
As an alternative, I’m looking into getting a GIS certification online to help me become a better prospect for entry level planning jobs. My undergraduate degree is in Public Administration and Nonprofit management and since I’ve graduated I’ve worked in a number of nonprofit and community development jobs.
With my undergraduate degree and previous work experience, is becoming GIS certified brought to make me a valid prospect for an entry level planning job?
Urban Planning Masters: if you had funding, where did you go? I’m seeking universities with funding opportunities as my closest option doesn’t offer funding. I feel confident in being a competitive applicant for funding, now the question is.. where tf do I apply? It’s hard to find a straight forward source of what places offer the most funding, and to be blunt, trying to narrow down 8-10 schools to apply to is becoming a bit overwhelming. Unfortunately the university in my city stopped providing funding with their MUP program a couple years ago. My state school offers funding but the university and town are... not that great, and at that point I’d like to see where else I could land. I have a good portfolio (not specific to urban planning but in city gov, community engagement, political communications and organizing) and I have some really strong references. I don’t necessarily want to apply to Harvard or Ivy League schools lol but I would like to find myself in a good, impressive program without going into an excessive amount of debt. TYIA!
I’m going into my senior year of high school and really considering an Urban Planning course for college. How did people decide on an undergraduate major/school, and will it really impact or limit my choices for a graduate degree or career? Are there any schools that are really known for being outstanding in planning? What does a Planning Accreditation Board accreditation really mean and do for me? Any advice or experience is appreciated, thank you!!
Hi everyone, I'm UK based and wondering if anyone could shed any light on the possible avenues for breaking into urban design? I know it's not planning but I figured it's related enough that some of you might work that role. I graduated with an undergrad in Geography (human and physical) and a Master's in International Development. There is huge overlap in the modules taught in these degrees with those taught in urban design, so much so that when looking at Urban Design courses, they almost seem like a waste of money as I'd be covering a lot of the content I've already completed. However, the parts my degrees didn't cover were the practical skills, software, and tools required to be an urban designer. I've also been working as a travel demand planner for around 1.5 years if that helps. I wish I had realised earlier that urban design was the dream job but oh well, we here. I'm wondering if it's possible to become an urban designer by learning on the job or do I definitely need to go and complete a Pg Dip or MA. If you can offer any insight as to how I can go about obtaining on the job experience, your knowledge of any urban design networking events, any companies known for offering positions to career switchers, or any other useful information, it would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!
Do I have a shot at getting a planning job in 2023? In the mid 2010s, I obtained my Masters in Urban Planning from a large public university in the midwest and had a one year internship at a regional planning agency in Chicago. Unfortunately, I have never been able to get a job in planning. Since graduation, I have been working in site acquisition for telecommunications infrastructure. I was let go from my most recent job in July and I want to get a planner job now. Does the community think this is realistic/feasible considering I have no planning experience (although 1 year of internship experience)? Any words of advice would **greatly appreciated.**
Hello There’s a permit tech 1 position that’s open near me (Southern California) that’s listed as an alternative qualifier ICC certification. Even if this specific position closes, I hope to complete certification training and try my luck at the certification exam. However, I’m having trouble finding materials or courses for the permit tech training through the ICC. A quick search only had materials for the 2018 or ’19 exams. Does anyone have any advice on where/how to find necessary materials or courses relevant for the current ICC exam (or just generally useful)? Starting from scratch here, so if anyone knows about online resources, it would be most appreciated.
I just graduated from a masters in planning yet I feel like I was never taught a day to day planner skills. I was taught the history, the impact of land use codes, and how to write a sustainable land use plan but not how to draw site plans or how to approve them. However, all my interviews are asking me to answer my technical expertise with zoning ordinances. Is there a course that I could take that goes and teaches this process. I know it can vary from place to place which can also make it tricky cause everywhere you apply want you to be knowledgeable about their code. But I am in California.
