Schmidt College of Science’s MURP Program Ranked in Top 10

August, 2023

The Schmidt College of Science’s Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) professional degree program earned three top 10 rankings in the 2023 Planetizen Guide to Graduate Urban Planning Programs. Out of masters of urban planning programs nationally, the program ranked No. 8 for “Suburban Program,” No. 10 for “Best Southeastern Programs,” and No. 10 for “Most Diverse Program.”

“Being ranked as one of the top 10 planning programs in the South Region reflects our department’s commitment to academic excellence and high aspirations for providing leadership in the planning field that our faculty, students, and staff strive to foster,” said Diana Mitsova, Ph.D., Chair and Professor, Schmidt College of Science Department of Urban and Regional Planning. “We are all proud of this achievement.”

FAU’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning aims to prepare future leaders in planning through education, research, scholarship, and community engagement. Training MURP students is at the heart of this mission, and College faculty invest heavily in the program’s success. The College’s MURP program is the only accredited planning program in South Florida.

“Our master’s program leverages not only the excellence of our faculty, but also our strong connections with FAU MURP alumni,” said Louis Merlin, Ph.D., AICP, Schmidt College of Science Associate Professor and Program MURP Program Coordinator. “The local planning community is very connected, and this helps our students secure internships and jobs in planning, and eventually become leaders in the field.”

The program also boasts particularly strong student training in transportation and geographic information systems. In an effort to address today’s most urgent planning issues, the department recently hired two new faculty members with expertise in climate resiliency. For more information about the Schmidt College of Science’s MURP program, click here.