Listed below are the requirements for the Urban Studies major. In addition to the requirements for the major, students must also satisfy all university and college general degree requirements. Degree requirements will vary depending on when you took your first college class. We encourage you to consult your advisor regularly to ensure you stay on track towards earning your degree. You can read more about the degree requirements on the L&S Degree Requirements web pages. 

Urban StudiesÌýMajor Requirements

Four required urban studies courses form the foundation of the major: , a core course in which students conduct service learning by working in an urban organization or agency; one of two urban studies survey courses; a theory course on urbanism and urbanization; and a capstone course () taken in the senior year. Students also take a statistics course, which is a standard requirement for social science majors. In addition, students complete five elective courses selected from urban studies and approved courses in the affiliated areas. Student internships ( or ) are encouraged strongly. Students also are encouraged to participate in and present at various urban studies-sponsored events, such as the annual Urban Studies Student Research Forum conference and the Urban Studies State of Milwaukee Summit, and to contribute to the epolis ejournal (currently, each issue includes one paper from an undergraduate).

To declare a major in Urban Studies, students can complete the declaration form on the Urban Studies websiteÌýwhich will be followed by an appointment with the Urban Studies Associate Director to review needed courses and plan upcoming semesters.

Course of Study

The Urban Studies major requires a minimum of 30-31 credits, including at least 18 credits in the College of Letters and Science with coursework from at least two L&S departments. No more than 9 credits in a single curricular area outside of urban studies may count toward the major. , which is jointly offered in the Urb Std curricular area, will count as an Urb Std course for this purpose. Students must complete at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 and above) L&S courses for the major in residence at 51ÁÔÆæ. In addition, students must attain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all 51ÁÔÆæ credits attempted for the major. The College of Letters and Science also requires that students attain a 2.0 GPA in all major credits attempted, including any transfer work. The following are required:

Electives

15 credits selected from the following courses or other appropriate courses approved by the program director. (No more than nine credits from the same department outside of urban studies may apply to the 30- or 31-credit minimum in the major.)

Career intro. You’ll also find a note I wrote to you about there being two career pages. One for undergrads and one for grads. I don’t know if that needs to be addressed here in the intro or not.

Overview

The program consists of three years of undergraduate study and two years of graduate study.

The total number of credits for the BA-Urban Studies is 120 and the total number of credits for the Master of Urban Planning (MUP) is 48 credits. The Accelerated Master of Urban Planning will utilize 9 forward-shared and 21 backward-shared credits. Ìý

• Forward-shared courses are taken at the graduate level while the student is in their undergraduate career, and may be applied to the MUP in Urban Planning upon admission into the Graduate School. In accordance with existing Graduate School policy, students must earn a B or higher in the course (B- is not acceptable). See the Benchmark area for all approved Urban Studies U/G courses.Ìý
• Backward-shared courses are taken at the graduate level while the student is in their graduate career, and may be applied to the BA in Urban Studies upon completion of the course. This includes all approved Urban Planning graduate courses.

Advising

The Urban Studies Associate Director/Undergraduate Studies Coordinator will be responsible for advising students in the accelerated BA in Urban Studies/Master of Urban Planning.

The Urban Planning Graduate Advisor will be responsible for tracking and advising graduate students applying to and admitted by the Graduate School as part of the accelerated BA in Urban Studies/Master of Urban Planning.

Admission to the professional phase of the Master of Urban Planning is selective and occurs in December-January of the junior (3rd) year.ÌýStudents should apply by December 15th to be considered for funding and priority registration.

Students who do not satisfactorily meet admissions criteria for the Master of Urban Planning may continue with their BA undergraduate degree in Urban Studies.

Advancement to Major/Admission

Undergraduate Requirements

Interested students must meet with an academic advisor to determine eligibility for the accelerated graduate degree. The Accelerated Master of Urban Planning requires students meet the following criteria:

• Minimum 51ÁÔÆæ cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.
• Completion of all General Education Requirements (GER).
• Junior standing.
• Declaration of major in Urban Studies with the intent to apply for the Accelerated Master of Urban Planning degree.

Students must meet these requirements before taking any graduate (G) level classes as an undergraduate student.

