Skip to main content

Urban Studies and Planning

[ major | minor | courses | faculty ]

Social Sciences Public Engagement Building (RWAC, Building 1), Third Floor
http://usp.ucsd.edu

All courses, faculty listings, and curricular and degree requirements described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice.

The Department of Urban Studies and Planning

Cities are now home to more than half of the people on earth—and this proportion is increasing rapidly. The number of city dwellers is projected to grow to 6.4 billion by 2050, making the planet’s population two-thirds urban. Global urbanization is one of the twenty-first century’s most complex and transformative trends worldwide. Accordingly, the United Nations adopted a New Urban Agenda in 2016 to set global standards for sustainable urban development, addressing how cities, their neighborhoods, and the regions in which they are situated are planned, designed, financed, developed, governed, and managed. Sustainable urban development will require a significant change in the ways in which we plan, build, and live in human settlements. Cities across the world will need to balance population growth, land scarcity, social and economic equity, demographic shifts, and climate-change related adaption. The Department of Urban Studies and Planning recognizes the critical importance of educating the next generation of urban problem solvers and offers two undergraduate degrees: the BA in Urban Studies and Planning and the BS in Real Estate and Development.

The Department of Urban Studies and Planning has a rich history dating back to 1971. It is a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff with a broad range of interests and goals. The department has three undergraduate student clubs and student chapters or affiliations with prominent organizations such as NAIOP, the Urban Land Institute, the American Planning Association, the Association of Environmental Professionals, and the Construction Management Association of America. Urban studies and planning provides students with the opportunity to engage in experiential learning, place-based research, internships, and practicum experiences focused on issues such as community economic development, physical planning, urban design, affordable housing, real estate development, sustainable development, transportation policy, healthy placemaking, and active living. The Department of Urban Studies and Planning provides students with a solid foundation for graduate study or for professional work in a number of fields in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors both domestically and internationally. After graduation, some alumni pursue graduate work in social science disciplines. Others pursue graduate studies in urban planning, real estate development, public policy, law, landscape architecture, or architecture. The Department of Urban Studies and Planning also attracts students interested in medicine and public-health issues who continue to study in these areas at schools of medicine or public health. Many students find employment opportunities through internship placements. More generally, graduates of the Urban Studies and Planning Program will have the analytic skills to think clearly and act creatively about the problems and prospects of neighborhoods, cities, and metropolitan regions.

The Urban Studies and Planning Major

The urban studies and planning major provides students with a variety of perspectives for understanding the development, growth, and culture of cities and the communities within them. Course work introduces students to the ways different disciplines understand cities and the societies of which they are a part. Upper-division requirements educate students about the parameters within which urban choices are made. The urban studies and planning major is the oldest and most comprehensive undergraduate urban planning degree program in the University of California system.

One of the outstanding features of the urban studies and planning major is the upper-division senior sequence—an integrated research, internship, and writing requirement. During the two-quarter senior sequence, designed to be taken in the fall and winter of the senior year, all USP majors learn how to write a research proposal, carry out the proposed research, and share the results in the form of a scholarly thesis, poster, and video. The posters go on display at USP’s well-attended annual Urban Expo. The senior sequence allows students to self-select a topic of interest and work on specific planning, policy, urban design, and development projects in San Diego and the surrounding region, including sites across the international border in Mexico. Eligible students may choose to enroll in USP 190 in the spring to write an honors thesis. The honors option is an opportunity to do advanced research and writing that builds on work already completed in the senior sequence.

A Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Studies and Planning will be given to students who satisfactorily complete the general-education requirements of Muir, Revelle, Marshall, Warren, Roosevelt, Sixth, or Seventh College in addition to the urban studies and planning courses described below. The undergraduate program in urban studies and planning requires a four-quarter lower-division sequence in urban studies (USP 1-2-3-4), POLI 30, and twelve courses in upper-division urban studies and planning. Students are encouraged to complete the lower-division prerequisites before they enroll in the upper-division courses.

In accordance with campus academic regulations, courses used to satisfy the major cannot be applied toward a minor, although some overlap is allowed for double majors. All lower-division and upper-division requirements must be taken for a letter grade. A 2.0 grade point average is required in the major, and students must earn at least C– in each course used for the major. Transfer students should see the USP major affairs adviser to determine whether courses taken elsewhere satisfy USP major requirements. No more than one special studies course, USP 198 or USP 199, will be accepted to count toward the major.

