UP - Urban and Regional Planning
Courses
UP 101 Introduction to City Planning credit: 3 Hours.
Provides an introduction to urban and regional planning by examining the history of American urbanization, the evolution of American planning thought and practice, and contemporary issues and planning approaches.
UP 116 Urban Informatics I credit: 3 Hours.
Introduces students to basic analytical techniques used to better understand how cities work. Topics include the foundational statistical concepts of data, variation, and inference. Students formulate a research question about an urban studies or planning issue, collect data, use statistical software to analyze data, and communicate the findings.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Quantitative Reasoning I
UP 136 Urban Sustainability credit: 3 Hours.
Provides students with a basic understanding of how to make cities more sustainable by connecting how and where we live to environmental issues. Emphasis on green infrastructure and urban systems, vulnerability and resilience, green design and construction methods, energy production and consumption, and water conservation.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci
UP 160 Race, Social Justice, and Cities credit: 3 Hours.
Study of the history and politics of American cities as sites of everyday struggles against systemic racialized exclusions rooted in patterns of residential segregation. Frame everyday racial encounters as surface symptoms of submerged and systematic forms of racism rooted in centuries of genocide, land theft, racial slavery and decades of Jim Crow segregation and neoliberal exclusions. Explore everyday racial conflicts in selected cities as expressions of historical struggles for social and spatial justice, across multiple scales. Focus on the governance of routine social practices ranging from policing, to education, to gentrification and memorialization in public places. Final student projects will focus on social struggles against systemic and everyday racisms in a self-selected city of their choice. Credit is not given for UP 160 if UP 199 section -"Race," Social Justice and the City has been taken.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Cultural Studies - US Minority
UP 185 Cities in a Global Perspective credit: 3 Hours.
Introduction to the process of urbanization from a global perspective by exploring the social, political, cultural and economic forces that shape urban life. Students will learn to analyze urban development in a range of cities including those in the Middle East and South Asia, Latin America and Africa.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Cultural Studies - Non-West
Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci
UP 199 Undergraduate Open Seminar credit: 1 to 5 Hours.
Undergraduate open seminar course in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning May be repeated.
UP 201 Planning in Action credit: 3 Hours.
Introduces students to different career paths open to urban studies and planning majors. Students interact with professionals and take part in hands-on activities related to different concentration areas: sustainability, policy & planning, social justice and global cities.
UP 203 Cities: Planning & Urban Life credit: 3 Hours.
Provides a broad introduction to social science theories and analysis methods to examine how people, communities, and governments plan a city. Draws upon theories and methods of several social science disciplines including economics, geography, political science, anthropology and sociology. Includes hands-on application of fundamental analysis techniques. Credit is not given for both UP 203 and UP 204. Prerequisite: UP 101.
UP 204 Chicago: Planning & Urban Life credit: 3 Hours.
Provides a broad introduction to social science theories and analysis methods, and uses the City of Chicago as a semester-long case study to examine how people, communities, and governments plan a city. Draws upon theories and methods of several social science disciplines including economics, geography, political science, anthropology, and sociology. Balances themes and concepts from the assigned readings with discussion of Chicago-specific case studies and hands-on application of fundamental analysis techniques. Credit is not given for both UP 204 and UP 203. Prerequisite: UP 101.
UP 205 Ecology & Environmental Sustainability credit: 3 Hours.
Basic ecological principles underlying environmental sustainability. Examination of problems that arise from inadequate consideration of structure and function of ecological systems, and approaches to ecological restoration and environmentally sound planning. Applications of principles to case studies drawn from urban planning, natural resource management and sustainable development.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Nat Sci & Tech - Life Sciences
UP 210 Environmental Economics credit: 3 Hours.
Same as ACE 210, ECON 210, ENVS 210, and NRES 210. See ACE 210.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci
UP 211 Local Planning, Gov't and Law credit: 3 Hours.
Provides students with a basic understanding of the governmental structure, legal aspects, and practice of local municipal planning, with special emphasis on case law, constitutional principles, zoning, subdivision regulations and comprehensive planning. Gives an introduction for students interested in pursuing more advanced studies in land use law and local government planning.
UP 230 Transportation Planning: Fundamentals and Innovations credit: 3 Hours.
