Urban Studies

People who are successful in the urban studies program typically have verbal learning styles. Urban studies students possess a heightened social consciousness. They are self-motivated students who seek an individually designed program within a broad liberal arts curriculum. This curriculum provides a pre-professional course of study for students who anticipate going on into graduate work in law, management or public administration.

The urban studies program serves as excellent preparation for a career in law and public administration. Graduates find employment opportunities in community development, human services, housing and personnel work. Many also choose to pursue advanced degrees.

Additional career options are listed on the Center for Exploratory Studies website.

While there is not a minor in urban studies, students may choose to earn a certificate in one of the following programs: urban planning, urban design, or historic preservation. Students interested in applying to a certificate program must submit a completed application to the DAAP Student Affairs Office, 5470 Aronoff.

The certificate in planning gives students skills in the planning way of thinking, essential in business, industry, public service and the arts. Students are given specific skills that are grounded in specific theories. A proficiency in basic statistics is required at the time of admission or shortly thereafter.

The certificate of historic preservation is open to degree candidates in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning and the College of Arts and Sciences. This program is designed to develop an appreciation for and a working knowledge of the issues and techniques involved in historic preservation.

Prospective students are encouraged to explore the information on our website and contact DAAP Student Affairs at 513-556-1376 or daap-admissions@uc.edu with questions. The Transfer and Transition Advising Center is available to assist prospective transfer and transition students. Current DAAP students are assigned an academic advisor based on their major/program. For more information on DAAP advising, please visit the DAAP Undergraduate Advising webpage.

• The city of Cincinnati, once called the "Queen City of the West" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, provides an excellent array of cultural resources for students who intend to pursue a degree in urban studies. It offers the energy and assets of a larger city located in a major metropolitan area, along with vibrant neighborhoods steeped in rich traditions. Cincinnati offers live music venues that range from top-notch symphony and opera companies to a growing pop and rock community. Home to the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Taft Museum, and the Contemporary Arts Center, the city also enjoys the presence of numerous art galleries and a strong support system among practicing artists.
• UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) is one of the most comprehensive colleges of its type in the country. A collection of nationally respected programs is housed in a unique and educationally stimulating architectural setting. Students have opportunities to enroll in courses in a range of related disciplines and to participate in interdisciplinary studios or special projects.
• Students learn creative and technical skills in the studio environment, taught by a passionate faculty who interact with their students on a daily basis. The goal is to guide students as they grow both intellectually and professionally.
• Other educational opportunities include study abroad and minor and certificate programs within the college and the university. Students are encouraged to share their interests in these opportunities with their academic advisor.
• The Robert A. Deshon and Karl J. Schlachter Library for Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning has an outstanding collection of books, periodicals, and visual resources supporting architecture, planning, design, art history, and related subjects. Access to library holdings is provided by an automated online catalog, UCLID, which provides access to the University of Cincinnati Library information database, and through OhioLINK, the holdings of other academic libraries throughout Ohio.
• DAAP’s multiple labs, centers and initiatives support our programs and the creative work and research of our faculty, staff, and students.

• The urban studies program is part of the UC College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), one of the most comprehensive and well-respected colleges of art and design in the country. Enrollment in DAAP gives students the chance to benefit and learn from other disciplines in the college. Urban studies students regularly study with urban planning students, and they may also enroll periodically in interdisciplinary courses, affording the opportunity to share an area of expertise with students from different disciplines.
• Additional learning opportunities include a summer quarter abroad and exchange programs with universities in the Netherlands and Turkey. Through the university’s many certificate programs (similar to a minor area of study), urban studies students can add a specialization in areas such as real estate, area studies, a foreign language, planning and historic preservation.
• Computer Requirements: All undergraduate students in this program are required to purchase a personal laptop computer. Each discipline has its own specific recommendations for hardware and software. Please note that these recommendations may be slightly altered as equipment evolves. Therefore, students new to DAAP are encouraged to delay their computer purchase until the summer prior to entering to make the most informed computer purchase. Many of our programs have additional technology requirements for students in the later years of study.

Students must complete 120 credit hours for graduation. Students must obtain a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0 and, in addition, must have at least a 2.0 grade point average for the senior year to be eligible for graduation. In order to be eligible for graduation with honors, a student must have earned at least a 3.6 grade point average and 60 semester hours.

Students seeking to transfer from another regionally accredited university or college must be in good standing to be considered for admission. Students wishing to transfer into a DAAP program should submit a Transfer Application. Transfer students are generally admitted to the first year of our studio-based, co-op programs due to the sequence of studios and co-op. For further information such as minimum grade point average and application deadlines, please refer to the DAAP Transfer and Transition webpage.

Students seeking to transfer from other colleges and programs at UC must be in good standing to be considered for admission. Students wishing to transition into a DAAP program should submit an Application for Change in College and Program. Transition students are generally admitted to the first year of our studio-based, co-op programs due to the sequence of studios and co-op. For further information such as minimum grade point average and application deadlines, please refer to the DAAP Transfer and Transition webpage.

Please visit the university’s Office of Admissions website for general admissions information and application requirements for international students.