Master of Urban and Regional Planning
Master of Urban and Regional Planning
The Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) Program at the University of Colorado Denver has evolved to become one of the strongest planning programs in the United States. We offer a hands-on, real-world-oriented program that uses Colorado as our classroom and engages students with top planning/design professionals and the community.
Program Overview
We believe that successful city-building requires expertise, breadth, interdisciplinary understanding, and creativity. As part of the Urban and Regional Planning Department, our program looks beyond traditional professional silos and instead centers on issues at the forefront of planning practice. Our three program Pillars—Healthy Communities, Equitable Urbanism, and Regional Sustainability—form the basis of our research, instruction, and community outreach.
We encourage all students to follow their passion and develop expertise in the areas that matter most to them. Thus, we offer a unique, self-directed curriculum that allows students to understand the breadth of the planning field while gaining the technical expertise demanded by the profession.
Our world-class faculty includes some of the most respected researchers in the planning field, and our award-winning planning practitioners bring a wealth of experience to the classroom. All of our faculty make teaching a top priority.
Our presence in a College of Architecture and Planning ensures that our approach to planning education has a strong connection to design, and our location in the heart of downtown Denver presents our students with endless opportunities to learn what it takes to create amazing cities.
We give students numerous opportunities throughout our program to gain hands-on experience by participating in real-world projects and interacting with professional planners and community stakeholders. We use Denver's diverse urban setting and Colorado's rural and mountain landscapes as a real-world classroom for students to engage with the built, natural, and social environments.
Physical Planning Orientation
We emphasize physical planning and design throughout our curriculum and connect them to policy, research, and the social sciences. We work closely with the College's Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, and Historic Preservation programs to explore and develop applied solutions to urban social, economic, and environmental issues.
International Learning Opportunities
We provide students the opportunity to study planning from an international perspective. By offering lecture courses that focus on global planning and development issues, studios that involve on-site coursework and engaged learning in other countries, and collaborations with universities and organizations abroad, we help students expand their personal and educational worldview.
Integrated Planning Technologies
We integrate into our curriculum key professional technologies in realms such as digital mapping, 3D modeling, data visualization, and spatial analysis. We capitalize on Denver's entrepreneurial spirit and tech-focused economy to provide students with state-of-the-art resources and numerous opportunities to learn a variety of technologies and applications used as critical tools in the planning process.
Self-Directed Elective Curriculum
We empower students with the opportunity to craft a planning education suited to their career goals and personal interests. Students may choose any combination of elective courses, whether oriented toward one of our three curriculum pillars, a traditional or customized planning specialization, or a generalist survey of the planning field.
Professional and Career Development
We present students with instruction, guidance, and resources for understanding the many career paths within planning and allied fields and how to strategically position themselves to successfully achieve their professional and personal goals. We enable students to be prepared for not only their first planning job, but for a lifelong career.
Diverse Faculty Experience
We embody a planning faculty comprised of a mix of clinical professors and lecturers who bring to the classroom years of professional experience and expertise in planning-related fields, and tenure-track professors who bring experience in scholarship and research. All of our faculty make teaching a top priority.
Curriculum
Our curriculum embodies our three Pillars, and makes the most of our geographic context and our unique program hallmarks. Our curriculum balances a strong, comprehensive core set of courses with a self-directed path through a wide range of elective choices. Read below to learn more about our program requirements, core courses, electives, and more.
Fall 2022 MURP Student Handbook
- Program Requirements
- GPA Requirements and Grading Policy
- Core Course Substitution
- Advanced Standing Credit Waiver
The total number of credit hours required to earn the Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) degree is 54. To reach the 54 credit hour total, students must earn 36 credits by completing and passing the required core courses. Students must then earn an additional 18 credits by completing elective courses of their choice, with three (3) of those 18 consisting of an advanced skills/methods elective.
Across those 54 credits, students must also meet final course grade minimums and cumulative grade point average requirements (see the GPA Requirements and Grading Policy tab) in order to earn the MURP degree. The required 54 credits may be reduced in some cases for students who meet the requirements for advanced standing or who have transfer credits (see the Advanced Standing Credit Waiver tab).
To learn more about the required core courses and the overall total credit hour requirements for completing the MURP degree, please see the Credit Hour Requirements Section below.
