The Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture (DPLA) offers an accredited Master of Science (MS) degree in Urban and Regional Planning. The degree trains students in the knowledge, theories, and skills to be leaders in their communities by making positive change through informed and reflective action. Our department centers the values of sustainability, equity and justice, and works with communities to address many of the complex challenges involving space and place that are critical to the planning profession.
The MS URPL degree is intended to prepare graduates for professional planning careers in government, nonprofit and community organizations, and the private sector, and to work at a variety of scales including rural and urban communities. The program normally requires two academic years of full-time work plus an internship. In addition to the MS program, the department offers a PhD program.
DPLA seeks students with high academic qualifications and the potential to become qualified professional planners. Since there are relatively few undergraduate planning programs in the country, students come into the field from a wide range of disciplines. In recent years, planning students have generally come from the social sciences with geography, economics, political science, and sociology among the most common undergraduate backgrounds. The range, however, runs from the arts to the sciences reflecting the multi-disciplinary character of our field.
DPLA is committed to establishing and maintaining a supportive climate of inclusion, diversity, and collegiality through our actions and policies. We envision a department in which all individuals are engaged in a vibrant learning community, where ideas, experiences, and perspectives are supported, nurtured, and developed to their highest levels. We value diversity, which we define to include race or ethnicity; sex; gender and gender identity or expression; marital status; age; sexual orientation; country of origin; language; disability; socio-economic status; and affiliations that are based on cultural, political, religious, or other identities.
Although DPLA stresses the development of general skills and mental attitudes that are common to all planning endeavors, students are required to specialize in an area of planning that is of interest to the student, such as housing, land use, food systems, environmental planning, regional economic development, transportation, public health, or urban design, among other possibilities.
The objectives of the professional MS degree are to:
- Prepare students to engage in planning processes that recognize a complex, pluralistic and equitable democratic society. Students develop the capacity to work with diverse publics, across government agencies, and in private and nonprofit sectors. Planning processes include the identification of objectives, design of possible courses of action, and evaluation of alternatives.
- Convey a set of planning literacies to enable students to perform effectively as planners in public, private or nonprofit sectors. These literacies include knowledge in the following areas:
- Structure and function of cities and regions
- History and theory of planning processes and practices
- Administrative, legal, and political aspects of plan-making
- Public involvement and dispute resolution techniques
- Research design and data analysis techniques
- Written, oral, and graphic communication skills
- Ethics of professional practice
- Collaborative approaches to problem solving
- Prepare students with the substantive knowledge foundation and tools, methods, and techniques of planning associated with an area of specialization.
Details on administrative requirements for the degree are available in the MS URPL Handbook.
The MS program equips students with sufficient understanding of and training in the principal tools, methods, and techniques of planning to enable them to perform effectively as junior staff members from the start of their careers. UW–Madison's program in planning emphasizes concepts, perspectives, and practices that promise to be useful not only upon graduation, but even more so in later years for graduates who reach positions of major influence and responsibility. We train our graduates to be leaders of equitable change through urban and regional planning.
Admissions
Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.
Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.
| Fall Deadline | February 1 |
| Spring Deadline | October 15 |
| Summer Deadline | This program does not admit in the summer |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Not required |
| English Proficiency Test | Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not exclusively in English, must provide an English proficiency test score earned within two years of the anticipated term of enrollment. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241. |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications submitted by the deadlines listed above will be considered for limited Department funding.
Application for admission to the department consists of the following materials:
- Online application
- PDF of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts
- Statement of purpose
- Applicants should submit a thoughtful, reflective one- or two-page statement discussing reasons for going into planning; applicants with an interest in a particular concentration should discuss this; applicants with planning or planning-related experience should include this.
- Three references from people familiar with the applicant's academic and/or professional work.
The success of international students enrolled in the program depends heavily on a good working knowledge of English. Prospective applicants who do not feel comfortable using the English language are strongly urged to consider further language study before applying for admission.
