2025-2026 Academic Catalog

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Urban Design (URBN)

URBN 6500 -  Urban Design Studio I  (6 Credits)  
Introduces urban design at a citywide scale through the evaluation of urban structures, systems, networks, and spatial forms that create the complex organism known as the city. Students explore urban design concepts as physical solutions to real-world issues. Restrictions: Restricted to Master of Urban Design students. Repeatable. Max hours: 12 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 12.
Restrictions: Restricted to Master of Urban Design students in the College of Architecture and Planning.
Typically Offered: Fall.
URBN 6525 -  City Design Fundamentals  (3 Credits)  
Investigates the historical roots, spatial patterns, and physical forms of cities and their evolution over time; the environmental, cultural, and economic forces influencing city design; and urban design as the nexus of the planning and design professions in contemporary city-building. Restriction: Restricted to students with graduate standing. Cross-listed with URPL 6350 and ARCH 6270. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to students with graduate standing.
URBN 6550 -  Design Policy, Process, and Regulation  (3 Credits)  
Explores the many design regulations that shape the urban form, how they are created and evolve, and how they impact design ideation, analysis, and communication using real-world scenarios to experiment with and test iterative design processes and techniques. Restriction: Restricted to students with graduate standing. Cross-listed with URPL 6397. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to students with graduate standing.
URBN 6575 -  Advanced Visualization for Urban Design  (3 Credits)  
Provides advanced instruction in effective communication and visualization through the use of digital tools commonly used in urban design (e.g. Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, SketchUp, Lumion). Topics include graphic design theory, use of storyboards, renderings, diagrams, maps, sketches, photographs, and infographics. Prereq: Intermediate-level knowledge and experience in the Adobe applications covered in the course. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to Graduate and Non-degree students
URBN 6600 -  Urban Design Studio II  (6 Credits)  
Advances the understanding and application of urban design tools, methods, and practices and engages students in a real-world project with a community partner. Students integrate real estate development, economics, environmental and social equity, aesthetic criteria, historic preservation, and community engagement. Repeatable. Max hours: 12 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 12.
Restrictions: Restricted to Master of Urban Design students in the College of Architecture and Planning.
URBN 6625 -  Urban Design Economics and Equity  (3 Credits)  
Explores the economics of urban design through its relationship with private-sector real estate development, public-sector infrastructure, and budgetary/fiscal constraints on design implementation while emphasizing the critical role of urban design in advocating for social equity, affordable housing, and related issues. Restriction: Restricted to graduate-level students. Cross-listed with URPL 6395 and ARCH 6261. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: Graduate standing (Grad or Non-Degree Grad)
URBN 6645 -  Global Design Practice  (3 Credits)  
This seminar will educate students about critical issues related to practicing design in a global context. Course will examine diverse issues of design and planning practice from contracts, communication and culture to remote research, design opportunities and ethics. Prereq: URBN 6612. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restrictions: Restricted to Master of Urban Design students in the College of Architecture and Planning.
URBN 6650 -  Urban Design and the Environment  (3 Credits)  
Provides an understanding of the inextricable relationship between urban design and the natural environment. Students learn how to design sustainable public spaces, promote environmental resilience, combat climate change, and foster environmental justice and healthy communities through urban design. Restriction: Restricted to graduate-level students. Cross-listed with URPL 6396. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: Graduate standing (Grad or Non-Degree Grad)
URBN 6675 -  Design Practice and Leadership  (3 Credits)  
Provides students with an understanding of urban design as a professional practice; how it functions within a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment; and the interpersonal skills needed to successfully work as part of and be a leader in a complex design team. Restriction: Restricted to students with graduate standing. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to students with graduate standing.
URBN 6700 -  Urban Design Global Studio  (6 Credits)  
Travels to international locations to engage in urban design site assessments and undertake urban design concept planning, analysis, and production on a real-world project involving multiple environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic factors; diverse urban contexts; and various design scales and dimensions. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students in the College of Architecture and Planning. Max hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate students within the College of Architecture and Planning
Additional Information: Global Education Study Abroad.
Typically Offered: Summer.
URBN 6725 -  Urban Design Capstone  (6 Credits)  
Requires students to work individually, paired with an urban design practitioner mentor, on a complete design solution for a real-world client that incorporates the full spectrum of urban design knowledge, methods, and skills to produce professional-grade urban design plan deliverables. Prereq: URBN 6600: Urban Design Studio II. Max hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: URBN 6600