Introduces fundamental concepts and emerging shifts/innovations in the field of transportation planning. The course will prepare students to address the following questions: What does our transportation system look like today, and how did we get here? How do people make decisions about travel? What are the impacts of these decisions on the environment, the economy, social equity, congestion, public health, and safety? Will autonomous vehicles simply encourage more driving, or can they be harnessed in a way that supports wider community goals? How do we design streets that are safe for all travel modes? Through a combination of discussions, case studies, and hands-on activities, students will think critically and creatively about these questions and about the role of transportation planners in creating positive change for communities.
UP 246 International Environmental Planning and Governance credit: 3 Hours.
Examines the environmental pressures affecting and created by cities and urbanization in the global South. Students will learn about the historical and contemporary drivers of environmental change and the potential implications of new planning approaches to current and future environmental challenges. Activities include interactive class discussions, small group exercises, and a team-based project in which students design collaborative planning interventions to address specific environmental issues in an international city of their choice.
UP 260 Social Inequality and Planning credit: 3 Hours.
How are inequalities produced and contested in an urban environment? This course examines this question by analyzing how the urban landscape shapes and is shaped by race, class, and gender inequalities. Uses comparative cases to explore successful intervention, both from formal and informal, across multiple scales from the local to the global.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci
UP 301 Capstone Preparation credit: 1 Hour.
Students work with capstone advisor to develop a plan to meet the capstone experience requirement. Students submit a proposal at the end of the semester. Approved for S/U grading only. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
UP 312 Communication for Planners credit: 4 Hours.
Integrates written, verbal, and graphic communication techniques into planning and analysis. Activities simulate professional situations where students develop skills and pieces of broader arguments and synthesize them into final products. Prerequisite: Completion of campus Composition I general education requirement.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Advanced Composition
UP 316 Urban Informatics II credit: 3 Hours.
Provides an introduction to formal methods for collecting and analyzing data required in various planning processes. Methods include survey research, regional demographic and economic analysis, forecasting techniques, benefit-cost analysis, and decision analysis. Prerequisite: UP 116 or an introductory statistics course.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Quantitative Reasoning II
UP 317 Introduction to Urban Data Science credit: 3 Hours.
Entry-level data science course which introduces basic scientific methods, processes, and algorithms to extract and further understand knowledge or insights from all kinds of data in the urban environment. Students will learn a set of fundamental concepts in data science during lectures. The weekly hands-on lab will cover methods and tools of effective data analysis and visualization. This course builds a common foundation for quantitative analysis among undergraduates for a wide application in their capstone/projects. Prerequisite: UP 116 or equivalent statistical course such as: ACE 261, STAT 100, STAT 107, or STAT 200.
UP 327 International Creative Placemaking credit: 3 Hours.
Explores in theory, policy, and practice, community arts-based projects, participatory methods, and cultural practices from an international, interdisciplinary, and intersectional approach. It will critically analyze how different individuals, groups, and institutions are using, both formally and informally, the arts and creative practices to engage and build communities, shape the physical environment, and address persistent societal problems. Students will work in phases to propose a creative placemaking project based on an accurate site. Credit is not given toward graduation for UP 327 if credit for the UP 199 section International Placemaking has been earned.
UP 330 The Modern American City credit: 3 Hours.
The Modern American City investigates the changing social and economic composition of cities, and the changing status of cities in U.S. society. The course focuses on the propulsive role race plays in three separate periods: The post-war period of African-American migration from the South and white flight, the post-1990 revival of cities and the amplification of their social inequalities, and the current period of pro-equity politics interracial coalitions of voters and organizers. Each course section explicitly considers the role that racial difference and other forms of difference play in first creating and second responding to the inequalities that characterize U.S. cities and society.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Cultural Studies - US Minority
UP 335 Cities and Immigrants credit: 3 Hours.
Focuses on the experiences of United States cities and towns undergoing rapid demographic economic, social, and cultural changes and the local responses to those changes, including local policy making, land-use regulations, community controversy, and grassroots activism. Same as SOCW 335.
UP 340 Planning for Healthy Cities credit: 3 Hours.
Explores the evolving role of health in urban planning. Historical and current theories on the relationship between public health and the built environment are highlighted, as are prescriptions for healthy urban design. Community health planning, health disparities, and the needs of special populations in the city are also examined, along with some of the major policy issues affecting urban health care today.
UP 345 Economic Development Planning credit: 3 Hours.
Public-private-partnerships in urban economic development, including study of potentials, problems, and projects; financing urban economic development through federal grant programs, tax increment financing, and other means.
UP 347 Junior Planning Workshop credit: 4 Hours.
