MUP Handbook Original 2011

Student Handbook
Image created by Munmun Parmar, with Youngho Ko, Subrity Rajbhandari, Justin Silhavy, and Jeffrey Missal
Date: 2010
master of urban planning@ texas a&m
texas a&m university/college college of architecture
master of urban planning@texas a&m planning
If you can plan in Texas, Texas you can plan anywhere

The Texas A&M Master of Urban Planning program brings together some of the finest thinkers and researchers in many critical, cuttingedge areas of contemporary planning. Graduates of the program go on to become leaders in the state, nation, and around the globe changing our world, one plan at a time. Texas is brimming with planning challenges: air quality, water quality, congestion, poverty, transit, sprawl, and natural hazards are just a few. So when Texas plans, it plans big. For example, planning for the area between Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, which surrounds Texas A&M, is big by any standards: it contains more that three fourths of the states population, covers over 57,000 square miles and 66 counties. The Trinity River Corridor plan includes over 100 miles of river that flows through the heart of Dallas and Fort Worth. Texans like their property rights, and they arent fond of government regulation: innovative approaches to growth management and land use regulation are needed here. The situation just makes us more creative, responsive and pioneering. Planners trained in Texas have all the tools and techniques of standard planning and then some. Texas offers a microcosm (a big one) of the changes the larger earth is undergoing. We have three of the ten most populous cities in the country, and two of only twelve American metropolitan areas in the world top 100. The sheer number of cities in Texas creates vast urbanized areas, sometimes referred to as megapolitans. We are diverse in many ways: more than half of our (very large) population is a racial or ethnic minority, our historic diversity is unparalleled (we have been part of six nations), we have huge cosmopolitan cities surrounded by rural areas steeped in tradition, and we have almost every imaginable topographical feature, including a coastline, mountains, deserts, forests, plains and rivers, along with the hazards, threats and planning opportunities that come with them. Our program boasts unique diversity of its own. We have the lowest student/faculty ratio in the nation. We are housed in a college that offers graduate education in everything from Hollywood animation to construction science. Add in our low cost of living, warm climate and very reasonable tuition rates, and its easy to see why we say with pride, This is not your typical planning school!
table of contents
Curriculum ............................................................ 4 Certificates ........................................................... 5 Emphasis areas ................................................... 6

Health and Human Services Planning .............................. 7 Land Use and Environmental Planning ............................ 8 Housing, Community and Economic Development ......... 9 Transportation Planning, Policy and Design ................. 10 Design Your Own .............................................................. 11
Professional study/thesis guidelines .............. 12 Graduation checklist......................................... 25 Program policies and guidelines...................... 26
Admissions ....................................................................... 26 Academic integrity ........................................................... 27 Students with disabilities ................................................ 27 Course substitution policy ............................................... 27 Internship policy ............................................................... 27 Financial Aid guidelines ................................................... 28 Outreach project guidelines ............................................ 29
Professional advisory council........................... 30 Association of student planners ...................... 30

Survival guide ..................................................... 32 International survival guide ............................... 36
Courses .............................................................. 40 Multi-year schedule .......................................... 45 Faculty ................................................................ 46
a unique curriculum
One of the most unique aspects of planning at Texas A&M is the availability of two separate curricula. The professional curriculum is appropriate for students who wish to become planning professionals, while the research option is suitable for students who wish to go on to pursue a Ph.D. or become policy or research analysts. No emphasis area is required for the research curriculum, but students may emphasize one area if they wish.
MUP Professional Curriculum

FIRST YEAR Fall Semester PLAN 601 PLAN 604 PLAN 610 PLAN 625 PLAN 661 Introduction to Urban Planning Planning Methods I Structure and Function of Human Settlements Introduction to GIS Information & Communications 1 3 3 3 3 13 Spring Semester PLAN 613 PLAN 664 Elective Elective Planning Methods II Planning Theory and History Emphasis Area Elective Emphasis Area Elective 3 3 3 3 12
MUP Research Curriculum

FIRST YEAR Fall semester PLAN 601 PLAN 604 PLAN 610 PLAN 625 PLAN 661 Introduction to Urban Planning Planning Methods I Structure and Function of Human Settlements Introduction to GIS Information & Communications 1 3 3 3 3 13 Spring Semester PLAN 613 PLAN 664 CARC 601 Elective Planning Methods II Planning Theory and History Foundations of Research Emphasis Area Elective 3 3 3 3 12
SECOND YEAR Fall Semester PLAN 684 PLAN 662 PLAN 658 Elective Elective Professional Internship Applied Planning I Plan Implementation Emphasis Area Elective Free or Emphasis Area Elective 1 3 3 3 3 13 Spring Semester PLAN 663 PLAN 693 Elective Elective Applied Planning II Professional Study Emphasis Area Elective Free or Emphasis Area Elective 3 1 3 3 10 Total Degree Plan Credit Hours 48 Elective PLAN 691 Elective Elective PLAN 662 PLAN 691 Elective Elective
SECOND YEAR Fall Semester Applied Planning I Research (Thesis) Research Methods Elective Emphasis Area Elective 3 2 3 3 11 Spring Semester Research Methods Elective Research (Thesis) Emphasis Area Elective Emphasis Area Elective 3 3 3 3 12 Total Degree Plan Credit Hours 48
emphasis areas & certificates

A&M is known throughout the world for its expertise in hazards planning, historic preservation, health planning, environmental quality and sustainable urbanism. Students can tap this expertise in two ways. Within the master of urban planning program, students pursue emphasis areas. Students may also choose to pursue interdisciplinary certificates, which are offered through the College of Architectures research centers. For detailed information about each certificate, students should visit the sponsoring center. EMPHASIS AREAS
The Master of Urban Planning program at Texas A&M University offers a variety of emphasis areas for its students. Students choose a minimum of four electives from a published list of acceptable courses, both within and outside the department. Students must take at least half (6 hours) of their emphasis area electives from within the Urban Planning program (PLAN). While students initially seek advising from the MUP Coordinator, once they have selected their emphasis area, they should see the emphasis area coordinator for advising on courses. The Emphasis Areas include:
CERTIFICATES
The College of Architectures research centers offer interdisciplinary certificates, which feature courses and faculty from each of the Colleges three departments. Certificates require a minimum of five courses. Students who complete the requirements for the certificate will be recognized on their diploma. Certificates may be earned separately from, or in conjunction with, an emphasis area within the MUP. Certificates available in the College include:
Sustainable Urbanism Certificate (Center for Housing and Urban Development) Transportation Certificate (Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center) Emergency Management Certificate (Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center) Historic Preservation Certificate (Center for Heritage Conservation) Health Systems Design Certificate (Center for Health Systems Design)
Land Use and Environmental Planning (Coordinator: Dr. Sam Brody) Health and Human Services Planning (Coordinator: Dr. Sherry Bame) Housing, Community, and Economic Development (Coordinator: Dr. Shannon Van Zandt) Transportation Planning, Policy and Design (Coordinator: Dr. Eric Dumbaugh) Design Your Own this allows a student to create a set of courses that meets their specific interest outside the choices offered.
emphases@texas a&m emphases

From Architecture to Visualization: A cornucopia of interdisciplinary and international opportunities
Interdisciplinary education is a cornerstone of planning at Texas A&M. Within the college, you can take courses in Land Development, Construction Science, Landscape Architecture, Architecture, and even Visualization (the breeding ground of modern movie animation). No other program in the nation offers such a panoply within its own college. Likewise, opportunities for international study and research at A&M are outstanding. Not only in our own internationally diverse classrooms, but also by studying abroad in one of our many international programs, including ones in Spain, Italy, China, Germany, Costa Rica and more.
health & human services planning

Description
The Health Systems Planning emphasis is intended for students interested in professional careers in health planning, administration, and/or policy determination. The core and elective courses associated with the emphasis area help a student develop an understanding of:
Health and disease in human populations; Effect of the environment on health; Organization of health services delivery from theoretical perspectives of health economics, health politics and legislation, and medical sociology; Planning and management of the medical care system using analytical tools including operations research, fiscal management, epidemiology and statistical analysis; Strategic planning of health care systems.
Opportunities
Graduates of the MUP degree program with an emphasis in Health Systems Planning frequently find internships and permanent employment with: City and County Health Agencies
Required and Elective Courses
The following core and elective courses are associated with the Health Systems Planning emphasis area: At least two from: PLAN 630 Survey of Health Planning Processes PLAN 631 Planning and Programming Health Systems PLAN 633 Planning Healthy Communities PLAN 634 Environmental Health Planning Administration Electives from: PLAN 616 Analyzing Risk/Hazard & Public Policy PLAN 669 Urban Infrastructure Planning PLAN 654 Planning Administration & Management VAPH 607/HLTH 609 Applied Epidemiology VAPH 608 Epidemiology Methods SOCI 633 Demographic Methods PSYC 630 Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine HLTH 607 International Health HLTH 660 Health Issues in Aging, Dying and Death EPSY 657 Adult Development and Aging Note: Other courses may be determined as suitable by a students Graduate Advisory Committee. The following books are considered to be core reading for those students interested in the Health Systems Planning emphasis area: Andersen RM, Rice TH, Kominski GF (Eds.) (2007) Changing the U.S. Health Care System: Key Issues in Health Services Policy & Management, 3rd Ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Hilgenkamp, Kathryn. (2006) Environmental Health: Ecological Perspectives. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Markel, Howard. (2004) When Germs Travel. New York: Vintage Books. National Center for Health Statistics, (2007) Health, United States, 2006. Washington, DC: CDC, USDHHS. Williams S & Torrens PR. (2002) Introduction to Health Services, 6th Ed. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishing.
Corporations Health Maintenance Organizations Health Service Providers Health Systems Consulting Organizations Hospitals Mental Health Organizations Nursing Homes Occupational Health Centers State and Federal Health Agencies
Reading List
Faculty Involvement
Departmental faculty members serving on committees include: Dr. Sherry Bame Dr. Changshan Huang Dr. Chanam Lee Dr. Don Sweeney Contact your chair for recommended faculty in other departments.
land use & environmental planning

Description
The land use and environmental planning emphasis area addresses the interface between the natural environment and human development. It provides students with a background on the theories, concepts, and practices associated with the use of and impact on land based natural resources. Required and elected courses enable students to gain an understanding of a variety of land use issues, such as:
Crafting land use and environmental plans; Mitigating and recovering from natural hazards; Fostering sustainable urban communities; Protecting the integrity of ecological systems; and Examining the impact of the environment on human health.
Opportunities
Opportunities for employment with an MUP degree and an emphasis in land use and environmental planning are increasing. Graduates of the program with this emphasis area frequently find employment with:
The following required and elective courses are associated with the LUEP emphasis area. R PLAN 641 Environmental Planning R PLAN 625 GIS E PLAN 669 Urban Infrastructure Planning E PLAN 689 Ecological Planning E PLAN 651 Coastal/Marine Planning E PLAN 634 Environmental Health Policy/Planning E LAND 620 Open Space Development E LDEV 671 Sustainable Development E LDEV 661 Environment and Development E LDEV 667 Principles of Development E PLAN 673 Sustainable Transportation E PLAN 650 Disaster Response Planning E PLAN 647 Disaster Recovery/Hazard Mitigation E PLAN 649 Organizational Response Crises/Disas. E PLAN 616 Analyzing Risk/Hazard and Public Policy E PLAN 689 Disaster Theory and Research E PLAN 675 Sustainable Urbanism E PLAN 689 Disaster Recovery and Hazard Mitigation E PLAN 623 Planning in 3rd world countries E LAND 612 Site Development E ARCH 624 Theory of Place making E ARCH 689 Site Planning E RENR 660 Environmental Impact Analysis E RENR 662 Environmental Law and Policy E RLEM 602 Ecology and Land Use
The following are considered to be core reading for those students interested in the land use and environmental planning emphasis. Ecology of Place. Timothy Beatley and Kristy Manning. 1997. Disasters by Design. Dennis S. Mileti, Joseph Henry Press, 1999. Urban Land Use Planning. Phillip Berke, David Godschalk and Edward Kaiser with Daniel Rodriguez. University of Illinois Press, 2006. Design With Nature. Ian McHarg. John Wiley & Sons. 1969 Environmental Health. Kathryn Hilgenkamp. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2006.
Municipal and county

planning departments
Public and private emergency management organizations al government
Agencies of state and feder Councils of Government and

