About the Program
Develop and improve the urban landscape in response to the needs of its people and communities. You will learn about the environmental, social and economic processes affecting the city and region; how planners work within those processes to guide growth and change; the techniques used by planners in the identification and analysis of problems; and the development of solutions to these problems.
The Polytechnic Approach
Study real-life issues and develop solutions using cutting-edge technology such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Analyze demographic data and understand its impact on planning and policy. Research the physical, social and political contexts of a planning project, then apply that research to develop a strategic plan and community vision for a client. Here, substantial fieldwork allows you to put lessons learned in the classroom to the test in the real world. Upon graduation, you will be ready to apply current planning theories and methods to improve communities around California, the nation, and the world.
Career Outcomes
Program Emphasis
Community Development and Social Justice
Designed for students who are most interested in issues related to housing, economic development, public space and placemaking, citizen participation, planning and social diversity, or the equitable (re)development of cities and regions.
Infrastructure and Transportation
Covers any form of infrastructure that is an important shaper of the built environment, including transportation, drinking water and waste management. This option provides students with advanced level courses for understanding, analyzing, and planning complex systems that keep cities working every day.
Resiliency, Sustainability and the Environment
Integrates applicable science, environmental ethics and policy processes to address a wide variety of environmental issues. Involves ethical and value judgments and planning processes that address uncertainty in natural and social systems.
Urban Design
Designed to explore tools and techniques that make cities beautiful, livable, and meaningful to their inhabitants. Connects theory with fieldwork and knowledge of professional practice.
Courses
Professionals in Urban and Regional Planning work to guide change in the natural and built environment. They address a wide range of issues ranging from habitat conservation to historic preservation, from transportation to recreation, and from neighborhood housing to regional shopping centers. You will learn about economic, legal, political, ecological and social aspects of urban problems as well as urban design, land use, and the growth of human settlements. Throughout the program, you will study real-life issues and develop solutions to them. By the time they graduate, planning students are ready to apply current planning theories and methods to improve communities around California, the nation, and the world. The Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Planning is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Peter J Pitassi Design Scholarship
Open to freshman, sophomore and incoming transfer students majoring in Architecture, Landscape Architecture or Urban and Regional Planning with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. This scholarship award is $2,000.
Featured Faculty
Dr. Brandy Chappell specializes in policy implementation and how policies encourage or limit economic development. She has a strong background in business, government, higher education and non-profit organization related work, and a diverse research platform that...Brandy N. Chappell Assistant Professor, Urban and Regional Planning
Alumni Stories
ENV Alumnus Serves as CPP's Facilities Document Keeper
Much of what Eddie Montoya III does on the job mirrors what he did as a student assistant. That's mainly because Montoya ('19, urban and regional planning) is working in the same place he was as an undergraduate - the university's Document Resource Center. The center serves as a repository of sorts for the blueprints, hard copy and digital, for every building on campus and is housed in Building 81, the home base for Facilities Planning and Management.