Provides students with an opportunity to further develop planning skills and knowledge to prepare for an advanced level urban planning workshop. Students will work in small groups to define and solve planning problems as they improve skills in data collection and analysis, mapping and spatial analysis, design, oral and written communication and presentation, public engagement, teamwork, and consensus building. Specific projects associated with the workshop will vary from year to year. Prerequisite: UP 312. Intended for juniors in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
UP 357 The Land Development Process credit: 3 Hours.
Understanding of the process of land development from the perspective of both the planner and the developer. Includes and understanding of planning and zoning concepts, infrastructure needs, and incentive tools commonly used by municipalities in recruiting and facilitating land development. The course provides the student the opportunity to learn basic concepts to land development and then apply them in a land development project proposal. Prerequisite: UP 347: Junior Planning Workshop is highly recommended or basic familiarity with GIS, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign and SketchUp.
UP 390 Planning Internship credit: 0 or 3 Hours.
Introduces students to professional employment and actual planning practice. Students work in an organization of their own choice, subject to departmental approval, either during the summer session or part-time during a regular term. Typical places of employment include municipal and county governments, private planning consulting firms, non-profit agencies, regional planning councils, park districts, and state agencies such as the Department of Transportation. Approved for Letter and S/U grading. May be repeated in separate terms up to 6 hours. At least 135 hours of student work is required for the 3-credit hour course or at least 45 hours of student work is required for the 0-credit hour course. Prerequisite: Upper division undergraduate standing in urban planning.
UP 397 Undergraduate Project credit: 1 to 3 Hours.
Students work with an instructor on a special project or applied research related to real world urban problems and professional practice. Approved for Letter and S/U grading. May be repeated to a maximum of 3 hours. Prerequisite: Consent of Capstone advisor. Restricted to upper division students in Urban Planning.
UP 401 Professional Development Seminar credit: 1 Hour.
Discussion and activities related to professional development and networking for career success. Students will attend professional development activities such as lectures, conferences and networking events. The class meetings will be an opportunity for peer learning through activities, as well as to reflect on professional development activities. The final project is a professional portfolio that is representative of your major work over the course of your academic career. 1 undergraduate hour. No graduate credit. Approved for Letter and S/U grading. Prerequisite: Senior standing required.
UP 405 Watershed Ecology and Planning credit: 4 Hours.
Uses the watershed as the basic organizing concept in environmental planning and management; methods for assessing watershed boundaries, soils, land use, and groundwater system processes and developing plans for watershed protection. Emphasizes ecological implications of patterns of land use on functional and qualitative aspects of watershed systems. All-day field trip required. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Should have a previous course in environmental science.
UP 406 Urban Ecology credit: 4 Hours.
Examines cities as natural systems, combining ecological analyses with historical, anthropological, and sociological studies of urban nature. Addresses ecological sustainability, growth management, biodiversity, restoration, and environmental justice. Required field trip. Same as ENVS 406. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
UP 407 State and Local Public Finance credit: 4 Hours.
Provides students with an understanding of the fundamental concepts of fiscal planning at the state and local levels of government. Addresses both the theory and methods of state and local finance, focused on state and local fiscal policy. Addresses emerging policy issues involving land use and taxation, spending and budgeting, intergovernmental cooperation, debt financing, financing for economic development, and privatization. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
UP 418 GIS for Planners credit: 4 Hours.
Detailed introduction to the design and use of computerized geographic information systems, focusing on their significance for planning. Emphasizes GIS within an institutional setting, covering not only fundamental technical concepts, but also organizational, management, and legal issues. Students will be introduced to GIS applications and products through readings, videos, demonstrations, and exercises. Computer laboratory work is included. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Upper division undergaraduate or graduate standing.
UP 420 Plng for Historic Preservation credit: 4 Hours.
Historic preservation in the context of urban planning, including legal issues and ordinances, economic incentives, comprehensive plans and preservation plans, public participation, media relations, and more. Students will conduct a building survey including research and architectural descriptions for an on-going project in Urbana. Tours of local preservation projects. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: At least junior standing.
UP 423 Community Development in the Global South credit: 4 Hours.
Introduces students to the main theoretical frameworks and conceptual building blocks of urban and community development in the Global South. It helps students to develop critical grassroots focused understanding of the approaches to development planning, the notion of community participation and empowerment, and the role of various actors including the non-government organizations and the community-based groups. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
UP 426 Urban Design and Planning credit: 4 Hours.
Concepts and techniques of urban analysis, plan making, and implementation essential for effective interdisciplinary work in urban design. 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: Restricted to senior standing.
