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University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Graduate Studies Bulletin 2009-2010

Policies and Courses

Community and Regional Planning

[edit] Description

For a brief description of the program, application requirements and contact information, view the graduate program summary.


Program Director: Kim Wilson

Graduate Committee: Professors Scholz (chair), Mutunayagam; Associate Professor Cantarero; Assistant Professors Nam, Tang

Application for Admission.

Applications for admission to the MCRP degree program must include the following: 1) Application for Admission to the Graduate College form, submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies; 2) two official copies of all college transcripts, submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies; 3) official score report for the Graduate Record Exam General Test, submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies; 4) three letters of recommendation on standard Graduate Studies forms, submitted to the program office; and 5) an essay responding to program application questions, submitted to the program office.

Applications are accepted for admision in fall and spring semesters, as well as summer sessions.

Degree Program.

The master of community and regional planning (MCRP) degree program provides preparation for professional planning practice in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Planning is an interdisciplinary problem-solving profession that influences a broad range of future-oriented decision making. Planners work with individuals, groups, and organizations to formulate plans, policies, and strategies through which desired change can be achieved. Planners utilize a wide variety of methods and techniques to identify problems and needs and to formulate plans of action that effectively address those needs. Planners often need to accommodate differing viewpoints in the process of formulating desirable and compatible plan and policy recommendations.

The MCRP degree program emphasizes understanding of the importance and interrelationships among human resources, natural resources, sociocultural characteristics, economic activity, political and institutional roles, and characteristics of the natural and built environment. The program provides students with a sound foundation in planning theory, methods, process, and application-a background which enables graduates to formulate, initiate, and coordinate a broad range of planning and development actions.

Students with diverse undergraduate, graduate, and professional backgrounds are encouraged to enter the MCRP degree program. No prior course work in planning is required.

The MCRP degree program requires completion of 48 graduate credit hours, 24 of which are in the following required core courses:

    800. Introduction to Planning (3 cr)
    802. Planning Theory (3 cr)
    804. Legal Aspects of Planning (3 cr)
    810. Qualitative Techniques for Planners (3 cr)
    830. Planning with GIS (3 cr)
    840. Planning Methods and Analysis (3 cr)
    900. Professional Planning Practice (3 cr)
    990. Planning Studio (3 cr)

Each student consults with a faculty adviser in the MCRP program to select elective courses within and outside the program that will help the student achieve his or her academic and professional goals. Students are encouraged to select at least 9 credit hours of course work in an area of concentration defined in consultation with their faculty advisors.

Each student must pursue one of three possible completion tracks for the MCRP degree: 1) 6-credit-hour masters thesis and oral examination; 2) 6-credit-hour professional project and oral examination; or 3) comprehensive written examination and oral examination. The program schedules the written comprehensive examination for track 3 typically no more than once each semester.

Dual Degree Programs.

The MCRP degree may be pursued within three dual degree programs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln:

The MCRP/JD dual degree program is offered in collaboration with the College of Law. This program enables completion of both the MCRP degree and the juris doctor degree in a four-year period.

The MCRP/MArch dual degree program is offered in collaboration with the architecture program in the College of Architecture. This program enables completion of both the MCRP degree and the master of architecture degree in a three-year period. This program is intended for persons who hold the bachelor of science in design (BSD) or equivalent undergraduate degree.

The MCRP/MS in civil engineering, with a transportation engineering emphasis, is intended for persons holding the bachelor of science in civil engineering degree.

Persons interested in the MCRP/JD, MCRP/MArch or MCRP/MS (transportation engineering) dual degree programs should inquire with the Community and Regional Planning program director.

Interdepartmental Programs.

The MCRP program cooperates with other disciplines in offering courses for the Environmental Studies Interdepartmental Area, the Great Plains Studies Interdepartmental Area, and the Water Resources Planning and Management Interdepartmental Area. See "Environmental Studies," "Great Plains Studies," and "Water Resources Planning and Management" sections for separate descriptions of these interdepartmental programs.

Retrieved from "http://bulletin.unl.edu/graduate/Community_and_Regional_Planning"
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