Lower-Division Requirements

Students majoring in urban studies and planning must complete the introductory sequence:

USP 1. History of US Urban Communities (4)

USP 2. Urban World System (4)

USP 3. The City and Social Theory (4)

USP 4. Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (4)

and

POLI 30D. Political Inquiry (4)

(PSYC 60, Introduction to Statistics, or SOCI 60, The Practice of Social Research, may be substituted for POLI 30D.)

Upper-Division Requirements

The upper-division requirements in urban studies and planning are

  1. USP 124 and one additional foundation course
  2. one research methods course to be taken junior year
  3. one technical elective course to be taken junior year
  4. two senior sequence courses
  5. six upper-division elective courses

Foundation Courses

Foundation courses provide the conceptual tools for the major. Students are required to complete USP 124, Land Use Planning, and to choose one of the following:

USP 100. Introduction to Urban Planning (4)

USP 103. American City in the Twentieth Century (HIUS 148) (4)

USP 104. Ethnic Diversity and the City (ETHN 105) (4)

USP 105. Urban Sociology (SOCI 153) (4)

USP 106/HIUS 129. The History of Race and Ethnicity in American Cities (4)

USP 107. Urban Politics (POLI 102E) (4)

USP 173. History of Urban Planning and Design (4)

Research Methods Courses

Students are to choose one course of the following:

USP 125. The Design of Social Research (4)

USP 141A. Life Course Scholars Research and Core Fundamentals (4)

USP 142A. Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Core Fundamentals (4)

USP 160. Research Methods: Analyzing Crime (4)

USP 188. Mexican Migration Field Research Practicum (SOCI 188) (4)

USP 193. San Diego Community Research (4)

Technical Elective Courses

Students are to choose one course of the following:

USP 169. Introduction to Green Building (4)

USP 172. Graphics, Visual Communication, and Urban Information

USP 175. Site Analysis

USP 177A. Urban Design Practicum

USP 191A. Intermediate Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning (prerequisite: USP 4)

Senior Sequence Requirement

In their senior year, all students must complete the senior sequence: USP 186 in the fall, and USP 187 in the winter. These courses must be taken in order. The sequence develops each student’s ability to (1) critically review research literature; (2) formulate interesting research questions of their own; (3) design an original research project and investigative strategy; (4) conduct research; and (5) analyze, interpret, and write up findings. The final requirement of USP 186 is a research proposal. By the end of USP 187, each student must complete a Senior Research Project that includes a scholarly thesis coupled with a poster and video designed to share the research with select audiences.

Because the senior sequence includes an internship, no other internship or field placement will be counted toward the major. Students are required to complete USP 124, a research methods course, and a technical elective course prior to enrolling in USP 186.

Honors in Urban Studies and Planning

Candidates for honors in urban studies and planning are required to take USP 190, Senior Honors Seminar, in which students write a senior thesis. Prerequisites for enrolling in USP 190, are a minimum 3.5 GPA in the major, senior standing, USP 186 and USP 187, and consent of instructor. Majors who plan to enroll in USP 190 must declare their intent fall quarter in USP 186.

USP 190. Senior Honors Seminar (4)

Upper-Division Elective Courses

Students can use any USP course numbered 100–149 and 160–194 toward the USP upper-division elective requirement. Courses numbered 150–159 are reserved for the real estate and development major and therefore do not count toward USP major requirements. Students may also use one special studies course (USP 198 or USP 199) toward their six upper-division USP electives. The full list of USP upper-division electives are below:

ANBI 132/ BIEB 176. Conservation and the Human Predicament

COMM 111C. Cities and Politics of Space

COMM 124A. Critical Design Practice/Advanced Studio

ECON 116. Economic Development

ENVR 102. Selected Topics in Environmental Studies (special topics can change quarterly and must be petitioned for credit)

ENVR 110. Environmental Law

ENVR 140. Wilderness and Human Values

ETHN 103. Environmental Racism

ETHN 104. Race, Space, and Segregation

ETHN 118. Contemporary Immigration Issues

ETHN 121. Contemporary Asian-American History

ETHN 123. Asian-American Politics

ETHN 131/ HIUS 159. Social and Economic History of the Southwest II

ETHN 142. Medicine, Race, and the Global Politics of Inequality

ETHN 151. Ethnic Politics in America

ETHN 160. Global Indigenous Studies

ETHN 161. Black Politics and Protest since 1941

ETHN 184. Black Intellectuals in the Twentieth Century

HIEU 129. Paris, Past and Present

HIUS 114. California History

HIUS 117. History of Los Angeles

HIUS 124/ETHN 125. Asian-American History

HIUS 139. African-American History in the Twentieth Century

HIUS 158/ETHN 130. Social and Economic History of the Southwest I

HIUS 180/ ETHN 134. Immigration and Ethnicity in Modern American Society

POLI 100H. Race and Ethnicity in American Politics

POLI 100J. Race in American Political Development

POLI 103A. California Government and Politics

POLI 105A. Latino Politics in the U.S.

