People who have the skills to plan and oversee the implementation of their plans of building an entire community on a certain area of land are called Urban Planners. Students of a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning learn both theoretical and practical applications of this field and often get employment in public or private institutions.
What Is Urban Planning?
Urban Planning is basically the study of transforming and rehabilitating a particular area of land to house entirely functional communities with all amenities. Urban Planners often work with public or private sector institutions and most of their work includes creating maps and models of different landscapes or infrastructures using computer software of sketches etc.
What Can You Do with a Bachelor’s of Urban Planning?
Graduates of a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning are groomed for entry level positions such as Urban Planners or researchers of urban development. However, usually the graduates of this degree opt for a master’s degree in combination with a certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) for better career opportunities. According to the data reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2018-19, Urban Planners had the following salary and career outlook.
Urban and Regional Planners
Median Annual Salary, 2019: $74,350
Average Annual Mean Salary, 2019: $77,750
Projected Growth Rate, 2018-2028: 11%
State with the Highest Salary, 2019: District of Columbia - $109,370 per year
State with the Highest Employment Rate, 2019: California - 7,980
What to Expect from a Bachelor’s of Urban Planning?
Each university or college has its own curriculum for this degree. However, the overall gist of the curriculum revolves around fundamental concepts of Urban Planning. For example, the curriculum of B.S. Urban Design offered by the University of Washington offers the following courses:
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Introduction to Computer-Aided Design
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Exploring Cities
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Cities in World Development
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Urban Studies in Practice and so on
On the other hand, Bachelor of Urban Design offered at the Florida Atlantic University includes courses such as:
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Introduction to Urban Planning and Design
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Introduction to Visual Planning Technology
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Site Planning
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Urban Design: Theories and Methods
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Introduction to Mapping and GIS etc.
How to Choose a Bachelor’s of Urban Planning?
While choosing a degree, it is important to see if the degree is accredited by the relevant authorities. In addition to that, the requirements of graduation are also different for almost all universities. For example, the students of B.S. Urban Design offered by the University of Washington need to complete 88 credit hours to graduate. In contrast, students of Bachelor of Urban Design degree offered at the Florida Atlantic University must complete 120 credit hours to graduate.
What Are the Admission Requirements of a Bachelor’s of Urban Planning?
Most universities in the US require students to apply for programs through an online application portal and pay an application processing fee. However, other admission requirements differ from one university to another. For example, while applying for the B.S. Urban Design at the University of Washington, you must submit:
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An online application for admission
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A Personal Goals Statement
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All previous transcripts
In addition to the above mentioned steps, you can meet with the Urban Studies advisor and discuss all degree requirements including the time to complete your degree. This step is optional, not mandatory.