UP 427 Digital Storytelling credit: 3 or 4 Hours.
Digital Storytelling explores how storytelling can play a central role in planning education and practice by democratizing knowledge, sharpening critical judgement, and expanding our practical tools. This course, by exploring other mediums of communication, seeks to move beyond the hegemony of textual communication and introduce means that might further democratize both production and dissemination of knowledge. In this course we offer a range of digital communication tools (eg by podcast, video, info graph and storymap) that are critical to inclusive planning and education. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Credit is not given toward graduation for UP 427 if credit was given for UP 494-FM in Fall 2022 or Spring 2021. Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate students and upper level undergraduate students in all fields.
UP 428 International Planning Studio credit: 3 to 6 Hours.
Involves multidisciplinary student teams developing design or policy proposals for urban development of sites in international contexts. The studio combines seminar and studio/workshop formats to apply critical analysis, define planning problems, and propose solutions that integrate the social, economic, physical, and cultural aspects of site development. 3 to 6 undergraduate hours. 3 to 6 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
UP 430 Urban Transportation Planning credit: 4 Hours.
Role of transportation in urban development and planning; characteristics of urban-person transportation systems and methods of analysis and forecasting of urban-person transportation demand; transportation systems management and capital improvement programming; and emphasis on the needs and activities of metropolitan planning organizations. Same as CEE 417. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
UP 431 Urban Transportation Modeling credit: 3 or 4 Hours.
Provides the basic skills needed to understand how planners and decision makers use information about travel behavior to plan transportation investments. Students will gain applied experience with travel demand modeling software. Additional course topics include an introduction to travel behavior theory, travel model evaluation, and emerging modeling applications. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: UP 430, UP 460, or CEE 417, or consent of instructor. Junior standing required.
UP 432 Transportation Equity credit: 3 Hours.
This course explores principles of justice and equity in transportation policy and planning. Students will learn about foundations of equity, laws and policies governing equity and environmental justice, assessment metrics, and the role of public planners and advocates in creating equitable transportation systems. Emphasis is on the United States experience, but will include some international content. Course activities include discussion and a practicum component. Students taking the course for graduate credit will lead additional discussions and a longer final paper. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 graduate hours. Credit is not given for UP 432 and UP 494 JB: Transportation Equity.
UP 434 Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning credit: 3 or 4 Hours.
Introduces the fundamentals of planning for pedestrian and bicycle transportation. Students will learn about the benefits and challenges of planning for walking and cycling; the roles of plans, policies, and infrastructure in supporting active travel; key elements of infrastructure design; methods to assess safety and access; and processes to create, implement, and evaluate plans and programs. Activities will include interactive discussions, hands-on exercises such as safety audits and site analyses, and a client-based project addressing real-world community needs. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
UP 436 Urban Design Workshop credit: 4 Hours.
Examines urban design theory and principles, and evaluates the built environment in a lab-based setting. Working in teams, students become immersed in real work examples and propose design interventions for specific places, including socially diverse neighborhoods in small cities and major metropolitan urban centers. Normally includes active engagement with community residents. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: UP 426, senior or graduate standing, or consent of instructor.
UP 437 Public Transportation Planning credit: 3 or 4 Hours.
Introduces the fundamentals of planning for public transportation in cities and regions. Students will learn about the benefits and challenges of providing public transportation services; planning fundamentals (history, policy, governance, finance); connections between transportation and land use; types and uses of data for system planning and design; service planning methods (capacity analysis, network and route design); and emerging trends in service provision. Activities will include hands-on projects designed around skills and core competencies that practitioners have identified as critical for transportation planners. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
UP 438 Disasters and Urban Planning credit: 4 Hours.
Introduction to the role of urban planners in preparing for and rebuilding after disasters. Emphasizes U.S. planning practice, with particular attention to the role of local government. Includes basic U.S. emergency management laws and framework, local mitigation planning, and post-disaster recovery planning. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, senior in Urban Planning, or consent of instructor.
UP 443 Scenarios, Plans & Future Cities credit: 3 Hours.
