Phase I: The Core Curriculum
The core curriculum defines the intellectual foundation of the program. While
the program retains considerable flexibility in defining a research agenda
within the broad umbrella of urban and environmental planning and policy,
it provides a common foundation for all students to build upon. The following
are the core curriculum requirements. Students enter the program with a Masters
degree, in fields ranging from planning and public affairs to natural and
social sciences. Depending on the academic preparation of the student prior
to matriculation, the core requirements can be met within one to two years.
Previous coursework could be used as a basis to waive specific course requirements.
A course waiver can be obtained, if both the primary advisor of the student
and the Program Director approve it. Courses listed below that are aimed principally
at masters students will need to be supplemented to address more advanced
requirements for doctoral students, until such time as more advanced courses
can be offered.
Advisory Committee
An advisor is assigned to each student at the time of their enrollment,
and the student is expected to coordinate with their Advisor to add two additional
members to their Advisory Committee by the end of the fall quarter to oversee
their progress through phase 1 of the program and to provide mentoring.
The committee membership may be changed at any time in phase 1, based on agreement
by the student and faculty. Committees must consist of at least three
members of the Interdisciplinary Group, and represent at least two academic
departments.
Required Courses
Phase I requirements involve 5 courses, and should be completed during the first year, unless schedule conflicts make this infeasible. Courses from Phase II requirements may also be taken in the first year, to accelerate completion of the curriculum requirements.
Core Sequence
| URBDP 591 | Advanced Research Design | |
| UDBDP 592 | Advanced Planning Theory | |
| URBDP 593 | Interdisciplinary Urban Research Seminar |
Restricted Electives (before completion of Phase I)
Qualitative Research Methods - Choose one of the following, with potential for substitution of alternative courses at an equivalent or more advanced level:
| URBDP 598 | Qualitative Research Methods | |
| GEOG 425 | Qualitative Methodology in Geography | |
| HIST 598 | Methods of Historical Research | |
| HSERV 526 | Qualitative Research Methods for Public Health | |
| POL S 493 | Qualitative Research Methods |
Spring Quantitative Research Methods - Choose one of the following, with potential for substitution of alternative courses at an equivalent or more advanced level:
| CS&SS 594C | Multivariate Data Analysis for Social Sciences | |
| CS&SS 504 | Applied Regression | |
| CEE 584 | Analytic Methods in Transportation |
Note: for students needing a refresher in mathematics, the following one-credit course would be a useful refresher before taking one of the courses above:
| CS&SS 505 | Review of Mathematics for Social Scientists |
| CS&SS 506 | Computer Environments for the Social Sciences |
Evaluation
of Phase I
The procedure for evaluation of Phase
I work and the decision to advance a student to Phase II will be based on
a portfolio of the work completed in required courses in Phase I that includes:
1) The papers prepared by the
student in these courses,
2) Written evaluations by the instructors of these courses and by the student's
advisory committee, that address the potential for the student to successfully
complete the requirements for the program.
3) A Prospectus and Plan of Study for Phase II prepared by the student and
approved by the student's Advisory Committee that describes the general research
area and fields of study the student wishes to pursue and the courses the
student intends to take in Phase II, and
4) A designation of a Supervisory Committee to mentor the student during Phase
II