Graduate Certificate Programs in Urban Studies and Affairs

The Urban Policy (UP) certificate emphasizes the social, economic, and political dimensions of urban problems and is designed to prepare students for careers in urban policy analysis and economic development in a variety of sectors. It has a global focus, and coursework is grounded in the interdisciplinary and comparative study of cities and urban problems in both advanced industrialized and developing countries.

UP certificate students are required to complete two core courses and two elective courses.

A list of approved electives is made available at the beginning of each academic year.

Two half-term courses count as one course credit.

If one of the core courses is not offered in a given academic year, an approved substitute is designated.

Through the Rackham School of Graduate Studies, certificate programs are available for graduate students interested in gaining additional strength in a field that cuts across several disciplines.

Students may double count up to one-half of the credits needed for a certificate from their degree credits. Admission to a certificate program requires a separate application. Students may apply for admission to a certificate after their first semester in their graduate program.

The Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Development offers graduate students in many fields the opportunity to supplement their major areas of study with broad knowledge making substantially better metropolitan developments. The program is also a stand-alone certificate for those full-time and part-time students who want to focus only on real estate development. The program aims to guide students in integrating disciplines that shape the built environment and enhance the quality of life for all people while conserving the natural environment. Upon graduation, students are professionals equipped to become the place-makers of the next generation.

Cities are places of tremendous economic, political, and cultural opportunity, yet they are also important sites of public health concern. Built environments, human interactions, and public policies influence health outcomes in cities. At their best, these elements promote health and wellness. At their worst, they exacerbate chronic illness, infectious disease, substandard housing, toxic exposure, inadequate nutrition, and natural disaster. The emerging proliferation of healthy city initiatives worldwide is creating new opportunities to rethink urban processes from a public health perspective. The Graduate Certificate in Healthy Cities introduces students to basic skills and competencies needed to help develop health research, policy, and designs to build healthier communities. Coursework highlights the social, environmental, economic, and political determinants of public health and health equity in urban contexts. It also provides a foundation for understanding the interconnections between healthy urban populations, urban economic growth, and vibrant urban neighborhoods.

Today, a growing number of people live in cities, and these cities are better connected by digital technologies than ever before. These two trends are resulting in the emerging field of urban informatics, an interdisciplinary field of research and practice that uses information technology for the analysis, management, planning, inhabitation, and usability in cities. The Graduate Certificate in Urban Informatics introduces students to this field, including not only technical skills for technology development and data analysis, but also the exploration of the ethical, legal, and policy questions created by new urban technologies. The certificate program is centered on several interrelated areas of professional innovation: urban analysis, civic technology, smart cities, and the use of technologies by urban professionals.

Graduate Certificate Program in Sustainability and Graduate Certificate Program in Spatial Analysis offered through the School for Environment and Sustainability.

Certificate in Program and Organizational Evaluation Currently on Hiatus.

The Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning offers several certificates designed to sharpen the skills of policy and planning professionals working toward inclusive, just, and sustainable communities.

The GIScience Certificate focuses on principles of Geographic Information Science, spatial analysis, spatial data management and cartographic design.

The Spatial Data Science Analytics Certificate focuses on spatial statistical analysis, geospatial modeling and visualization. This includes advanced coding and statistical methods.

The interdisciplinary Program and Organizational Evaluation certificate is offered in collaboration with the Departments of Education, Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, Child Study and Human Development, as well as the Data Analytics program.

The Certificate in Impact and Sustainable Investing (CISI) program is designed for those with an interest in finance, investing, sustainable and just economies and community global sustainable development.

Urban Studies and Affairs is designed for citizen advocates promoting sustainable communities, environmental specialists in companies who interact with community leaders, and public agency personnel who have local responsibilities.

The certificate in Management of Community Organizations offers professional management training within the framework of the social, economic, and political values that shape the nonprofit sector.

Explore various methodologies for smart growth, urban design and community development.

With continued urban growth throughout California, the need to address topics related to affordable housing, land use, environmental use and protection and sustainable development is critical as we strive to create healthy cities. Our programs and courses provide a venue where students acquire the knowledge and expertise necessary to become the decision makers that will shape the future of our built environment.

The CEQA Practice certificate is designed to offer professionals a unique opportunity to gain the knowledge and practical skills vital to their practice.