POLI 117/SIO 109. Bending the Curve: Solutions to Climate Change

POLI 150A. Politics of Immigration

POLI 162. Environmental Policy

SOCI 125. Sociology of Immigration

SOCI 139. Social Inequality: Class, Race, and Gender

SOCI 151. Comparative Race and Ethnic Relations

SOCI 159. Special Topics in Social Organizations and Institutions (special topics can change quarterly and must be petitioned for credit)

SOCI 169. Citizenship, Community, and Culture

SOCI 179. Social Change

SOCI 180. Social Movements and Social Protest

USP 100. Introduction to Urban Planning

USP 101/POLI 160AA. Introduction to Policy Analysis

USP 102/ECON 135. Urban Economics

USP 103/HIUS 148. American Cities in the Twentieth Century

USP 104/ETHN 105. Ethnic Diversity and the City

USP 105/SOCI 153C. Urban Sociology

USP 106/ HIUS 129. History of Race and Ethnicity in American Cities

USP 107/POLI 102E. Urban Politics

USP 110/POLI 102J. Advanced Topics in Urban Politics (special topics can change quarterly and must be petitioned for credit)

USP 111/POLI 102J: Advanced Topics in Urban Politics (special topics can change quarterly and must be petitioned for credit)

USP 120. Urban Planning, Infrastructure, and Real Estate

USP 128A/ANTH 128A. Climate Action Scholars: Community Engagement and Research

USP 128B/ANTH 128A. Climate Action Scholars: Capstone Project

USP 131. Culture, Tourism, and the Urban Economy: Case Studies of Craft Breweries

USP 132/ETHN 188. African Americans, Religion, and the City

USP 133/SOCI 152. Social Inequality and Public Policy

USP 135/ETHN 129. Asian and Latina Workers in the Global Economy

USP 136. Community Organizing

USP 137. Housing and Community Development and Practice

USP 138. Urban Economic Development

USP 140. Placemaking

USP 141A. Life Course Scholars Research and Core Fundamentals

USP 141B. Life Course Scholars Capstone Project

USP 142A. Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Research

USP 142B. Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Fieldwork

USP 142C. Urban Challenges: Food Systems

USP 143. The US Health Care System

USP 144. Environmental and Preventive Health Issues

USP 145. Aging—Social and Health Policy Issues

USP 147. Case Studies in Health Care Programs/Poor and Underserved Populations

USP 148. Health and the Built Environment

USP 160. Research Methods: Analyzing Crime

USP 161. Environmental Design and Crime Prevention

USP 162. Migration and the City

USP 163. Community-Based Research and Planning

USP 164. Cities in Film

USP 165A. Advanced Special Topics in Housing

USP 165B. Advanced Special Topics in Sustainability

USP 165C. Advanced Special Topics in Transportation

USP 165D. Advanced Special Topics in Urban Design and Land Use

USP 167/HIUS 123. History of New York City

USP 168/HIUS 117. History of Los Angeles

USP 169. Introduction to Green Building

USP 170. Planning for Sustainable Communities

USP 171. Sustainable Development

USP 171GS. International Sustainable Development

USP 172. Graphics, Visual Communication, and Urban Information

USP 173. History of Urban Planning and Design

USP 173GS. International History of Urban Planning and Design

USP 175. Site Analysis

USP 176. International Planning and Development: US-Mexico Border

USP 177A. Urban Design Practicum

USP 177B. Advanced Urban Design

USP 179. Urban Design, Theory, and Practice

USP 180. Transportation Planning

USP 181. Public Transportation

USP 182. Gentrification

USP 183/SOCI 183. The Geography of American Opportunity

USP 183GS. International Urban Design Practicum

USP 184. Decolonizing Design: Histories and Theories

USP 188/SOCI 188. Field Research in Migrant Communities—Practicum

USP 188B. Research Analysis and Reporting

USP 189. Special Topics in Urban Planning

USP 190. Senior Honors Seminar (four units offered only in spring quarter)

