Curriculum & Courses

This advanced seminar explores the strategic geospatial analysis of cities and regions. Students employ the ArcGIS Pro desktop GIS mapping application to become proficient in suitability modeling, mapping clusters, and regression analysis. Using the Python scripting language, students develop custom tools and methods for spatial analysis. The class culminates in an analysis competition, in which students apply analytical concepts to contemporary urban issues. Prior completion of MPUP 605 is required for students with no prior exposure to GIS software.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

Capstone is the culminating course in the program curriculum and the final requirement to become eligible to graduate. Students propose a topic, conduct research and work with an adviser to develop an argument advancing the professional practice of urban planning. Projects may be place-based, practice-based or be completed as a professional engagement. All students must present their work to a visiting review committee and submit a written deliverable for final evaluation. Capstone may be paired with Independent Study in the previous semester to allow the completion of an academic thesis. Upon completion students are encouraged to publish their work through Digital Georgetown and by doing so make their work searchable by the public. Students must apply to take this course in the previous semester using the special application form.

This seminar is an introduction to Geographic Information Systems and their application within the fields of urban planning, asset management and public administration. Students develop proficiency in ESRI software and discover geo-coded data in support of performing spatial analysis in cities and regions. This course includes a combination of hands-on instruction as well as lectures introducing contemporary applications. Students will produce a final spatial analysis project as the dedicated means to researching communities and the built-environment.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This core course examines the history of the planning profession and the planner’s role in urban development. Themes include the physical design of cities, the social construct of community and the planner's response to new technologies. Course readings emphasize primary texts associated with urban planning practice and students complete an in-depth historical case study of urban planning outcomes.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

Independent Study is a student-initiated and student-designed course of study. It can be structured either as a professional internship or as an advanced academic study project. Students must apply to take this course in the previous semester using the special application form. Once approved, students are assigned an academic advisor to help guide their work. Students are required to make an oral presentation at the conclusion of the semester.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This core course studies landmark land use law cases that form the legal foundation of contemporary urban planning practice. Students examine the law as a method by which to shape the quality of neighborhoods and communities. Students evaluate legal constraints that arise in the course of the planning practice which directly impact urban development and resource allocation. The powers and constraints of zoning law are introduced in addition to the environmental and housing frameworks that govern metropolitan form.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This seminar explores the world's fastest growing industry: global travel and tourism. Utilizing global case studies, students gain exposure to the planning and management practices employed to balance global economics with local development outcomes. A critical question centers on the development of sustainable place-based tourism, which leverages distinct cultural, social, and historical attributes of a place, but which also is deliberate in assessing the collateral local impacts of the global tourism industry. The course surveys policies, markets, infrastructure, labor, training, product design and marketing in the cumulative effort to position unique places in the global marketplace. Performance based outcomes are evaluated with respect to economic, environmental and cultural sustainability, in support of the creation of a place-based hospitality framework.

This course meets in-person at the day and time listed.

This core course examines the facets of sustainability planning that affect the health and future of the 21st century city in the era of climate change. As urban populations increase and natural resources grow more scarce, the principles of sustainable communities become integral to shaping livable urban environments. Theories of sustainability, sustainability policy, as well as obstacles to sustainable development are reviewed and case studies of sustainable communities are used to establish global benchmarks of best practices.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This seminar explores how to intentionally plan the built environment to improve public health, while critically examining risk factors linked to health and safety outcomes. Students develop proficiency in key areas of public health, gain exposure to tools and methods to translate research into action, and gain exposure to emerging trends influencing professional practice in planning, design and real estate. A key objective is to introduce evidence-based, feasible, and health-driven decision making frameworks, which place an emphasis on translating concepts into urban planning, design and investment actions.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This core course introduces students to the underlying skills and research methods necessary to excel in the Urban & Regional Planning program. Students will become familiar with the sources of data, quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and spatial analysis, while concurrently developing knowledge in the concepts and terminology of urban planning practice. Through readings, lectures, field study and applied analysis, students gain proficiency in applying both foundational knowledge and skills. This course is required for all incoming students.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

Professional Internship is a one-credit, student-initiated course of study to advance professional practice knowledge. It is structured as a professional internship in coordination with an external organization. Students must apply to take this course in the previous semester using the special application form. Students are required to make an oral presentation at the conclusion of the semester.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed. The course requires department approval for registration.