Credit Hour Requirements
Core Courses & Total Credit Hour Requirements
The following table lists the required core courses and the overall total credit hour requirements for completing the MURP degree.
| Course # | Core Course Name | # Credits |
| URPL 5000 | Planning History and Theory | 3 |
| URPL 5010 | Planning Methods | 3 |
| URPL 5020 | Planning Law and Institutions | 3 |
| URPL 5030 | The Planning Profession | 3 |
| URPL 5040 | Urban Sustainability | 3 |
| URPL 5050 | Urban Development | 3 |
| URPL 5060 | Planning Workshop | 6 |
| URPL 6000 | Planning Project Studio | 6 |
| Student's choice of ONE of the following 6-credit courses: | ||
| URPL 6900 | Planning Capstone | 6 |
| URPL 6920 AND 6925 | Planning Thesis A and B | 6 |
| Core Course Total |
36 |
|
| Regular Elective Courses | 15 | |
| Advanced Skills/Methods Elective | 3 | |
| Required Total Credit Hours |
54 |
|
Advanced Skills/Methods Requirement
Students admitted to the MURP program in 2019 or thereafter are required to take at least one 3-credit advanced skills/methods elective course as part of their required 18 credit hours of electives. Students may select from the list of approved advanced skills/methods electives shown in the table below. Students may also identify a skills/methods course offered outside of the MURP program and request that it be approved as their required advanced skills/methods elective by submitting the course name/number and syllabus to the Department Chair or Associate Chair at least one month prior to the start of the semester.
The following table lists the advanced skills/methods elective courses offered in the MURP program:
| Course # | Elective Course Name | # Credits |
| URPL 6210 | Planning Engagement | 3 |
| URPL 6225 | Urban Policy Analytics | 3 |
| URPL 6250 | GIS for Urban Planning | 3 |
| URPL 6265 | Visualization for Planning | 3 |
Course Sequence and Prerequisites
Generally, the 5000-series core courses should be completed first because they provide foundational knowledge, skills, and values that are important to successfully completing the 6000-series core and elective courses. While most electives are taken in the second year, students have the opportunity to take elective courses during their first year in the program.
The following tables show the typical two-year course sequence and prerequisites.
| Course # | Course Name | # Credits | Semester Offered | Prerequisite |
| URPL 5000 | Planning History and Theory | 3 | Fall only | None |
| URPL 5010 | Planning Methods | 3 | Fall only | None |
| URPL 5030 | Planning Practice and Technology | 3 | Fall only | None |
| Elective | 3 | See course description | ||
|
Total Credit Hours: |
12 |
Year 1 Spring Semester
| Course # | Course Name | # Credits | Semester Offered | Prerequisite |
| URPL 5040 | Urban Sustainability | 3 | Spring only | None |
| URPL 5050 | Urban Development | 3 | Spring only | None |
| URPL 5060 | Planning Workshop | 6 | Spring only | 9 MURP credits of which at least 6 must be 5000-series core courses |
|
Total Credit Hours: |
12 |
Subsequent Semesters
| Course # | Course Name | # Credits | Semester Offered | Prerequisite |
| URPL 6000 | Planning Project Studio | 6 | Summer or Fall | URPL 5060 Planning Workshop |
| URPL 5020 | Planning Law and Institutions | 3 | Fall only | None |
| Elective Courses | 15 | See course description | ||
| Student's Choice of ONE of the following 6-credit courses: | ||||
| URPL 6900 | Planning Capstone | 6 | Spring | URPL 5060 Planning Workshop |
| URPL 6920 and URPL 6925 | Planning Thesis A and B | 6 | Fall/Sping | URPL 5060 Planning Workshop |
|
Total Credit Hours: |
30 |
|
||
Core Courses
The MURP program’s core courses provide students with a comprehensive survey of the planning field and the foundational knowledge, skills, and values important to the profession. The core courses have been carefully designed to fully comply with the Planning Accreditation Board’s required educational outcomes. Click on the course below to read the full description.
This course comprehensively reviews the major historical and theoretical developments in planning; the human aspects of planning as a social, political, and community-oriented process; public engagement; social justice; planning advocacy; and the future of planning.
URPL 5010 Planning Methods
This course focuses on the most commonly applied quantitative and qualitative methods used in planning; data organization and management principles; and various ways to collect, analyze, and communicate information as a fundamental component of the planning process.
URPL 5020 Planning Law and Institutions
This course covers the legal basis for planning; the evolution of planning law through a comprehensive review of landmark court decisions; and the types and hierarchies of governments, their powers and relationships, and how planning operates within various governmental contexts.
URPL 5030 Planning Practice and Technology
This course offers a comprehensive survey of planning practice; types of planning positions and employers; business aspects of planning; planning ethics; and professional/career development in planning. Introductory instruction is provided in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, and ESRI ArcGIS Pro.
URPL 5040 Urban Sustainability
URPL 5050 Urban Development
This course explores how cities get built. Topics include an overview of the players, processes, politics and policies of real estate development; land division, entitlement, and regulation; site planning and development review; development finance; public infrastructure and finance.
URPL 5060 Planning Workshop
An introduction to the studio environment, this course provides students with hands-on knowledge and skills development in physical planning and design, the planning process, data collection and synthesis, plan making, and collaboration, plus introductory instruction in SketchUp.
URPL 6000 Planning Project Studio
The program’s advanced studio, this course requires student teams to complete a substantial planning project for a real-world client. Sections are offered that feature a Denver/Urban, Colorado/Mountain, or International/Travel Abroad project experience.
