More information (contact murpadm@pdx.edu if you have further questions)
Is Portland State’s planning program ranked?
Yes! The MURP program is frequently recognized by Planetizen as a top school for earning a graduate degree in planning. In the 2023 Guide to Graduate Planning programs, the PSU MURP Program was ranked 16th in the country, according to a survey of planning educators! This is out of around 100 programs accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board.
Do MURP students become AICP certified?
Many do, but not all. 100% of our graduates who attempted the AICP exam within 5 years of graduation passed the exam. More on program metrics and outcomes here.
What kinds of jobs do MURP graduates get?
Many planners work for cities, counties, regional agencies, and state agencies dealing with land development, environmental issues, health, education, housing, and transportation. A number of positions are available in the non-profit sector, where many organizations work on such issues as affordable housing, public health or environmental policy. In addition, graduates work for private development or consulting firms that are involved in the urban development process. See more here. Here are a few examples of jobs held by recent MURP graduates:
- Housing Developer, PCRI (Portland Community Reinvestment Initiative)
- Policy and Organizing Director, Community Alliance of Tenets
- Project Coordinator / Planner, Toole Design Group
- Assistant Planner, Puget Sound Regional Council
- Housing Policy Analyst, Portland Housing Bureau
What is the cost of the MURP program?
PSU is one of the most affordable universities on the West Coast. There is detailed information on tuition and fees here (the MURP is base tuition). More on program costs here. More in costs for residents of Western states here. Keep in mind that our graduates tend to get planning-related employment within one year of graduating with their MURP degree, and their starting pay is 60k-70k.
What about scholarships, graduate assistantships and other financial assistance?
Many of our MURP students access loans and/or receive kind of some financial assistance, including from department and college scholarships. A good place to start is the PSU Financial Aid Office: How to Pay. Every year, we award 2-3 Portland Planning Diversity Awards. Other scholarships and awards affiliated with our School, College and the University are discussed here. Some MURP students obtain Graduate Assistantship positions on campus during the course of their time in the program, and work with a faculty member and/or research center like the Transportation Research and Education Center or the Institute on Aging. It is not typical that those are lined up before students start the program. Typically, students must apply and compete for those positions. At the time that students accept admission for the fall term, they are added to an email list where GA positions are posted from within the School, CUPA and around campus. Many students also obtain off-campus paid internships and other employment.
How flexible is the program?
Read all about the program here. The program requires 72 credits, 43 of which come from core or required courses. Some students may be able to waive these courses, depending on their past academic backgrounds. In general, students have 29 electives. You chose your own pathway.
Can I go part-time?
Yes! You may complete the program on a part-time basis, which will likely take about 3 years. Students intending to go part-time should consult with the MURP Program Director in the fist fall term, to develop an appropriate plan of study. Part-time students should begin by taking USP 540 and USP 533 in Fall term of year 1, and USP 541 and USP 535 in Winter term of year 1. We schedule these classes during limited blocks of the week to reduce the scheduling load. While many classes are in the late afternoon and evening, we are not a night-only program.
Most MURP students complete the program on a full-time (9 credits or more per term) basis. They do so in six academic terms, not counting summer. In order to do this, students must average 12 credits per term, unless they take courses in the summer or have pre-admissions credits.
Is the program individual or group project based?
The program has a mixture of both individual and groupwork.
What should international students know?
There is lots of information here from the PSU International Student Office.
What is the typical incoming MURP student class size?
Every fall 35-40 students enroll in the MURP program.
What courses should I take to help prepare me for the MURP program? Are there pre-req's?
Students bring a wide range of educational, work, and community-based backgrounds. As examples, MURP students have educational backgrounds in community development, design, environmental studies, and real estate management. Courses in planning and related to planning, e.g., public policy, environmental studies, urban studies, transportation, urban history, etc., are also helpful. There are no pre req's to starting the MURP program, and all of our classes are geared towards grad students who do not have deep knowledge of the concept or skill yet. That said, it will be helpful (though not absolutely necessary) if you have familiarity with the Microsoft Suite especially Excel, basic statistics, basic economics, and if you have good communication, cross cultural, and organizational skills.
Many people enter the field of planning from seemingly unrelated disciplines. If so, consider strengthening your application by taking graduate-level courses in planning at PSU as a non-degree student (or elsewhere) and/or gaining some experience in the field, such as by serving on your local planning commission/neighborhood planning council, or by volunteering with a planning-related organization. We also value lived and civic engagement experience.
I want to take classes at PSU to prepare me for the MURP; which do you recommend?
Good classes to consider are any of the required MURP classes that are open to non-matriculated students (which means you won't have to take them again once enrolled), such as:
USP 515 Economics: Applications in Urban Studies
USP 525 Design Analysis in Planning
USP 531 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Planners (or another graduate level GIS class)
USP 584 Negotiations in the Public Sector
You also may want to take elective classes, which can yount towards your MURP degree once you are enrolled. Check out our overall TSUSP class list here (make sure to choose 500-level classes) and also look at the suggested electives in the MURP Pathways.
Can I "count" previous coursework?
Students may request to waive one or more required course(s) based on previous academic work or professional experience, or to substitute courses for those on the required list. See the current MURP handbook for the relevant policy and process.
What books/resources do you recommend in advance of starting the MURP program? or just generally for people interested in planning?
There are lots of great books, podcasts, social media, videos, and more, depending on your more specific interests. Check out Planetizen's top planning book lists- many of them are required in core MURP classes. On YouTube, City Beautiful, City Nerd (MURP Alum), Geography by Geoff (MURP alum) and Not Just Bikes are channels to try (all of them talk about Portland and Oregon!). As for podcasts, try Strong Towns, Urban Planning is Not Boring and more here. Oregon is famous for its land use planning program, highlighted in the streamable film "An Oregon Story." The American Planning Association and Planetizen are national planning-related organizations with tons of resources. The Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association offers these Diversity, Equity and Inclusion resources. Local in Portland, one news source is Bike Portland. If you're in the Portland metro region, we offer lots of public events on planning topics at the Toulan School!
How else can I prepare for a graduate education in planning?
We strongly encourage you to establish a good self care routine, including making sure you have a good physical, mental, social, and emotional support network in place, before starting grad school. In addition, interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills (including email management and calendaring) are all highly important in the planning profession. You will find the program more enjoyable if you come in with a strong start in those!