Approved enrollment into graduate level course work during an undergraduate career does not guarantee admission to the Master of Urban Planning as part of the accelerated Master of Urban Planning program. These courses fulfill requirements for the BA in Urban Studies, regardless of acceptance into Graduate School.

Graduate Admissions Requirements

Admission to the professional phase of the Master of Urban Planning is selective and occurs in December-January of the junior (3rd) year.ÌýTo be considered for admission into the Graduate School prior to completing their bachelor's degree, a student must meet the criteria for admission established by the MUP and the 51ÁÔÆæ Graduate School, and be in progress to complete 99 bachelor's credits prior to their first term as a graduate student. In addition, admission to the MUP requires:

• A cumulative 51ÁÔÆæ grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.
• Three letters of recommendation.

Double Counted Courses

This accelerated graduate degree program involves the following bachelor's and master's degrees: Urban Studies (USP), BA and Urban Planning MUP. There are 9 forward-shared credits and 21 backward-shared credits for a total of 30 shared credits.

Eligible Forward-shared Courses

Courses must be taken at the graduate (G) level and will count toward the MUP graduate requirement, and will also fulfill the Urban Studies major requirements.

Eligible Backward-shared Courses

These courses fulfill College of Letters & Sciences (L&S) electives for the undergraduate degree (a maximum of 30 credits outside of L&S may be counted toward the L&S BA).

Students are encouraged to supplement their classroom learning with experiential learning through relevant part-time jobs or internships. Experiential learning is built into the curriculum of the AMD but additional experiences will enhance a resume and better prepare students for their first professional job.   

We encourage you to begin exploring career options when you declare your major or at the start of your sophomore year, whichever comes first.

Admission ¸é±ð±ç³Ü¾±°ù±ð³¾±ð²Ô³Ù²õÌý

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program, please review the for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.

Admission

An applicant must meetÌýÌýplus the following requirement to be considered for admission:

• Undergraduate major in one of the social sciences or experience in relevant occupational roles such as planning, community organization or social work.
• Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic ability. Recommendation forms may be obtained online from theÌýUrban Studies Programs website.
• A letter of intent (reason statement) outlining the applicant's reasons for graduate study.

Applicants may be admitted with specific program-defined course deficiencies provided that the deficiencies amount to no more than two courses.

The student is expected to satisfy deficiency requirements within three enrolled semesters. The deficiencies are monitored by the Graduate School and the individual graduate program unit. No course credits earned in making up deficiencies may be counted as program credits required for the degree.

Credits and Courses

The minimum degree requirement is 30 graduate credits. Students must earn at least 15 of their 30 credits in courses numbered 700 or above. All Urban Studies students are required to take a core curriculum of 15 credits.

Students may opt to enroll in URBÌýSTDÌý990 and earn up to 3 credits toward the MS degree for their paper/thesis research and writing.

Application to all graduate programs are completed through the 51ÁÔÆæ Graduate School. Please see their website for detailed information about the application process and contact them with questions.

We also have provided information about applying to one of the Urban Studies graduate programs and our admissions criteria:

How to apply for the MS in Urban Studies

Teaching and Research Assistantships are the primary form of financial support for sociology graduate students. These positions provide a salary and tuition remission. Some small scholarships are also available. Click below for more details.

Admission ¸é±ð±ç³Ü¾±°ù±ð³¾±ð²Ô³Ù²õÌý

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program, please review the for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.

Credits and Courses

Students in the MS/MLIS program follow all of the requirements and standards as described in this section of the catalog with the following joint exceptions: 21 of the 24 credits, including the optional 3 credits for a master’s thesis, required for the Urban Studies portion of the joint degree are taken within USP. All courses in related areas and any exceptions to the 21 credit rule must be reviewed by the Coordinator of Urban Studies. All courses selected are expected to be consistent with the objectives of the Urban Studies program.

Urban Studies

The minimum degree requirement is 30 graduate credits. All Urban Studies students are required to take a core curriculum of 15 credits:

Students may opt to enroll inÌýURBÌýSTDÌý990Ìýand earn up to 3 credits toward the MS degree for their paper/thesis research and writing.