URPL 6900 Planning Capstone
Students choose between either Planning Capstone or Planning Thesis. Planning Capstone requires students to plan and complete an independent or small group project of their choice for a real-world client. After identifying their project topic, methodology, work plan, and schedule, students will receive instruction in project management and methodologies from the Capstone faculty. Planning Capstone concludes with the completion of the independent or small group project and the presentation of all final deliverables.
URPL 5920 and URPL 5925 Planning Thesis A and B
Students choose from either Planning Capstone or Planning Thesis. Spanning two semesters, Planning Thesis requires students to plan and complete a research thesis of their choice. Planning Thesis Part A (3 credits) provides instruction for proper thesis research, analysis, and writing, while students develop a detailed work plan and begin their thesis research. Part B (3 credits) taken the semester following Part A includes the completion of the research and the thesis document, and presentation of the findings before the student’s thesis committee.
Core Studios
Planning Workshop (URPL 5060) and Planning Project Studio (URPL 6000) are the two core studio courses. These courses are a key part of the hands-on, real-world focus of the MURP program. This section provides more details on these unique core courses.
Planning Workshop is the introductory studio for MURP students offered each spring semester. Planning Workshop provides students an opportunity to address actual planning problems, issues, and processes; apply previously acquired knowledge and skills; and develop new knowledge and practical skills in an applied context.
Students will develop basic competence in accessing existing information, generating new information, and performing planning analysis and synthesis to inform and generate conceptual plans. Students will also learn the fundamentals of physical planning, understanding different geographic scales and site components, and how to illustrate physical plans and designs through various media and techniques. Through the Planning Workshop experience, students will develop an understanding of the relationship between planning theory and practice, and enhance their graphic, written, and oral communication capabilities.
Students will also receive introductory instruction in Trimble SketchUp, which complements the introductory instruction in Adobe Creative Cloud and ArcGIS Pro that students receive in the Planning Practice and Technology course. The integration and use of these common planning applications is a critical component of the Planning Workshop experience.
Planning Capstone/Planning Thesis
Planning Capstone is a six-credit, project-oriented, one-semester course that results in a substantial deliverable upon completion. The Capstone option is best suited for students who wish to pursue a career as a professional planner after graduation.
Alternatives
Within the Planning Capstone option are two alternatives: Independent Project and Small-Group Project.
If a student chooses the Planning Capstone > Independent Project path, he or she will work individually to complete a significant planning project or study for a real-world client. If a student chooses the Planning Capstone > Small-Group Project path, he or she must team up with one or two other students—forming a project team of no more than three people—to complete a significant planning project or study for a real-world client. However, each student must be individually responsible for a clearly defined component of the group project as each student will be graded independently for his or her work.
Requirements
During the semester before enrolling in Planning Capstone, students will be required to:
- Attend a mandatory Capstone Orientation to receive instruction and guidance on project planning and management
- Determine if they will be working independently or as part of a small group,
- Identify their Capstone client and project topic, and
- Begin preparing a detailed project prospectus (work plan, schedule, methodology, and deliverables).
Students must have a completed and approved project prospectus by the first week of their Capstone semester. Students may identify their own Planning Capstone client and project topic or they may select from a list of Capstone clients/projects that have been pre-arranged and approved by the MURP faculty.
During the Planning Capstone semester, students complete their project work while maintaining regular contact with their Capstone faculty advisor and client to ensure sufficient progress and work quality, as well as periodically meeting with other Capstone students to discuss common issues and challenges, share experiences, and receive continued instruction and guidance from the Capstone faculty on project management and methodologies. The Planning Capstone semester concludes with the submission of all deliverables and a formal presentation to the client.
Additional Info
For more information about Planning Capstone, students may request a copy of the Planning Capstone Handbook. Students will automatically receive a copy of the Handbook at the Capstone Orientation in the fall.
Elective Courses
Whereas the MURP core courses offer a broad survey of related planning topics to provide foundational knowledge, skills, and values, the elective courses offer a more intensive investigation into a diverse array of planning and design topics.
Click the link below to find brief descriptions of the MURP program’s elective courses that are regularly offered once a year in the Fall and Spring semesters, as well as elective courses that are intermittently offered—usually once every two years.
Disclaimer: All courses listed are subject to change given student interest, faculty availability, and other considerations. Additional electives will also be periodically offered as Special Topics courses. Not counting cross-listed courses (those provided by a different program but assigned a URPL course number), students may take up to two elective courses from other CU Denver programs and departments as qualifying MURP electives. We recommend consulting with your faculty advisor about these course decisions.
Elective Courses Regularly Offered - FALL
Please note: Courses an asterisk (*) are offered by other programs within the College or University but are cross-listed with a URPL course number as approved MURP courses. Courses with a double asterisk (**) are approved as advanced skills/methods electives.