Metropolitan Planning Organizations
Faculty Involvement
Faculty listed below frequently chair and serve as members on graduate student advisory committees for those students who have selected the land use and environmental planning emphasis. Dr. Sherry Bame Dr. Elise Bright Dr. Samuel Brody Dr. Changshan Huang Dr. Chanam Lee Dr. Michael Lindell Dr. Forster Ndubisi Dr. Michael Neuman Dr. George Rogers Dr. Walter Peacock Dr. Shannon Van Zandt Dr. Yu Xiao The following faculty often serve as outside members on graduate committees. Dr. David Bilbo, COSC Dr. Robert Bednarz, GEOG Dr. John Giardino, GEOG Dr. Daniel Sui, GEOG Dr. Norris Stubbs, CVEN
Reading List
housing, community, & economic development

Description
The Housing, Community and Economic Development emphasis area is intended for students interested in careers in urban and regional planning, community and neighborhood planning and development, economic development and housing. Core and elective courses enable students to gain an understanding of: How distressed neighborhoods and areas may be revitalized; Principles of business location, development and attraction, public-private partnerships, public sector incentives and revenue sources; Tools and techniques for addressing regional and local economic development needs; and Methods of increasing the supply of affordable, quality housing opportunities. The following core curriculum and elective courses are associated with the Housing, Community and Economic Development emphasis area. At least one from: PLAN 656: Housing and Community PLAN 627: Economic Development Remaining from: PLAN 629: Neighborhood Revitalization PLAN 643: Historic Preservation Law PLAN 628: Affordable Housing Development RPTS 604: Principles of Community Development RPTS 605: Community Organization BUSH 616: U.S. Society and the Evolution of Policy Issues BUSH 643: Foundations of the Non-profit Sector BUSH 644: Management and Leadership of Non-Profit Organizations ECON 603: Public Economics I GEOG 603: Processes in Economic Geography SOCI 601: Urban Sociology COSC 662: Contemporary Housing Production The following books and articles are considered to be core reading for those students interested in Housing and Economic Development. Blakely, Edward and Ted Bradshaw. 2002. Planning Local Economic Development: Theory and Practice. Sage. Squires, Gregory. 1994. Capital and Communities in Black and White: The Intersections of Race, Class and Uneven Development. SUNY Press. Grogan, Paul S. and Tony Proscio. 2000. Comeback Cities: A Blueprint for Urban Neighborhood Revival. Westview Press. Bright, Elise. 2003. Reviving Americas Forgotten Neighborhoods. Routledge.
Opportunities
Graduates of the MUP degree program with an emphasis on Housing and Economic Development frequently find employment with: Municipal and county planning departments Community development and redevelopment agencies Non-profits or national intermediary organizations State, federal and international agencies
Faculty Involvement
The Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning faculty listed below frequently chair and serve as members on graduate student advisory committees for those students who have selected the Housing, Community and Economic Development emphasis area. Dr. Elise Bright Dr. Cecilia Giusti Dr. Changshan Huang Dr. Walt Peacock Dr. Jesse Saginor Dr. Shannon Van Zandt Dr. Yu Xiao The following faculty frequently serve as members on graduate committees: Dr. Jorge Vanegas, ARCH Dr. Phillip Tabb, ARCH Dr, Rueben May, SOCI Dr. John K. Thomas, RPTS Dr. Tazim Jamal, RPTS
Reading List
transportation planning, policy & design

Description
The emphasis area in Transportation Planning, Policy, and Design provides a global overview of the role of transportation systems in contemporary society, covering the methods used to analyze the performance of transportation systems, the policy, fiscal, and regulatory factors that influence the provision of transportation infrastructure, as well as the linkages between transportation systems and the built, natural, and social environments. Courses in this emphasis area are offered through a unique partnership between the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning and the Texas Transportation Institute, providing a comprehensive curriculum that combines cutting-edge research with real-world applications. Students emphasizing in Transportation will develop a thorough understanding of:
Opportunities
Graduates of the MUP degree program with an emphasis in Transportation Planning frequently find internships and permanent employment with the following organizations:
The methods used for analyzing and addressing transportation-related issues at the site, community, and regional scales. Multi-modal solutions for addressing regional mobility. The relationship between transportation and broader planning objectives, such as community livability, growth management, and sustainability. The policy, fiscal, and regulatory mechanisms that direct investments in highways, transit, and pedestrian infrastructure. The social and economic implications of transportation investments. Design strategies and solutions for integrating transportation facilities into the built and natural environments.
Municipal planning departments County planning departments Regional councils of government Metropolitan planning organizations Public transit authorities State agencies Federal agencies Transportation planning consulting firms
The following courses comprise the core and elective courses for the emphasis area in Transportation Planning, Policy, and Design: 1. Both of the following core courses: PLAN 612: Transportation in City Planning PLAN 674: Transportation Systems Analysis 2. At Least One of the following courses*: PLAN 670: Urban Public Transportation Planning PLAN 673: Design for Sustainable Transportation 3. One of the following elective courses, in addition to the above: PLAN 669: Urban Infrastructure Planning PLAN 670: Urban Public Transportation Planning PLAN 673: Design for Sustainable Transportation PLAN 633: Planning for Healthy Communities PLAN 675: Theories of Planning and Urbanism PLAN 626: Advanced GIS in Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning CVEN 672: Engineering and Planning Urban Transportation Systems
*
Faculty Involvement
The faculty members listed below frequently chair and serve as members on graduate advisory committees for those students who have selected the Transportation Planning emphasis area. Elise Bright, LAUP Eric Dumbaugh, LAUP Kenneth Joh, LAUP Chanam Lee, LAUP Timothy Lomax, TTI Michael Neuman, LAUP Dennis Perkinson, TTI Kathryn F. Turnbull, TTI Mark Burris, CVEN Gene Hawkins, CVEN
Note that students taking both of these courses will have fulfilled their requirements for the emphasis area.
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design your own

Description
The Self Selected emphasis area is offered as an option for those students who come to the Masters of Urban Planning program with very directed interests which do not happen to fall within the other emphasis areas. This option is ideal for those students who wish to earn a certificate from one of the Universitys Research Centers which is not directly aligned with any existing emphasis area. Historic preservation is a good example of one such area of study. This option also merits consideration by those students who want to develop a general level of skill in all areas of planning (housing, health and human services, transportation, land use and environment, and hazards) rather than focusing on a specific topic. Students wishing to pursue this emphasis area must align themselves with an advisor by the end of their first full semester in the program. The advisor will work with the student to define his or her interests and to formulate a degree plan which enables the student pursue said interests. The student must complete the core courses required of all students enrolled in the program. Together, the student and advisor will prepare a degree plan based on interdisciplinary coursework to help the student achieve his or her academic and professional goals. The student may seek information regarding the appropriateness of such courses by reviewing the course offerings in the other emphasis areas and through the degree plan formulation process with his or her advisor. The advisor is expected to assume the role of committee chair for completion of the masters paper or thesis. All Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning faculty may serve as members or chairs of graduate student advisory committees for students who have chosen to participate in the self selected emphasis area. Students pursuing the self-selected emphasis area must obtain permission from their committee chair, the MUP program coordinator and the LAUP department head.
Coursework
Advisor Selection
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/san_antonio18.jpg
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professional study and thesis guidelines