This course teaches theories and tools of scenario analysis, a set of techniques useful for making plans and creating more sustainable future cities. Scenario analysis can be used to think about multiple facets of a problem simultaneously and for addressing the uncertain future in light of the limited cognitive and computational capacity of individuals and organizations. Urban planners and policymakers are adopting and extending scenario approaches to envision the future, analyze decisions, and identify robust strategies in situations as varied as comparing projected outcomes of alternative routes for highway investment, to making decisions in situations when formal regulatory mechanisms may be lacking. The need for knowledge and skills in this area is reflected in (1) the growing use of scenario analysis as a required method in many government-funded planning initiative in the United States and around the world, (2) new courses and workshops offered by urban planning programs and professional trainers, such as the American Planning Association and Planetizen, and (3) the sprouting of scenario planning support tools, such as Envision Tomorrow and Index PlanBuilder. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 graduate hours. Prerequisite: A completion of an urban planning class would be useful. Junior standing is required.
UP 447 Land Use Planning Workshop credit: 4 Hours.
Small group field work applying principles and techniques to specific land use problems in selected jurisdictions. 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: UP 347 Junior Workshop or consent of the instructor. Restricted to Urban Studies and Planning or Sustainable Design undergraduate major(s). Not intended for graduate students or students with Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior class standing.
UP 455 Economic Development Workshop credit: 4 Hours.
Small group field work applying principles and techniques of economic development planning and policy analysis to specific problems in selected cities, regions, or states. 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: UP 347 Junior Workshop or consent of the instructor. Restricted to Urban Studies and Planning or Sustainable Design undergraduate major(s). Not intended for graduate students or students with Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior class standing.
UP 456 Sustainable Planning Workshop credit: 4 Hours.
Focuses on applying sustainable planning principles in a real world setting. Readings and research into indices of sustainable development, sustainable urbanism, and related literature help establish parameters for resolving a local planning project. Course is a hybrid workshop with portions of the semester spent on reading, research, and application working with a local planning agency. 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: UP 347 Junior Workshop or consent of the instructor. Restricted to Urban Studies and Planning or Sustainable Design undergraduate major(s). Not intended for graduate students or students with Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior class standing.
UP 457 Small Town/Rural Planning Workshop credit: 4 Hours.
What is rural and why does it matter? This workshop focuses on small towns and rural communities using Central Illinois communities in local case studies. Students will apply concepts and skills from prior courses and work extensively in teams to compile, synthesize, and communicate information that furthers planning and placemaking efforts. Archival research techniques; analysis of demographic, social, and economic trends; qualitative interviewing; and documentary film production are examples of the kinds of skills students will develop and refine. 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: UP 347 Junior Workshop or consent of the instructor. Restricted to Urban Studies and Planning or Sustainable Design undergraduate major(s). Not intended for graduate students or students with Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior class standing.
UP 460 Transportation/Land Use Policy credit: 4 Hours.
Provides an integrated perspective and analytical framework for understanding urban transportation and land use policies. Emphasizes the interplay between the built environment and transportation by focusing on: fundamental travel demand theories; performance measures of urban transportation systems; impacts of transportation on land use and urban form; impacts of land use and urban form on travel patterns; congestion pricing; public transportation and active transportation; and transit oriented development (TOD). 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
UP 470 Shrinking Cities credit: 4 Hours.
This seminar examines urban shrinkage--a phenomenon typically associated with population loss, but also characterized by obsolescence, disinvestment, and abandonment. While some cities thrive and struggle to house the global urban majority, other cities face the stark reality of shrinkage and decline. What should we do to envision and enact a viable future for our shrinking cities? This course will be taught as a seminar, using readings, student facilitated discussions, and lectures as a means for creating a shared understanding around urban shrinkage. Literature from Planning, Economics, Sociology, and other areas will contribute to discussions of the meaning of urban decline as a set of social, economic, and spatial phenomena. Some seminar sessions will be "lab" sessions, focused on developing your analytical skillset via qualitative and quantitative methods. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Credit is not given for UP 470 if credit for UP 494-AG has been given. Prerequisite: Students must have at least a junior standing.
UP 473 Housing & Urban Policy credit: 4 Hours.
The role of housing in American social policy planning: the history of public and private intervention in housing, regulation of supply and demand within housing markets and market imperfections; analysis of public policies for housing as they affect special populations (for example, the poor, the elderly, the disabled, homeless, and minorities). 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
UP 474 Neighborhood Revitalization credit: 4 Hours.
Examines rationale and techniques for planning at the neighborhood level; the major social, political, and economic issues that confound public and private sector efforts to revitalize distressed neighborhoods. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
UP 475 Real Estate Development Fundamentals credit: 4 Hours.