All applicants are required to have an introductory-level course in statistics. This requirement may be met by taking an introductory course, for no graduate credit, during the student's first semester of study.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
Mode of Instruction
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 46 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 24 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 23 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| Other Grade Requirements | In addition to Graduate School requirements, the Department of Urban and Regional Planning requires that all core courses and all courses in a student’s area of specialization (other than research credits) be taken on a graded (i.e., not satisfactory/unsatisfactory) basis. In all core courses and all courses in a student’s area of specialization, a minimum grade of BC is considered satisfactory. Grades of C or below in core and specialization courses may not be counted toward degree requirements, but are still counted in the cumulative GPA. If a student receives a grade of C or below in a department required core course, the student must retake the course and achieve a satisfactory grade. In elective courses, a grade of C or above is considered satisfactory. Any course in which a student receives a grade of D or F may not be used to satisfy any department graduation requirements. However, these courses will still be counted in the cumulative GPA. |
| Assessments and Examinations | Students must complete either a thesis or a professional project. See details in the handbook. |
| Language Requirements | No language requirements. |
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Planning Core | ||
| URB R PL/SOC WORK 721 | Methods of Planning Analysis | 3 |
| URB R PL 742 | Planning Orientation Seminar | 1 |
| URB R PL 781 | Planning Thought and Practice | 3 |
| URB R PL 833 | Planning and the Legal System | 3 |
| URB R PL 791 | Visual Communication for Planners | 3 |
| URB R PL 912 | Planning Workshop | 4 |
| Structure and Functions of Cities and Regions | ||
| Select one of the following to satisfy the Structure and Functions of Cities and Regions requirement: | 3 | |
| Gentrification and Urban Restructuring | ||
| Transportation and the Built Environment | ||
| Site Planning | ||
| Urban Design: Theory and Practice | ||
| Introduction to Regional Planning | ||
| Regional Economic Problem Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Financial Planning | ||
| Central City Planning: Issues and Approaches | ||
| Urban Functions, Spatial Organization and Environmental Form | ||
| Housing and Public Policy | ||
| Geospatial Methods | ||
| Select one of the following to satisfy the Geospatial Methods requirement: | 2 | |
| Introduction to Design Frameworks and Spatial Technologies | ||
| Geodesign Methods and Applications | ||
| Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resources | ||
| An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Introduction to Geocomputing | ||
| Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Planning | ||
| GIS Applications | ||
| GIS and Spatial Analysis | ||
| Planning Concentration | 12 | |
| Electives 1 | 12 | |
| Professional Practice Internship | ||
| Total Credits | 46 | |
- 1
Students may enroll in up to 2 credits of URB R PL 999 Independent Work concurrent with work on their final professional project.
Urban and Regional Planning and Public Affairs or International Public Affairs (MS in URPL/MPA or MIPA)
The Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture and the La Follette School of Public Affairs offer a double degree Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning and either a Master of Public Affairs or Master of International Public Affairs.
Students completing the double degree must follow the double degree plan.
- The Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture requires 46 credits for the Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning.
- The La Follette School requires 42 credits for the Master of Public Affairs/Master of International Public Affairs.
Per UW-Madison Graduate School policy, an overlap of 25% of credits is permitted (11 credits can count toward both degrees). Students can graduate with both degrees by completing 77 credits in three years.
Graduate coordinators for both programs have sample curricular plans that they will share with prospective or current students to assist with successful completion of all degree requirements.
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Major-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
A maximum of 22 credits are allowed from Planning Accreditation Board–accredited coursework taken at other institutions may transfer. In all other fields, 25% of credits completed up to a maximum of 11 transfer credits are allowed. Special conditions for applying prior coursework may be found in the Graduate Program Handbook (link in Contact Information).
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
Any course taken as part of an undergraduate degree (whether required or optional) may not be applied.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW–Madison
The MS Urban and Regional Planning Program Committee will not transfer more than 12 credits of prior coursework taken as a UW–Madison University Special student. The Committee does not necessarily guarantee that all credits (up to 12) taken as a Special student will transfer. All accepted courses must have a grade of B or better. The decision as to what prior coursework may be applied will be made by the Committee on the recommendation of the student’s advisor, and must be based on information indicating that the courses for which credit is given fit logically into the student’s overall program.
Probation
Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.
Advisor / Committee
Student should meet regularly with the advisor to plan academic career. The advisor is required to approve and sign the plan of study form, which is then submitted to the graduate coordinator prior to the student being allowed to graduate. Refer to the Graduate School: Advisor policy.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credits
Time Limits
The master’s program takes two full years of study.
Other time limits for the program refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
Students should contact the department chair or program director with questions about grievances. They may also contact the L&S Academic Divisional Associate Deans, the L&S Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning Administration, or the L&S Director of Human Resources.