This seminar is a comprehensive introduction to the goals, strategies, and planning practices of urban transportation systems. Transportation planning is introduced across all modes, and in multiple locations in varying metro-regional contexts. Students explore how transportation planning sets goals, develops strategies, and assesses outcomes in meeting a community's transportation needs. Case studies are used to assess planning, regulatory, and funding strategies in the context of local, regional, and national transportation policies. The course includes a critical assessment of how new technologies and transit-oriented development strategies are disrupting old assumptions with concepts of urban mobility services, walkability, and on-demand transit.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

Capstone is the culminating course in the program curriculum and the final requirement to become eligible to graduate. Students propose a topic, conduct research and work with an adviser to develop an argument advancing the professional practice of urban planning. Projects may be place-based, practice-based or be completed as a professional engagement. All students must present their work to a visiting review committee and submit a written deliverable for final evaluation. Capstone may be paired with Independent Study in the previous semester to allow the completion of an academic thesis. Upon completion students are encouraged to publish their work through Digital Georgetown and by doing so make their work searchable by the public. Students must apply to take this course in the previous semester using the special application form.

Capstone is the culminating course in the program curriculum and the final requirement to become eligible to graduate. Students propose a topic, conduct research and work with an adviser to develop an argument advancing the professional practice of urban planning. Projects may be place-based, practice-based or be completed as a professional engagement. All students must present their work to a visiting review committee and submit a written deliverable for final evaluation. Capstone may be paired with Independent Study in the previous semester to allow the completion of an academic thesis. Upon completion students are encouraged to publish their work through Digital Georgetown and by doing so make their work searchable by the public. Students must apply to take this course in the previous semester using the special application form.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed. This course is a core requirement of the degree and requires a grade of "B" or better for successful completion. This course requires department approval for registration.

This advanced seminar explores the strategic geospatial analysis of cities and regions. Students employ the ArcGIS Pro desktop GIS mapping application to become proficient in suitability modeling, mapping clusters, and regression analysis. Using the Python scripting language, students develop custom tools and methods for spatial analysis. The class culminates in an analysis competition, in which students apply analytical concepts to contemporary urban issues. Prior completion of MPUP 605 is required for students with no prior exposure to GIS software.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This seminar explores the practices of developing a comprehensive affordable housing strategy for a local jurisdiction. While the emphasis is on the economics of delivering housing to the complete range of incomes, the course explores how comprehensive housing strategies move beyond housing policy to include other urban planning challenges which impact affordability, social inclusion and community development. Lectures, guest speakers and analytical exercises explore policy themes and student research culminates in a final project which constructs a new housing strategy in a given jurisdiction.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This seminar is an introduction to Geographic Information Systems and their application within the fields of urban planning, asset management and public administration. Students develop proficiency in ESRI software and discover geo-coded data in support of performing spatial analysis in cities and regions. This course includes a combination of hands-on instruction as well as lectures introducing contemporary applications. Students will produce a final spatial analysis project as the dedicated means to researching communities and the built-environment.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This seminar introduces the diverse drivers of international urban development which make global urbanization one of the most important global trends in the 21st Century. Coursework includes surveys of global demographic change, global urban markets, urban investment trends and the socio-environmental challenges that accompany them. The course introduces students to international non-governmental organizations (NGO), multi-lateral development banks and international institutions of government who are collectively embracing localized urbanization as a global policy agenda.

This course meets in-person at the day and time listed.

Independent Study is a student-initiated and student-designed course of study. It can be structured either as a professional internship or as an advanced academic study project. Students must apply to take this course in the previous semester using the special application form. Once approved, students are assigned an academic advisor to help guide their work. Students are required to make an oral presentation at the conclusion of the semester.

This seminar studies land use regulations, historic preservation and development review mechanisms. A first module explores the evolution, tools and application of municipal land use zoning in the United States. A second module explores other forms of municipal controls over land use, including inclusionary zoning, rent control, historic preservation, special design districts and international case studies. A third module examines historical case studies with an emphasis on complex urban projects which have required special approval processes and public-private negotiations. A common theme running through the course explores the historic impact of land use controls on the racial and economic composition of neighborhoods and cities.

This course meets in-person at the day and time listed.

