Curriculum
The MURP curriculum is structured into three components: Core Courses (27 credits), Electives (15 credits), and Synthesis (6 credits). Students without prior work in planning should complete Planning Internship (URP 6945) as an elective.
Core Courses
Core Courses include Guiding Values of planning; General Planning Knowledge; and Skills and Tools for Planning Practice. These topics are mandated by the Planning Accreditation Board.
Guiding Values of planning include Equity, Diversity, Social Justice, and Inclusion; Sustainability, Resilience, and Climate Justice; and Professional Ethics and Responsibility
General Planning Knowledge includes Planning History and Theory; Planning Law and Institutions; and theories and practices of Urban and Regional Development theories and practices.
Skills and Tools for Planning Practice include the Planning Process and Engagement; Analytical Skills and Tools; and Professional and Communication Skills.
Electives
Electives are offered on various topics, including transportation planning, environmental planning, geographic information systems, housing and community development, and urban design. Also, the Planning Abroad course (URP 5958), which is offered each Spring semester, allows students to study planning in another country. Students may also take relevant courses offered by other departments (a list of courses that are approved automatically is given below). Although the program does not provide formal specializations, students can plan their electives to develop expertise in an area of their choice.
Synthesis Courses
Synthesis Courses involve taking either Planning Workshop (URP 6920) and Planning Project (URP 6979) or Master's Thesis (URP 6971, 3 credits in each of two successive semesters for a total of 6 credits). In Planning Workshop, students work collaboratively on a real-world planning problem for a client. For Planning Project, students work on an independent project of their choosing and work through all stages of the formal planning process. The Master's Thesis option is intended mainly for students planning to continue in a doctoral program.
Graduate Certificate Programs
Some students work on a graduate certificate at the same time as earning their MURP degree. A graduate certificate is an excellent way to demonstrate more profound knowledge in a specific area related to planning.
- Graduate Certificate in Environmental Restoration
- Graduate Certificate in Environmental Studies
- Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
Course Offerings
| Required Core Courses (27 credits): | |
|---|---|
| URP 6101 | History and Theory of Planning |
| URP 6200 | Planning Methods |
| URP 6840 | Urban Spatial Structure |
| URP 6270 | Introduction to GIS in Planning |
| URP 6873 | Site Planning |
| URP 6115 | Urban Governance |
| URP 6211 | Statistics for Urban Planning |
| URP 6406 | Sustainable Cities |
| URP 6131 | Legal Aspects of Planning |
Elective Courses
URP electives are offered once per year or once every other year. If there is a particular elective you would like to take, please consult the online FAU course schedule to plan ahead and identify when it will be next offered.
| Course Number | Title |
| URP 5958 | Planning Abroad |
| URP 6237 | Regional and Scenario Planning |
| URP 6272 | Managing GIS Projects |
| URP 6277 | GIS Applications in Planning |
| URP 6345 | *Advanced Plan Making and Zoning |
| URP 6425 | Environmental Analysis in Planning |
| URP 6429 | Environmental Policy and Programs |
| URP 6711 | Introduction to Transportation Planning |
| URP 6716 | Land Use and Transportation Planning |
| URP 6719 | Shared and Automated Transport: The Future of Urban Mobility |
| URP 6732 | Capital Facilities Planning |
| URP 6742 | Seminar in Housing |
| URP 6881 | Urban Design |
| URP 6905 | Directed Independent Study |
| URP 6930 | Special Topics |
* Recommended elective for students whose undergraduate major was not in urban planning or urban design
The following URP electives are listed in the FAU course catalog but are not currently offered regularly:
| Course Number | Title |
| URP 6540 | Tourism and Economic Development |
| URP 6545 | Urban Revitalization Strategies |
| URP 6549 | Economic Development Planning |
| URP 6716 | Land Use and Transportation Planning |
| URP 6841 | Urban Development and Design |
| URP 6886 | Urban Design Workshop |
The following electives from other departments have been pre-approved and can be used in your Plan of Study. Other graduate electives not on this list may be permitted upon request.
| Course Number | Title |
| GEA 6277 | Human-Environmental Interactions |
| GEO 6337 | Culture, Conservation, and Land Use |
| GIS 5038C | Remote Sensing of the Environment |
| GIS 5100C | Applications in Geographic Information Systems |
| GIS 5103C | Programming in Geographic Information Systems |
| GIS 6062C | Web GIS |
| GIS 6112C | Geospatial Databases |
| GIS 6306 | Spatial Data Analysis |
| GLY 6737 | Coastal Environments |
| GLY 6746 | Global Environmental Change |
| GLY 6888 | Coastal Hazards |
| PAD 6063 | Public Leadership (Every Summer) |
| PAD 6333 | Strategic Planning in the Public Sector |
| PAD 6436 | Ethical and Legal Foundations in the Public Sector |
| PAD 6807 | Local Government Administration |
Model Programs of Study
- MURP Model Degree Plan – Full Time
- MURP Model Degree Plan – Part Time
- Model Degree Plan (BUD/BURP MURP Accelerated Programs)
FAU Catalog
The full details of MURP Program requirements can be found in the official FAU Catalog.
Please visit the FAU Registrar website to view courses available over the next year.
For any questions regarding the Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree program, please contact Dr. Louis Merlin (Program Coordinator) at lmerlin@fau.edu.