Basic Required MLIS Courses

Important

You must refer to the catalog pages of both individual master's programs to ensure that you meet all requirements for both degrees.

Application to all graduate programs are completed through the 51ÁÔÆæ Graduate School. Please see their website for detailed information about the application process and contact them with questions.

We also have provided information about applying to one of the Urban Studies graduate programs and our admissions criteria:

How to apply for the MS/MLIS in Urban Studies

Teaching and Research Assistantships are the primary form of financial support for sociology graduate students. These positions provide a salary and tuition remission. Some small scholarships are also available. Click below for more details.

Application to all graduate programs are completed through the 51ÁÔÆæ Graduate School. Please see their website for detailed information about the application process and contact them with questions.

We also have provided information about applying to one of the Urban Studies graduate programs and our admissions criteria:

How to apply for the PhD in Urban Studies

Admission ¸é±ð±ç³Ü¾±°ù±ð³¾±ð²Ô³Ù²õÌý

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program, please review the for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.

Admission

An applicant must meetÌýGraduate School requirements, hold a master’s degree or the equivalent in a social science or a related field, and meet the criteria established by the Urban Studies Programs Faculty to be considered for admission:

1. Three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic work. Recommendation forms may be obtained online from the link above.
2. A sample of the applicant’s written work that demonstrates the applicant’s ability to conduct independent social science research and/or the ability to critically analyze the work of others.
3. A letter of intent outlining the applicant’s reasons for graduate study.
4. A response to a question that elucidates the applicant’s reasons for taking up the academic study of urban affairs and describes their intellectual ambitions in the field.

Credits and Courses

Minimum degree requirement is 33 credits beyond the master’s degree; these credits include core courses, a methodological specialization, a topical specialization, and a dissertation. At least 27 credits must be earned in 51ÁÔÆæ courses while in the doctoral program. Credits for the methodological specialization and the topical specialization combined must total at least 15 credits, with 6 credits from one area and 9 from the other. Students will decide, in consultation with their advisor, whether to focus more on methods or on topics. In consultation with their major professor and the program director, students must develop a plan of study, which should be filed in the USP office by the end of the second semester of enrollment.

¹

Qualified students may be exempted from the quantitative competency/statistics course, but they must take an additional three credits of electives in methodological or topical tracks.

Methodological Specialization (6-9 credits)

Students must declare one specialization from the following list and take two to three courses, for a total of 6 to 9 credits. Credits taken in the methodological specialization and the topical specialization combined must total at least 15 credits.

Statistical Analysis/Quantitative Research Design (2 course minimum)

A methodological specialization in statistical analysis requires SOCIOLÌý982/URBÌýSTDÌý982 and at least one additional statistical/quantitative course beyond the core competency. This course, selected in consultation with the student’s advisor, should support research objectives and dissertation goals. Students are recommended to choose SOCIOLÌý760 above if they wish to take SOCIOLÌý982/URBÌýSTDÌý982. See the Graduate Program Director for a list of qualifying courses.

Geographical Information Systems (2 course minimum)

A methodological specialization in GIS requires the following two courses. Students who elect this specialization must take GEOGÌý547 to complete the statistical/quantitative core competency.

Students who elect the GIS option earn 8 credits in the two required courses and must complete a minimum of 7 credits in topical courses or take one additional methods course with 6 credits in topical courses.

Optional additional coursework in GIS may be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor, with consideration of research objectives and dissertation goals. See the Graduate Program Director for a list of suggested courses.

Historical Methods (2 course minimum)

In consultation with their advisor, students who elect this specialization must select two historical methods courses that support research objectives and dissertation goals. See the Graduate Program Director for a list of qualifying courses.

Qualitative Methods (2 course minimum)

Students who elect the methodological specialization in qualitative methods select two courses in consultation with their advisor in support of research objectives and dissertation goals. See the Graduate Program Director for a list of qualifying courses.

Program/Policy Evaluation (2 course minimum)

A methodological specialization in program/policy evaluation requires PUBÌýADMÌý769 and at least one additional program/policy evaluation course. This course, selected in consultation with the student’s advisor, should support research objectives and dissertation goals. See the Graduate Program Director for a list of qualifying courses.

