Urban Planning Course Desciptions

UBPL 300

PLANNING THE AMERICAN CITY (3) Serda

A broad introduction to the field of urban planning as a technical profession, a process of decision-making, and a governmental function. The multi-disciplinary nature of planning as an area for professional practice in the geographical, socio-economic and political contexts of the U.S. is stressed. The course is intended for both the student who is considering planning as a major field of study and the student with primary interest in a related field who would like a working knowledge of past and current planning in the U.S.

UBPL 502

Undergraduate Sections of an UBPL 802 course.

UBPL 522

HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN CITY I (3) Englehart

This course examines the evolution of American cities from their European antecedents through the late 20th Century, from the urban planning perspective. It focuses on the changing spatial forms and functions of American cities and how these changes relate to socioeconomic and political aspects of urbanization as well as changes in technology. Emphasis is placed on analyzing the relationships between historical development patterns and the current range of problems facing most US cities.   Meets with UBPL 722.

UBPL 538

This course covers a variety of topics within environmental planning. Each topic is examined with respect to the scope of the issues, the methods of analyzing and/or measuring those issues, and the ways planners can address those issues in order to avoid or mitigate environmental problems. Meets with UBPL 738.

UBPL 565

PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING (3) White

This course introduces students to the issues that planners and decision makers face as they strive to protect environmental resources, especially within the context of land use planning. Emphasis will be placed on the theoretical and policy considerations that guide the work of environmental planners. Meets with UBPL 765.

UBPL 662

TWENTIETH CENTURY AMERICAN LANDSCAPE (3) Mayo

This course investigates the relationships between the American culture and the resulting built and natural landscape. Issues of building types, public places, and land use arrangements are studied from a socio-historical perspective.

UBPL 701

Intended to meet the needs of students for study in urban planning beyond the regularly scheduled courses. Requires consent of instructor.

UBPL 705

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS FOR PLANNERS (3) Englehart

An introduction to the concepts and analytical techniques of economics that are most relevant to urban planners. The first half of the course is devoted to microeconomic theory, welfare economics, and the role of the government in the economy. The second half covers public finance, investment analysis, and methods for determining the allocation of public resources (particularly benefit-cost analysis).

UBPL 710

INTRODUCTION TO HOUSING POLICY (3) McClure

Designed to provide an introduction to the various methods used by the public sector in order to intervene in the housing market. Many different programs are used by governments at all levels to serve many different housing goals. This course will examine many of these programs in an effort to understand what they are supposed to accomplish and how well they work. In all cases, the objective of the course is to train planners so that they have a firm understanding of housing programs that exist now as well as a grasp of the methods used to select housing strategies for implementation by the public sector.

UBPL 714

This course provides a broad overview of local economic development planning. Emphasis is on the role of the practitioner and the various activities that can be pursued to encourage and enhance the economic base of a locality. The objectives of the course are to answer the questions: who are economic development planners; what backgrounds and interests do they have; what types of activities do they perform and initiate to encourage and enhance economic development; and how do they decide upon which activities to pursue?

COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION (3) Serda

The focus of this course is on the social, physical and economic renewal of urban neighborhoods through the collaborative development and implementation of community and neighborhood revitalization plans.  The course also will assess the means by which local government can best support community-based initiatives to redevelop urban neighborhoods.   Students in the course will develop substantive knowledge of community and neighborhood revitalization techniques as well as applied knowledge on how to engage with a community client and develop a neighborhood revitalization plan.  Prerequisite: UPBL 715 or permission of instructor.

UBPL 722

HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN CITY II (3) Englehart

Same as UBPL 522 but gives graduate credit. Graduate students will have additional assignments.

UBPL 730

INTRODUCTION TO LAND USE PLANNING (3) Johnson

Introduction to Land Use Planning is a policy course focusing on the principles, context, and underlying assumptions of urban land use planning. It will introduce students to the planning process, what makes great plans, and the major implementation tools for planning (zoning, capital improvement plans, engineering standards, and subdivision regulations). Students will complete a case study of a real life planning process and create a plan for an outlying area of a growing city.