Co-Instructors: Don Elliott, FAICP, and Tareq Wafaie, AICP
Syllabus: URPL 6200 Syllabus Fall 2021
This course will teach you how land development regulations can be used to implement comprehensive, neighborhood, corridor, housing, or redevelopment plans. You will learn the history of zoning, subdivision, planned development, historic preservation, and urban renewal laws and regulations, as well as current uses and emerging trends for each of those tools. The content includes the entire spectrum of possible approaches to regulation – including use-based, form-based, performance-based, and hybrid approaches to zoning.
In addition, this course will cover the basic legal limits of local development regulations and areas where local regulations are limited by state and federal laws and constitutions. Key focus areas include the equity and housing affordability impacts of different development regulations. This is a “tools” course designed to help students understand the differences, strengths, and weaknesses of different legal tools available to local governments and how they can be used in combination to achieve planning goals.
Students are urged to also take URPL 5020 (Planning Law and Institutions) which is a “law” course focusing on leading court decisions that affect the planning profession. Course requirements include in-class exercises, two short written assignments, a timed mid-term and final exam. Participation in class discussions is required and will constitute 20% of course grade.
URPL 6210 Planning Engagement **
Instructor: Rocky Piro, PhD, FAICP
Syllabus: URPL 6210 Planning Engagement Syllabus Fall 2021
This class introduces students to authentic public participation and genuine community engagement. A primary emphasis is on civic engagement and democratic practices that fully involve entire communities and work to build the capacity of community members. Authentic participation should occur throughout the planning process, from the initial identification of issues, through the decision-making process, and with implementation of actions.
The course explores the fundamentals of community and cultural values, social interactions, and learning styles; as well as understanding cultural barriers. Importance is placed on community engagement in communities of color, disadvantaged neighborhoods, and communities subjected to pollution, lack of investment, and gentrification. Social equity and environmental justice are investigated as integral parts of a sustainable framework for community empowerment around planning issues, including health and wellness, access to facilities and services, and community vibrancy.
URPL 6250 GIS for Urban Planning **
Instructor: Manish Shirgaokar
Syllabus: URPL 6250 GIS Syllabus Fall 2021
3 Credit Elective Course (Lecture/Lab)
This course will teach you how to interpret an urban issue using GIS, identify sources for evidence, and analyze geospatial information using ESRI’s ArcGIS Pro software. You will learn how to make technically accurate maps, use geoprocessing tools to address questions using vector and raster data, and utilize spatial analysis to provide insights for planning problems in the Denver Metropolitan Region.
Students take this course along with (or after) taking Planning Methods (URPL 5010). The first two thirds of the class sessions have brief lectures and technical labs linked to homework assignments. These labs increase in complexity and are designed to impart geospatial skills that will get you ready for the job market. A term project, in teams of two students, develops throughout the semester, and the last four sessions are dedicated to finishing analysis and writing. The final deliverable is a term project report.
Image Credit: Adison Petti, MURP Student
URPL 6265 Visualization for Planning **
Instructor: Samantha Suter
Syllabus: URPL 6265 Visualization For Planning Syllabus Fall 2021
This course teaches students key skills in visual communication for planning and design. Students will be provided instruction in the Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop) and Sketchup, and will learn how to use the programs in an effective, efficient manner. The class will include presentations, discussions, graphic software demonstrations, in-class exercises, individual desk critiques, and work submissions, and will culminate in students creating a portfolio of their work.
Key topics that will be covered in the class include infographics, logos, charts, document templates, page layouts, board layouts, color schemes, mapping at various scales, street sections, building massing and 3d renderings. Students should be ready to learn, practice, and spend time developing their graphic skills and individual style.
URPL 6350 City Design Fundamentals
Instructor: Ken Schroeppel
Syllabus: URPL 6350 City Design Fundamentals Syllabus Fall 2021
*Formerly the "Form and Formation of Cities" course
This course Investigates the historical roots, spatial patterns, and physical forms of cities and their evolution over time; the environmental, cultural, and economic forces influencing city design; and urban design as the nexus of the planning and design professions in contemporary city-building.
URPL 6399 Introduction to Sustainable Urban Infrastructure *
This course focuses on developing uniform vocabulary on sustainable infrastructure across science, technology, architecture and planning, public policy, and health and behavioral sciences. Students learn concepts, principles, and evaluation techniques for promoting the diffusion of sustainable urban infrastructures. Cross-listed as CVEN 5460.
URPL 6405 Urban Housing
Instructor: Jennifer Steffel Johnson
Syllabus: URPL 6405 Urban Housing Syllabus Fall 2021
This course addresses housing as a vital element of the urban fabric. We will examine the sociological, physical, economic, and political aspects of urban housing in the U.S. A few of the basic, big questions that guide the class include:
- Why do people live where they do? (demand-side factors)
- What housing gets built and why? (supply-side factors)
- In what ways does the U.S. housing system fail, and what are some solutions?