Other
The MS in Urban and Regional Planning Program Committee will help students look for funding for their graduate study, though the program cannot guarantee funding. Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School and from the MS in Urban and Regional Planning Program Committee. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
Learning Outcomes
- (General Planning Knowledge) Comprehension, representation, and use of ideas and information in the planning field, including appropriate perspectives from history, social science, and the design professions.
- (Purpose and Meaning of Planning) Appreciation of why planning is undertaken by communities, cities, regions, and nations, and the impact planning is expected to have.
- (Planning Theory) Appreciation of the behaviors and structures available to bring about sound planning outcomes.
- (Planning Law) Appreciation of the legal and institutional contexts within which planning occurs.
- (Human Settlements and History of Planning) Understanding of the growth and development of places over time and across space.
- (The Future) Understanding of the relationships between past, present, and future in planning domains, as well as the potential for methods of design, analysis, and intervention to influence the future.
- (Global Dimensions of Planning) Appreciation of interactions, flows of people and materials, cultures, and differing approaches to planning across world regions.
- (Planning Skills) Use and application of knowledge to perform specific tasks required in the practice of planning.
- (Research) Tools for assembling and analyzing ideas and information from prior practice and scholarship, and from primary and secondary sources.
- (Written, Oral, and Graphic Communication) Ability to prepare clear, accurate and compelling text, graphics and maps for use in documents and presentations.
- (Quantitative and Qualitative Methods) Data collection, analysis and modeling tools for forecasting, policy analysis, and design of projects and plans.
- (Plan Creation and Implementation) Integrative tools useful for sound plan formulation, adoption, and implementation and enforcement.
- (Planning Process Methods) Tools for stakeholder involvement, community engagement, and working with diverse communities.
- (Leadership) Tools for attention, formation, strategic decision-making, team building, and organizational/community motivation.
- (Values and Ethics) Values inform ethical and normative principles used to guide planning in a democratic society. The program shall appropriately incorporate issues of diversity and social justice into all required courses of the curriculum, including:
- (Professional Ethics and Responsibility) Appreciation of key issues of planning ethics and related questions of the ethics of public decision-making, research, and client representation (including principles of the AICP Code of Ethics and other related principles, as appropriate).
- (Governance and Participation) Appreciation of the roles of officials, stakeholders, and community members in planned change.
- (Sustainability and Environmental Quality) Appreciation of natural resource and pollution control factors in planning, and understanding of how to create sustainable futures.
- (Growth and Development) Appreciation of economic, social, and cultural factors in urban and regional growth and change.
- (Values and Ethics) Values inform ethical and normative principles used to guide planning in a democratic society. The program shall appropriately incorporate issues of diversity and social justice into all required courses of the curriculum, including:
- (Professional Ethics and Responsibility) Appreciation of key issues of planning ethics and related questions of the ethics of public decision-making, research, and client representation (including principles of the AICP Code of Ethics and other related principles, as appropriate).
- (Governance and Participation) Appreciation of the roles of officials, stakeholders, and community members in planned change.
- (Sustainability and Environmental Quality) Appreciation of natural resource and pollution control factors in planning, and understanding of how to create sustainable futures.
- (Growth and Development) Appreciation of economic, social, and cultural factors in urban and regional growth and change.
Certification/Licensure
American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)
Professional Certification/Licensure Disclosure (NC-SARA)
The United States Department of Education (via 34 CFR Part 668) requires institutions that provide distance education to disclose information for programs leading to professional certification or licensure. The expectation is that institutions will determine whether each applicable academic program meets state professional licensure requirements and provide a general disclosure of such on an official university website.
Professional licensure requirements vary from state-to-state and can change year-to-year; they are established in a variety of state statutes, regulations, rules, and policies; and they center on a range of educational requirements, including degree type, specialized accreditation, total credits, specific courses, and examinations.
UW-Madison has taken reasonable efforts to determine whether this program satisfies the educational requirements for certification/licensure in states where prospective and enrolled students are located and is disclosing that information as follows.
Disclaimer: This information is based on the most recent annual review of state agency certification/licensure data and is subject to change. All students are strongly encouraged to consult with the individual/office listed in the Contact Information box on this page and with the applicable state agency for specific information.
The requirements of this program meet certification/licensure requirements in the following states:
Wisconsin
The requirements of this program do not meet certification/licensure requirements in the following states:
Not applicable
Updated: 1 June 2024