4+1 Program (BAUSP/MUP)

The 4+1 program allows BAUSP students with Junior standing to complete the MUP on an accelerated timeline- BAUSP and MUP degrees in five years. The 4+1 program is highly selective - the majority of successful applicants to the program have a 3.6 GPA or higher, and demonstrate extraordinary evidence of preparedness for the MUP program. Junior BAUSP students admitted to the 4+1 program complete elements of the first-year MUP sequence during their Senior year, and then formally apply for admission to the MUP program in the fall of their Senior Year. 4+1 Seniors accepted to the MUP program then complete second year MUP requirements including the MUP capstone and graduate with their MUP degree a year after receiving their BAUSP degree.

PARK(ing) Day sign in downtown Champaign, hanging over DURP t-shirts

Admissions Process

Eligible BAUSP students should submit their application packet as a single PDF document to Jennifer Kowalski at urbplan@illinois.edu by January 15th of their Junior year.
Applicants will prepare an application packet containing the following items:
1. Cover Letter: Please prepare a cover letter that includes your name, UIN, and University of Illinois email address, and that clearly states that you are applying to the BAUSP/MUP 4+1 program.
2. Statement of Purpose: Please compose a statement of purpose of no more than 1,500 words that describes your background, motivation, and qualifications for pursuing a MUP degree at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The statement of purpose should focus not only on your qualifications, but also on your future educational and professional goals, and your substantive area of focus within the MUP program.
3. Resume: Please attach a current resume of no more than 2 pages in length.
4. Work Examples: Please attach with your application up to two examples of professional work products. These products may have been produced by you as part of a class assignment, internship, or other professional engagement. The selected work examples should be reflective of your preparedness to undertake graduate-level study in the senior year of your BAUSP degree.
Students will be notified by the Director of Graduate Studies by February 15th of their junior year if they have been accepted into the 4+1 program. Admission to the 4+1 program does not guarantee admission to the MUP program, although applicants are accepted into the 4+1 program based on the high likelihood that they would be admitted to the MUP program.

4+1 Plan of Study

The 4+1 program is split into two components – the senior year of the BAUSP program, and the MUP program year.

BAUSP Senior year

A BAUSP student admitted to the 4+1 program is expected to enroll in the first-year MUP core courses in their senior year, although they are not yet admitted to the MUP program. Typically, a 4+1 student will take a senior workshop (4 hours), as required by the BAUSP program, plus the five first-year MUP core courses:

UP 501: Planning History and Theory (Fall)

UP 503: Physical Planning (Fall)

UP 504: Urban History and Theory (Spring)

UP 505: Urban and Regional Analysis (Fall)

UP 511: Law and Planning (Spring)

The MUP core courses meet the BAUSP requirements for UP electives and planning-related electives.

In the fall and spring semesters of the senior year, the BAUSP Program Director will collect feedback on 4+1 student performance from their course instructors, and will consult with the MUP Program Director and MUP Director of Admissions to make a determination regarding adequate progress in the program. In the senior year, 4+1 students wishing to complete the MUP degree will formally apply to the MUP program, submitting a full application package including recommendations and transcripts. At the end of the senior year, the 4+1 student is qualified to graduate with the BAUSP degree, having met all the requirements of that program.

MUP program year

Once admitted to the MUP program, a 4+1 student must take 32 hours of graduate courses, 20 of which must be UP courses. These courses include the capstone requirement (8 credit hours). Up to two MUP core courses may be included among the 32 hours. If more core courses are needed, then correspondingly more than 32 hours will be required for the MUP degree. The 32 hours of graduate courses is a minimum requirement for the MUP degree; it cannot be reduced by UP 590 internship or course waivers.