Master's of City and Regional Planning
MCRP Advisor: Dr. Enid Arvidson
Accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board*
Located in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, which is among the ten largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., the Master’s of City and Regional Planning program prepares students for planning careers in the public, private and nonprofit/nongovernmental sectors. The application of planning theory, knowledge, techniques, and skills to “real world” planning problems gives students practical experience and field orientation to the profession of planning in a variety of topic areas. The Guide to Graduate and Undergraduate Education in Urban and Regional Planning published by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, provides useful information about what planners do, choosing a planning program, job opportunities, and more (download a PDF excerpt from the guide.)
Mission: The mission of the PAB-accredited Master’s in City and Regional Planning (MCRP) program is to prepare students for successful careers as professional planning practitioners in responsible positions with public, private and nonprofit organizations; to conduct basic and applied research into community planning and development issues, problems and opportunities, and publish the results thereof; and to deliver planning-related training and services to enhance the effectiveness of public, non-profit and private organizations. The MCRP mission, goals and objectives, and reaccreditation efforts are shaped by faculty in consultation with the twelve-member MCRP Advisory Board.
The 48 credit-hour program is composed of the following:
(PDF Version )
- 24-27 credit hours of required core courses (24 hours for thesis students; 27 hours for non-thesis students)
- 12 credit hours of emphasis area courses
- 6-9 credit hours of electives (6 hours for thesis students; 6-9 hours for non-thesis students)
- 1-6 credit hours of thesis or thesis substitute (6 hours for thesis students; 1-3 hours for non-thesis students)
Core courses that provide knowledge common to all areas of planning and urban affairs are required of all MCRP students. An emphasis area that gives students an opportunity to gain specialized knowledge within planning is also required. Any combination of courses developed by the student with counsel from an appropriate faculty member may, with approval of the MCRP Graduate Advisor, constitutes an emphasis area. Model sets of courses have been developed for the following most sought-after emphasis areas:
- Community and Economic Development and Housing
- Environmental Planning, Policy, and Management
- Land Use and Physical Planning
- Transportation Policy, Modeling, and Planning
Students may elect to participate in dual degree programs in architecture, civil engineering, environmental science, landscape architecture, public administration, urban affairs or social work. Students wishing to pursue dual degrees in other than these pre-approved programs should contact the Graduate School for details. Students in any dual degree program must be admitted to each participating program.
*UTA’s Master’s in City and Regional Planning program is officially recognized and accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board and its sponsoring organizations, the American Institute of Certified Planners, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, and the American Planning Association. The PAB, which is a professional member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, accredits North American planning programs on the basis of a strict and extensive set of criteria rooted in planning knowledge, skills, and values. The PAB document entitled Criteria and Guidelines for Accreditation can be downloaded here.