The graduate Urban Design Certificate will provide individuals with:
foundational knowledge about the art and science of cities through history to inform future visions for cities;
introduce the skills and techniques to design livable, functional, and aesthetically appealing places in response to the current and future challenges of cities;
and provide the ability to think critically, to encourage multidisciplinary solutions and appropriate sustainable design and management options that serve to promote harmony between the different facets of cities by considering them from a holistic perspective.
Admission Requirements
The Graduate Urban Design Certificate is open to professionals and graduate matriculated and non-matriculated students. Students can start the program in any semester but are strongly encouraged to contact an advisor and apply early in the process.
Transcripts that indicate receipt of a least a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 GPA.
Students with no previous design education and background will be required to complete PLAN6072 Introduction to Planning Graphics course. Please check with the Urban Design Certificate coordinator regarding the course offerings.
Students should have a keen interest in cities, places and people. Students should be interested in learning about design, planning and policies to create better places for people.
There is a growing demand for professionals who can inform efforts to design places to shape and accommodate the growth and livability of urban areas, promote functional spaces, and conserve the natural environment. These professionals are expected to help design new communities, public places, streets, commercial business districts, corporate and academic campuses, parks, as well as play a role in the renovation of neighborhoods, parts of towns, cities, or metropolitan regions. Such professionals are expected to examine the form, space, movement, time, activity patterns, and setting of cities. The field of Urban Design offers the necessary design frameworks, tools, techniques, and skills to shape the built urban environment through holistic, systematic and sustainable thinking and to confront the current challenges of cities in this 21st century.
Students interested in the Urban Design certificate should work with the program coordinator to confirm the compatibility with their program's requirements and course schedules.
To obtain the Urban Design Certificate, a graduate student or professional must complete four core courses in theory, analysis, implementation, and two electives totaling 18 credits. The student or professional enrolled in the program must pass each course with a minimum grade of C. Graduate students will be expected to produce outcomes with a high level of performance and to prove an advanced knowledge of the topics through written documents, presentations, and/or other materials required by the faculty in charge of the courses.