Developing creative design and policy solutions to complex problems such as housing requires effective collaboration between people with diverse skills and perspectives. Therefore, this class is intentionally interdisciplinary, including students from Urban & Regional Planning, Architecture, Public Administration, Public Health, and other disciplines. Through our weekly discussions and in-class activities, as well as our class projects, we will learn together and from each other.
In the first half of the semester, we will work in interdisciplinary teams to conduct background research for and participate in real-client affordable housing design charrettes that will take place in three Colorado locations in late September. In the second half of the semester, students will investigate a local housing issue of their interest, including both primary and secondary research, and produce a white paper that documents the issue and recommends solutions.
URPL 6560 Transit, Pedestrian, and Bicycle Planning
Instructor: Manish Shirgaokar
Syllabus: URPL 6560 Transit, Pedestrian, Bicycle Syllabus Fall 2021
To train you in the planning of transit, bicycling, or pedestrian infrastructure, we will go through the planning, operations, and analytical aspects of these modes with a focus on who rides, what are the constraints, and how to plan. In the first eight sessions, we will focus on bicycling and pedestrian networks, and shift to transit planning in the latter half of the course.
Students generally take this as a second course in a sequence if they want to develop expertise in transportation. The content is delivered through lectures by the instructor, coupled with 7-8 homework assignments to deepen insights and develop skills. A term project, in teams of 2-4 students, develops throughout the semester and is focused on the Denver Metropolitan Region. The final deliverable is a term project presentation and is aimed at an expert audience.
Photo Credit: Adam Copolla
URPL 6455 Real Estate Development and Finance
Instructor: Joel Starbuck
Syllabus: URPL 6455 Real Estate Development and Finance Syllabus Fall 2021
This course offers the student the opportunity to delve into the world of commercial and residential real estate. Topics you will learn include real estate law and contracts, development, and financial analysis. You will also study urban planning, affordable housing, and commercial development through the eyes of the investment community.
Students taking this course will tour an affordable housing project and have the opportunity to discuss the project with the developer onsite. The course also invites guest lecturers covering topics such as water rights, commercial development from the engineering viewpoint, and commercial property assessed clean energy (C-PACE) programs. In addition to in-depth homework assignments, the students will also participate in a group project designing and presenting a multi-use redevelopment project.
URPL 6500 Environmental Planning and Management
Instructor: Austin Troy
Syllabus: URPL 6500 Environment Planning Management Syllabus Fall 2021
This course covers topics related to the integration of environmental sustainability into urban and regional planning from the perspective of the natural/physical sciences on the one hand and policy, planning, and management on the other.
The course is split into two modules: terrestrial resources and water resources. We then focus on a variety of topics relevant to planners and urban/suburban contexts, within the terrestrial domain, including urban heat island management, habitat conservation, urban forestry and agriculture, endangered species management, fire-safe planning in the wildland-urban interface, brownfields remediation and community-based parks and open space planning. In the process we will cover some key pieces of legislation, such as the Endangered Species Act, NEPA and CERCLA.
The second module starts with the scientific fundamentals of surface and groundwater hydrology and then focuses on topics integrating water and planning, such as stormwater management, source water/ groundwater protection, residential water conservation, water supply management, water pollution control, and Clean Water Act compliance. Instruction in scientific principles is designed to convey key concepts and terminology that are essential for understanding the technical literature upon which environmental plans are built. Students apply this scientific literacy to address a planning problem in the final project.?
Throughout the course, students will learn a mix of the scientific fundamentals needed to understand professional documents, legal requirements, and planning best practices. Students will also learn about data sources for urban environmental data and how to analyze and present this data when environmentally characterizing sites.? This class involves several field trips that require some limited hiking, as well as class projects.
URPL 6600 Regional Growth and Equity
Instructor: Carrie Makarewicz
Syllabus: URPL-6600-001 Regional, Growth & Equity
Students will learn how metropolitan areas plan and act regionally for housing, transportation, jobs, and the environment through the regional coordination of local and state planning and policymaking, with a focus on equity and justice. They will learn the theory, history, and current state of regionalism in practice, the data and tools used for regional planning, and the politics of localism, and other influences on the process of planning beyond jurisdictional borders.
This is a seminar course with a mix of lecture, discussion (both student- and instructor-led), and hands-on learning. There is one major assignment scaffolded throughout the semester for which students select a case study region to analyze in parallel with the topics covered in the course, including regional planning history, theory, and methods, metropolitan morphologies, economic development and job markets, housing markets and affordable housing strategies, and environmental protection. Students will learn how to understand regional processes and systems, including social, political, and economic, and how to analyze various types of data at a regional scale.
URPL 6645 Disaster and Climate Change Planning
Instructor: Gretel Follingstad
Syllabus: URPL 6645: Disaster & Climate Change Planning
This course introduces students to concepts and debates that shape disaster and climate change studies. Features case studies of disaster and climatic issues affecting Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region. Looks specifically at how planning can reduce risk and increase local resilience.