USP 191A. Intermediate Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning

USP 191B. Advanced Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning

USP 193. San Diego Community Research

USP 194. Research Seminar in D.C. (four units)

The Minor Program

The Urban Studies and Planning Minor

The urban studies and planning minor consists of seven courses in urban studies and planning, selected with the prior approval of the USP student affairs adviser. Students who wish to minor in urban studies may do so by taking any two courses from among the lower-division sequence and the upper-division foundation courses, and five upper-division courses from among those that serve the USP major. All courses must be taken for a letter grade not lower than a C–. Courses selected need approval from the USP undergraduate adviser. Students can declare the minor online.

The Real Estate and Development Major

The real estate and development (RED) major at UC San Diego is one of the most comprehensive undergraduate programs of its kind in the country. It recognizes that the next generation of real estate and development innovators will need to understand the nexus between real estate finance and development, data analysis, urban planning and design, environmental regulations, and new technologies. The major also emphasizes the importance of public-private partnerships and knowledge of the role and function of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors at the neighborhood, city, and regional level. It recognizes the importance of supplementing classroom instruction with professional development opportunities and uses the San Diego-Tijuana city-region as a living laboratory for hands-on, project-based learning.

The curriculum for the bachelor of science in RED is broad and interdisciplinary in response to the diverse ways in which real estate impacts the ways people live, work, and enrich their lives. Required courses include economics, business management, urban planning, real estate finance, real estate law, sustainable development, and urban design. All course work is designed to facilitate qualitative, quantitative, analytical, strategic, design, and problem-solving, solutions-oriented skills. Students pursuing the RED major are encouraged to pair their degree with a minor degree in urban studies and planning or one of the many minor degrees offered at UC San Diego, particularly those offered by the Rady School of Management including the minor in business and the minor in entrepreneurship and innovation.

One of the outstanding features of the real estate and development major is the upper-division capstone studio requirement. During a two-quarter “Capstone Studio Sequence,” designed to be taken in fall and winter of the senior year, all RED majors are guided through a hands-on, actual real estate finance and development project. Through project-based learning, students work in teams culminating with the presentation of their findings at the annual Urban Expo hosted by the Urban Studies and Planning Program.

A bachelor of science degree in RED will be given to students who satisfactorily complete the general-education requirements of Muir, Revelle, Marshall, Warren, Roosevelt, Sixth or Seventh College in addition to the real estate and sustainable development courses described below. The undergraduate RED major requires eight lower-division courses, ten upper-division courses, and the required two-quarter Capstone Studio Sequence. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the lower-division requirements before they enroll in the upper-division courses.

Lower-Division Requirements

Students majoring in real estate and development must complete

USP 1. History of US Urban Communities OR USP 2. Urban World System

USP 5. Introduction to the Real Estate and Development Process

USP 15. Applied Urban Economics for Planning and Development (to be taken after completion of ECON 1)

USP 25. Real Estate and Development Principles and Analysis

MATH 10A. Calculus 1 OR MATH 20A. Calculus for Science and Engineering OR MGT 3. Quantitative Methods

ECON 1. Principles of Microeconomics

ECON 4/MGT 4. Financial Accounting

MGT 5 (ECON 4/MGT 4 and MGT 5 may be replaced with MGT 45)

Upper-Division Requirements

The upper-division requirements in real estate and development are

  1. Seven foundation courses (twenty-eight units)
  2. One technical elective (four units)
  3. Two upper-division electives (eight units)
  4. Two real estate finance and development Capstone Studio Sequence courses (twelve units)

Foundation Courses

Foundation courses provide the conceptual tools for the major. Students are to complete the following:

USP 124. Land Use Planning

USP 150. Real Estate and Development Law and Regulation

USP 151. Real Estate Planning and Development

USP 152. Real Estate Development Finance and Investment

USP 153. Real Estate and Development Market Analysis

USP 171. Sustainable Development

MGT 172. Business Project Management

Technical Elective

Students are to choose one course (four units) of the following:

