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Hi I am going to be a senior in highschool this year and I am seriously considering majoring in Urban planning, but, through my search I have just been generally over whelmed by the whole process so I am hoping you guys can help a little.
Some background on my specifics:
I live in Omaha, and I would like to keep the city I go to school at within a 12 hour drive or so.
I want to be in a city of over 200,000 people (Metro) if possible.
My dad works at a Jesuit university so that helps with the Exchange program.
3.7 GPA, 33 ACT, no SAT yet, but 199 on PSAT.
Edit: I'm also active in my school's marching band, so that would be nice to have but it isnt a priority.
No huge preference on school size or association.
Thanks for the help!
Last edited by Raphael07; 06-04-2012 at 06:05 PM..
Hi I am going to be a senior in highschool this year and I am seriously considering majoring in Urban planning, but, through my search I have just been generally over whelmed by the whole process so I am hoping you guys can help a little.
Some background on my specifics:
I live in Omaha, and I would like to keep the city I go to school at within a 12 hour drive or so.
I want to be in a city of over 200,000 people (Metro) if possible.
My dad works at a Jesuit university so that helps with the Exchange program.
3.7 GPA, 33 ACT, no SAT yet, but 199 on PSAT.
Edit: I'm also active in my school's marching band, so that would be nice to have but it isnt a priority.
No huge preference on school size or association.
Thanks for the help!
I would not major in Urban Planning in Undergraduate if I were you. You will not be able to anything with an Urban Planning undergraduate degree. It is difficult for people with Urban Planning Masters degrees to find work now.
Major in something more practical and take UP classes on the side. If it stills calls you after 4 years, then go get a Masters.
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.
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.
It's an OK field, but jobs are scarce right now, and you might have to relocate to somewhere you would never have even considered living just to have a FT paycheck. Otherwise, you can always intern. That is with a Masters Degree, which I have.
I can't even imagine how the job search would be with just a bachelors.
I'm not trying to dissuade the kid from pursuing planning, I just don't think a bachelors in it is a good idea.
It's an OK field, but jobs are scarce right now, and you might have to relocate to somewhere you would never have even considered living just to have a FT paycheck. Otherwise, you can always intern. That is with a Masters Degree, which I have.
I can't even imagine how the job search would be with just a bachelors.
I'm not trying to dissuade the kid from pursuing planning, I just don't think a bachelors in it is a good idea.
No! But Planetizen is a very good resource!
That seems to be a big part of the problem for most people in the planning field.. They're unwilling to move outside of a certain geographic location to find work. I can understand that, as they might have ties to a certain places - but the fact of the matter is, the jobs are THERE.. you just have to be a little flexible.
Internships are almost a must for planners - they can also be a foot in the door for work in a particular region. It's all about connections.
Oh but if you have any clue as to a particular field in planning you want to do you might also consider majoring in structural engineering, environmental engineering, civil engineering, or even geography. Then go on for a MURP/CRP. That would be more if you want to get involved in things like sustainability, transportation planning and infrastructure where the Urban Planning undergrad into MPA/MPP would prepare you more for policy making about zoning, economic development and running a small agency like a city planning office.
I would not major in Urban Planning in Undergraduate if I were you. You will not be able to anything with an Urban Planning undergraduate degree. It is difficult for people with Urban Planning Masters degrees to find work now.
Major in something more practical and take UP classes on the side. If it stills calls you after 4 years, then go get a Masters.
Oh I do intend to get the highest degree possible, but undergraduate schools seem to be a bit more scarce than grad schools for urban planning. But I suppose I should be a bit more specific. I want to work for a private development company, and not the type that throws up subdivisions, but the type that does urban revitalization and urban development. And also remember, there may be a scarcity now, but that is also on the tail end of the recession. Things will hopefully be a lot different 10 or 11 years down the road.
Urban planning is hurting right now from a double whammy of construction being down and cities cutting budgets. I know several departments with 1/3 to 1/2 of their positions open because they are not allowed to hire. But.... that also means when the economy recovers there could be a lot of open positions.
Iowa has a okay program, but more importantly that program is linked up with a top 20 geography program. Not sure what kind of student you are (3.7 can be very good or not so great depending on the high school), but with those test scores you sound like the type that could manage a varied courseload. Consider urban planning with a geography minor or even a double major. They are bit closely related for a double major, but planning departments are increasingly called on to do all manner of geography work.
If you can do it, a double major in urban planning and geography with 12-15 hours of coursework in computer science will make you an awesome job candidate (and probably greatly enhance your understanding of urban planning).
Well, what I would really like to do with Urban planning is work for a private development company, not necessarily for a city itself.
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