This course will provide an introduction to The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), one of the first laws establishing a national framework for environment protection.

UCSD Extension Becomes UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies.

METProgramsCity Planning Urban AffairsGraduate Certificate in Urban Policy Planning.

The Graduate Certificate in Urban Policy Planning provides an in-depth, multidisciplinary perspective on address complex 21st century urban issues, including housing and community development, public health, economic and infrastructural management, and environmental sustainability. Students in the program study policy analysis and formulation urban public financing comparative planning and development urban spatial analysis the political, legal, social, and economic dimensions of urban development and the relationship between urban land use and the environment.

The Graduate Certificate in Urban Policy Planning is designed to enable mid-career professionals and recent graduates to advance their careers in the public, private, or nonprofit sectors as urban managers, policy analysts, city planners, researchers, and consultants. Upon completion of the graduate certificate, students will be able to work with public and private leaders at the city, state, and federal levels to overcome conflicting goals and evaluate better incorporate equitable and sustainable urban strategies. Coursework will prepare students to analyze a range of information in order to cultivate successful urban policies, identify community needs and resources, and administer effective service-delivery programs. Graduates will be equipped to develop policy and planning solutions in conjunction with various urban stakeholders, in order to manage conflicting goals and strategic priorities.

Understand the history and theory of urban and regional development, the structure and functions of urban systems, local and national policy-making processes, and the role of planning.

Explain and assess the economic, environmental, political, social, and equity issues inherent in planning theory and practice to develop effective policy for urban development.

Create strategic policy and planning solutions that incorporate the diverse perspectives of various stakeholder groups, including those of minority and disadvantaged communities.

The Graduate Certificate in Urban Policy Planning can be earned as a stand-alone certificate or combined with the Master of Urban Affairs (MUA) or Master of City Planning (MCP) degree programs. Elective course credits taken as part of the certificate may be applied to the MUA or MCP degree programs, but not to other certificate programs.

Some courses may have other prerequisites.

A total of four courses (16 credits) is required and distributed as follows:.

MET UA 664 Planning and the Development Process.

MET UA 701 Urban Problems and Policy Responses.

MET UA 509 Public Finance and Urban Infrastructure.

MET UA 510 Selected Topics in Urban Affairs.

MET UA 523 Skills and Techniques in Planning.

MET UA 527 Feeding the City: Urban Food.

MET UA 590 International Comparative Urbanization and Planning.

MET UA 619 Urban Transportation Policy and Planning.

MET Urban Affairs, City Planning Sustainability Courses.

NOTE: Program information is accurate as of June 2022.

Note that this information may change at any time. Read the full terms of use.

A Graduate Certificate in Urban Studies offers you a solid foundation in the fundamentals of urban and regional policy theory and research methods, with a cumulative capstone project.

Addressing climate change mitigation will require reshaping urban spaces to encourage walking, biking, and mass transit and will also require changes to the built environment to reduce emissions from construction and energy use. Tackling climate change adaptation and environmental injustice will require urban planning approaches that seek to work with communities to equitably mitigate harm from future floods, storms, and heat waves. Mitigating poverty and deepening social inequality will require addressing the housing, infrastructure, and service needs of low-income urban residents and economic development initiatives that target opportunity for people who have thus far been excluded. Therefore, it is essential for students in policy, design, and planning fields to understand the historical and contemporary origins of urban issues and debates the policy and planning approaches to addressing them.

A Graduate Certificate in Urban Studies provides a foundation in the fundamentals of urban planning and policy theory. It allows you to pursue specialized coursework in housing and community development, urban environmental sustainability, economic development, international comparative urban policy, and transportation. The core curriculum provides students with an understanding of the history of urbanization and urban interventions in the U.S. and globally, and also examines the role of planning and policy in addressing major issues today.

Earn your certificate in one year by taking courses on campus, online, or in a hybrid modality.

Gain a rich interdisciplinary understanding of urban issues through coursework in both the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs and the School of Architecture.

Conduct cutting-edge research and practice in the areas of affordable housing development, transportation planning, and community engagement and participation.

Develop tools and skills in real estate finance, Geographic Information Systems, or data visualization that can be applied to the practice of urban policy and planning.

Get advice on the program that right for you.

Available only to students currently enrolled in a Northeastern graduate program.