USP 169. Introduction to Green Building

USP 172. Graphics, Visual Communication, and Urban Information

USP 175. Site Analysis

USP 177A. Urban Design Practicum

USP 191A. Intermediate Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning

Upper-Division Electives

Students are to choose two courses (or eight units) from

ECON 116. Economic Development

ECON 125. Demographic Analysis and Forecasting

ECON 131. Economics of the Environment

USP 120. Urban Planning, Infrastructure, and Real Estate

USP 137. Housing and Community Development Policy and Practice

USP 155. Real Estate Development in Global and Comparative Perspective

USP 158A. Advanced Special Topics in Real Estate and Development

USP 159A. NAIOP Real Estate University Challenge I

USP 170. Sustainable Planning

USP 173. History of Urban Planning and Design

USP 177B. Advanced Urban Design

USP 179. Urban Design, Theory, and Practice

USP 180. Transportation Planning

USP 181. Public Transportation

USP 190. Senior Honors Seminar

USP 191B. Advanced Geographic Information Systems for Urban Community Planning

MGT 112. Global Business Strategy

MGT 153. Business Analytics

MGT 157. Real Estate Securitization

MGT 158. Real Estate and the Tech Sector

MGT 162. Negotiation

MGT 164. Business and Organizational Leadership

MGT 166. Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility

MGT 181. Enterprise Finance

Real Estate and Development Capstone Studio

In their senior year, all RED majors must complete the Capstone Studio Sequence: USP 185A in fall, and USP 185B in winter. These courses must be taken in order. Working in teams, the real estate and development studio advances each student’s ability to (1) critically approach the real estate finance, development, and design process; (2) gather and manage complex sources of research and knowledge as part of an integrated team approach; (3) prepare a detailed pro forma financial analysis; (4) evaluate all site constraints and opportunities; (5) evaluate all market constraints and opportunities; (6) develop a complete urban design program; (7) develop a plan to market, lease, and/or sell the development; and (8) analyze, interpret, and write up the findings. Each team will prepare a final written report and presentation drawings. The studio will culminate with a public presentation of the students’ work at the USP Program’s annual Urban Expo held every March to showcase undergraduate research.

Students must complete USP 124, USP 151, USP 152, and USP 153 prior to enrolling in USP 185A.

The Minor Program

The real estate and development minor (RED) consists of seven courses (28 units). Students who wish to minor in real estate and development may do so by taking two required lower-division courses, four required upper-division courses, and one upper-division elective. All courses must be taken for a letter grade not lower than a C–. Courses selected need approval from the USP program adviser. Students can declare the minor online.

Lower-Division Requirements

Students minoring in real estate development must complete

USP 5. Introduction to the Real Estate and Development Process

USP 15. Applied Urban Economics for Planning and Development

Upper-Division Requirements

The upper-division requirements in real estate and development are

  1. four foundation courses
  2. one upper-division elective
Foundation Courses

Foundation courses provide the conceptual tools for the major. Students are required to complete the following:

USP 124. Land Use Planning

USP 150. Real Estate and Development Law and Regulation

USP 151. Real Estate Planning and Development

MGT 181. Enterprise Finance

Upper-Division Electives

Students are to choose one of the following:

USP 120. Urban Planning, Infrastructure, and Real Estate

USP 137. Housing and Community Development Policy and Practice

USP 152. Real Estate Development Finance and Investment

USP 153. Real Estate and Development Market Analysis

USP 155. Real Estate Development in Global and Comparative Perspective

USP 158A. Advanced Special Topics in Real Estate and Development

USP 159A. NAIOP Real Estate University Challenge I

USP 161. Environmental Design and Crime Prevention

USP 170. Sustainable Planning

USP 171. Sustainable Development

USP 172. Graphics, Visual Communication, and Urban Information

USP 173. History of Urban Planning and Design

USP 175. Site Analysis

USP 177A. Urban Design Practicum

USP 177B. Advanced Urban Design

USP 179. Urban Design, Theory, and Practice

USP 180. Transportation Planning

USP 181. Public Transportation

USP 191A. Intermediate Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning

USP 191B. Advanced Geographic Information Systems for Urban Community Planning

MGT 112. Global Business Strategy

MGT 153. Business Analytics

MGT 157. Real Estate Securitization

MGT 158. Real Estate and the Tech Sector

MGT 162. Negotiation

MGT 164. Business and Organizational Leadership

MGT 166. Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility

MGT 172. Business Project Management

Education Abroad Program

Students are encouraged to participate in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) or Opportunities Abroad Program (OAP) while still making progress toward completing their major. For more information on EAP, see the section of this catalog on the Education Abroad Program or visit http://studyabroad.ucsd.edu/. Students considering this option are advised to discuss their plans with the USP student affairs adviser before going abroad.