This course will provide an introduction to the fundamental concepts and techniques applied in the real estate development process. In addition, this course will examine both the broader economic and social context in which real estate development is situated as well as how various professions interact within this context. Course assessments will include several case study assignments and a group project using an actual development site that will provide students with the chance to apply the concepts and techniques learned in the course, culminating in a final report and presentation. The overall objective of the course is to provide students with a useful framework for understanding the real estate development process, allowing them to identify viable development opportunities and analyze real estate development projects, while weighing the economic, social, and environmental costs and benefits for a community. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Credit is not given for UP 475 if credit was already given for UP 494-RE. Prerequisite: This course has no prerequisites, however, having had at least an introductory urban planning class would be helpful. Upper-level or graduate standing is recommended.
UP 476 The City Through the Body credit: 3 or 4 Hours.
Explores how we understand, represent and challenge urban conditions of oppression and inequality through the body. Using an international, interdisciplinary, and intersectional approach, this collaborative course uses theoretical and practical strategies from choreography and planning to tackle historical inequities in the urban context. Same as DANC 476. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
UP 478 Community Development Workshop credit: 4 Hours.
Application of community development principles and techniques to the solution of environmental, economic and social problems facing low income urban communities. Involves small group projects and off-campus field work in collaboration with community leaders. 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: UP 347 Junior Workshop or consent of the instructor. Restricted to Urban Studies and Planning or Sustainable Design undergraduate major(s). Not intended for graduate students or students with Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior class standing.
UP 479 Community Engagement in Planning credit: 3 or 4 Hours.
Students will explore in theory, policy and practice community engagement through a case study, and observe actual planning and decision-making processes at different scales and contexts. Students will learn different tools and strategies that bring people together, particularly in low-income neighborhoods and culturally diverse metropolitan regions. Collectively, students will design a participatory process. Throughout the semester, students will make field trips to stakeholder communities and planning agencies, and grapple with the myriad challenges and dilemmas faced by nonprofit advocates, community activists, and equity-oriented public planners. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Credit is not given for UP 479 if credit has already been received for UP 494-LT.
UP 486 Planning with Climate Change credit: 4 Hours.
This junior/senior/graduate level course introduces the role of planning in addressing the climate crisis, through the lens of social and environment justice. Topics include the science of climate change, climate justice, greenhouse gas emissions reductions strategies, and adaptation planning. In addition to weekly in-class and on-line assignments, students will work in small teams to conduct a climate action plan for a local small business. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Credit is not given if credit has already been given for UP 494-SK.
UP 494 Special Topics in Planning credit: 1 to 6 Hours.
Seminar on topics of current interest, as announced in the Schedule. 1 to 6 undergraduate hours. 1 to 6 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 16 hours.
UP 501 Planning History and Theory credit: 4 Hours.
Offers students a survey of classic and contemporary theories of planning. Students will gain a deeper appreciation for the profession's roots as well as be introduced to some of "the theoretical tools" used to analyze planning. An important aspect of the course is intellectual dialogue through critical reading, informed discussion and writing assignments. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Urban Planning or consent of instructor.
UP 503 Physical Planning credit: 4 Hours.
Provides grounding in the issues and principles underlying physical planning; lecture and discussion sessions are complemented by project work that applies principles and methods. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Urban Planning or consent of instructor.
UP 504 Urban History and Theory credit: 4 Hours.
Historical and international comparison of the origins and evolution of cities, the process of urbanization, and the human endeavor to effect urban growth and change. Includes history of urban physical form and of planning efforts, emphasizing planning origins in the nineteenth century and transnational influences. Includes equity issues of urban spatial arrangement, including racial segregation and housing market differentiation. Covers elements of urban physical form, including grid and organic structure, commercial city forms, the urban skyline, and urban sprawl. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Urban Planning or consent of instructor.
UP 505 Urban and Regional Analysis credit: 2 or 4 Hours.
Techniques, data sources, and skills for analyzing regions as economic, social, and spatial systems. The first half of the course focuses on understanding current conditions and trends, and the second half on forecasting most likely and alternative futures. Students may opt to enroll for only the first 8 weeks and receive 2 hours of credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Urban Planning or consent of instructor.
UP 509 Economics for Planners credit: 4 Hours.
Exploration of how economics can contribute to understanding and solving urban problems. Application of economic analysis and reasoning to the important issues that planners confront, including zoning, land use, housing investment, and transportation. Focuses also on skills to use economic methods effectively.
UP 510 Plan Making credit: 4 Hours.
