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It's just my opinion, but you want the hands on experience of interacting with professors who can actually VISUALLY show you why things like setbacks, New Urbanism, and TODs are important. The studio projects are also very hands on.
Plus, several Urban Planning schools are filled with FT students in their mid 20s to early 30s, and they make class fun and are pretty fun.
If you must do it online, then at least plan to take a physical planning class in person.
It's a new program. THe only one of its kind I believe. So yes I know that when I mention it to planners they automatically tell me they're not sure how it work best but I plan on attending UF for at least one semester to get the on hands stuff too. I understand the purpose of the program is to engage your profs, know your peers and get the hands on learning. I plan to intern while I am there and take all my studio courses on campus.
Jobaba, do you still think that even with the online degree I could still get internships with the city I'm in? Houston doesn't have many if any MUP programs so I would assume city internships are pretty easy to get. I know in LA they're always looking.
Jobaba, do you still think that even with the online degree I could still get internships with the city I'm in? Houston doesn't have many if any MUP programs so I would assume city internships are pretty easy to get. I know in LA they're always looking.
I hardly think anybody will even ask if you got it online and thus you wouldn't have to divulge such information.
The ironic thing is ... everything you learn in Urban Planning school that will be useful or necessary to you in your career (excluding GIS) can likely be learned in two courses: Physical Planning, Transportation Planning. But that's true for a lot of Masters I'd imagine. Most people don't use what they learn in school.
However, Urban Planning grad school is more of a social, living, breathing thing. The students who go to school for that all have interest in it, and they discuss it during and after class. It's a highly theoretical, intangible discipline. It's kind of hard to explain.
But if you don't need that experience, then online is fine.
If your work and residential history show that you weren't living in Florida while attending UF, then employers can tell you attended online. I don't know if employers pay that much attention, however. An employer asked me how I enjoyed one city where my college was located even though my work history made it clear that I never lived there. It's much easier for a school to set up internships with local companies that it has partnerships with. If this is a field where most employment is in the public sector or partners of the public sector, then much of the recruitment will probably happen on campuses within the state.
yes you guys are right, but the first point is to seek internships within the city I am in. I was wondering if the city would care that I am doing a planning degree online when applying for the internship? After ample interns and networking within my city I would think it wouldn't even matter. The MUP has a concentration in GIS too so I will load up on those courses.
Right now I am taking CAD courses at the local UCLA Extension and the first year curriculum of a landscape arch program before I apply and get ready for the move back to my home state.
Quote:
However, Urban Planning grad school is more of a social, living, breathing thing. The students who go to school for that all have interest in it, and they discuss it during and after class. It's a highly theoretical, intangible discipline. It's kind of hard to explain.
But if you don't need that experience, then online is fine.
I know exactly what you mean. Urban planning is a passion. I love it and love reading about it. I would miss that experience but I plan on attending courses like physical planning on campus. One semester to get all that out of the way, including doing an internship while there.
I would miss that experience but I plan on attending courses like physical planning on campus. One semester to get all that out of the way, including doing an internship while there.
I'll bet ya a gator tail sandwich that you don't come back from that semester.
So to recap, will I have a hard time landing internships with an online planning degree? UF has some clout in that arena so I am hoping that will offset the fact that it's an online program.
So to recap, will I have a hard time landing internships with an online planning degree? UF has some clout in that arena so I am hoping that will offset the fact that it's an online program.
Any thoughts?
I'd find out how well UF is getting internships for current students on the on-campus and online program.
For what it's worth, I know someone who recently graduated from UF's Urban Planning grad program and hasn't found a job in his field yet. UF is in Gainesville, FL in Alachua County, where it's not rural, it's just suburban, I'm guessing that it would be more difficult to network there (just a thought though).
Mistake: I believe it was his undergrad major, grad school was a different concentration!
Yes, the Aggie network is alive and well in Texas, especially in Houston where there is a huge alumni base. And whoever mentioned the ring is correct. It works. I'm married to an Aggie and my oldest son is an Aggie. They are never without their rings. It doesn't matter where they go, any city, any state, and even in foreign countries, the ring is noticed by fellow Aggies. Something like 80% or more of all students get the ring.
We lived in Houston for many years, and when it came time to hire someone, all other things being equal, by husband, and his Aggie coworkers would almost always choose another Aggie. My Aggie son is currently attending grad school in the southeast, but he wants to end up in Houston when he finishes. His school doesn't place many grads in Texas because Texas companies don't recruit at his current school, so finding an internship in Texas was on him. It was his Aggie connections that got him that internship, and hopefully will get him a job there when he's done.
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