I chose to study urban planning because of my interest in strengthening my own community. Being aware of the disparities low-income communities face from a young age, I was compelled to pursue a career where I could improve our quality of life.
Meet Heidy PersaudMUP 2012
Sustainability is not just about "saving the planet." True sustainability means taking seriously the historical and political drivers of environmental change in order to imagine and enact a more just and prosperous future for all.
Meet Sean KennedyAssistant Professor
Health is inextricably linked with place. Now more than ever, planners are tasked with creating places and spaces that support multiple dimensions of health for all populations—particularly the most vulnerable.
Meet Lindsay M. BraunAssistant Professor
I wanted to be able to bridge the gap between members of different social strata through urban planning, and to educate residents on planning processes and initiatives to get local engagement in the shaping of communities.
Meet Wendell JosephMUP 2015
I saw in my international development career that social issues around the globe had deep interconnections, but the solutions were being worked on in silos. I saw urban planning as an umbrella discipline that would give me the opportunity to work at the connections among those issues.
Meet Annie ContractorMUP 2015
When I was applying to college, I had trouble choosing a field of study simply because I was interested in too many things. After a year, I found urban planning, which combines everything I love and allows me to utilize my outgoing, determined, and creative personality.
Planning at Illinois is one of the leading planning programs in the U.S., and one of the few to offer four degrees spanning all levels of study—undergraduate, masters, and doctoral. Our department has over 100 years of history in Illinois urban planning education, and we have designed our curricula with the future in mind. Our programs offer a unique combination of structure and flexibility built around your interests, whether urban studies, transportation, economic development, policy, social justice, sustainability, or global cities. We equip change-makers who positively transform society!
Ethan Tabakin
BAUP 2013, MUP 2014
Heidy Persaud
MUP 2012
James M. Harris, AICP
BAUP 2011
Studying urban planning at the University of Illinois gives you access to all the benefits of a large, global R1 university but with the personal feel of a small department that will support you both in and out of the classroom.
For 2024-25, U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as the 9th public university and the 33rd national university in America’s Best Colleges.
Getting involved in planning issues at all levels is easy in Champaign-Urbana. Work with three planning commissions, two city councils, a county board, a transit agency, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, the Sustainability Advisory Commission, the Community Development Commission, and more!
Our program attracts people who are passionate about what they do, and the size of our department makes it easy to bond with classmates and faculty. Members of our faculty are approachable both in and out of the classroom. Join us for the holiday gathering in the Blicharski Atrium, kickball on the South Quad, and potluck dinners at a faculty member’s house.