CONTENTS What is a professional study? What is a thesis? ....... 13 Goals and timetable .................................................... 14 Choosing a committee ................................................ 14 Developing the study................................................... 15 Are you ready to write?................................................ 21 Final exam and presentation ...................................... 22
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WHAT IS A PROFESSIONAL STUDY? WHAT IS A THESIS? There are two curriculum tracks in the Master of Urban Planning program in the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University: research and professional. One of many differences between the two is that the research option requires completion of a thesis whereas the professional option requires completion of a professional study (please note that if you choose to pursue the professional track you may still choose to write a thesis, if the scope of your study topic warrants this; if you select the research track, you must prepare a thesis). The purpose of these guidelines is to differentiate between the two, and provide guidance for their timely completion. The thesis provides you the opportunity to conduct indepth research on relevant aspects of urban planning by critically and intellectually analyzing a topic important to the practice of urban planning. You will need to develop a research question or hypothesis-that is, a brief statement summarizing an issue that you wish to explorethen conduct the research necessary to discern the most likely answer. Writing a thesis is very good preparation for doctoral work. Five credit hours are given for this effort. An example of a thesis topic is, An Analysis of FEMA Flood Regulations and Local Land Use Planning in Floodplains: Does Federal Policy Reduce Incompatibilities? This study would focus on broad policy issues; conduct a thorough review of all related literature; and use data from individual cities only as supplemental qualitative data. You should try to think of a topic that is at least somewhat fresh and new, so your work may contribute to the body of knowledge in the field. Good theses are often easily rewritten for publication in academic journals. They must be completed in accordance with University guidelines, and a bound copy is retained in the A&M library. They require five credit hours of work over two semesters. The professional study is a practical document that applies your academic experiences to a real world planning setting. It must be related to your emphasis area. It builds on required courses and enables you to further explore a topic of interest to both the and practitioners. Your professional study therefore is a written document that highlights an aspect of urban planning covering applicable theory or theories, research via case studies, and practical circumstances. An example of a professional study topic is, A Land Use Plan for Areas in the Floodplain of Beaumont,
Texas, With Implementation Strategies. This study would focus on the issues in Beaumont; conduct a brief literature review focused on learning from the solutions employed in other communities; and include specific strategies for the city to follow to improve the situation. Good professional studies are often put directly to use by the city or other entity that is the subject of the study.. They are not subject to University guidelines and are not archived at that level, although the Department will retain a copy and also ask you to place one in the TRC. The professional study carries one credit hour. This hour may be taken in the fall or spring semesters. You also have the option (with approval of the MUP Program Coordinator and the students committee chair) of taking three credit hours of independent study (PLAN 685), which can be spent conducting research for your professional study. You are encouraged to work with your graduate committee Chair and/or members or choose to work with the Partnership for Community Outreach and the Center for Housing and Urban Development to identify a client (for example, a city or a community organization) in need of assistance with a planning project that is suitable for development of a professional study. For funded projects, the specific arrangements will be negotiated prior to beginning the study. Your committee chairs will serve as supervisors for the work done on these studies. You may also choose to develop a study based on work completed during an assistantship or summer internship, or work completed on the job if they are employed. In all cases, the scope of the professional study may differ from the report presented to the employer or client; differences will be articulated in the study proposal. For both the study and the thesis, you are required to successfully write about your topic and present your analysis to your committee in order to graduate from the program. You and your committee may decide to meet at any time. This is an experience intended to sharpen your analytical and communications skills. A thesis or professional study should accomplish several objectives: 1) It should help you to learn how to collect data and analyze it. 2) It should focus on a relevant issue or problem. 3) It should be sufficiently broad and complex
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to require you to formulate a conceptual framework for examining the problem. 4) It should demonstrate your capacity to apply knowledge gained through research, literature searches, and coursework in researching urban planning. 5) It should serve as a prelude to a rational basis for critically evaluating an aspect of urban planning. While your issue or problem must be broad enough to include policy, management, legal, organizational, economic, or social aspects, it must be narrow enough to allow you to make specific recommendations for planning practice or policy. Typically, the main body of a thesis or professional study is approximately 30-50 pages long. It is written during the fall and spring semesters of the second year of the MUP program. Your committee will work with you to produce a document that exhibits both quality and brevity. GOALS AND TIMETABLE The combination of applied analysis and interpretation can give a professional study or thesis great range and allow you to achieve a variety of goals. The skills acquired facilitate your transition from the academic to the professional environment. The analytical problem-solving skills required to write a successful professional study or thesis are very similar the skills needed to continue that success in the field of urban planning. The goal of the professional study or thesis develops and strengthens academic, professional, and personal goals of the student. Academic Integrates foundation knowledge from coursework with applied issues. Application of concepts and methods to clarify, if not resolve, a practical problem of policy and/or management. Acquisition of greater knowledge and command of a substantive topic. Discovery of limitations of analysis in analyzing issues and framing solutions. Sensitivity to the interplay of theory and practice. Enhance and support your ability to innovate.
Professional Demonstrable capacity to analyze and/or solve problems. Ability to conceive of a project and bring it to completion. Negotiation in identification of an issue or problem and ensuing activities necessary to complete the project. Capacity to frame feasible as well as ideal solutions. Ability to translate academic analysis to practical vocabularies. Clarity and brevity in verbal and written expression. Implement an innovation and propose changes associated with it. Personal Tangible evidence of accomplishment and personal enjoyment. Example in ones portfolio of competencies: a product. Enhancement of your career market value. Evaluating the study An excellent professional study or thesis demonstrates the ability to satisfy all of the following primary and secondary goals. Primary: 1. Significance of topic as defined by scope and importance of problem. 2. Application and integration of coursework. 3. Quality of research. 4. Quality of analysis. 5. Significance of conclusions and recommendations. Secondary: 6. Quality of writing (content, organization, clarity, mechanics). 7. Overall quality of manuscript (use of subheads, graphs, tables, appendices). CHOOSING A COMMITTEE You will need to form a committee to work with you on completing your professional study or thesis. The process begins in your second semester of study, when you should meet with the advisor in your em-
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phasis area to discuss possible topics for the professional study, finding internships, and committee chairs. Then, select a potential committee chair and discuss possible study topics and other committee members with that person. Early in your third semester of fulltime study, your committee should be selected and a topic for your professional study should be identified. Committee Chair The committee chair provides a developmental learning experience in cooperation with the goals of the professional study or thesis. Specific duties of the committee chair include:
communicate very well. Psychologically you need to pick someone whose knowledge you trust sufficiently to accept his/her judgment; you need someone who can accurately hear what you say and, equally important, whom you can hear accurately. Communication problems between you and your professional study chairs can lead to weak studies in which no one takes pride. Finally, if you are going to work with a client, you should choose a professor who is comfortable with their involvement. Other committee members You are required to have a minimum of three committee membersa chair from within the MUP program, a second member from within your department (may include landscape architecture or land development faculty) and a third member from outside your department.. Most often, you will choose outside members from among professors with whom they have taken elective courses. You may add a fourth committee member from any department if you choose. All committee members must be on the Graduate Faculty. All the professors you want may not accept your project. Some may feel they do not have expertise in the particular area you wish to investigate; others may already have accepted too many students to devote sufficient time to your project. The longer you delay choosing your Chair and the members of your committee, the more difficult the task. No single individual or committee coordinates the process of pairing students and committee members. You must circulate your proposed topics and/or lobby individual faculty on behalf of a particular topic. DEVELOPING THE STUDY OR THESIS The Proposal After settling on a topic with your committee chair, you can write your proposal. This document should explain what you hope to explore and how. It can be very helpful in facilitating communication with a prospective committee member, so you can begin writing it before your committee members are selected. The proposal should succinctly state the urban planning topic you will be studying (have a working title). It should state the principal knowledge that you will be drawing from (i.e., housing policy, sustainability, decision-making, law, program evaluation, economic development, health & human
Meeting as necessary to provide guidance and determine strategies for overcoming research obstacles; Providing detailed feedback on the content and structure of the professional study; Approving the final draft before it is sent to the other committee members; and Overseeing student progress in meeting the various developmental learning milestones.
It is NOT the duty of the committee chair to proofread for grammar, spelling or typographic errors, nor will the committee chair provide editing for non-native English speakers. (It is recommended that non-native English speakers have their work professionally edited for grammar and usage). The committee chair and the other members of the committee will attend all final presentations, but you are responsible for arranging or communicating the place and date of this information to all parties involved. To assure attendance at your presentation, you must contact all of your committee members to coordinate your oral presentation. To schedule your oral presentation, it is extremely important to contact your committee as early as possible during the spring semester to ensure that your committee members can agree on a date for your presentation. When you have defined some possible topics sufficiently to talk about them sensibly, you are ready to find a committee chair. Choosing a committee chair is crucial to your success. To gain maximum benefit, you need to find a professor in the urban planning program with substantial knowledge about the field with which you expect to deal, and one with whom you
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services, etc.). You should briefly describe the types of analyses and data on which your professional study will draw. Before your final semester of study, you will develop a short proposal for your professional study or thesis. Circulate the proposal to your whole committee to review and respond to this proposal; this ensures that all committee members are familiar with your topic and agree that it is acceptable for a professional study for the Master of Urban Planning degree. When all committee members are satisfied with your proposal they should sign the cover sheet; a copy of the signed proposal should be given to the academic secretary for placement in your file. Your proposal should address the issues below:
If you have not found a topic, ask yourself:
Statement of research purpose and topic; Primary background literature being explored; Its significance to the professional field of urban planning; Methodological approach including, but not limited to, data sources and case studies; Expected findings or relationships to be examined when possible; Types of recommendations to be examined (i.e., development, financial, political, economic); and Potential issues and problems in the proposed analysis.
Are there developments, policies, models or concepts I have learned about which, if adapted, could provide a more efficient way of approaching a procedure which now seems unnecessarily complex or drawn out? Are there areas of need which current practices or policies are not addressing? Do evidence indicate certain developments, policies, or services are no longer desirable, necessary, or pertinent? Do demographic shifts indicate needs are changing or that new needs will surface because of new markets or trends? Are there any pending or recent changes in laws which can affect the practice of urban planning? Does my committee chair concur in my choice of topic?
Professional studies and theses cover the entire range of urban planning. If the solution you suggest results in a new system, a change of priorities, a revision of procedures, an improvement on existing urban planning policies and principles, you are on target. If your project involves creative adjustment of theoretical models to real situations, you are still on target. Problem Identification Any professional study should clearly reflect the reason why this research was undertaken. What is the probable value of your research? Convince your reader that your project is worthwhile. Talk here about the magnitude of your topic or problem, the potential value, why this particular project merits the investment of time and other resources, the explicit people, groups, departments or communities who will benefit from your work.
While the issue or problem must be broadly defined, your alternatives may begin to narrow down to one or two aspects of the problem. What should you put in and what should you leave out? Point out where your research begins and how far it will go. There may be aspects of the problem which will not be covered in your analysis and are beyond the scope of your research: mention them. Include any factors which can modify or restrict your research: materials you cannot obtain, files which cannot be opened to you for various reasons, persons influencing your study who cannot be reached. To summarize, defining the topic includes describing the topic, its background, its significance, its context, and asking the right questions. In so doing, you should: 1) Present a clear, brief statement of the topic with concepts defined where necessary. 2) Show that topic has limitations within the available research. 3) Describe the significance of the topic with reference to one or more of the following criteria:

Is timely; Relates to a practical problem; Relates to a wide population;
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Relates to an influential or critical population; Fills a research gap; Permits generalization to broader principles or general theory; Sharpens the definition of an important concept or relationship; Has many implications for a wide range of practical problems; May create or improve guidelines for observing and analyzing data; Provides an opportunity for gathering data that is restricted by the limited time and resources available for gathering particular data; and/or Provides the possibility for a useful analysis with the best available data.
ic). 3. Present alternate hypotheses considered feasible within the framework of the theory. The literature search also helps identify the source and background of the topic. 1. Are all dimensions of the problematic situation described? 2. Have outcomes of prior efforts to resolve any problems in the area been described? 3. Is there a clear assessment of past development or policy performance? 4. Is the significance of the problematic situation clearly described? Legitimate sources Literature searches should review relevant documents from academic, institutional and organizational sources. Academic journals and books, as well as reports from government, foundation or policy organizations are typically high-quality sources. Many articles and reports are available online from organizational websites or through the librarys online subscription service. Both Google Scholar and the Social Science Citation Index provide excellent search engines for conducting literature searches. In the field of housing and community development, Knowledgeplex.org also provides an excellent search engine for sources, and is particularly good for identifying institutional and foundation reports that may not have been published in academic journals or books. This is a good way to identify case studies, guidebooks, or best practices manuals about your topic. Wikipedia is not a legitimate source. While using Wikipedia may help you to identify and explore information relevant to your topic, you must identify the original source (often listed at the bottom of the web page) if you plan to cite the material. Models There are several models that a good professional study might follow (but are not limited to). 1.) Comprehensive Plan and/or Design a document that sets goals and objectives for the entire community, analyzes data, presents alternative future scenarios, and provides detailed implementation strategies for each action needed to bring the preferred alternative to reality.
4) Identify the policy dimensions:
Is the topic/problem clearly stated? Is the issue(s) clearly stated? Is the approach to analysis clearly specified? Are all major stakeholders identified and prioritized? Are goals and objectives clearly specified? Are measures of success/failure clearly specified? Are all sets of potential solutions outlined?
5) Appraisal of the origins of the problem. 6) Sketch out key relationships:

