USP 233 Real Estate Principles - Surveys the legal, physical, and economic structure of the real estate market and the characteristics of real estate resources. Develops basic real estate valuation procedures and provides an overview of market analysis and real estate production, marketing and finance methods. Prerequisites: EC 201. Last taught Spring 2014.
USP 386 Portland Past and Present (4) - Begins with the geological/geographical foundations of Portland then briefly explores Portland's original inhabitants, early exploration and commercial growth. Particular attention is paid to the 20th century and the plans and projects that have guided Portland's development over the past 100 years. Considers the shaping of Portland as a regional city, examining the evolving cityscape, architecture, land use, and transportation, and its development from political, social, economic, and cultural perspective. Last taught Summer 2015.
USP 407/507 Research Into Comics (4) - Students in this class will explore comics as a deeply engaging medium for communicating complex stories and research findings. Students will learn about comics theory and gain hands-on experience in processes of independent and collaborative research for and with comics creation. Offering a range of approaches to research and comics creation, students of the social sciences, arts and humanities, the natural sciences, and professional fields will all gain critical skills for communicating research to wide audiences. No prior experience with comics creation or drawing skills necessary. This course is co-taught by Dr. Kacy McKinney, a critical human geographer and illustrator, and Ryan Alexander-Tanner, a highly accomplished comics creator. Syllabus. Last taught Fall 2023.
USP 410/510 Urban Rural Ambassadors Institute. Students develop the capacity to forge a path through the tension and stalemate that often characterize the urban-rural debate and to find strategies that fit local economies, values, and ways of life for the advancement of Oregon as a whole. See https://www.pdx.edu/policy-consensus-center/urban-rural-ambassadors-institute. Last taught Spring 2023.
USP 410/510 Arts & Community Change (4) - This new course exists at the intersection of urban studies, planning, community development, critical social theory, and the arts. We’ll go places together, including site visits and tours focused on public art and arts-based community organizations. We’ll engage in hands on creation with professional artists (no prior experience, skill, or training required). We’ll discuss a wide range of perspectives on public art, planning, and community change. We’ll engage in dialogue with city & county agencies about community engagement in arts planning & investment. Through these means, we’ll critically explore public art as it is connected to social infrastructure, well-being and healing, visibility and representation, commercialism, city planning, investment, public engagement, revitalization, memorialization, displacement. Syllabus. Last taught Spring 2023.
USP 429 Poverty in the Urban Community (3) - This is an introductory course about the nature, extent, and causes of poverty in the United States. It covers a brief historical overview, demographics and trends, explanations of poverty, and anti-poverty policies. Questions of race, gender, and the spatial manifestation of poverty will be addressed. Syllabus. Last taught Fall 2016.
USP 431 Urban Economics (4) - Functions of the urban economy: the market sector and the public sector. Economics analysis of issues such as land use, environmental quality, transportation, housing, income distribution and financing of urban public services. Prerequisite: Ec 201. Syllabus. Last taught Summer 2012.
USP 439/539 Workforce Development (3) - Introduction to policies and practices for workforce development. Topics discussed include labor market dynamics, failures and inequities; tools and methods for urban labor market analysis; and workforce development policies for skill investment, job matching and career development toward goals of household, business, community and regional economic development. Syllabus. Last taught Winter 2019.
USP 445/545 Cities and Third World Development (3) - Critical survey of historical, economic, cultural, political, and urban aspects of Third World development, starting with the colonial era. Historical patterns of integration of the Third World with the emerging world market system. Covers problems of the post-independence period, focusing on urban sectoral issues and policy alternatives. Specific topics include trade, investment, industrialization, finance, technology transfer, political participation, land use, housing, transportation, information infrastructure, population growth, social services, militarism, and cultural conflict. Syllabus. Last taught Fall 2023.
USP 452 GIS for Community Development (4) - This course uses lab exercises and lectures to help students develop an in-depth understanding and basic skills for the uses of geographic information systems in community development and planning. Prerequisites: upper-division standing. Syllabus. Taught as USP 436 as of Fall 2024.
USP 457/557 Information Cities (3) - Focuses on the political, social, and cultural impacts of mass media and information technologies within the urban matrix. Contextualizes the "information society" in historical, institutional, political, economic, and global settings. Topics include flexible production, the segmentation of consumption, alternatives to mass media, the Web, the reorganization of work, the transnationalization of culture, commercial and political surveillance, and the development of urban information infrastructure. Last taught Spring 2011.
USP 480/580 Political Economy of Nonprofit Organizations (3) - Considers theories of altruism, trust, and social capital. Examines the connections between wealth and social responsibility and between elite status and social reproduction. Explores the broad scope of nonprofit activity in the economy, the interdependence of government and nonprofit organizations in the modern state, and the role of think tanks in shaping public policy. Surveys the dramatic rise of non-governmental organizations in developing countries and the future of nonprofits in a global economy. Syllabus. Last taught Fall 2012.
USP 493/593 Public Participation GIS (3) - Offered as a studio-based GIS class. The objective is for students to apply GIS skills acquired in previous GIS courses to a specific real-world spatial problem. Tasks will involve problem definition, primary data collection, advanced GIS analysis, and presentation of results. This format will give students practical experience in implementing GIS technologies with specific emphasis on planning problems. Students will be required to work in small groups in a simulated professional planning practice environment. Expected preparation: USP 531 and USP 543 or USP 591 and 592. Syllabus. Last taught Spring 2019.