Admission Requirements

• Master of Urban Planning and Policy
• Doctor of Philosophy

Degree Requirements

• Master of Urban Planning and Policy
• Doctor of Philosophy

Mailing Address:
Department of Urban Planning and Policy (MC 348)
412 South Peoria Street
Chicago, IL 60607-7068

Campus Location: 215 CUPPAH
Program Codes: 20FS1786MUPP (MUPP); 20FS1785PHD (PhD)
Telephone: (312) 996-5240
E-mail: upp@uic.edu
Web Site: http://www.uic.edu/cuppa/upp/
Head, Urban Planning and Policy: Kazuya Kawamura
Director of Graduate Studies: Curtis Winkle

The Department of Urban Planning and Policy offers programs of professional study leading to the Master of Urban Planning and Policy (MUPP) degree and to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Urban Planning and Policy. The MUPP program is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board of the American Institute of Certified Planners and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning. Students in the MUPP program generally choose one of five substantive concentrations: Community Development, Economic Development, Globalization and International Planning, Physical Planning (Land Use or Urban Design track), or Urban Transportation. Students with special interests or career goals may, with faculty approval, pursue a program area of their own design, such as environmental planning.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

Master of Urban Planning and Policy

• Baccalaureate Field No restrictions.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study.
• Tests Required None required for admission. Applicants for research assistantships and fellowships must submit GRE General scores. Applicants with undergraduate degrees from universities outside the U.S. are strongly urged to submit GRE General scores.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score
  • TOEFL 550 (paper-based); 213 (computer-based); 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Internet-based), OR,
  • IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores.
• Letters of Recommendation Three required.
• Personal Statement Required. The statement must address the applicant’s educational and career goals and previous pertinent work, volunteer, and/or academic experience.
• Other Requirements Applicants must submit a recent paper, essay, or project of which they are the sole author or designer. This material may be of an academic, professional, or personal nature, and must be at least 1000 words in length. Applicants for research assistantship positions must submit a resume.
• Deadlines The application deadline for this program is earlier than the Graduate College deadline; check the Department or Graduate College webpage for information on application deadlines.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Prior Degrees Applicants must normally have a master’s degree in Urban Planning or related program.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study.
• Tests Required GRE General. Applicants may substitute the GMAT or LSAT.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score
  • TOEFL 550 (paper-based); 213 (computer-based); 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Internet-based), OR,
  • IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores.
• Letters of Recommendation Three required.
• Personal Statement Required. A research statement, including the applicant's educational and professional goals, and detailing relevant academic and employment experience.
• Other Requirements Applicants must submit a recent paper, essay, or project of which they are the sole author or designer. This material may be of an academic, professional, or personal nature, and must be at least 1000 words in length. Applicants for research assistantship positions are encouraged to submit a resume.
• Deadlines The application deadline for this program is earlier than the Graduate College deadline; check the Department or Graduate College webpage for information on application deadlines.

Degree Requirements

Master of Urban Planning and Policy

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 60.
• Course Work At least 24 hours must be at the 500-level, and at least 16 hours must be in the student’s major area, including 12 at the 500-level.
• Required Courses: UPP 500, 501, 502, 505, and 506.
• Concentration Courses: Students must complete at least one three-course concentration in a substantive field of planning. Students may select from the following approved concentrations or develop their own with faculty approval.
  • Community Development—UPP 540, UPP 541, and another 540 series or faculty-approved course.
  • Economic Development—UPP 530, UPP 531, and another 530 series or faculty approved course.
  • Globalization and International Planning—UPP 520, UPP 521, and another 520 series or faculty-approved course.
  • Physical Planning—Land Use track: UPP 558, UPP 557, UPP 552, or equivalent studio assigned by department; Urban Design track: UPP 550, UPP 551, UPP 556, or equivalent design studio assigned by department.
  • Urban Transportation—UPP 560, UPP 561, and UPP 562.
• Comprehensive Examination None.
• Thesis, Project, or Course-Work-Only Options Thesis or project. No other options are available.
• Thesis: No more than 16 hours of UPP 598 can be applied to the degree.
• Project: No more than 4 hours of UPP 597 can be applied to the degree.
• Other Requirements Continuous Registration: Students who have completed all degree requirements except the thesis/project must register for zero semester hours to maintain continuity of registration.
• Internship: Students must complete an approved 300-hour internship and register for UPP 590—Professional Practice Experience .

Doctor of Philosophy

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 96 from the baccalaureate, up to 64 from the master’s.
• Course Work Required Courses: UPP 510 (or alternate), UPP 580, UPP 583, UPP 588, and either UPP 589 or PA 544. Must demonstrate competency in urban theory, policy evaluation, statistics, and economic analysis through previous master’s degree or course work.
• Plan of Study: Each student must have a written plan of study approved by an advisory committee.
• Concentration Courses: At least 28 hours must be taken in the area of concentration, selected in consultation with a faculty committee. At least 8 hours in advanced research design and methods are required in the area of concentration. Concentrations include Physical Planning, Urban Transportation, Community Development, Economic Development, Globalization and International Planning, or another faculty-approved concentration.
• Preliminary Examination Required; written. An oral examination may also be required at the discretion of the committee.
• Dissertation Required.
• Other Requirements Career Training: Students must complete a collaborative faculty/student research project or classroom teaching under faculty supervision. No more than 12 hours of credit for career training can be applied to the degree.

Interdepartmental Concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in a concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies after consulting with their graduate advisor. See Gender and Women’s Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for more information.

Interdepartmental Graduate Concentration in Survey Research Methodology

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in a concentration in Survey Research Methodology. See Interdepartmental Graduate Concentration in Survey Research Methodology in the Graduate College section for more information.