This core course examines the facets of sustainability planning that affect the health and future of the 21st century city in the era of climate change. As urban populations increase and natural resources grow more scarce, the principles of sustainable communities become integral to shaping livable urban environments. Theories of sustainability, sustainability policy, as well as obstacles to sustainable development are reviewed and case studies of sustainable communities are used to establish global benchmarks of best practices.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This core course introduces students to the underlying skills and research methods necessary to excel in the Urban & Regional Planning program. Students will become familiar with the sources of data, quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and spatial analysis, while concurrently developing knowledge in the concepts and terminology of urban planning practice. Through readings, lectures, field study and applied analysis, students gain proficiency in applying both foundational knowledge and skills. This course is required for all incoming students.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This studio course is an introduction into the practices of urban planning through direct engagement of external organizations. Students engage in urban analysis and the formulation and articulation of an urban planning strategy. Examples of successful urban analysis, planning initiatives and community design strategies will are introduced as case studies of professional practice. Coursework emphasizes the exploration of methods of documentation, interdisciplinary analysis and effective communication of planning concepts. A final project presentation is made to external stakeholders.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

Professional Internship is a one-credit, student-initiated course of study to advance professional practice knowledge. It is structured as a professional internship in coordination with an external organization. Students must apply to take this course in the previous semester using the special application form. Students are required to make an oral presentation at the conclusion of the semester.

This course requires department approval for registration.

This seminar explores the practices of quantifying transportation demand at the city, metropolitan and regional scale. Special emphasis is placed on identifying and applying quantitative methods to the challenge of describing mobility across public and private modes of travel. By utilizing a case study approach, students acquire quantitative skills and an understanding of the planning assumptions associated with the modeling of transportation flows. Prior completion of MPUP 765 is required for students with no prior exposure to transportation planning.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This seminar explores how are concepts of urban resiliency inform urban planning decisions with an emphasis on urban infrastructure and systems. Students develop proficiency in systems thinking in order to critically explore how urban infrastructure systems are defined, conceived, delivered and maintained. A review of best practice case studies introduces concepts of urban resiliency which directly inform the contemporary debate on urban infrastructure. Topics include new urban challenges associated with climate change, such as sea-level rise, storm events, flooding and coastal inundation, among many others.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This course will be jointly offered by the RE, SIM and URP programs in order to bring together students and faculty from the fields of real estate, sports industry management, real estate and urban and regional planning to discuss how to plan, develop and program successful sports venues so that they add the most value for teams and communities. Over the past several decades, new stadiums and sports arenas have contributed to the revitalization of urban and suburban communities across the United States. At the same time, the cost and complication of building these venues raises questions about location analysis, how best to fund them and how to measure their economic and social impacts. Students will examine the financing and chronology of completed venues in multiple cities to chart the evolution of modern concepts and to identify both positive and negative issues raised and lessons learned. Combining students from multiple programs creates an opportunity for dialogue among potential planners, developers, users and funders of these projects. Working in groups, students will evaluate new stadiums currently in the planning stage and offer proposed solutions for where and how best to carry out these projects.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

This core course applies economic analysis to the study of urban land use patterns and real estate markets. The goal of the course is for students to understand and apply economic principles to the analysis of diverse urban land uses. Among topics covered include the growth of the urban core, the determination of highest & best uses, the determination of rent and vacancy, affordability, and the economics of the private investment cycle. Previous familiarity with basic terms and concepts in economics is expected. Calculus is not required, but a firm understanding of algebra and proficiency in interpreting graphs is assumed. Problem sets, case studies, tests, and class participation are included in grading.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed.

Capstone is the culminating course in the program curriculum and the final requirement to become eligible to graduate. Students propose a topic, conduct research and work with an adviser to develop an argument advancing the professional practice of urban planning. Projects may be place-based, practice-based or be completed as a professional engagement. All students must present their work to a visiting review committee and submit a written deliverable for final evaluation. Capstone may be paired with Independent Study in the previous semester to allow the completion of an academic thesis. Upon completion students are encouraged to publish their work through Digital Georgetown and by doing so make their work searchable by the public. Students must apply to take this course in the previous semester using the special application form.

This course meets in person at the day and time listed. This course is a core requirement of the degree and requires a grade of "B" or better for successful completion. This course requires department approval for registration.