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.

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.

Year 1—Fall Semester

City Planning History (3 cr.)

Planning Principles (3 cr.)

Planning Stewardship (3 cr.)
Elective (3 cr.)

Year 1—Spring Semester

Planning Studio (6 cr.)

Planning Techniques I (3 cr.)
Ethics and Scales of Sustainability (3 cr.)

Year 1—Summer Semester

Elective (3 cr.)

Year 1—Summer Semester (Design Option)

Design Studio (6 cr.)
Introduction to Design and Graphics (3 cr.)

Design-related Elective (3 cr.)

Year 2—Fall Semester

Legal Aspects of Planning (3 cr.)

Planning Techniques II (3 cr.)

Thesis Research (3 cr.)

Elective (3 cr.)

Year 2—Spring Semester

Graduate Thesis (6 cr.)
Electives (3 cr.)

Total: 48 credits minimum