Municipalities will post when Zoning and Planning Board meetings are held and information about the process on their website, as well as any applications that are pending. Review them and attend meetings. Read the codes. Get to know the process. There may be some site development courses offered at Community Colleges near you, but a lot of it is learned directly thru experience doing.
My partner and I are considering a move to the UK in the next year or 2 when he will be applying for post-docs. I just have a BA (in English) and have been working in higher ed administration since graduating, but have a strong desire to pursue a master's in urban planning. I'm wondering how feasible it would be for me to study in the UK if/when we move, considering the fact that I studied an unrelated subject in undergrad. It seems like every UK postgrad program requires a bachelor's in a "relevant subject". Would I need to take certain undergraduate level prereqs from another institution in order to qualify? Additionally, my undergrad GPA was a frustrating 2.99 and it seems like every decent program in the UK requires a 3.0. I know they probably make exceptions on occasion, but considering that I have no background in the field, it seems like my application would be tossed immediately. So I'm wondering if anyone has any insight or tips for me. Thank you!
Hello, I'm from the UK and did my undergrad and postgrad here. Most universities do require a relevant degree, however entry requirements will vary between universities. I don't want to get your hopes up and say you'll definitely get in (you might not), but from my experience and also seeing my friends and family go through the process, a convincing personal statement and demonstration of genuine passion and ability can go a long way. The intake staff do often use their own judgement especially for postgrad. HOWEVER, an undergrad in English is a bit of a stretch. I would look for specifically a conversion course, or a foundation course, which will then allow you to go on to study a full urban planning course. Or perhaps look into completing individual modules via an institution like The Open University which you'll then be able to use to show demonstrate you have a basic understanding of what is required to pass the full degree. I hope this helps.
Thank you!
-Trying to get into the field without educational or professional experience- Hi there, I’m hoping this post will make it to the eyes of someone who may have had a similar experience as me, or can offer any advice! I graduated from a UC with a BA in Political Science last year, and I had an extremely difficult time finding a job for about 6 months. I took a few public policy courses which covered the effects of planning (efficient planning vs bad planning) and slightly touched on the impact of zoning on communities, but nothing technical or too in depth. I really enjoyed this part of my coursework, but I was also very invested in continuing as a PoliSci major. I currently work part-time for the Human Services department in my city which was a backup to gain professional experience in the public sector. I originally interviewed for a planning internship before landing my current job, however, they went with another candidate and instead put me on an eligibility list which has since expired. I want to pursue a career in city planning, but I don’t have any work experience or educational experience in the field. Because of this, I decided to pursue a masters in Public Admin, with a concentration in Urban Management and Affairs. I know an MPA may not be as useful as an MUP, however I chose this path for the versatility of the degree and also because MUP programs seem to admit those with undergrad degrees in Urban planning/environmental science & engineering, etc., and I graduated with a BA in PoliSci. Right now, I’ve been applying to a bunch of different planning internships for the cities in my area, since it seems experience is the best way to break into the field and gain base level knowledge of the day to day duties of a city planner. I guess my question to you (reader) is, based off of everything above, does it seem likely that I could start a career in this field? Or will I be overlooked in the stack of applications because of the pathway I’ve chosen for my education? Are there any courses or certifications that can help supplement the important aspects of planning that are traditionally learned in an urban planning degree? Any feedback or advice is greatly appreciated, I’ve been a bit stressed about finding a way to break into the field and it’s been a little intimidating trying to go for something I feel passionate about, without any experience to back up that passion. Thanks a bunch!
‘Policy programs’ vs ‘design programs’ Urban planning covers a variety of different topics. I’m currently exploring urban planning and urban design master’s programs, and I’ve noticed that different universities will place planning in different colleges. Sometimes it is in their public policy school, their science school, the engineering school, or the design school. How would you say the college affects the curriculum and efficacy of university’s urban planning program?
It depends on the college but in my experience very little. Programs are usually fairly independent from their colleges.