What affects the definition(s) and outcome(s)? Adequately highlight the central processes. State what relationships you expect amongst the major players.
Literature Search What are the primary bodies of literature to be explored? The literature search sets up your understanding and hence analysis of the problem. It helps you establish the theoretical framework within which your problem falls. It allows you to: 1. Describe the relationship of the topic within a theoretical framework. 2. Demonstrate the relationship of the topic to previous research and earlier thought (history of the top-
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2.) Specialized Plan and/or Design a plan that contains the same main elements as a comprehensive plan but is focused on a single aspect, i.e. transportation, economic development, hazard reduction, housing, etc. 3.) Urban Design a physical design at any urban scale (neighborhood to district to citywide to metropolitan region) that takes a comprehensive perspective to the three- to four-dimensional physical development of a place. 4.) Implementation Program a report that provides detailed information needed to bring a plan to reality, i.e. a zoning ordinance revision or development of a Main Street application. 5.) Program Evaluation - an evaluation of public sector programs, laws, or regulations. There are several models that a good thesis might follow. 1.) Policy Overview - a survey of a policy issue. Bring together all available information and prepare a comprehensive report that can serve as general statement about the nature and scope of a problem and various policy attempts to deal with it. Identification of the policy system surrounding an issue is the principal aim. 2.) Decision Study - a study built around the analysis of one specific decision or a set of related decisions. This type of study would focus on the urban planning process. 3.) Demonstration Project - an evaluation to test a new focus of urban planning, such as a new housing type, delivery system, a new market, a new decisionmaking tool, a new approach, etc. 4.) Exploratory Study - an investigation or inventory in the expectation and spirit of doing fundamental research later on. This last model would be more indicative of a student interested in pursuing their Ph.D. in an urban planning-related topic. 5.) A topic suitable for a professional study, explored at thesis length and/or depth. Research Strategy Methodological Framework and Research Design
After stating the problem, question, or topic you have selected for analysis, indicate why it is relevant, significant, identify the process in your analysis, and describe the possible issues and obstacles, their consequences, and their seriousness. Assumptions or hypotheses serve to direct the thinking and investigation of the researcher. They suggest the best research methods for attacking the research topic. It is from these working premises, formed during the process of exploring the nature of your topic, that you begin your research. Dont let assumptions framed early on become a straight jacket which keeps you from redefining the problem should your analysis investigation prove these first judgments do not hold. What research procedures will you use to explore the problem? Some elements to consider are listed below. The analytical techniques employed vary with the topic and with the individual skills of faculty and students. Professional studies and theses, as a rule, do not provide an opportunity to learn a new technique from scratch. They can, and do, utilize a broad range of analytical techniques.
1. Case studies - which rely on interview techniques 2. Methods of exhaustive search - matrix displays,
mapping and morphological analysis
3. Systems/process analysis 4. Legal research - court decisions, legislative histories, and administrative regulations
5. Program evaluation
Empirical studies based on secondary or tertiary data that will be a unique contribution to the field. In some cases, studies may draw on more than one approach. For example, legal research may be appropriate for developing historical foundations of the urban planning topic, whereas case studies may be involved to collect data on how people perceive the current implementation of public policy. The type of analysis will vary with how the topic is framed. Work with your committee chair to make sure that your approach is appropriate for the topic. The careful matching of a topic, a methodology, and data analysis is the most difficult and original aspect of the research and requires careful consultation with the committee chair.
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Organizing Procedures. While the relationship between these assumptions and tentative conclusions can result in different specific designs, most studies will include: 1) Sources. Specific people, publications and records available for you to use. 2) Data collection. Data must usually be collected through background interviews, case studies, direct field observations, or existing datasets. Many of these can take time and much maneuvering. Identify and order your data gathering activities, indicating which data you will seek first, which later. 3) Previous Findings. Indicate what you know about previous findings from research on your topic. Note not only what has been tried, but what has succeeded, and how closely the circumstances paralleled those in which you frame your topic. 4) Data Use. Data become important only after analysis, synthesis, and logical interpretation. Explain how you plan to interpret the data. 5) Study Format. Your format will be both written and oral. What materials will you place in charts, graphs, and figures within your text for easy comparison? Which materials will you put into appendices? Visual aids can help you organize your analysis and show relationships between various bits of data. Data collection and data sources: Depending on your topic, you may employ a range of data collection efforts. Secondary and tertiary data sources are existing databases containing data collected by someone else for a different purpose. Some common examples of data sources are U.S. Census data, tax appraisal records, American Housing Survey data, health statistics, city zoning maps, and so on. Primary data is that data which you collect yourself for a specific purpose. Common examples include surveys, key informant interviews, and photographic or other observational data. Many of you will use secondary or tertiary data sources. When using these data sources, it is imperative that you evaluate and recognize the limitations of using these data for your purposes. Often secondary sources will make data available at geographic levels that are at best approximate measures of what
you are trying to measure (e.g., using tract-level census data to approximate a neighborhood, or using neighborhood level data to say something about the households living therethe latter is known as the ecological fallacy, and it is a common research pitfall). Using national or state data sources can, however, make your findings very powerful, because they represent a very large population. Another very common approach for professional studies is the case study. The main shortcoming with this approach to research is that you are only looking at one or a few cases, thus your findings may not be generalizable at all. Be sure that you recognize the limitations of this research design and be careful not to overreach in your implications and conclusions. Finally, it is very likely that those doing professional studies will need to collect primary data in the form of surveys or questionnaires, key informant interviews, field documentation to collect data on local land use, property condition, habitat, toxics, design features and other topics, or ethnographic or observational data. If you are developing your own data collection instrument, it is important that you approach it very carefully. Below are listed several books that provide detailed information on how to proceed with these kinds of studies: Denzin, Norman and Yvonna Lincoln. 1998. Strategies of Qualitative Inquiry. Sage Publications. Yin, Robert. 2002. Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Sage Publications. Zeisel, John. 2006. Inquiry by Design: Environment/Behavior/Neuroscience in Architecture, Interiors, Landscape, and Planning. WW Norton. Dillman, Don A. 2007. Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method. John Wiley and Sons. Rossi, Peter, Mark Lipsey and Howard Freeman. 1999. Evaluation: A Systematic Approach. Sage Publications. Babbie, Earl. 2003. The Practice of Social Research. Wadsworth Publishing. Cook, Thomas and Donald Campbell. 1979. Quasi-Experimentation: Design and Analysis Issues. Houghton Mifflin.
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Activities Involving Human Beings as Research Subjects: Institutional Review Board (IRB) Texas A&M University recognizes the need for investigations in which human beings may serve as research subjects. The University is committed to insuring that the privacy, safety, health, and welfare of such subjects are adequately protected. Anyone conducting a research project for their professional study in which they interview people, ask them to respond to a questionnaire, or other survey, must, according to university policy, contact the Office of Research Compliance located at 1500 Research Pkwy., Centeq Bldg. Ste. B-150. Additionally, the Office of Research Compliance website (http://researchcompliance.tamu.edu/irb) has links to all the forms required to be compliant with the Institutional Review Board. In most cases, the minimum level of compliance will be granted via a waiver for student research. To ensure compliance, the student is required to complete and submit the IRB forms as soon as the student knows that the research will require interviewing or surveying people. Consult your committee chair if you have questions or are unsure. Data Analysis This section discusses many of the pitfalls relevant to analyzing data. While the terminology is from the field of statistics and more geared toward experimentation and larger datasets, the issues involved will apply to many theses, and some professional studies, in emphasizing solid analytical and logical foundations. In working with your committee chair to interpret your data, review it for: 1) How reliable is your measure? a. Content or face validity - on the face of it; assumes rather than proves. b. Pragmatic or predictive validity - judges a measure according to its ability to predict. c. Construct validity- hypothesized relationships hold or not when actually used. d. Cross validation - use various sources of the measure and compare. e. Internal vs. external validity internal - does variable, questionnaire
accurately measure the construct for the sample of respondents. external - extent to which results based on this sample can be generalized to other segments of the population. 2) Precision - degree of accuracy in your measurement. 3) Sources of Measurement Error a. Systematic variation - that portion of the total amount of information that represents true differences. b. Random error - that portion of information gathered that is noise, i.e., due to measurement error. c. Systematic error - inaccuracy of measurement that occurs repeatedly and for the same reasons: Faulty conceptualization Poorly constructed questionnaire Researchers bias d. Situational error - inaccuracy occurs as a result of particular personal characteristics of the subject or other special circumstances. If these terms are foreign to you, ask your committee chair for some readings in the areas of evaluation and statistics. It is important to consider the issues raised in the previous three topics to insure that your introduction, analysis, and conclusions all logically follow one another throughout your study. Remember, the goal of the professional study is not to see whether you can write a long study; the purpose is to demonstrate command of a topic and logically analyze that topic. Graphic aids may help you display your data in a way that allows the reader to follow your analysis more clearly. Tables. The tables you put into your body must be easily read. The designation TABLE should appear at the top of your tables, followed by a number and a title. Simpler tables are easy to prepare and understand. And they often convey information more effectively with more force than writing. Short tables should be
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placed in the text near the material which refers to them. This can happen in the middle of the paragraph: be sure two lines of writing appear on each side, and that the table follows the line which directly refers to it. When three or four paragraphs discuss a table, place the table after the first of these whenever possible and follow with the rest of the discussion pertaining to the table. Charts and Graphs. Charts and graphs are excellent for presenting numerical quantities which show trends visually. Types include: line graphs, surface and strata charts, pictographs, bar graphs, pie charts, flowsheets and organization charts, map charts, photographs, and drawings and diagrams. Present data which has some bearing on the conclusion to be drawn and helps your audience understand. Study these in professional studies as well as those found in current newspapers and magazines. For more information about presenting data in tables and graphics, see: Koomey, Jonathan. 2004. Turning Numbers into Knowledge: Mastering the Art of Problem Solving. Analytics Press. Tufte, Edward. 1983. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Van Zandt, Shannon. 2006. From Data to Knowledge: A Guide to Written and Graphic Communications for Design, Engineering and Policy Professionals. Prepared for the Texas Transportation Institutes Urban Mobility Program. Myers, Dowell. 1992. Analysis with Local Census Data: Portraits of Change. Boston, MA: Academic Press, Inc. Chapter 5: Strategies of Presentation. Policy/Practice Implications and Recommendations The ultimate objective of the thesis or professional study is not the analysis and information gathering itself, but the development of a set of recommendations based on a synthesis of the information gathered and the completed analyses. In developing recommendations, consider organizational, political, legal, and resource constraints that are relevant to implementation. The degree to which constraints bound recommendations must ultimately be determined by
you. 1. Are all relevant criteria for recommending alternatives clearly specified? 2. Has the preferred alternative been clearly described? 3. Is a strategy for implementation clearly outlined? 4. Are provisions made for monitoring and evaluating policies? 5. Are limitations and possible unintended consequences taken into account? ARE YOU READY TO WRITE? The following are the minimum to be included in a good study:
Cover Sheet. Includes study title, your name and your committee chair. Table of Contents. Executive summary 1. Are all elements of the professional study described in the executive summary? 2. Is the summary clear, concise, and specific? 3. Is the summary understandable to all who will read it? 4. Are recommendations appropriately highlighted in the summary?
Introduction to the topic. Regardless of organization pattern, the introduction always encompasses the topic or problem definition, the purpose, the scope, and the limitations. Sometimes the introduction relates a history, and serves to open the entire study. Sometimes it simply states what present conditions exist around this topic or problem. The exact arrangement of these parts is a matter of each writer's taste and reflects the perception of the audience. The introduction closes with a discussion of method - sometimes how the information was gathered, sometimes how the analysis proceeded - followed by a game plan for the rest of the study. This game plan lets the reader know exactly what to expect in what order. Background
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Literature Review Methodology Findings and Analysis. This is the heart of your study. The body includes your report of the findings, and your analysis and interpretation of the information you have gathered. Recommendations and Conclusion. Your conclusion includes the significance of your findings, and alternatives/analysis. Suggestions for Further Research (theses only). Citations and Bibliography. This is your list of references. For the appropriate format see a current handbook which gives examples of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA) style for scientific notation (works cited) and for a general bibliography. In the social sciences, APA style in more often used. Appendices. Analyzed data arranged in short graphs, charts, or tables to show interrelationships belong in the body. Not every aspect of each needs to receive complete discussion; only important features warrant comment in the text. If you feel your comments about a chart or graph do not justify its inclusion, you may want to move it to the appendix.
Put computer printouts in the appen-
dices.
Put sections of regulations and laws
over two paragraphs or one quarter page long in appendices. Some general rules for writing and editing are: 1. Prefer the active voice. 2. Dont make nouns or adjectives out of good, strong working verbs - especially when this leads to substituting to be or to have verbs. 3. Be concise. Eliminate wordiness. 4. Be specific. Use concrete terms instead of generalizations. 5. Keep related sentence elements together; keep unrelated elements apart. Place modifiers as close as possible to their modified word. 6. Avoid unnecessary shifts of subject, number, tense voice, or point of view. 7. Prefer simple words to elegant words. 8. Do not repeat words, phrases, or ideas needlessly. 9. Use parallelism whenever appropriate. But do not use parallel structures when expressing thoughts that are not truly similar. 10. Arrange material logically. Always begin with ideas your readers can understand. If you present difficult material, proceed one step at a time. Suggested aids: 1. A good dictionary, 2. A Rogets Thesaurus, 3. The Elements of Style, Strunk and White, 4. A good current handbook such as The St. Martins Handbook by Andrea Lunsford FINAL EXAM/PRESENTATION Your presentation is made at least a month before the end of the final semester of your second year. Failure to make a presentation by this time will result in a grade of incomplete, which will make you unable to graduate that semester. You must still complete the professional study or thesis and presentation in
If your design requires questionnaires, a

sample of the instrument makes a valuable appendix, even when individual questions from the questionnaire appear with discussion in your text. A study design which may be rerun by others at some later date justifies inclusion of considerable data in appendices. Studies which implement specific regulations or laws, or which must meet standards set by these regulations or laws justify inclusion. In general:
Put lengthy material backing specific
discussions and ideas in an appendix.

Put materials whose inclusion in the
body would disrupt the flow of the discussion in appendices.

Put questionnaires and other research
instruments used to gather data for your study in the appendices.
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order to get your Master of Urban Planning degree. The timetable provided below was developed to maximize the probability of your completing the study and graduating on time. It is your responsibility to keep the work moving, and to urge committee members to complete their reviews in a timely manner. Failure to provide a revised draft to your committee at least one week before your presentation, as shown in the timetable, may result in cancellation of your presentation. Check the Office of Graduate Studies website (ogs.tamu.edu) for more exact dates in any given semester.
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Sample professional study title page
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE & URBAN PLANNING THE TITLE OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL STUDY By Your full name
A professional study submitted in partial fulfillment for the Master of Urban Planning Degree
Semester, Year Committee: ___________________________ Name of Chair ___________________________ Name of Member ___________________________ Name of Member __________________________________ Signature __________________________________ Signature __________________________________ Signature _____________ Date _____________ Date _____________ Date
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graduation checklist
The information below provides guidance for meeting recommended benchmarks on the way to successful completion of your degree program. It is not intended to represent the deadlines or requirements set by the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) or the University. Each semester, the OGS publishes online a Calendar of key dates for the filing of degree plans, applying for graduation, and the submission of paperwork necessary for successful completion of the final defense/examination. It is each students responsibility to know and adhere to the deadlines set by OGS. TIMELINE Deadline FALL Mid Sept. Sept-October Task Choose a committee and file degree plan. Start writing proposal. Meet with committee chair several times to develop study topic. Write proposal and gain chairs approval. Gain committee approval of proposal. Begin research and writing of draft. SPRING Mid January Late February Mid March Late March Apply for degree to be awarded in May. First complete draft due to Committee Chair, who should return with comments within one week of receiving draft. Revised first draft to committee members, who should return it within one week of receipt. Final draft of professional study due to Committee Chair (at least two full weeks before scheduled exam date). At least one week prior to exam date, final drafts should be delivered to each committee member. Late March Last day to submit Request and Announcement of the Final Examination or 10 working days prior to the examination, whichever comes first, to the Office of Graduate Studies. Take final examination. Commencement.
November
Early April Early May
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admissions
Students seeking admission into the Master of Urban Planning program should review the university and department websites for information about applications, deadlines, and financial assistance. Applications for both domestic and international students may be found at www.applytexas.org. In general, we accept applications at any time of year. While we do not prohibit spring (January) admissions, we strongly discourage beginning the program at this time, since it puts the student off sequence in the curriculum. Further, the chances of being admitted are considerably lower in the spring because there are fewer spaces available. Financial aid is also very difficult to secure for students beginning the program in the spring. When students apply, they should expect to submit the following:
All official transcripts and test scores to the University A Statement of Purpose Three letters of recommendation from former professors or employers
policies and guidelines

