Urban Planning (MUP)

Urban Planning (MUP) Website
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Program Description

Confront today's urban challenges by learning the policy, management, and finance skills essential for designing vibrant and dynamic cities in the 21st century.

The world is becoming more urbanized, and cities are growing denser and more diverse. It's exciting—it's also challenging. From transportation to environment, and crime to education, urban issues are complex because they're interrelated. NYU Wagner gives you the unique opportunity to study urban planning in the context of these issues, within a school of public service. You'll interact with people from other disciplines who are grappling with these real-world social, cultural, and economic issues. And there's no better place than NYC to learn what happens when ideas meet messy urban realities. The skills and insights you'll gain here and the multidisciplinary toolkit you'll build with core courses in finance, policy, and management are what you need to design more livable and sustainable cities—anywhere in the world.

Program Highlights

  • A unique blend of planning, management, finance, and policy that prepares you to address financial constraints and resource limitations, and also market realities and political hurdles—the difference between beautiful designs and real impact.
  • A responsive program that adapts to evolving urban challenges and provides the full set of skills for you to grapple with them.
  • A tight-knit and energized student community with the resources of a larger school.
  • Flexibility for full- or part-time students, with options to switch between the two. Earn your degree in two years full-time, or 3-4 years part-time.

Specializations

The Urban Planning MUP offers the following specializations:

City and Community Planning

Cities and communities are becoming more innovative: they are using data to optimize services and local decision-making, even as they are being forced to reexamine complex historical and contemporary realities in ways that may generate new institutional arrangements for improved urban development. At the same time, the need to better incorporate community-level dynamics that influence planning processes are more salient than ever. With the skills and knowledge gained in the City and Community Planning specialization, you can be part of this. You will learn the foundation of urban economics, urban planning practice and methods, and spatial analysis, while also developing an in-depth understanding of people’s lived experiences in their communities and the policy considerations that come to bear on planning outcomes.

As a graduate, you'll have the public service orientation necessary to make a long-term impact, whether working in and with government agencies, community-based nonprofits, or public-private partnerships.

International Development Planning

When “the greater good” has global proportions, how do you balance the needs and values of all the people involved? We’ll help you answer that. Whether you’re interested in planning for the multinational cities of tomorrow or the developing economies of today, we’ll prepare you to juggle the complexities of work with and across governments, NGOs, and international development agencies—and anything else the world ends up throwing your way.

Admissions

Admission to the MUP program requires the following:

  • Online Application
  • Essays
  • Resume
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • Interview (by invitation only)
  • Standardized Test Scores
  • Application Fee

 See MUP Application Checklist for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.

International Applicants should review the International Applicant Checklist for a complete and comprehensive list of application requirements and instructions.

Dual-Degree Option

With NYU's School of Law, NYU Wagner offers a dual-degree JD-MUP program. Whether you see yourself pursuing public interest law, writing legislation, or running an agency or organization, you’ll find the focus you need through this full-time, four-year, dual-degree program. You’ll walk away with a vast toolkit of analytical skills, ready to lead programs and institutions that create a positive impact. Please note that entry to this program requires separate application and admission to each participating school.