Northeastern signature experience-powered learning model has been at the heart of the university for than a century. It combines world-class academics with professional practice, allowing you to acquire relevant, real-world skills you can immediately put into action in your current workplace. This makes a Northeastern education a dynamic, transformative experience, giving you countless opportunities to grow as a professional and person.

The Urban and Metropolitan Studies certificate program combines interdisciplinary academic approaches with real-world experiences to enable students to develop expertise in how cities and their metropolitan areas are built, change over time, and impact both residents and their environments.

Applicants to this certificate program must be degree-seeking University of Georgia students and will be required to satisfy the requirements of their chosen major in addition to earning this certificate.

These might include urban planning, the non-profit sector, real estate, law, architecture and urban design, business and finance, education, government, medicine and health, as well as arts and design.

There are no prerequisite courses required for the certificate program.

Electives, 6 credits (at least one course must be from outside Geography):.

Students taking Socio-cultural Foundations of Environmental Policy and three additional approved courses on urban policy, urban agriculture, city planning, or environmental justice, are eligible to receive the certificate.

With the rise of both the megalopolis and small cities alike, the global trend of urbanization shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. As people continue to gravitate towards urban living worldwide, we must contend with new challenges: Questions of local vs. national authority, the tensions and tumult of scarce resources, inequality and environmental degradation, among many others. Beyond their roles on infrastructure projects, urban planners are engaged in work that leads to cities that have a socially stable, prosperous future.

Taught by expert practitioners in the field who can provide you with firsthand insight on projects they have conducted with government agencies and private firms alike, you will learn leverage your knowledge into forward-looking economic, environmental and social frameworks and sustainable policies and actions for metropolitan regions all around the world.

The number 6 for the number of courses with a circular arrow around it.

You can combine this certificate and other courses to earn an MPS in Sustainable Urban Planning.

Key areas of study include urban growth, land use, agricultural impact and transportation engineering.

In this program you will learn the fundamentals of urban planning with a keen focus on sustainability across economic, environmental and social frameworks. Key areas of study include urban growth, land use, agricultural impact and transportation engineering.

PSUS 6201: Principles of Sustainable Urban Planning (3 credits).

PSUS 6202: Urban and Environmental Economics (3 credits).

PSUS 6210: Transportation Planning in City Systems (3 credits).

Your elective courses may be fulfilled by any of the courses in the Sustainable Urban Planning Program.

To program you must have:.

A bachelor degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.

GW tuition and fees are comparable to the national average for private universities. These costs are set by the GW Board of Trustees and generally increase year to year, variable by program and location. Please use this information as an estimate based on current tuition rates and fee structures. Total tuition and fees will vary according to the courses taken and the timeframe in which you complete your coursework.

Other costs to consider: Application Fee: $80 Matriculation fee: $200 (one time) Books approximately $100-150 course.

We periodically offer online and in-person information sessions the Sustainable Urban Planning Program.

GW is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. View the Sustainable Urban Planning Graduate Certificate Gainful Employment Disclosure.

This certificate program creates a cross-disciplinary platform for graduate students and professionals who are interested in shaping the urban environment.

This certificate can provide you with the skill sets necessary to connect needs and opportunities in the built environment with design solutions and strategies in order to better address the contemporary urbanism challenges in Nebraska and beyond.

Certificate Holders Skill Set OpportunitiesSystematic understanding of the urban environment, including physical, historical, social, political, economic, and cultural aspects of the built environment and their potential influence on urban design initiatives.

Ability to synthesize current urbanism discourse in the planning, design thinking, place-making, and spatial approach processes for analyzing the characteristics of urban areas and their interdependence with the surrounding urban fabric.

Enhanced design and problem-solving skills to tackle complex urban design problems.

Effective communication, representation, and visual skills to improve urban design projects, including verbal, written, graphic and model-based presentations.

Sought after by employers, certificate holders will have a unique understanding of the urban environment from a social, economic, and ecological perspective.

Urban planning agencies at local, state, federal levels.

Applicants must also fulfill any additional requirements the department specifies at the time of application.

Certificate programs are not considered degree programs, so international students should be aware that admission to this program is ineligible for immigration forms for an F-1 student visa.

The urban design certificate committee will review the application for admission.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment.

Updates to graduate program pages are made on an annual basis in conjunction with the Graduate Application for Admission.