UBPL 735

UBPL 736

This course explores the legal principles underlying the institutions, practices and processes of city planning. Subjects to be discussed include zoning, eminent domain, subdivision regulation, transfer of development rights, environmental regulation, growth management, and other planning mechanisms used to guide urban growth and control the use of land.  Students should emerge from the course with a solid understanding of both the logic and routine practice of planning in a procedural and institutional context.

UBPL 738

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING TECHNIQUES (3) White

Same as UBPL 538 but gives graduate credit. Graduate students will have additional assignments.

UBPL 739

This course examines all aspects of growth management including its history, evolution, legal foundations, and application at the national, state, regional, and local level.  It covers both theoretical issues and specific techniques such as adequate public facilities standards, impact fees, and urban growth boundaries.  Impacts on affordable housing, economic development, social equity, and environmental conservation will also be discussed. 

UBPL 741

Introduction to quantitative techniques utilized in planning analysis. Introduction to inferential statistics, computer programming and the use of statistical packages.

UBPL 742

Advanced study in planning techniques in the areas of population forecasting, analysis of variance and regression. The course makes extensive use of microcomputers. Prerequisite UBPL 741 or consent of instructor.

INTRODUCTION TO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING (3) Staff

This course is a survey course covering multiple modes of transportation (planes, trains, buses, automobiles, bicycles, and walking). The field of transportation planning is examined within a policy analysis framework. Knowing the policy context and understanding how decisions are made will assist transportation planners in understanding the world in which they operate. In addition to the policy context, this course will focus on the technical knowledge transportation planners are expected to know like federal requirements, traffic modeling, and specific topics like bicycle and pedestrian planning and traffic calming.       syllabus

UBPL 756

The course is divided into two parts: the first part covers the theoretical aspects of travel demand forecasting.  The course will cover the aspects of creating and using a travel model.  The second part of the class involves using TransCAD software to develop and use a travel demand model for a small city.  Students obtain a working knowledge of certain microcomputer packages and mainframe software used for short-term as well as large scale transportation planning. Prerequisite: UBPL 750 or consent of instructor.

UBPL 758

An overview of urban mass transportation in the United States today. Emphasis is on general planning of transit systems rather than details of engineering or hardware. Covers history of urban transit, federal transit programs, comparison of conventional and non-conventional technologies, operations, ridership characteristics, impact on urban development, and economic, financial, and political issues.

UBPL 760

HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNING (3) Enslinger

In the addition to studying the history of the preservation movement in the United States, the course will discuss preservation at the state and local level, preservation at the private level, ordinance creation, legal aspects of preservation, technical issues and contemporary issues and controversies in the field of preservation. Projects will deal with philosophic and current issues in preservation.

UBPL 763

This course seeks to provide students with both skills and evaluative frameworks to enhance their work as practicing planners. We will focus specifically on issues related to ethics, citizen participation, dispute resolution, and management. Considerable attention will be paid to "real-life" lessons.  Prerequisite: UBPL 741 and 815.

UBPL 764

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT PLANNING (3) McClure

This course is designed to provide a working knowledge of the mechanics of real estate investment analysis. As a planning course, the emphasis is placed upon the process as performed by the practicing planner working with the public sector. This means that the course covers much of the same material that is normally included in a real estate development course in a business school. However, this material is augmented with the study of techniques used to achieve public sector goals. Among the topics covered in the course are: the calculation of return on investment in real estate; the financing of real estate development; the various forms of property ownership; and the implications of tax laws upon the rehabilitation of historic properties and the provision of low-income housing. Prerequisite: knowledge of spreadsheet software on a personal computer.

UBPL 765

PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING (3) White

Same as UBPL 565 but gives graduate credit. Graduate students will have additional assignments.

