Educational program description

Requirements for Completing the Concentration

 

See section Curriculum & Course List for detailed requirements, courses, and course descriptions for the EUS Concentration.  

 

The program is oriented toward equipping students with theoretical knowledge and practical skills  (e.g. drawing, design, mapping, engagement with community members, analytical inquiry, etc.) to find solutions for real-world problems. Students will work on real-world projects including capstone projects, where students will engage with specific places, natural assets, and communities. At the end of their 4-year course, students will be given a choice of conducting a project instead of writing a senior thesis.

 

As a Liberal Arts and Sciences concentration, the EUS concentration pays specific attention to the skills AUCA promotes as part of its core competences, namely: critical thinking, problem-solving, oral and written communication skills, and civic engagement. These skills will develop through the various forms of assessment and the real-world problems students will engage in, along with interdisciplinary research and analytical skills. We would like our graduates to become able to reflect on and act upon problems in their communities, and to be able to motivate people to engage in socially and environmentally important projects. A goal is to train a new generation of urban activists and community leaders, regardless of the profession they choose.

 

Interested students should consult with the Academic Advising office to review the course checklist and plan their courses to ensure they complete all the requirements needed for graduation.

Students are welcome to meet with the program coordinators and with faculty to discuss their career ambitions and better understand how this program can help them meet their life goals. 

The concentration will greatly benefit from having students of various backgrounds and abilities. The courses will thus be created in order to adapt to students’ different needs, including by offering a variety of resources and options.

Fragment of the painting "Autumn in Washington DC" by Emil Nasritdinov

 

To graduate from the Urban Planning & Design concentration, students must complete the following credit requirements:

Credit requirements:

• General Education Courses: 96 credits (16 courses)
• Plus four courses that are required for LAS students: 24 credits (4 courses):
  • Concepts of Modern Sciences (overlaps with GenEdu Natural Science requirement)
  • Concepts of Modern Art (it overlaps with GenEdu Art requirement)
  • Globalization and Social Sciences (overlaps with GenEdu Social Science requirement)
  • World Literature (overlaps with GenEdu Humanities requirement)

• Concentration Required Courses: 18 credits (3 courses)
• Intro to Urban and Regional Planning– 6 credits
• Urban Design - 6 credits
• Redesigning the Commons and Project Management - 6 credits

• Senior Seminar-Related Required Courses: 24 credits (4 courses) 
• Research Methods – 6 credits
• Senior Thesis Seminars I, II – 12 credits
• Internship – 6 credits

• Elective courses: 42 credits (7 courses)

           (see the list of courses)

• Elective courses from outside student's major: 36 credits (6 courses)

      In total:   96+24+18+24+42+36 = 240 credits

An important part of the UPD curriculum is the required internship with either an urban planning or architectural company, city administration office, or an international/local development organization.

 

Outline of the curriculum with typical course sequence, with required and elective courses in the discipline

• See section Curriculum & Course List