Our Curriculum
The Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and Planning degree requires a minimum of 120 hours. This includes:
- core requirements
- 1 concentration
- electives
Students may complete more than 1 concentration, but courses cannot be double counted. You will take an additional 15 hours of Urban Planning electives, plus open electives as needed, to reach 120 hours. Urban Planning electives are any Urban Planning courses which are not part of the core curriculum. Workshops beyond the required 4 credit hours may count as Urban Planning electives. You will also complete the University General Education requirements. Some Urban Studies and Planning courses apply toward those requirements.
Continuation in this program requires at least a 2.00 GPA.
Summary of Courses
| 1st Year | UP 101 and 4 Foundation Courses, UP 201 |
| 2nd Year | UP 203, or UP 204, Concentration Gateway Course, UP 211 |
| 3rd Year | UP 312, UP 316, Concentration Electives, UP 347 (Junior Workshop) |
| 4th Year | Senior Workshop (UP 447, UP 455, UP 456, UP 457, or UP 478), UP 401 Undergraduate Capstone Seminar |
| 15 hours of UP electives, GEN ED not met by UP foundation & core, and open electives |
Foundation Courses
Foundation Courses
| Hours | Requirements |
| 3 | RHET 105 or equivalent (GE: Comp I) |
| 3-4 | AAS 100 – Intro to Asian American Studies (GE: CNW, SBS); AFRO 100 – Intro to African American Studies (GE: CNW, SBS); AIS 102 – Contemporary Issues in Indian Country (GE: SBS, USM); GGIS 101 – Global Development and Environment (GE: CNW, SBS); GGIS 104 – Social and Cultural Geography (GE: SBS); LLS 100 – Intro to Latino/Latina Studies (GE: CNW, SBS); or SOC 100 – Intro to Soc (GE: SBS) |
| 3-4 | ECON 102 – Microeconomic Principles (GE: SBS) or ACE 100 – Agricultural Consumer and Resource Economics (GE: SBS) |
| 3-4 | UP 116 – Urban Informatics I (GE: QR I); STAT 100 or equivalent (GE: QR I) |
Urban Studies and Planning Core
Urban Studies and Planning Core
| Hours | Requirements |
| 3 | UP 101 – Introduction to City Planning |
| 3 | UP 201 – Planning in Action |
| 3 | UP 203 – Cities: Planning and Urban Life or UP 204 – Chicago: Planning and Urban Life |
| 3 | UP 211 – Local Planning, Gov’t and Law |
| 4 | UP 312 – Communication for Planners (GE: Advanced Comp) |
| 3 | UP 316 – Urban Informatics II (GE: QR II) |
| 4 | UP 347 – Junior Planning Workshop |
| Select one workshop from: | |
| UP 447 – Land Use Planning Workshop | |
| UP 455 – Economic Development Workshop | |
| UP 456 – Sustainable Planning Workshop | |
| UP 457 – Small Town/Rural Planning Workshop | |
| UP 478 – Community Development Workshop | |
| Plus 15 hours of UP electives, GEN ED not met by UP foundation & core, and open electives | |
| 1 | UP 401 – Undergraduate Capstone Seminar (Individual portfolio development, networking opportunities, and a culmination event.) |
Sustainability Concentration
Sustainability Concentration
| Hours | Requirements |
| 3 | Gateway: UP 136 – Urban Sustainability |
| 6-8 | Electives (2 required): UP 205 – Ecology & Environmental Sustainability; UP 246 – International Environmental Planning and Governance; UP 405 – Watershed Ecology; UP 406 – Urban Ecology; UP 406 – Urban Ecology; UP 420 – Planning for Historic Preservation; UP 434 – Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning; UP 446 – Sustainable Planning Seminar; UP 460 – Transportation and Land Use Policy; UP 466 – Energy Planning and Built Environment; UP 480 – Sustainable Design Principles; UP 486 – Planning with Climate Change |
| 4 | Senior Workshop |
Policy and Planning Concentration
Policy and Planning Concentration
| Hours | Requirements |
| 3 | Gateway: UP 211 – Local Planning, Government, and Law |
| 6-8 | Electives (2 required): UP 330 – The Modern American City; UP 340 – Planning for Healthy Cities; UP 345 – Economic Development Planning; UP 407 – State and Local Public Finance; UP 430 – Urban Transportation Planning; UP 431 – Urban Transportation Modeling; UP 460 – Transportation/Land Use Policy; UP 473 – Housing and Urban Policy; UP 474 – Neighborhood Revitalization |
| 4 | Senior Workshop |
Social Justice Concentration
Social Justice Concentration
| Hours | Requirements |
| 3 | Gateway: UP 160 – Race, Social Justice, and Cities |
| 6-8 | Electives (2 required): UP 260 – Social Inequality and Planning; UP 335 – Cities and Immigrants; UP 340 – Planning for Healthy Cities; UP 423 – Community Development in the Global South; UP 473 – Housing and Urban Policy; UP 479 – Community Engagement in Planning |
| 4 | Senior Workshop |
Global Cities Concentration
Global Cities Concentration
| Hours | Requirements |
| 3 | Gateway: UP 185 – Cities in a Global Perspective (GE: Cultural Studies Non-Western/US Minority Culture) |
| 6-8 | Electives (2 required): UP 246 – International Environmental Planning and Governance; UP 335 – Cities and Immigrants; UP 406 – Urban Ecology; UP 423 – Community Development in the Global South; UP 486 – Planning with Climate Change |
| 4 | Senior Workshop |
Advising
Meet Your Undergraduate Advisor
Plan your curriculum with Undergraduate Advisor Alice E. Novak, BAUSP Program Director. Alice advises students majoring and minoring in Urban Studies and Planning. Alice will help you with:
- course selection
- transfers
- Urban Studies and Planning Minor
- BAUSP students seeking a minor in other fields
- technical needs such as course petitions, course substitutions, and late course changes
- Study Abroad course approvals
Alice E. Novak, BAUSP Program Director
111D Temple Buell Hall
Office Hours: Generally open office hours, but appointments are encouraged
Voice: 217-244-5402
Email: novak2@illinois.edu
College of Fine and Applied Arts, Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs
The FAA Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs will assist with:
- questions about records
- AP credit or transfer courses
- degree certification
Zelda Gardner, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs
Gill Heine, FAA Admissions and Records Officer
110 Architecture Building
Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30 AM–noon and 1:00–5:00 PM
Voice: 217-333-6061
Email: faa-uaa@illinois.edu
Web: faa.illinois.edu/current-students/academic-support-policies
Students may meet with the staff on a walk-in basis or schedule an appointment by calling 217-333-6061.
Web Resources
The following sites provide additional advising information and support: