Web Site: http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/dept-pages/urban/urbanpag.html
Major requirements in urban studies can be completed only through daytime attendance.
Program Director: Richard Harris, Public Policy and Administration
Professors:
Michael Lang, B.A., Drew; M.S., Ph.D., London School of Economics
Jon Van Til, B.A., Swarthmore College; M.A., North Carolina; Ph.D., California (Berkeley)
The
program in urban studies and metropolitan planning is concerned with
the study and resolution of societal problems from an interdisciplinary
base. The program is small, and individual attention to students is a
point of pride among its faculty.
A common core of required
courses provides the student with an understanding of the challenges
and opportunities facing our major urban communities and
institutions. This core is supplemented by seven concentrations;
the urban studies program offers two of these and other
departments offer the rest. These concentrations allow students
to develop specialized competencies in a variety of urban fields.
The
core of required courses provides the student with knowledge
appropriate to the urban generalist. These courses promote
understanding of many professional and community planning approaches
aimed at resolving urban and metropolitan problems. The concentrations
provide in-depth training appropiate to preprofessionals. Field
experience and training are major components of these concentrations.
Both
majors and minors can fulfill program requirements by participating in
a combination of the two concentrations within the urban studies
program and the five interdisciplinary concentrations. The two
concentrations offered by the program are:
Voluntary Action and Nonprofit Organization
Students
enrolled in this concentration learn skills of community development
practice as applied to the voluntary and nonprofit sectors of
society. This includes such groups as neighborhood organizations,
nonprofit organizations, and a wide variety of social service
organizations.
Urban and Regional Planning
Students
enrolled in this concentration will learn about the profession of urban
and regional land use planning. Students will be exposed to a
wide variety of physical and environmental planning issues and
problems. They will learn about the array of methods and
techniques employed by planners in their work. The
planning concentration emphasizes practical experience with
a rich diversity of planning applications in the city of Camden, as
well as the Delaware Valley region. Planning concentration
students are strongly encouraged to spend time during one term in a
professional planning office in the public or private
sector. Students also are strongly encouraged to take
50:920:301 Methods and Techniques of Social Research.
The program offers a diverse range of other options to students, including:
1.
Double majors, which allow the student to develop an urban studies
major in addition to a major in another discipline or professional
field.
2. Minors complete six courses in the program and should arrange their program in consultation with the program director.
3.
Cooperative projects between faculty and students involving research,
evaluation, and fieldwork characterize much of the department's
activity. A multipath approach aims to create a learning environment in
which a community of scholars engages in problem solving.
4. Urban and Regional Planning Certificate:
Students must take seven courses (21 credits) in urban and regional
planning to earn the certificate. These courses are intended to
meet the academic eligibility requirements established by the New
Jersey State Board of Professional Planners for the state examination
for licensed professional planners. Please contact the program
director for further information regarding this professional license.
Program requirements are under review and may change in the
future. It is the responsibility of all majors to keep informed
of any changes to the program by visiting the Urban Studies web site or
contacting the program director.