Elective Courses Regularly Offered - SPRING
Please note: Courses with an asterisk (*) are offered by other programs within the College or University but are cross-listed with a URPL course number as approved MURP courses. Courses with a double asterisk (**) are approved as advanced skills/methods electives.
Instructor: Peter Park
Syllabus: URPL 6205 Plan Making Spring 2021
This course offers a broad overview of the various types of plans and the specific processes involved in their creation, including comprehensive plans; rural and small-town plans; corridor plans; small area plans; campus and institutional plans; special plans.
URPL 6225 Urban Policy Analytics **
Instructor: Dr. Manish Shirgaokar
Syllabus: URPL 6225 Urban Policy Analytics Syllabus Spring 2021
Term Paper Sample: URPL 6225 Urban Policy Analytics Term Paper Sample
This course will teach the statistical skills required to examine urban issues for designing policies. In half of the course, you will learn how to conduct statistical tests and run regressions for categorical (e.g., presence versus absence of pedestrian zones) and continuous (e.g., foot traffic volume) outcomes. In the other half, we will focus on learning about forecasting population and economic activity and thinking about research design.
Students take this course after taking Planning Methods (URPL 5010). We will work with cross-sectional (i.e., captured at one time) data and rely on R-Studio software. No prior experience with R-Studio is required. To succeed, you are required to keep up with the labs and homework, attend all lectures, and actively work with the instructor to develop your term paper. About two-thirds of the grade is based on lab assignments, while roughly a third is for the term paper.
URPL 6260 Advanced Geospatial Methods
Instructor: Dr. Austin Troy
Syllabus: URPL 6260 Advanced Geospatial Methods Syllabus Spring 2021
This is an advanced GIS techniques course for students who already have a solid grounding in ArcGIS or ArcGIS Pro. It consists of both lectures on theoretical topics in Geographic Information Science as well as a weekly computer lab covering GIS techniques.
The course labs are divided into three thematic modules: 1) geoprocessing, 2) automation, and 3) visualization.
The first module builds on tools that students typically learn in their introductory GIS class to teach advanced methods for doing multi-layer analyses, including vector geoprocessing, raster overlay, viewshed, network analysis, topology, and spatial statistics. The second module teaches students how to automate, simplify, and share complex and repetitive processes using model builder, iterators, and basic Python scripting. And the third module instructs students on topics including basic imagery classification, LiDAR processing and visualization, and 3D urban modeling with City Engine.
Throughout the semester students will also learn about theoretical topics in geo-spatial sciences, such as spatial reference systems. In addition to the weekly labs, students have a midterm exam and a final project that is meant to simulate a real-world GIS consulting report.
URPL 6355 Urban Redevelopment Strategies
Instructors: Marilee Utter and Brad Segal
Syllabus: URPL 6355 Urban Redevelopment Strategies Syllabus Spring 2022
With instructors bringing more than 60 years of combined experience in the urban economic development field, this class features experiential learning showcasing Denver as a working laboratory for best practices and case studies. We will explore a variety of influences that guide the success and failure of real estate development projects, including market considerations, political realities, financing tools, and public/private partnerships. Understanding the business of development will be a focus in this class because the private sector ultimately leads the way in implementing plans and designs.
Topics to be explored include:
- An understanding of real estate development principles and economic development finance tools for projects, infrastructure, and commercial districts
- The local, regional and national political influences that shape projects and districts
- The physical site constraints and opportunities that shape projects and districts
- The importance of leveraging resources and creating viable public/private partnerships
- The role of private developers, planners, and economic development professionals in guiding projects and districts to success and/or failure.
Classes will include interactive guest panels and periodic site tours. Readings will be topical and often include case studies from current projects and events. Students will be evaluated on a combination of class participation, critical thinking, a midterm project, and a final project.
URPL 6365 Parks and Public Spaces
Instructor: Dillon McBride
Syllabus: URPL 6365 Parks and Public Spaces Syllabus Spring 2021
This seminar introduces students to the design, management, and maintenance of parks and public spaces. The course will examine how design of parks and public space interact to shape access to, inclusion in, and exclusion from, public spaces. We will examine public space theory with a particular emphasis on how space is deeply revealing of how we think about notions of democracy, diversity, and equity. We will focus on multiple layers of public space, from regional parks and open space to community parks and plazas to sidewalks to streets.
Throughout the course, we will alternate between issues and methods. So, one week we will discuss issues relevant to public space planning in the 21st century such as environmental justice, the economic value of parks, parks as resilient infrastructure, or the privatization of public space, and the next we’ll discuss design techniques or participant observation methods.
Each week in this discussion-based, hands-on, interactive course, students will examine key case studies, hear from guest lecturers, or conduct site visits to public spaces. Site visits will be optional and subject to COVID-19 restrictions.