Admissions Academic Integrity Students with Disabilities Course Substitution Policy Internship Policy Financial Aid Guidelines Outreach Partnership Guidelines
Applicants may also submit a resume. Portfolios are unnecessary for admission into the Master of Urban Planning program. Once an application is complete, it will be forwarded to a committee of at least three faculty members who will review it. When reviewing applications, faculty look for evidence of a students academic ability, motivation for graduate study, fit in the program (whether the student wants the type of education we provide), and appropriate preparation. There is no minimum GRE or TOEFL (English proficiency, for international students only) score required. Applicants are considered relative to the rest of the applicant pool, and the best candidates are accepted on a space-available basis. Financial aid is awarded on a competitive basis to the most qualified applicants.
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university policies
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY HONOR CODE An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do. Upon accepting admission to Texas A&M University, a student immediately assumes a commitment to uphold the Honor Code, to accept responsibility for learning, and to follow the philosophy and rules of the Honor System. Ignorance of the rules does not exclude any member of the TAMU community from the requirements or the processes of the Honor System. To meet this standard in the Master of Urban Planning courses and program requirements such as the masters paper or thesis, all ideas (including text, data, or graphics) that are not your own must be properly cited. Note that ideas that require citation may not have been published or written down anywhere. If you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism, please see the Student Resources on Academic Integrity and Plagiarism section on the TAMU Library website. Violations of university policies on academic integrity will be handled according to university guidelines. Depending on the severity of the infraction, sanctions for academic dishonesty include:

program policies
COURSE SUBSTITUTION POLICY Students may substitute an independent study for an existing course if the faculty member who teaches the course and the program coordinator agree. Students should prepare a brief Request for Substitution which includes their reasons for the request and describes their proposed program of independent study in sufficient detail for the faculty involved to determine whether the proposed work is an acceptable substitute for the course. This form must be approved by the faculty member who teaches the course, the faculty member who will supervise the independent study, the MUP Program Coordinator and the Department Head. APPROVED by the MUP Program Committee Dec. 12, 2007. INTERNSHIP POLICY Students enrolled in the Master of Urban Planning program must complete the internship component of the program as a requirement for graduation. To complete this requirement, students must enroll in PLAN 684, a one hour course. Finding an internship is solely the responsibility of the student. Students may review announcements for job postings on the MUP list serv, on the office door of the MUP program coordinator, or by meeting with MUP faculty to discuss other available opportunities. Students may also visit the following web sites in search of job opportunities: www.planning.org and www.planetizen.org. Students may also contact an agency directly to seek internship opportunities. As planning is a particularly broad field, so too are the types of internships a student might seek. Students have sought internships with:
A failing grade for the assignment A failing grade for the course Student dismissal from the program Student dismissal from the university
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) POLICY The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of Student Life, Services for Students with Disabilities, in Cain Hall or call 845-1637.
Local planning departments, including the cities

of Bryan and College Station, Texas, and the Brazos Valley Council of Governments;
Metropolitan planning organizations; Local housing authorities; Private consulting firms which specialize in
planning, architecture, and engineering;
Non-profits and advocacy groups; and Non-governmental organizations. 27
Students are encouraged to seek internships locally, nationally, and abroad, both paid and unpaid. The Department office maintains electronic and hard copy files of potential employers that students can review; it also has lists of Career Fair participating firms, many of whom hire students. Students may seek advice on the appropriateness of an internship from the MUP program coordinator. The program coordinator may refer a students internship proposal to the Masters of Urban Planning Program Advisory Committee for more detailed review and approval. The program coordinator will consider the following factors when advising students in this regard:
Register for PLAN 684; Before grades are due, submit a report to the supervising professor for signature; Give a copy of the signed report to the academic secretary for placement in their permanent file.
Type of employer; Job duties; Appropriateness with respect to students stated

career track;
The report is intended to give the student an opportunity to reflect on his or her experiences during the internship as those experiences relate to the broader context of urban planning. To expedite the writing of the report, students should consider keeping a journal of their experiences during the course of the internship. No grade of pass will be given for PLAN 684 until this report has been approved by the students supervising professor. APPROVED by the MUP Program Committee, January 2007 FINANCIAL AID GUIDELINES
Other relevant factors.

In the rare instance that a student has exhausted all internship opportunities which are feasible, he or she may appeal to the MUP program coordinator, in writing, to ask for placement. The student must raise this appeal before the end of the spring semester of their first year in the program. The MUP program coordinator will assist the student in finding a supplemental opportunity to fulfill the internship requirement. This supplemental opportunity might include assisting a faculty member with an on-going research project which is practice related. Students should be aware that remuneration is unlikely in this option. Participation in study abroad programs provides another unique opportunity for students to earn the internship credit. In order to facilitate the successful completion of the internship requirement, students should follow these steps: The goal of these policies is to make awarding of aid more consistent, equitable, and efficient in recruiting students. 1. Aid for all MUP students should be awarded with the goal of attracting and retaining the highest quality students. Need should be an important secondary consideration, as the international and out of state students receive an out of state tuition waiver if they receive a $1000 award. 2. Move the deadline for aid applications to April 15. This fits better with the deadline of March 1 for international applicants, since it takes 4-6 weeks to process an application. It is based on working backwards from the beginning of the fall term, allowing time for obtaining the visa, issuing the I20, etc. so international students can receive aid awards in time.
Apply for internships during the spring semester of their first year; Interview broadly with prospective employers; signed by the potential employer which states the scope of the interns responsibilities, number of hours, and scheduling to the academic secretary for placement in their permanent file;
Provide an intern-agency agreement or letter
3. The issue of fitting this proposal with the Awards Banquet was discussed. The committee unanimously concluded that the best solution was to honor MUP aid recipients in arrears at the banquetthat is, those receiving aid would be recognized toward the end of their aid-receiving year instead of immediately upon receiving the aid. Some of the
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many advantages of this change include being sure that the aid recipient actually remains in the program and receives the aid; removing the pressure we now feel from January on to hurry and find aid recipients so banquet materials can be prepared; and most of all, it would allow recognition of many more deserving students at the banquetfor example, GAs and recipients of tuition remissions. 3. Departmental scholarships available to MUP students should generally be awarded to continuing students only (see 6 below for the exceptional case); the amount awarded may vary from person to person and year to year. Students should submit an application and a letter from their supervising professor to the Academic Secretary by April 15. Other criteria should be kept to a minimum so as to afford the greatest flexibility in making offers to applicants. 4. In order to continue in a GA position for a second year, an MUP student must receive no grade lower than B in the first year and must also obtain a letter from his/her supervising professor recommending that he/she be allowed to continue. GAs must submit the letter and a printout of grades received in the fall semester to the Academic Secretary by April 15; the committee will then award GA positions for the second year pending the students earning satisfactory grades for the spring semester. If a student loses a GA position he/she may still be awarded other aid by the committee. 5. In late March the Academic Secretary will notify (via email and posted notices near the MUP student boxes) second year students of the need to complete an application and submit a letter by April 15 if they wish to continue as a GA or to be considered for Departmental aid. 6. If some likely aid (for example, GA positions or tuition remissions) is still unknown by April 15 then the Departmental aid should be held in reserve and the aid award letters for new MUP students should simply award $1000 without listing the source of funds. This allows the Committee to cover aid awarded to deserving new students with available
departmental scholarship funds, then switch them to remissions or GAs as those funds become available. All award letters must include a date (within one month of the date of the letter) by which an acceptance must be received or the aid will be awarded to another applicant. 7. Beginning April 1 Thena will prepare an updated spreadsheet before each MUP Program Committee meeting that includes every new student who has sent in an application, whether complete or not. The Committee will then prioritize the list based first on merit, then need. If a need for names for GAs or remissions arises between meetings the Program Coordinator is authorized to submit the highest priority names from the list, and let the committee know via email. Developed by a subcommittee (consisting of Sherry Bame, Elise Bright, Michael Lindell, Douglas Wunneburger and Thena Morris) on Dec. 7, 2007. APPROVED by the MUP Program Committee on Dec. 12, 2007. OUTREACH GUIDELINES The MUP Program Committee supports the initiative to match students beginning their final professional study reports with communities in need of assistance; the Target Cities program (in which the Applied Planning class works with a community on a larger project); and the efforts of individual professors to complete limited projects in their lecture classes. The MUP Program Committee wishes to reiterate and support the policy that the role of the Partnership for Community Outreach (PCO) in these matters includes project solicitation, publicizing opportunities, tracking proposals, and cataloging completed projects; while the role of the supervising faculty is to provide substantive guidance, oversight, review and quality control of the work performed; responsibility for the quality of the work rests solely with the supervising faculty involved in all instances cited above. Should the PCO decide to accept a project without supervising faculty involvedfor example, to hire a student worker directly to complete a projectthen responsibility and authority for substantive review, oversight, guidance and quality control would rest with the PCO. APPROVED by the MUP Program Committee Dec. 12, 2007.
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association of student planners
The Association of Student Planners (ASP) is the Texas A&M University student organization for the American Planning Association (APA) that represents students in the Masters of Urban Planning (MUP), Bachelors or Urban and Regional Science (BSURS). It is led by students in the Masters of Urban Planning program and is a recognized organization of Texas A&M University and the American Planning Association. It consists of over 30 students and participates in numerous activities throughout the school year. The officers of ASP play an important role in both the College of Architecture and Department of Landscape Architecture, by serving on committees such as:
College of Architecture Student Advisory Council, College of Architecture Executive Committee, Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban
Planning Student Leaders Council
Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban

Planning Faculty Council
Masters of Urban Planning Faculty Committee

Monthly Meetings The first week of every month, ASP members get together to eat food and discuss important issues related to students and their future activities. Often the meetings are anchored by a guest speaker that talks about professional work outside academia. This creates a great medium for outside involvement and increased knowledge of professional planning. In the past we have had speakers from the City of Bryan and the Brazos Valley Council of Governments.
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Career Fair Each year the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning hosts a career fair which attracts companies from across the state and even from other parts of the country. The Association of Student Planners collaborates with the American Society of Landscape Architects, student chapter (ASLA) to organize and invite different firms for this special event. The career fair kicks off with an evening reception where students and firms are able to eat and get to know each other. This event occurs every February and allows students to spread their rsums and interview with different firms. Conferences Twice a year, ASP arranges for students to attend conferences, one at the state level and the other at the national level. In the fall, Texas APA holds a conference to bring planners together to mingle and learn about new initiatives with regards to planning in Texas. It is a good opportunity for students to network as well as learn from other practicing planners in Texas. National APA is held in the spring and brings together planners across the country to do the same, but at a much larger scale. Both conferences provide opportunities to network, learn and also to come closer as a planning class. In order to offset costs incurred by attending these conferences, ASP receives assistance from former students and the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning. However, they also participate in fundraising activities such as shirt and textbook sales, as well as other campus activities such as cleaning Reed Arena after basketball games. Community Service As planners we like to think of ourselves as altruistic by wanting to improve our communities and cities, and so do our student planners. Each year, Texas A&M University holds the BIG EVENT. This activity gets students out into the community to help the residents. The Association of Student Planners participates in this event each year with pride. In 2008, we were able to complete two separate service projects for different residents in Bryan and College Station.
Elections The Association of Student Planners holds annual elections every March to switch the officer positions of president, vice-president, treasurer and secretary. This provides a great opportunity for the new officers and old officers to transition between years. In October of every year a 1st year representative officer is elected among the new Masters of Urban Planning students. As a student in the Masters of Urban Planning program at Texas A&M University, participation in ASP enhanced your personal and professional experience.
professional advisory council

