Urban & Regional Planning Master's Degree

The Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) degree is fully accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board, which is under the sponsorship of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), American Planning Association (APA), and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP).

The curriculum includes a 43-credit core that focuses on the history and theory of planning as a field, plan implementation, analytical methods (including Geographic Information Systems [GIS]), and the dynamics of metropolitan development. A two-term planning workshop and an internship experience are also required.

Experiential learning is an integral component of the program. Internships in the region are plentiful and varied, and include opportunities such as working with Metro's state-of-the-art transportation planning model, with a non-profit community development corporation to revitalize neighborhoods, or with a bi-state agency to implement the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area Act.

The program offers specializations in five field areas: community development, environment, land use, urban transportation, and community economic development. Remaining credits are taken as electives or as a second specialization.

Students can transfer up to 24 credits of course work taken at another university or at PSU prior to admission, provided that the courses were taken within seven years of completion of the MURP program, that they fit within the student's program of study and have not been used to obtain another degree.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news and information about all things MURP at
http://planning.groups.pdx.edu

Requirements

To be considered for admission as a regular degree student, the applicant must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all undergraduate courses or must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in all graduate credits earned at accredited institutions (at least 12 credits). Applications will not be considered unless they are complete. International students must submit TOEFL scores of 550 or better (taken within two years) if their native language is not English.

Please Note: Applications can be downloaded and completed online. Application instructions and answers to frequently asked admissions questions may be found on our website as well.

www.pdx.edu/usp/usp_admissions

If you have any questions about the admissions process, please call the School of Urban Studies and Planning Office at (503) 725-4045 or email susp@pdx.edu.

The Toulan School is now offering two new dual degree masters programs:

Masters of Urban and Regional Planning and Masters of Public Health

Masters of Urban and Regional Planning and Masters of Civil Engineering

The PSU Bulletin includes the following language on dual master's degrees:

Dual master's degrees. No credits applied toward a master's degree at PSU, once that degree is achieved, may be applied to the earning of another master's degree at PSU, except for the special arrangement provided for the dual master's degree program. In the case of the dual master's degree program, a graduate student may work concurrently toward the completion of the requirements of two PSU master's degrees in complementary disciplines where an overlap of coursework or research (not culminating experience) occurs. The dual degree program is planned in consultation with and approved by the advisers from each program. The courses to be accepted dually for the two degrees shall be determined by the department(s) involved but may not exceed one-third of the required quarter credits for a degree. If the two master's programs have different totals for course credits, the one-third limit is determined by the smaller credit total. To ensure time for adequate planning, applications for admission to the dual degree program are made early in the graduate studies. Admission to the second program in the dual degree program must be attained no later than the term prior to the term in which the final coursework is completed for the first degree. A memo of agreement signed by both advisers and listing the specific courses which will be used for both degrees must be approved by the Office of Graduate Studies before graduation with the first degree. These forms are available in the Office of Graduate Studies.

Two dual degree programs are complementary with the MURP program: Public Health and Civil and Environment Engineering (with a transportation focus). With very careful planning, students may be able to complete both degrees in three years.

Please e-mail the department if you are interested in learning more about these programs at susp@pdx.edu.

Financial Aid

Graduate research assistantships are awarded annually to several qualified students. Assistantship awards are reviewed annually and can be renewed for no more than one additional year of full-time study for master-level students. These assistantships cover tuition and pay a monthly stipend. Research assistants divide their time between their studies and various assignments such as assisting faculty in research, classroom instruction, or work in a research institute.

All qualified applicants may be considered for financial aid in the form of student loans. Contact Portland State University's Financial Aid Office at (503) 725-3461.