URPL 6400 Community Development
Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Steffel Johnson
Syllabus: URPL 6400 Community Development Syllabus Spring 2021
In this introduction to the field of community development, we will investigate the multiple meanings of key ideas such as “community” and “development,” and explore the ways that planners and related professionals can impact communities. The principles of equity and social justice are foundational in this course, and students will be challenged to reflect on some of their own experiences and perceptions.
Class discussions will probe key theories, methods, and practices of community development and their application in historic and contemporary contexts. We will explore the physical and social factors that (dis)connect communities, planning practices that spark or impede development, the privileging of different forms of capital, and the challenges of balancing professional expertise with community empowerment. We will investigate equitable and effective techniques for engaging with diverse community members.
Using some of these participation techniques, coupled with other primary and secondary research, students will apply their understanding of the physical and social components of community development to complete a project with a local community.
URPL 6555 Transportation, Land Use, and the Environment
Instructor: Dr. Manish Shirgaokar
Syllabus: URPL 6555 Transportation, Land Use, and the Environment Syllabus Spring 2021
Term Paper Sample: URPL 6225 Term Paper Sample
This course is an introduction to the planning and policy aspects of transportation. It is a survey of the transportation planning field that will give you the foundation to understand what various modes of transportation do for society—both in terms of benefits and costs.
Students are trained in thinking about transportation in relation to land use and environmental considerations. Students generally take this as an introductory course in a sequence if they want to develop expertise in transportation. Half the class time is focused on the instructor’s lecture on the weekly topic. The other half is a student-led seminar and discussion on the weekly topic. There are 2-3 assignments to impart specific skills to students. The final deliverable is a term paper that is developed throughout the semester in consultation with the instructor.
URPL 6615 Rural, Small Town, and Tourism Planning
Instructor: Korkut Onaran, Ph.D.
Syllabus: URPL 6615 Rural, Small Town, and Tourism Planning Syllabus Fall 2019
This course focuses on small town and tourism planning comprehensively within the cultural, social, spatial, and economic contexts of the region, urban clusters, and the small town. It reviews global trends, national policies, and local planning processes through case studies from various parts of the globe. It explores the conceptual tools of reading and evaluating impacts of tourism developments and global transformations on local economies and on life in public realm in small towns. It focuses on issues of cultural identity, authenticity, and financial autonomy within the framework of the recent trends of slow food, slow money and slow city. The final section of the course focuses on the climate crisis and reviews most recent ideas about adaptation.
Key concepts of the course are authenticity, third place, loose space, vernacular, urban farming, eco-tourism, food tourism, garden tourism, diversification of the local economy, slow money, slow food, slow city, traffic calming, climate crisis, localization, and adaptation.
URPL 6650 International Development Planning
Instructor: Chris Allan
International Development Planning: Theory and Practice?introduces students to the histories, debates, actors, and approaches that shape development planning and practice in the Global South. The course will take a largely practitioner’s view of the field, focusing on how people “doing development” view their work and what tools they use. The course will review shifting approaches over the past half-century, and introduce the basic planning and evaluation tools in use today. It will also look at alternative views of development paradigms, including feminist, Indigenous, human rights, and environmental approaches to the issues.
The course will use a combination of classic and contemporary readings, online resources, and guest lectures from specialists. Some class sessions will be done in a workshop format, with students taking on various roles of development practitioners. Class participation will be very important, in that the most valuable learning opportunities will involve engaging actively in the methods and concepts presented.
URPL 6805 Planning Internship: Experiential Education
Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Steffel Johnson
Syllabus: URPL 6805 Planning Internship: Experiential Education Syllabus Spring 2021
In the MURP program, we believe that the best way for students to understand the complexities, challenges, and potentials of the planning profession is to actually experience it. The purpose of doing an internship is to have the opportunity to merge your academic, classroom-based education with a professional workplace experience. URPL 6805 primarily consists of on-site employment for a planning-related organization.
However, the difference between an internship and a part-time job is that an internship is specifically intended to be a learning experience. To facilitate this learning, the class supplements your work experience with weekly, brief reflective essay assignments. The coursework will enable you to maximize the personal and professional development your internship affords. You should gain a clearer understanding of the art and science of urban and regional planning, the planning profession, and your own career and personal development path.
Elective Courses Regularly Offered - Summer
GIS for Urban Planning and Visualization for Planning are offered in the Fall and Summer semesters.
This course introduces students to the hardware, theory, and skills required to use a Geographical Information System (GIS). In this course, students will learn how to use GIS software to manage, analyze, map, and present spatial data to support the planning and design processes.
URPLE 6265 Visualization for Planning
This course covers visual design theory and advanced instruction in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign to create compelling infographics, renderings, and reports, as well as advanced instruction in Trimble SketchUp to create 3D visualizations at multiple urban scales.
Cross-Listed Elective Courses
These courses focus on planning-related topics within disciplines such as urban design, landscape architecture, public administration, business, and civil engineering.