The Master of Urban Planning Professional Advisory Council (MUPPAC) is a support group between the program and key leaders in the design, planning, and development fields who share a common interest in the development of high-quality, functional, and sustainable built and natural environments. By joining together key leaders, students, and faculty in the common quest for creating functional and sustainable places, MUPPAC and the College of Architecture make a profound difference in enhancing peoples lives in Texas, the United States, and beyond. The MUPPACs support greatly assists the MUP Program as the program addresses issues related to the creation of improved human environments, the education of our students, and the improved condition of our natural environment. MUPPAC members are the leaders who will be able to make a major difference in shaping the design and environmental quality of our built and natural environment in Texas, the United States, and beyond. For more information, see http://muppac.googlepages.com
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Where do I get a campus map?
MUP Survival Guide
An online campus map is available at: http:// campusmaps.tamu.edu/. How do I get into the Langford Building at the weekend or in the evening? You can get into the building with your Student ID after you had it recognized. Another possibility to get into the building is typing a four digit key that youll get by asking a faculty or other students. What is the MUP space? The open space with couches, tables, a microwave and a fridge on the third floor of Langford A is called MUP space, since it is meant to be a common room for MUP students to study, chat or have lunch. How can I get a locker? You can either get a locker in the MUP space or in the Evans library. For the MUP lockers, talk to Thena Morris is A308 who can give you a key. Since there are only 6 lockers, these are usually shared by two students. For information on how to rent a locker in Evans library, go to their website or information desk. Where are computer labs, how do I obtain a computer access ID, how can I get remote computer access? In Langford A there is a computer lab on the third floor and one on the first floor. The one on the first floor is often occupied by lectures, so please check the schedule first. Additionally, there are computers in the stairway of the building that can be used. All computers in the Langford building can be accessed with your Langford ID that is composed of your initials and the last four digits of your Student ID. For the initial password check with the computing center on the first floor of Langford A. Around the campus there are several open access labs, for example in the Student Computing Center (SCC), the Horticulture building or Blocker that can be accessed by your NetID. The library has computers on several floors that can be accessed by your NetID. To work remotely from home, the main TAMU computing center can set you up with remote access. Take your computer and student ID takes a few minutes
Information from students for students
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to set up. This computer center also offers technical support for computer problems which is part of your student fees. Where and how can I print? Around Langford A there are several printers that you can use. Check which ones are working before you print! A good choice is the printer 9050n on Cluster B which is located across from the MUP space. How do I pay for prints? Youll get a balance of about 600 pages (150 pages per class in which you are enrolled) automatically at the beginning of your first semester. This balance can be checked in the lower right corner of your desktop when you are logged into your account in Langford. How do I get ArcGIS and other software? Students can get a one-year student version of ArcGIS from the secretary of the department on the third floor of Langford A for free. Note: ArcGIS is also available on all computers of the Open Access Labs around campus as well as on the computers in Langford A. Other software, such as Office 2007 and EndNote can be obtained for a low price from software.tamu.edu. Some shortcourses as introduction to certain software is offered by the university for free. For details check at http://cis.tamu.edu/ shortcourses/. Where can I make copies? There is a copy machine in the TRC library on the first floor of Langford A. One copy costs 10c. If you get a copy card, you can make copies at the Evans library. Another possibility is to make copies at FedEx/Kinkos on University Dr. or at Copy Corner on Texas Ave. Where can I print cheap posters? In order to print posters, choose the appropriate printer on one of the computers in LangLangford A. Print your poster, then go down to the Media Center on the ford A. Print your poster, then go down to the Media Center on the first floor of Langford A, pay for your prints and theyll print your poster. You can choose the paper quality and size, before paying. You can also go to a copy shop and print the poster there, but it is certainly more expensive.
What should I do if the printers dont have any more paper? Go to the Media Center on the first floor of Langford A and ask for more paper. Where do I bind reports? You can bind your reports at FedEx/Kinkos on University Dr. for about $5, just ask for the spiral bind. Where can I scan? There is a scanner in the TRC library in Langford A that can be used for educational purposes. Where can I study quietly? This is a good question Most students study at home or in the library. Evans library has several study rooms for rent, go to their website for more information. Where do I get my Student ID card? Student IDs can be obtained at the General Services Complex (GSC), which is located on West Campus in Agronomy Rd. You can take bus #6 to its terminal stop. In order to get a student ID, your picture is taken and you need your UIN. Where do I get my grade report, transcript and proof of enrolment? There should be a possibility to get these documents online on https://howdy.tamu.edu/. You can also request the documents in person at the first floor of the General Services Complex (GSC), which is located on West Campus in Agronomy Rd. You can take bus #6 to its terminal stop. How do I get a cheap bike? There is a bike auction each September on West Campus. Bikes that are left without owner on the campus are sold in Agronomy Rd. for $20 each. Be sure to come early, since the better bikes are gone fast. Check the Transportation Services website for more information. Where do I get cheap books, find out what books are required for courses and when should I order books? There are several book stores on and around campus, e.g. the TAMU Bookstore in the MSC: http:// tamu.bkstore.com, or Traditions bookstore. A list of books for your courses are listed according to the
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department and course number of your class. You can also purchase your books online. Most students buy cheap used books on www.half.com. Most professors expect for you to have your books the first week of class, so it is a good idea to check early with your professors what books are required for your classes instead of waiting until the first day of class. What are good places to eat lunch? On campus there are several cafeterias and food courts where you can eat. There are several restaurants along University Dr., e.g. Freebrids, Potbellys Sandwiches, Chipotles, Crazy Cajun, Fitz Willys How do I get financial aid (graduate assistantship, scholarship, other forms of financial aid)? Most Departmental aid is awarded to incoming fall semester students, but there are some scholarships that are awarded in the spring, usually to returning students. For information of available scholarships and financial aid ask at the Department Office or your advisor. Individual professors also have jobs or scholarships for students when they get grants. There is some aid available at the University level; visit the A&M financial aid office at https:// financialaid.tamu.edu/ for more information. On our website, you can find an information document on assistantships and internships. How do I find an internship? General information and regulations on internships is provided by the MUP Handbook. On our website, you can find an information document on assistantships and internships. The Department Office has a list of several hundred firms that hire planners. Some of these firms participate in the career fair that is annually held in February. Several organizations post jobs and internships on their websites, so be sure to check the Central Texas, Texas, and national APA websites.
If you are interested in public transportation, contact Texas Transportation Institute http://tti.tamu.edu/, for opportunities based on TTI project requirements. If you send an email to Dr. Van Zandt, she offers to forward it to former students who are working as planners now and might be hiring interns. Where can I find planning related information on the web? There are several blogs related to planning, including: CSUN Institute for Sustainablility www.csun.edu/ sustainability American Planning Association www.planning.org Urban Land Institute www.uli.org Planetizen www.planetizen.com Planners Network www.plannersnetwork.org How do I find out about parking permits, campus bus schedules and city bus schedules? TAMU Campus Transportation: http:// transport.tamu.edu/ Bryan/College Station Public Transit: http:// www.btd.org/BryanCollegeStation.htm How do I become a member of the American Planners Association? Students of the MUP Program get a free APA membership in their first year. In order to get enrolled, please contact an ASP officer to file the appropriate paperwork. What are the benefits of being an APA member? There are several benefits of being an APA member, some of which are mentioned here, but the list is certainly not complete. APA members
Pay lower registration fees for conferences, Receive the Planning Magazine, Get a monthly newsletter as well as information on what is going on in the planning profession, Pay lower prices for books or seminars offered by APA, Get recent notice on available aid, scholarships and jobs, And much more
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What are the deadlines for filing a degree plan, apply for graduation, and other issues? Information of deadlines and the academic calendar can be found at the Office of Graduate Studies at http://ogs.tamu.edu/. The Office of Graduate Studies provides Steps to fulfill Masters Degree Requirements at http:// ogs.tamu.edu/current/steps-masters.html. Other items to be aware of: Sometimes class rooms change before the first day of class, check your schedule the week before classes begin. You didnt find the answer to a question you had? Or you think the given answer is not up to date or could be improved? Or you can think of other questions that should be included? This survival guide lives from the input of students and the information they want to share with other students, so please contact an ASP officer of the MUP Program Coordinator (Shannon Van Zandt) to include additional or update existing information in this document.
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Especially for International Students