Provides skills to develop a wide range of plans and an understanding of the processes to implement them. Topics covered include planning analysis, political constraints of planning and planning ethics, techniques of negotiation, facilitation, mediation, and presentation to the public. Uses a general framework for plan making that includes plan review, problem framing, information gathering, alternative modeling, scenarios development, impact assessment, and alternatives evaluation. Students will work on applied tasks individually and in groups. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
UP 511 Law and Planning credit: 4 Hours.
Examines the legal framework within which planning takes place in urban areas of this country. Emphasizes the role of law in structuring local government responses to social, economic and physical planning issues and in allocating power among local governments, between local governments and state and federal governments, and between governments and the private sectors of society. Course may not be repeated for credit.
UP 512 Urban Skills & Applications I: Colloquium credit: 4 Hours.
Addresses urban management challenges, based on students' professional experiences, current urban issues and challenges, and practical lessons from faculty and practitioners. Sessions rely on diverse faculty expertise on a variety of topical themes, and will often include practitioner guests. Students develop an urban management topic to research in UP 513. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Prerequisite: Enrollment in Sustainable Urban Management degree program or consent of instructor. For graduate students in the Sustainable Urban Management degree program.
UP 513 Urban Skills & Applications II: Chicago Practicum credit: 4 Hours.
Application of skills and concepts learned in UP 512. Students undertake a field project in close collaboration with a faculty advisor. Students work in teams on the selected project, and weekly meetings explore urban issues and fieldwork challenges. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Prerequisite: UP 512. For graduate students in the Sustainable Urban Management degree program.
UP 517 Data Science for Planners credit: 4 Hours.
To develop a smart city with data-driven policies and innovative solutions, knowledge and skillsets about big data collecting and analyzing become increasingly important for urban planners and policy makers. This is a graduate level course where students will learn advanced concepts, skills, and tools for effective data processing as well as project-oriented skills e.g. spatial analysis, data modeling, pattern analysis, and text analytics. This applied course contributes extensive technique skillsets for students’ capstone/thesis/dissertation/project work. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Prerequisite: Restricted to students with Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
UP 519 Advanced Applications of GIS credit: 4 Hours.
Advanced course in geographic information systems emphasizing application of GIS to problems involving spatial analysis. Building upon fundamental concepts, students learn to use GIS software frequently found in planning practice. Also prepares students to use GIS in research requiring management and analysis of geographic data. Extensive use of computing workstations. Prerequisite: UP 418 or consent of instructor.
UP 520 Urban Data, Institutions, and Governance credit: 4 Hours.
Project-oriented online course which applies emerging data techniques toward urban governance solutions. Students will integrate perspectives from a wide range of urban institutions addressing diverse issues related to housing, transportation, community development, land use planning, and social equity. Students will also work with a practitioner to structure a final product. In order to provide a data-driven solution, students will present their final project output in various formats such as maps, databases, videos, web-based applications, data portals etc depending upon the topic and potential application. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Prerequisite: UP 517 and UP 570.
UP 526 City Design and Development credit: 4 Hours.
Advanced concepts and techniques of urban analysis, plan making, and implementation essential for effective interdisciplinary work in urban design. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit.
UP 543 Environmental Policy &Planning credit: 4 Hours.
Examines environmental policy and planning from both theoretical and applied perspectives. Provides an overview of the elements of environmental policy at national and state levels and investigates local implementation of environmental policies. Students will learn how local environmental planning practice fits within the broader context of environmental policies. Intended for graduate students in Urban and Regional Planning, but also open to graduate students with appropriate background and interests from Landscape Architecture, Geography, and relevant social sciences. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Urban and Regional Planning or consent of instructor.
UP 545 Economic Development Policy credit: 4 Hours.
Explores and evaluates urban and regional economic development policy in the U.S. Taking the twin lenses of cities and urbanized regions, it asks why the public sector engages in economic development; how the goals of economic development are defined; and how different policies attempt to steer economic activity and jobs to particular places. The course pays special attention to the question of equity, asking who will benefit from different policies.
UP 546 Land Use Policy and Planning credit: 4 Hours.
Examines a variety of approaches to land use policy and planning, from both a theoretical and an applied perspective. Explores different values in American land use policy, recent evolution of land use policy. Taught as a seminar.
UP 547 Regional Planning and Policy credit: 4 Hours.
