The Catholic University of America

Master of City and Regional Planning

OPEN HOUSE

Click here for the presentation given at the new programs Open House on October 29, 2009

GOALS

Building on the strong tradition of our architecture programs, the Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) links design with policy to assist planners in the stewardship of the built, natural, and cultural environments. The curriculum prepares students with the foundation to become generalist planners and steward planners according to the CUArch mission.

In today's climate, planning and design interventions should include the impacts on the environment. At CUArch you will learn about creating a better environmenst from the perspective of sustainable design and planning principles. The Washington, DC metropolitan area provides an excellent laboratory to explore planning issues. This perspective will be extended to the region to understand planning interventions in the context of urban, suburban, and exurban locations.

PROGRAM OF STUDY

The MCRP curriculum prepares students with the foundation to become generalist planners and steward planners according to the CUArch mission. The planning curriculum will provide graduate students with a program of study that integrates planning history, theory, practice, zoning and legal aspects, land use, transportation, and analytical methods, all of which form the foundation of the generalist planner's perspective. Coupled with a design orientation, these policy related subjects will be framed within sustainable design and planning principles as well as the context of regionalism.

The MCRP is a minimum two year, 48-credit hour program with an optional design focus which increases the program to 60 credit hours. This added coursework will strengthen the physical design skills for those who do not have an architecture background or who want to extend their training in the context of physical planning. If pursued in conjunction with the M.Arch program, it may be possible to reduce the requirements by 12 credit hours. Evening classes are available.

 

Number Description Credits

Year 1

Fall Semester

  
Arch 644 Planning Origins and Traditions 3
Arch 639 Planning Principles 3
Arch 640 Urban Stewardship 3
Arch MCRP Elective I 3
 

Total:

 12

Year 1

Spring Semester

  

Arch 709

 Planning Studio 6

Arch 641

 Planning Techniques I 3
Arch 634 Ethics and Scales of Sustainability 3
 

Total:

 12

Year 1

Summer Semester

  
Arch MCRP Elective II 3  
 

Total:

 3

Year 1

Summer Semester [design option]

  
Arch 504 Introduction to Design and Graphics 6
Arch Design Elective I 3
Arch MCRP Elective II 3
 

Total:

 12

Year 2

Fall Semester

  
Arch 710 Legal Aspects of Planning 3
Arch 741 Planning Techniques II 3
Arch 600* Thesis Research 3
Arch MCRP Elective III 3
 

Total:

 12

Year 2

Spring Semester

  
Arch 609* Thesis Design 6
Arch MCRP Elective IV 3
 

Total:

 9

*Completion of ARCH600 is a prerequisite for enrollment in ARCH609.


JOINT DEGREE

Students may enroll simultaneously in the school's accredited Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) program and the Master of Science in Sustainable Design. This allows students to obtain the two degrees sooner than they could acquire each independently. The MCRP/M.Arch joint degree program requires a total of 94 semester hours of graduate credit. Completion of both degrees separately would require a total of 109 hours. Visit the MCRP/M.Arch. website for more information.

FACULTY

Associate Professor Hazel Ruth Edwards, Ph.D., AICP, Program Director
Professor Julius Levine, FAICP
Professor Terrance Williams, FAIA
Associate Professor Miriam Gusevich
Adjunct Associate Professor Judith Meany, Ph.D., FAICP
Associate Professor Christopher Grech, RIBA, CSI
Assistant Professor Jia Lu, Ph.D.

ADMISSIONS
For more detailed information on admission to CUA's graduate programs in architecture, please visit the School's Graduate Admissions page.

ACCREDITATION

While there is no mandatory licensure for planners except in the State of New Jersey, more emphasis is being placed on the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) examination as the credential for practicing planners. The Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) is the sole agency authorized to accredit planning programs in North America. This program will become eligible for consideration for accreditation once it has graduated at least 25 students. However, one may sit for the AICP exam with a degree from a non-accredited planning program. Information about the PAB accreditation process and eligibility requirements for the AICP exam can be found at http://www.planning.org/certification/index.htm.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For detailed information regarding the Master of City and Regional Planning program, contact the program's director, Hazel Ruth Edwards, Ph.D., AICP, associate professor, email: cua-arch-planning@cua.edu.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in graduate studies is required for graduation in all degree programs.