Want to major in Urban Planning. Help?

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by CodyW

First, urban planning is a solid major.. even the people I know with just undergrad degrees are doing fairly well. Contrary to what others say, it IS practical and rewarding. Many people in the field are bitter, for some reason. There are a few threads in the urban planning section of this forum addressing that topic.

Second, Nebraska in Lincoln has a fairly good planning program, from what I hear, though it may be too close to home and too small for your liking. Wisconsin at Madison would be another good choice.

Really, I don't think there are many bad planning programs. Planning departments tend to be, on average, smaller than other departments at any given university. This can be good or bad depending on how you look at it.

What you should look into though, are specializations. Most universities offer some sort of focus area for their undergrad and graduate planning degrees. Find what interests you, and find a compatible university.

Here's the list of universities offering undergraduate planning degrees: Urban Planning Undergraduate Program Directory | Planetizen

Great advice! Do what you love!

[13th Alphabet]

OP, you seem like a very intelligent and ambitious kid with a fairly solid outlined plan, which is nice. If you seriously consider pursuing a degree in Urban Planning, I would definitely recommend the University of Cincinnati's school of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP). Not only is the program great, but Cincinnati is also a great city for architectural enthusiasts. Additionally, many students in DAAP are granted invaluable internships with the local government and design firms, particularly KZF Design.

DAAP, University of Cincinnati

KZF Design :: Architecture | Engineering | Interiors | Planning

[marigolds6]

Originally Posted by Raphael07

Well, what I would really like to do with Urban planning is work for a private development company, not necessarily for a city itself.

Might want to contact the APA for more information about your field:
www.planning.org

I know there are firms out there like AECOM, HNTB, and CH2MHill, but I don't know how much of their employment is urban planners versus engineers.

[jobaba]

Originally Posted by marigolds6

I know there are firms out there like AECOM, HNTB, and CH2MHill, but I don't know how much of their employment is urban planners versus engineers.

Umm...

In terms of engineers, geologists, and scientists versus planners about 100 to 1...