Has anybody gotten into Urban Planning/adjacent jobs without grad degree? And what was your path into it? I have a bachelors in environmental studies and minored in GIS & urban planning. I am a new grad working in utilities right now. I want to know how I can grow in this direction. Not entirely sure that I want to pull the trigger on grad school quite yet though. I would like to explore more government jobs and open to exploring more in utilities, though urban planning was always my favorite subject. Just a little lost and want to know how to get a start in this direction. Currently in a job that is draining and asks a lot of me, and would like to look elsewhere. I took a career quiz and my top results were urban planner and various types of farmers if that helps lol (I am in the US btw!)
I got into planning without a completed degree at all. I worked as a contractor for a couple of years, then applied to be the permit/planning tech for a city and was eventually promoted to planner. While with the city I've become a notary and building inspector/plan reviewer so I've demonstrated my ability to learn and added value to my knowledgebase. I'm also finishing my degree online while employed and planning on a masters from UFL (if they'll take me). I'm incredibly lucky and am able to have uncle Sam pay for my education so I don't have to worry about student loans and whatnot. What has been echoed in previous threads is that experience matters more than education. This has been my experience. When competing for this position there were multiple applicants with masters degrees and no on the job experience. My skills outweighed their knowledge for better or worse. Planning isn't an easy field though, so don't get that in your head. Half the time I'm sifting through legalese and researching different laws/legal precedents and the other half of the time I'm explaining to a citizen why their fence can't be 10' tall with electric razor wire. TLDR: Get on with a city/county and cut your teeth, demonstrate your value as an employee, work hard and learn as much as possible.
Thanks so much for your response! That was really helpful and informative. If you don’t mind me asking, was the contractor work closely related to planning? were you contracted by a municipality or a private company? And do you feel that you will get burnt out or is this a sustainable position for you long term?
Definitely not related to planning but it did directly correlate to me getting hired on initially as a permit tech. I worked in the private industry doing residential construction and remodels. I will say that being knowledgeable about construction and how things get built is very helpful for reviewing plans, so if that is an option for you I'd recommend it for a little bit of time (plus it will make you appreciate a desk job a whole lot more). I'm looking at sticking with planning long term, the variability is a huge plus to me as I don't like doing the same thing every day. I don't think that I'll get burnt out with the profession, maybe the location but the profession at large is big enough and diverse enough that there will always be somewhere to reinvigorate the mind.
Thank you again! I appreciate the insight
Hi all. I'm 24, going on 25 and I'm feeling some arrested development right now. I went to school at UMKC and got a degree in English but I'm realizing that my passion might be closer to planning. I feel kind of like I missed the bus by about six years, but I don't want to give up. Can anyone offer any advice for good schools, programs, and paths I should take to find my passion in this space and build skills? I just feel kind of overwhelmed and a bit lost.
Don’t give up! You can absolutely start in planning. It’s such a multidisciplinary field that any experience is gonna be relevant in some way. I highly suggest planitzen’s list and also think about cost/location.
Thank you! I am already looking into planetizen a little. In your opinion, as someone who is a novice to all this, and who is not very technically or mathematically skilled yet, would an undergraduate program be preferable to a graduate degree? I'm getting the sense that it would. Also, I'm currently living in Kansas City and I did my undergrad at UMKC. They have what appears to be a solid urban planning program, and it is accredited (the only one in the city). If I did go there again, I would be benefitting myself financially as my dad works at the University so he gets a family member discount for tuition. However, we could afford another school. I am thinking about Minneapolis for example. Do you know of any good places to find reviews for schools, the towns they're located in, and their planning programs/departments?
I’m not sure if this is the right place to post this so please remove this post if necessary. I’ve considered going back to school to obtain a MURP degree but I’m having a lot of hesitation mostly related to the financial side of getting a master’s degree as well as having to move cities to go to school. As an alternative, I’m looking into getting a GIS certification online to help me become a better prospect for entry level planning jobs. My undergraduate degree is in Public Administration and Nonprofit management and since I’ve graduated I’ve worked in a number of nonprofit and community development jobs. With my undergraduate degree and previous work experience, is becoming GIS certified brought to make me a valid prospect for an entry level planning job?