This course introduces the knowledge and skills of Project Management. Emphasis is on the entire project life cycle, the project management process, and knowledge areas. Managerial aspects, quantitative tools, and traditional techniques of Project Management will be covered. Cross-listed with BANA 6650.
URPL 6299 Intro to Smart Cities
Instructor: John Tolva
Syllabus: URPL 6800 Introduction to Smart Cities Syllabus Spring 2021
A smart city is the introduction at-scale of connectivity and technological innovation that can address everything from infrastructure management and efficiency to service delivery and our overall empowerment as urban citizens. A truly smart city is defined by good governance; the seamless integration of analog and digital technologies; balanced and equitable outcomes for all members of the community; and a fundamental rethinking of how to create the city of the future.
Cities have a challenge, however, they are built and maintained for decades while technology is changing daily. How will policies adapt to these new technologies and address concerns about privacy, security, and equity? How do policymakers and the private sector work together to define a shared vision and work together to meet these desired outcomes when the tools and models are evolving faster than the government? What does it mean for the government to become a platform for innovation when its reputation is anything but innovative? This course will explore some of the most change-making technological innovations in the 21st century and their impact on public policy in cities through a survey of best practices, model policies, and lessons learned from cities across the United States and the globe.
URPL 6395 Urban Design Economics and Equity
This course explores the economics of urban design through private-sector real estate development, public-sector infrastructure, and budgetary/fiscal constraints on implementation while emphasizing the critical role of urban design in advocating for social equity, affordable housing, and related issues. Cross-listed with URBN 6625.
URPL 6396 Urban Design and the Environment
This course explores the relationship between urban design and the natural environment. Students learn how to design sustainable public spaces, promote environmental resilience, combat climate change, and foster environmental justice and healthy communities through urban design. Cross-listed with URBN 6650.
URPL 6397 Design Policy, Process, and Regulation
This course investigates the role of urban designers in shaping the built environment through physical intervention and policy development. Students review urban economic and real estate trends and access zoning/land use regulations to understand impacts on built environment quality. Cross-listed with URBN 6550.
URPL 6399 Sustainable Urban Infrastructure
This course focuses on developing uniform vocabulary on sustainable infrastructure across science, technology, architecture and planning, public policy, and health and behavioral sciences. Students learn concepts, principles, and evaluation techniques for promoting sustainable urban infrastructure. Cross-listed with CVEN 5460.
URPL 6547 Urban Ecology
This course covers ecological principles as applied to urban systems (lecture portion) and students will do an intensive study, presentation, and discussion on the urban ecological topic of their choosing (seminar portion). Cross-listed with LDAR 6655.
URPL 6598 Traffic Impact Assessment
This course covers transportation impact studies, methods to perform trip generation, distribution, and traffic assignment for impact analysis of transportation impacts on residential communities, mode choice, regional business, travel times, noise, safety, parking, and pedestrians. Cross-listed with CVEN 5612.
Preview Electives
Listen to our faculty talk about elective course offerings and answer student questions.
Potential Focus Areas
Through our self-directed elective curriculum, students have the ability to craft a MURP degree suited to their career goals and personal interests. Students may choose any combination of elective courses, whether oriented towards a traditional planning field such as “Transportation Planning,” a customized emphasis on a unique planning niche, or a general survey of diverse planning topics (i.e. no specialization at all). Students are not required to identify or pursue any type of planning specialization unless they want to
(specializations do not appear on transcripts). Ultimately, students may choose whichever combination of elective courses they desire.
However, for those students who may want to focus their electives on a specific aspect of planning, we've identified below six common planning “focus areas” and a selection of MURP elective courses that would provide excellent coverage of each focus area. Again, these are not prescribed or required, just suggested combinations of electives related to each focus area for students who may be interested. Additional relevant courses may also be found within and outside of the MURP program.
The most helpful resource for assisting students in choosing their self-directed path through the MURP program is the planning faculty. Students should not hesitate to reach out to any faculty member for advice about which electives to take or any topic relating to the MURP program or careers in planning. For more information, see Advising.
| Introductory Electives | Advanced Skills/Methods Electives | Specialized Electives |
| URPL 6555 Transportation, Land Use, and Environment |
URPL 6225 Urban Policy Analytics |
URPL 6260 Advanced Geospatial Methods |
| URPL 6560 Transit, Pedestrian, and Bicycle Planning |
URPL 6250 GIS for Urban Planning |
URPL 6399 Intro to Sustainable Urban Infrastructure |
| URPL 6550 Transportation Planning and Policy |
||
| URPL 6600 Regional Growth and Equity |
Notes:
- Only one advanced skills/methods elective is necessary to meet the requirement.
- URPL 6260 - Advanced Geospatial Methods would be an effective specialized elective under any focus area.
- URPL 6800 - Special Topics courses are routinely offered by the MURP program that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area.
- Students may discover courses offered by other programs in the university that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area. Consult