This course extends the study of real estate development planning begun in UBPL 764: Real Estate Development Planning I. The course will examine various forms of public-private participation in the real estate development process. Advanced study of various public sector programs to guide and direct the real estate development process will be undertaken, including the use of tax credits for affordable housing and for historic preservation. Projects developed within the region will be examined to illustrate the application of these techniques. Prerequisite: Successful completion of UBPL 764 or permission of instructor.

UBPL 773

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION (3) White

This course emphasizes the details of successful implementation of environmental plans. While the particular focus (land, water, energy, etc.) may vary, the techniques and processes studied will be broadly applicable. Students will develop environmental plans using real-world data. Prerequisites: UBPL 765, UBPL 738, or consent of instructor.

UBPL 802

Intended for individual or group projects/research in an urban planning topic.

UBPL 806

THESIS (1-6) Staff

Independent study and research related to the Master's thesis. Requires consent of instructor.

UBPL 815

HISTORY AND THEORY OF THE PLANNING PROCESS (3) Johnson

The course examines development of the planning function in the United States and the role of planning in the decision-making process. The first part covers the evolution of the planning profession in the past century. The second presents the major alternative theories of the planning process. The third considers how these theories are applied in practice and the major issues that arise.

UBPL 850

URBAN AND REGIONAL THEORY (3) Englehart

The course explores the forces that shape the structure and function of cities and regions, drawing upon insights from planning, geography, economics, sociology, demography, and political science.  Special attention is paid to theories that can be applied by urban planners to improve the economic performance, quality of life and social equity of urban areas.  Topics covered include the origin and development of ciities, agglomeration economies, location theory, central place, mix-and-share analysis, economic base, input-output, labor markets, urban models, regional development planning, globalization, high technology, urban poverty, and problems of regional governance.  Prerequisite:  UBPL 741 and 815.

ARCH 765

An examination of the relationship between architecture and urban planning through contemporary interpretations of future urban form and the determinants of the location, spatial structure, growth, and decline of cities. Foundations for an interdisciplinary synthesis are examined in an attempt to bridge the hiatus between large-scale architectural design and incremental adjustments to urban dynamics.

CE 781

TRAFFIC ENGINEERING I (Characteristics and Studies) (3)

Two lecture periods and one laboratory period. A study of fundamental traits and behavior patterns of the road user and his or her vehicle in traffic. The major content involves techniques for obtaining data, analyzing data and interpreting data on traffic speed, volume, origin and destination, streamflow, intersection operation, parking, and accidents. Prerequisite: CE 582 or equivalent.

CE 881

TRAFFIC ENGINEERING II (Operations and Control) (3)

Two lecture periods and one laboratory period. A study of theory and practical applications of traffic regulatory measures and traffic control devices including the design and functional operations of traffic signals, systems, and networks. Prerequisite: CE 781 or equivalent.

CE 882

GEOMETRIC DESIGN OF TRAFFIC FACILITIES (3)

A study of basic principles in the design of freeways, urban street systems, parking terminal and other traffic facilities with emphasis on capacity, safety, level of service, and dynamic design concept. Prerequisite: CE 781 or equivalent.

ECON 582

An introduction to economic growth and development in high and low income countries, problems of development, development policy. Prerequisite: ECON 104 or ECON 140.

ECON 622

A general introduction to the science of public finance; public expenditures, public revenues and public credit, shifting and incidence of taxation.

LAW 951

HOUSING AND LAND USE PLANNING (2)

Analysis of various vehicles available for ordering the use of land and providing housing in an urban setting. The course deals with urban renewal; public housing; various FHA housing programs; zoning, subdivision regulation; and the role of law in comprehensive planning.

POLS 726

PUBLIC POLICY IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE (3)

This seminar examines the application of policy theory in regional and comparative contexts. Much of the research focuses on comparative public policy, but select weeks focus on specific regions of the world. A key goal is to help students understand which theories of policy may be best suited for universal application.

POLS 850

A critical examination of the principal approaches to the study of comparative politics. Attention will be given to problems of explanation and concept formation in the comparative field, the formulation and testing of hypotheses, and the uses of aggregate and survey data in the conduct of cross-national research.