From Survival to Success: International Student Handbook Purpose: The purpose of this section is to identify, address and resolve problems faced by the International Students in a foreign country, and assist and improve their experiences here at Texas A&M University. At the time of Arrival Accommodation/Lodging OffOff-Campus: Students looking for accommodation outside the campus can check out some of the following apartments located on the south of UniversityDrive. All these apartments are located within mile radius from the University Campus. CasaCasa-deldel-sol, Cherry Hollow, North Rampart, Normandy, New Port, College Main, Country Place, Factory, Warehouse, Apartments along Boyett Street, First Street, Foch Street, etc. OR Contact: Apartment Locators Finders Keepers (979) 846-1887, finderskeepersbcs.com On-line Realty (979) 268-8620, bcsonlinerealestate.com OnOn-Campus: Contact International Student Services for Dormitories. 1st Floor Bizzell Hall East, 1226 TAMU, College Station, Texas 77843-1226 Phone Numbers Current Students: 979-845-1824 Prospective & Incoming Students: 979-845-1151 E-mail: iss@tamu.edu http://international.tamu.edu/iss/ Grocery Stores/EatStores/Eat-Out Joints/Convenience Stores Students interested in cooking food can get groceries, vegetables and other eatables from: WalWal-mart Supercenter - 2200 Briar crest Dr., Bryan, TX 77802-5000 (979) 776-6441, - walmart.com, University Bus Route # 12 WalWal-Mart - 1815 Brothers Blvd., College Station, TX 77845-5413 (979) 693-2073, walmart.com, University Bus Route # 33 HEB Grocery - 1900 Texas Ave S, College Station, TX 77840-3914 (979) 693-1238, University Bus Route # 27 HEB Foods - 725 E Villa Maria Rd., Bryan, TX 778025319 (979) 779-8905, University Bus Route # Farm Patch Produce Market 3519 S College Ave., Bryan, TX 77801-4102 (979) 822-7209, University Bus Route # 15 Restaurants: There are several Off-Campus restaurants along the University Drive. Some of those are:
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Mc Donalds, Taco Bell, II-hop, Fat Burger, Jins Asian Caf, Free birds, Potbelly, Potato Shack, Chipotle, Crazy Cajun, Fitz Willys, Papa Johns, Subway, etc. Convenience Stores (Off-Campus): Shell Store, Aggies Food Store Along University Drive Double Quick Along Boyett Street Transportation System and Bus Routes University Bus Routes and Timings (On/Off Campus): www.transport.tamu.edu Registration related issues: issues How to register for the courses? Add/Drop (Q-Drop) of Courses? Can I drop core courses? Registration Deadlines? To register, add or drop courses and registration deadlines - Go to www.howdy.tamu.edu and get yourself web registered OR Contact: Thena Morris Academic Advisor, LAUP 308, 3nd Floor, Langford-A Tel. 979.458.4306, E-mail. t-morris@tamu.edu. What are the courses/electives? What is a Graduate Certificate? What is an Emphasis area? Which courses/electives/graduate certificate should I go for? http://archone.tamu.edu/laup/Programs/ mup_index.html Master of Urban Planning Brochure: Contact: Thena Morris Finally, if nothing works out Contact: Dr. Shannon Van Zandt Assistant Professor, Coordinator of Master of Urban Planning Program, LAUP 104, 1st Floor, Langford-C Phone: (979) 458-1223 svanzandt@tamu.edu
Contact: Business Office, College of Architecture 206, 2nd Floor, Langford-A (Theresa Bramson, Business Coordinator, Tel. 979.865.1276 Email tbramson@tamu.edu) Issues related to official documentation: Passport, I-20, Health Insurance, Requirements for On-Campus jobs, etc: 1. Contact-International International Student Services (ISS): Contact Information on Page #2 Financial Aid, Assistantships/Scholarships, Tuition and Fees, Tax Information, etc: 2. Contact: Business Office, College of Architecture OR 3. Contact: Student Business Services (SBS) P.O. Box 30015, 6001 TAMU, College Station, Texas 77842-3015 Phone: (979) 847-3337, Email: sbs@tamu.edu Concerns regarding Funding, Financial Assistantship, Academic Internships and Jobs Kindly refer to MUP Survival Guide. Path finding This is one of the major problems faced not only by students, but also staff sometimes. The most important concern is locating classrooms. The solution to this could be simple signage and boards. Since there are not many signage/boards put up in the department right now, please ask your fellow students/2nd year MUPers. Resources Online Resources: TAMU Library-College Station & Galveston: library.tamu.edu, E-learning: elearning.tamu.edu
How to unblock a blocked registration?
Program/Course Related Problems
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LANGUAGE BARRIER Some of the major concerns of International Students, due to difficulty in speaking and understanding English language, are less/no class participation and bulk readings for the day. Due to this, they often find it difficult to keep up with the pace of the lectures. This becomes even more challenging with lack of awareness about the English Language Courses and the Writing Center Courses being offered. During the lectures, students only understand 30-40% of the lectures; they then get depressed and stop participating in class. These students may:
ters.
Talk to the fellow students and seniors/buddies/ mentors. If the problem persists, talk to the professor and, if at all required, to the program coordinator.
Association of Student Planners (ASP) is one of those platforms where one can interact informally and more openly with seniors/buddies/mentors, faculty, visiting guests/speakers, practicing planners, etc. Join ASP. http://planning.tamu.edu Although we tried hard to cover most of the problems and their solutions, this is the best we could do as of now. Never mind, this is just the beginning. In future, we wish to see all of us contributing and helping each other to make this world a better place to live in. Please feel free to contact any of the ASP officers for your concerned issue. (Officers are listed on the website: http:// planning.tamu.edu) Social Security Number (SSN) Go to: US Govt.Govt.-Social Security 2120 W Briargate Dr Bryan, TX 77802-2157 (979) 731-1140, ssa.gov
Be unable to follow the course; less understanding or logics developed. Have problems in understanding the lectures; no participation in the class, and hence poor performance and poor grades. Suffer from an Inferiority Complex or be Hesitant to speak Difficulties in getting along with native students and Professors. Struggle with Group Dynamics in Class Difficulties in collaborating with the students of other country. Not understand the American education pattern and grading system
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE to all the courses Since new international students do not know much about the American towns, cities and metropolitan areas, the courses should be given a broad and global perspective so that the Internationals could relate themselves to the issues discussed during the lectures and the course. Students are suggested to actively participate and discuss about their cities, states and country, thus giving the lectures as well as the courses a global outlook in class. All these program/course related problems can be easily resolved by,
Speaking up and participating in the class. Raise the question immediately as it comes to your mind. Improve your speaking and writing skills by talking more to the native speakers and reading as much as you can. Students can also take help from writing cen-
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courses@texas a&m courses
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601. Introduction to Planning (1(1-0). Credit 1. Overview of the field of planning, with topics presented by different faculty each class session. The course is designed to provide an introduction to the scope of the field, common threads (politics, resident involvement, ethics, equity, etc.), and the emphasis areas within planning.
614. Planning and Technological Changes. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Examines the general relationships between technology and social change; examine the historical and technological roots of change; focuses on the social impact of technological change.
604. Planning Methods I. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Fundamental concepts and methods used in urban and regional research; qualitative and quantitative research designs; measurement and scaling; sampling; data collection; data file construction; introduction to data analysis and statistical inference. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
616. Analyzing Risk/Hazard and Public Policy. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Evaluation and development of risk analysis, including risk assessment, perception of risk, risk communication and risk management; the mitigation of risk, involving technology, emergency management, disaster preparedness; emphasizes the relationship with risk analysis in public policy, participation, emergency preparedness, hazard mitigation and the management of risk. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
610. Structure and Function of Urban Settlements. (3(3-0). Credit 3. The study of urbanization and how geographic, economic, sociological and political factors give rise to changes in the structure and functions of cities; how the movement of people, products, services and capital create unique urban patterns of land use and infrastructure with implications for long-term livability and sustainability. Prerequisites: Graduate classification and approval of instructor.
620. Dispute Resolution and Participation in Planning. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Theory and practice of public policy-oriented alternative dispute resolution (ADR) especially in environmental and land planning and regulation; practical skills of facilitation/ mediation as aids to conventional public participation; voluntary negotiation as a supplement to regulation; relevant theoretical perspectives from decision and game theory and compensation literatures. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
612. Transportation in City Planning. (2(2-3). Credit 3. Influence of transportation in shaping urban form; relationships between land use and transportation; conceptual layout of street systems; trends in urban development, site development, circulation and relationships to the street system; guidelines for the redevelopment of existing streets and the adjacent land. Cross-listed with CVEN 612. (3-0). 623. Development Planning in Third World Countries. (3 Credit 3. Examines historical, political, economic, social and cultural dimensions of "Third World" development problems; application of planning methods and techniques toward long-term solutions in the context of unfolding contemporary world events; considers the role of international lending institutions, technical assistance and funding requirements in developing countries.
613. Planning Methods and Techniques. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Methods and techniques of research, data collection and analysis; coordination of planning process with public policy and plan implementation.
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625. Geographical Information Systems in Landscape and Urban Planning. (2(2-3). Credit 3. Provides students an understanding of GIS fundamentals; basic concepts, principles and functions; essential skills for applying GIS in various fields such as urban planning, landscape architecture, land development, environment studies, transportation and hazard management; based on learning through class projects. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
630. Survey of Health Planning Processes. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Considers evolution and development of the health care system in the U.S. and how hospitals and other health service institutions go about developing strategic planning systems.
631. Health Systems Planning and Policy. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Specific health planning issues; distribution of manpower and facilities, financial resources, local, federal partnership, system's organization and governance. Cross-listed with BUSH 662.
626. Advanced GIS in Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning. (2(2-2). Credit 3. Continuation of GIS in Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning PLAN 625; topics include advanced spatial analysis technology: emphasis on urban planning, landscape architecture, land development, hazard management and related applications to issues. Prerequisite: PLAN 625.
633. Planning for Healthy Communities. (3(3-0). Credit 3. An introduction to issues involved in planning healthy cities/ communities; by exploring experiences initiated by the World Health Organization and subsequent international experiences, attention is given to the healthy cities/communities movement in the United States and the case studies of programs at local, state and national levels.
627. Economic Development. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Examines the strategies employed in the pursuit of local economic development. Discusses basic principles for critically assessing alternative development policies and programs; reflects on the goals and objectives of economic development efforts; and identifies tools for structuring and financing local projects
634. Environmental Health Policy and Planning. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Interdisciplinary perspective of environmental risk analysis methods and policy implications; federal and state agencies and programs involved in developing and implementing environmental health policies and monitoring environmental health hazards; historical and economic context of environmental health legislation; framework for policy making process and criteria to determine effectiveness and outcomes. Prerequisite: Graduate classification. 640. Law and Legislation Related to Planning. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Legislative process and planning legislation; enabling legislation and legal tools of planner: zoning, subdivision ordinances, eminent domain, extraterritorial jurisdiction and other related planning instruments.
628. Affordable Housing Development. (3(3-0). Credit 3. This course is designed to teach planning and land development students how the development of affordable housing through public, private, and non-profit partnerships can meet the housing needs of low- and moderate-income households.
629. Neighborhood Revitalization. (3(3-0). Credit 3. This course addresses the social, political, and economic theory of neighborhoodstheir growth, function and design. Students will gain an understanding of how neighborhoods experience change, as well as the consequences of this change for residents.
641. Problems of Environmental Planning Administration. (3(30). Credit 3. State and federal legislation pertaining to environmental and consumer protection aspects of urban planning; review of administrative procedures; major judicial decisions.
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643. Preservation Law. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Theory and practice of historic preservation in the legal context; the constitutional and statutory foundations of historic resources planning and plan implementation; review of case studies and municipal ordinances.
654. Planning Administration and Management. (1(1-0). Credit 1. Issues of professional practice in public and private sectors.
656. Housing and Community. (3(3-0). Credit 3. 647. Disaster Recovery and Hazard Mitigation. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Interdisciplinary study of the impacts of environmental disasters; describes process of disaster recovery and examines methods of reducing future vulnerability; analyzes regulation, market mechanisms, and public education as methods for implementing mitigation measures. Prerequisite: Graduate classification. Housing, its development, planning, marketing, designing, financing, and production; social and design history and contemporary issues of American housing development, urban renewal, neighborhood structure and community facilities.
658. Plan Implementation. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Techniques of implementing major urban development programs and plans; capital improvements programming and budgeting; overview of regulatory measures including zoning and subdivision regulations; public involvement process; and fiscal planning.
649. Organizational and Community Response to Crises and Disasters. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Introduction to the study of organized and community planning and response to natural and technological disasters and social crisis; focus upon emergency preparedness and response; practical issues, planning for emergency management and existing research literature of basic disaster at the organization and community levels. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
661. Information and Communication in Planning. (2(2-2). Credit 3. Types and sources of planning related information; use of verbal, printed and electronic media in communicating planning information and formulating alternative solutions to community development problems.
650. Disaster Response Planning. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery strategies; roles of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Governor's Division of Emergency Management, the National Weather Service and the American Red Cross. 662. Applied Planning I. (1(1-6). Credit 3. Acquisition, analysis, and management of information pertaining to urban and regional planning in a case specific scenario; issue analysis; formulation of goals and objectives, and policies; consensus building; includes all tasks leading up to the preparation of an urban, regional or strategic plan.
(3-0). 651. Planning for Coastal and Marine Protected Areas. (3 Credit 3. The science, policy and politics of establishing coastal and marine protected areas (CMPAs); an interdisciplinary graduate -level seminar; the theory and practice of using protected areas to manage complex problems related to the coastal and marine environment. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
663. Applied Planning II. (1(1-6). Credit 3. Preparation of a major plan or planning document for a specific subject associated with the field of urban and regional planning including the environment; land use; urban design; transportation systems; housing and community facilities; infrastructure systems; growth management systems; urban image; and other topics. Prerequisite: PLAN 662 or approval of associate department head.