When are regional approaches more common and why? This course builds knowledge of principles and practices to tackle challenges that go beyond the geographical or disciplinary domain of a single agency. Through readings, seminar discussions, and assignments, students will develop an understanding of problems and settings that involve multiple jurisdictions and actors. Topics will address crosscutting issues such as affordable housing, foreclosures, fiscal stability, and spatial inequality. Prerequisite: Intended for graduate students in Urban and Regional Planning, and others with appropriate background and interests from Public Administration, Political Science, Natural Resources, Civil Engineering, Landscape Architecture, Geography, and relevant social sciences.
UP 570 Neighborhood Analysis credit: 4 Hours.
Techniques for analyzing the demographic, economic, physical, and social conditions that exist at the neighborhood and local government scale. While our focus will be on analyzing current conditions, we will also learn how to tell stories about neighborhood change, and will learn how to project and forecast future trends. We will learn how to describe community characteristics with small area census data, work with local administrative data, and will learn how to design primary data collection strategies to fill in gaps in knowledge gained through exploration and analysis of existing data. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Prerequisite: UP 517.
UP 580 Advanced Planning Theory credit: 4 Hours.
Recent advances in planning, policy-making and decision-making theories as they relate to the efficient use of land and to the complex interrelationships among the major uses of land, i.e., housing, transportation, agriculture; specific applications vary annually, reflecting the students' dissertation research topics. Prerequisite: UP 501 or consent of instructor.
UP 587 Qualitative Research Methods credit: 4 Hours.
Students use individual research to practice qualitative methods of studying social interaction. Includes field research and historical/archival research methods; project areas include community development, environment, and landscape. Discussion is divided between 1) readings on issues such as techniques and research design, social theory, ethnocentrism, and combining qualitative with quantitative research and 2) student research reports. Same as GGIS 587. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit.
UP 589 Research Design and Methods credit: 4 Hours.
Prepares students to embark on thesis research and independent grant proposals. Introduces the phases of research design process, including literature review, identification of the research problem, statement of research objectives and questions, establishment of the conceptual framework, and selection of methods, sampling strategies, measurements, and analyses that are most suitable to address the research questions. Provides an overview of the commonly used quantitative and qualitative research methods, e.g., survey, quasi-experiment, and case study. Guides students through the process of writing and reviewing a research proposal and providing feedback to others. Prerequisite: Enrollment in a PhD program or consent of instructor.
UP 590 Professional Internship credit: 0 Hours.
Summer, part-time, or other professional-level employment in the field of planning, usually in an area of concentration; exposure to the social, political, and institutional setting in which planning operates; and full documentation of internship activities required. Approved for S/U grading only. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
UP 591 Capstone Seminar credit: 0 or 4 Hours.
Provides capstone guidance and advising to MUP students (non-thesis and thesis track). 0 OR 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Approved for Letter and S/U grading. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of four hours.
UP 592 Doctoral Urban Planning Seminar credit: 0 Hours.
The Doctoral Students in Urban Planning (DSUP) seminar is an invaluable platform of intellectual development for PhD students in the Department of Urban & Regional Planning (DURP) and an effective medium in building a community of scholars. The seminars facilitate exchange of ideas and perspectives among DSUP members as well as the faculty. It serves as a support system for all members of DSUP, who are at different stages in their research and doctoral studies, and provides a shared space for students to present their research and to solicit critical, yet constructive, peer reviews and advice. 0 graduate hours. No professional credit. Approved for S/U grading only. Prerequisite: For PhD students in Regional Planning only.
UP 594 Seminar credit: 1 to 6 Hours.
Selected topics in urban and regional planning; several sections each term. May be repeated.
UP 596 Independent Study credit: 0 to 8 Hours.
Independent study in selected urban and regional planning topics under the supervision of an appropriate member of the faculty. Can be used by doctoral students for synthesis paper requirement. Approved for both letter and S/U grading. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours if topics vary.
UP 597 Urban Planning Research credit: 1 to 4 Hours.
Individual research work under the supervision of an appropriate member of the faculty. Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. May be used by doctoral students for the research paper requirement. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing in Urban and Regional Planning, consent of instructor, and consent of the Department.
UP 598 Master's Project credit: 4 or 8 Hours.
Major independent or small group project applying planning principles and methods to a current problem in urban and regional planning resulting in a final professional product. Approved for S/U grading only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Urban and Regional Planning, consent of instructor, and consent of the Department.
UP 599 Thesis Research credit: 0 to 16 Hours.
Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours for Master's students. May be repeated to a maximum of 16 hours for PhD students. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Urban and Regional Planning, consent of instructor, and consent of the Department.