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664. Planning Theory and History. (3(3-0). Credit 3. A critical examination of the justifications for and major alternative approaches to planning in the public domain, beginning with the fundamental historical intentions of and projects in city planning within industrial societies and tracing the subsequent development of planning as political reform, political analysis, social mobilization and other modern variants. 665. Plan Making. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Introduction to a wide variety of styles and methodologies employed by the urban and regional planner; planning styles reviewed include: comprehensive land use planning; policies planning; strategic planning; regional planning; and private sector corporate planning. Emphasis is given to the actual review and content analysis of plans. 669. Urban Infrastructure Planning. (2(2-2). Credit 3. Identification of urban infrastructure requirements; criteria for utility location and design; projection of the conversion of land to urban uses; estimating demand for urban services; anticipating the effect of urbanization on storm runoff; and municipal practice in financing infrastructure extensions. 670. Urban Public Transportation Planning. (2(2-3). Credit 3. Planning, operations, fiscal, management and legal aspects of urban, rural and regional public transportation modes; preparation of transportation systems program elements. 673. Design for Sustainable Transportation (3(3-0). Credit 3. Introduce planning and design principles, techniques, and examples for achieving sustainable transportation; transitoriented development, neo-traditional design, traffic calming, non-motorized travel, and smart growth; car sharing, parking pricing, location efficient mortgage, and alternative vehicles and fuel technologies. Prerequisite: Graduate classification. 674. Transportation System Analysis. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Introduces basic concepts and techniques of modeling, analyzing and solving problems in transportation systems planning, operations, management and design within a unified framework for transportation systems analysis; includes: disaggregate demand theory and application, activity analysis and land use forecasting, network optimization stochastic processes, queuing models and simulation. Prerequisite: CVEN 672 or approval of instructor.
675. Sustainable Urbanism. (3(3-0). Credit 3. Examines sustainability at a range of scales, focusing on the community and region. Explores practices of making places sustainable, ways of living and practices of development, through the examination of writings and projects of classic and contemporary sustainability practitioners and thinkers. 676. Transportation Investment Decisions. (3(3-0). Credit 3. The course provides the graduate-level student with an overview of the elements of transportation investment decisions including transportation supply, demand, finance, and economic impact. 678. Applied Transportation Studio. (3(3-0). Credit 3. This course provides a practical overview of urban planning and transportation topics including transportation-land use, function classification, thoroughfare and land use planning, site planning, traffic impact analysis , access management, and site design. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor. 681. Seminar. (1(1-0). Credit 1. Reports and discussions of current research and selected topics in urban and regional planning. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor. 684. Professional Internship. Credit 1 to 8. Professional practice under approved arrangement with public or private agencies. 685. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 6 each semester. Individual and group problems dealing with application of planning theory and practice. Opportunities to select foreign and domestic planning project of special interest. 689. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4. Selected topics in an identified area of urban and regional planning. May be repeated for credit. 691. Research. Credit 1 or more each semester. Research for thesis or dissertation. 693. Professional Study. Credit 1 to 6. Approved professional study project undertaken as the terminal requirement for the Master of Urban Planning degree; preparation of a record of study summarizing rationale, procedure and results of the completed activity. Prerequisite: Approval of committee chair.
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multiyear schedule
Bold = core Note: courses for MW are listed in the order in which they should be offered, without times, as setting times has proved to be very difficult for these days. We try not to set the first class before 9 am.
FALL SEMESTER Monday 1.) PLAN 664 Planning Theory and History 2.) PLAN 634 Environmental Health Policy & Planning 3.) PLAN 627 Economic Development 4.) PLAN 670 Urban Public Transportation PlanningNOTE this class is 2.5 hours long and meets 1x/week 5.) PLAN 641 Problems of Environmental Planning Administration Evening: PLAN 612 Transportation in City Planning Tuesday 9:35-10:50 PLAN 630 Survey of Health Planning Processes 11:1011:10-12:25 PLAN 662 Applied Planning I PLAN 604 Planning Methods I 12:45-2:00 PLAN 625 GIS in Landscape and Urban Planning 2:20-3:35 PLAN 625 lab 3:553:55-5:10 PLAN 610 Structure/Function of Urban Stlmnt. PLAN 658 Plan Implementation Evening: PLAN 649 Organizational and Community Response to Crises and Disasters Wednesday 1.) PLAN 664 Planning Theory and History 2.) PLAN 634 Environmental Health Policy & Planning 3.) PLAN 627 Economic Development 4.) PLAN 601 Introduction to Planning PlanningNOTE this class meets for 50 minutes 1x/week 5.) PLAN 641 Problems of Environmental Planning & Administration Evening: PLAN 647 Disaster Recovery and Hazard Mitigation Thursday 9:35-10:50 PLAN 630 Survey of Health Planning Processes 11:1011:10-12:25 PLAN 662 Applied Planning I and PLAN 604 Planning Methods I 12:45-2:00 PLAN 625 GIS in Landscape and Urban Planning 2:20-3:35 PLAN 625 lab 3:553:55-5:10 PLAN 610 Structure/Function of Urban Stlmnt. PLAN 658 Plan Implementation Evening: PLAN 656 Housing and Community SPRING SEMESTER Monday 1.) PLAN 629 Neighborhood Revitalization 2.) PLAN 631 Health Systems Planning and Policy 3.) PLAN 620 Dispute Resolution and Participation in Planning 4.) PLAN 673 Design for Sustainable Transportation 5.) PLAN 633 Planning for Healthy Communities Evening: PLAN 640 Law and Legislation Tuesday 8:00-9:15 PLAN 676 Transportation Investment Decisions 9:359:35-10:50 PLAN 663 Applied Planning II PLAN 613 Planning Methods II 11:10-12:25 PLAN 675 Sustainable Urbanism 12:45-2:00 PLAN 626 Advanced GIS PLAN 669 Urban Infrastructure Planning 2:15-3:45 PLAN 626 lab 3:55-5:10 PLAN 674 Transportation System Analysis Evening: PLAN 650 Disaster Response Planning PLAN 623 Development Planning in 3rd World Countries PLAN 678 Applied Transportation Studio Wednesday 1.) PLAN 629 Neighborhood Revitalization 2.) PLAN 631 Health Systems Planning and Policy 3.) PLAN 620 Dispute Resolution and Participation in Planning 4.) PLAN 633 Planning for Healthy Communities Evening: PLAN 678 Applied Transportation Studio Thursday 8:00-9:15 PLAN 676 Transportation Investment Decisions 9:359:35-10:50 PLAN 663 Applied Planning II PLAN 613 Planning Methods II 11:10-12:25 PLAN 675 Sustainable Urbanism 12:45-2:00 PLAN 626 Advanced GIS and PLAN 669 Urban Infrastructure Planning 3:55-5:10 PLAN 674 Transportation System Analysis Evening: PLAN 616 Analyzing Risk/Hazard and Public Policy
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faculty@texas a&m faculty
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Sherry I. Bame Professor sbame@tamu.edu B.S.N. University of Michigan M.S. Boston University Ph.D. University of Michigan Dr. Bame has a special interest in health systems planning and policy, environmental health, and health and human services planning for hazards and disasters. She joined the Texas A&M faculty in 1984.
Elise Bright Professor ebright@tamu.edu B.S. University of Arizona M.S. Harvard University D.E.D. Texas A&M University Dr. Brights current research focuses on the effects of property tax over-appraisal in low income neighborhoods and the importance of regional containment in central city health. Her other areas of expertise include economic development, zoning, environmental planning, and impact assessment. She joined the Texas A&M faculty in 2005.
Samuel D. Brody Professor sbrody@archone.tamu.edu B.A. Bowdoin College M.S. University of Michigan Ph.D. University of North Carolina Dr. Brodys interest include environmental planning, collaborative ecosystem management, sustainable development in coastal areas, protected areas policy and conflict management. He joined the Texas A&M faculty in 2001.
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Eric Dumbaugh Assistant Professor edumbaugh@archone.tamu.edu B.A. Florida State University M.S. Georgia Institute of Technology Ph.D. Georgia Institute of Technology Dr. Dumbaugh is interested in transportation safety issues.
Bill Eisele Research Engineer, Texas Transportation Institute bill-eisele@tamu.edu Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 2001. M.S., Michigan State University, 1994. B.S., Michigan State University, 1993. Dr. Eisele is a registered professional engineer in the State of Texas. For over 12 years, he has been involved with numerous research projects spanning many areas of transportation planning, design, and operations. His specific areas of research include access management, land development, performance measurement, mobility monitoring, high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) facilities, and managed lane facilities.
David Ellis Visiting Assistant Professor D-ellis@ttimail.tamu.edu
Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1995. M.U.P., Texas A&M University, 1990. B.S., Texas A&M University, 1979. Twenty-two years experience in urban planning, government/public affairs, transportation analysis, strategic planning, demographic analysis, socioeconomic impact assessment, economic policy analysis, and management.
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Cecilia Giusti Assistant Professor cgiusti@archone.tamu.edu B.A. Catholic University of Peru M.A. Institute of Social Studies ,The Hague Ph.D. University of Texas at Austin Dr. Giusti's interests include urban and regional economic development and planning, urban and regional theory, and economic development planning in developing countries, especially in Latin America.
Kenneth Joh Assistant Professor kjoh@archmail.tamu.edu B.A. University of California, San Diego M.A. University of California, Los Angeles Ph.D. University of California, Irvine Dr. Joh is interested in sustainable transportation and the built environment.
Michael Lindell Professor mlindell@archone.tamu.edu B.A. University of Colorado Ph.D. University of Colorado Dr. Lindell is interested in environmental hazards, emergency management, and research methods.
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Tim Lomax Lecturer t-lomax@tamu.edu B.S. Texas A&M University M.E. Texas A&M University Ph.D. Texas A&M University Dr. Lomax's scholarly interest includes urban mobility research. He is the co-author of the Annual Mobility Report which contains information on congestion levels and trends in 85 cities throughout the U.S. from 1982 and garners wide media attention for transportation problems and their solutions.
Forster Ndubisi Professor Department Head B.S. University of Ibadon M.L.A. University of Guelph Ph.D. University of Waterloo Dr. Ndubisi specializes in ecological design and planning; community design; growth management; and interdisciplinary design education.
Michael Neuman Associate Professor Neuman@archone.tamu.edu B.S. University of Pennsylvania M.C.P. University of Pennsylvania Ph.D. University of California at Berkeley Dr. Neuman's interests include planning theory and history, infrastructure, sustainable urbanism, and the integration of design, planning and governance for sustainability.
ON DEVELOPMENT LEAVE FALL 2010 THROUGH FALL 2011
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Walter Gillis Peacock Professor Director-Hazard Reduction & Recovery Center peacock@tamu.edu B.A. Columbus College of Architecture M.A. University of Georgia Ph.D. University of Georgia Dr. Peacock is interested in urban planning, sustainable community development, natural hazards, hazard mitigation and long-term recovery, and quantitative methods.
Dennis Perkinson Visiting Assistant Professor d-perkinson@tamu.edu B.A. University of South Florida M.A. University of South Florida M.S. Northwestern University Ph.D. Texas A&M University Dr. Perkinson's current research at TTI (Texas Transportation Institute) focuses on air quality issues, primarily emissions modeling and estimation methods. His other research interests include inter-disciplinary approaches to transportation planning, travel data collection methods, organizational regulatory compliance, and the social impacts of transportation technologies.
Carla Prater Visiting Assistant Professor Carla@archone.tamu.edu B.A. Pepperdine University M.S. Texas A&M University Ph.D. Texas A&M University Dr. Prater's interests are in environmental politics and policy and natural hazards and disasters.
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George Rogers Professor grogers@tamu.edu B.S. Oregon State University M.A. University of Waterloo Ph.D. University of Pittsburgh Dr. Rogers is interested in the areas of sustainability, risk analysis and planning, technology and society, and quantitative methods.
Jesse Saginor Assistant Professor jsaginor@tamu.edu B.A. Michigan State University M.P.A. Ohio State University Ph.D. Cleveland State University Dr. Saginor is interested in eminent domain issues and economic development behavior.
Andrew Seidel Professor a-seidel@tamu.edu B. Arch Pratt Institute Cert. Arch Royal Danish Academy M.C.P. Harvard University Ph.D. University of Michigan Dr. Seidel's areas of interests include environmental design, planning methods and techniques, computer applications and the relationship between public policy and physical design. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Architectural and Planning Research.
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Donald Sweeney Associate Professor dsweeney@archone.tamu.edu B.A. Texas A&M University M. Arch Texas A&M University D.E.D. Texas A&M University Dr. Sweeney's professional interests involve all aspects of health systems policy, planning management. His current interests include participation in the international healthier communities movement.
Katherine Turnbull Lecturer Associate Director at Texas Transportation Institute B.S. University of Minnesota at Duluth M.S. University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee Ph.D. Texas A&M University Dr. Turnbulls interests include transportation planning, public transportation, high occupancy vehicle (HOV) facilities, and transportation policy.
Shannon Van Zandt Assistant Professor, MUP Program Coordinator svanzandt@tamu.edu B.E.D. Texas A&M University M.U.P. Texas A&M University Ph.D. University of North Carolina Dr. Van Zandts areas of interest include sustainable community development and housing. Her research examines spatial equity and ways to improve neighborhood stability to produce positive outcomes for households, particularly those that are lower-income.
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James Varni Professor jvarni@archone.tamu.edu B.A. UC at Santa Barbara M.A. UC at Los Angeles Ph.D. UC at Los Angeles Post Doc Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Dr. Varni's areas of expertise are measurement instrument development, conceptual models and cognitive-behavior therapy interventions in pediatric health conditions. He also conducts research and evaluation projects into the healing environment of children's hospitals, focusing on the effect of the built environment on child, parent, and staff outcomes as a basis for evidence-based architectural design for pediatric and healthcare facilities.
Douglas Wunneburger Assistant Research Scientist/ Visiting Assistant Professor d-wunneburger@tamu.edu B.A. University of Texas at Austin M.S.F. Stephen F. Austin State University Ph.D. Texas A&M University Dr. Wunneburger's primary research interests include the integration of spatial and information technology for studies in landscape ecology-based planning and management.
Yu Xiao Assistant Professor B.S., Beijing University M.U.P., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Ph.D., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Dr. Xiaos interests are in disaster management and recovery, regional economics, and state and local government finance.
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contact texas a&m

Master of Urban Planning Program Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning College of Architecture Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-3137 (979) 862-2730 email: mup@ tamu.edu fax: (979) 862-1784

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Student Handbook

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If you can plan in Texas, Texas you can plan anywhere

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Curriculum ............................................................ 4 Certificates ........................................................... 5 Emphasis areas ................................................... 6

Professional advisory council........................... 30 Association of student planners ...................... 30

Courses .............................................................. 40 Multi-year schedule .......................................... 45 Faculty ................................................................ 46

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MUP Professional Curriculum

MUP Research Curriculum

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emphasis areas & certificates

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emphases@texas a&m emphases

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health & human services planning

Required and Elective Courses

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land use & environmental planning

Required and Elective Courses

Municipal and county

Public and private emergency management organizations al government

Agencies of state and feder Councils of Government and

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housing, community, & economic development

Required and Elective Courses

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transportation planning, policy & design

Required and Elective Courses

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design your own

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professional study and thesis guidelines

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If you have not found a topic, ask yourself:

Is timely; Relates to a practical problem; Relates to a wide population;

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4) Identify the policy dimensions:

5) Appraisal of the origins of the problem. 6) Sketch out key relationships:

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