Mixed Methods (2 course minimum)

Graduate students intending to pursue mixed research methods in their dissertation must file with the USP a plan of study created in consultation with their major professor and the Program Director.

Topical Specialization (6-9 credits)

Students must declare a topical specialization, in consultation with their advisor, to gain competence in one of the faculty areas of specialization and must take two to three courses in that specialization, for a total of 6 to 9 credits. Students who opt for 6 credits (two courses) of methodological specialization must take at least 9 credits of topical specialization courses. Those who select 9 credits (three courses) of methodological specialization must complete 6 credits of topical specialization courses.

A variety of specializations and qualifying courses are published annually on the . Students are required to take 6-9 credits at the 700 level or above in the specialization field, no more than 3 credits of which may be in independent study courses. With the approval of the major professor or program director, students may take up to 3 credits in U/G courses.

Thesis (6 credits)

A maximum of 6 credits in doctoral thesis or dissertation courses may be counted toward the 33 credits required for the degree.

Additional Requirements

Residence

The PhD student may meet the residence requirement by completing 8 or more graduate credits in each of two consecutive semesters, exclusive of summer sessions, or by completing at least 6 graduate credits in each of three consecutive semesters, exclusive of summer sessions.

Doctoral Preliminary Examination

The student must pass a doctoral preliminary examination to qualify for formal admission to candidacy for the degree.

Dissertation

The candidate, working under the supervision of the major professor and the candidate’s dissertation committee, must write a dissertation which demonstrates ability to formulate a research topic and pursue original investigation.

Dissertation Defense

The candidate must, as a final step toward the degree, pass an oral examination in defense of the dissertation.

Time Limit

All degree requirements must be completed within ten years from the date of initial enrollment in the doctoral program.

For additional information on the PhD, see theÌýGraduate School Doctoral Requirements page.Ìý

Teaching and Research Assistantships are the primary form of financial support for sociology graduate students. These positions provide a salary and tuition remission. Some small scholarships are also available. Click below for more details.

Requirements

1. Completion of 18 credits in approved urban studies courses with a minimum GPA of 2.500.
2. Completion of Ìý(Exploring the Urban Environment), Ìý(First-Year Seminar), or Ìý(Perspectives on the Urban Scene).
3. Of the 18 credits:
   1. 6 must be in the humanities;
   2. 6 in the social sciences; and
   3. 9 must be at the 300 level or above taken in residence at 51ÁÔÆæ.Ìý
4. No more than 9 credits from any one department outside Urban Studies may count toward the certificate.
5. A maximum of 6 credits in independent study may be taken. In the senior year, a student may plan an independent study course to synthesize previous work in urban studies.
6. An internship in or is recommended highly.
7. While students may elect courses outside the College of Letters and Science to count toward the certificate, at least 12 credits must be completed in L&S courses, at least 6 of these at the 300 level or above.
8. Credits earned at other institutions in equivalent urban studies programs and accepted by 51ÁÔÆæ as transfer credits may count in partial fulfillment of the certificate requirements.

Urban Studies Approved Courses

The following courses in the College of Letters and Science are approved to count toward the Urban Studies Certificate. Each semester, the Advisory Committee will review and approve variable content course sections for the Certificate. Contact the Urban Studies Program for the most current list of approved courses.

¹

If a student takes one of these quantitative courses, it is not recommended to take another from this group because of their similarity.

Advising for the certificate takes place within the program by a faculty member or staff member. Follow the steps using the “Declare a Certificate” button on the department’s website which may include instructions on how to select a faculty advisor if there is more than one to choose from.

Students who already have an L&S college advisor because their degree plan is in L&S can discuss the certificate with them as well since they will be familiar with any certificate in L&S. Students who are working on a degree from a 51ÁÔÆæ college other than the College of Letters & Science will not need an L&S college advisor for just a certificate and one will not be assigned. These students should work with the faculty or staff advisor they receive as part of the minor declaration process or contact the program directly for assistance.

Non-degree students who are just working on the certificate and no degree program can also work directly with the certificate program for advising and/or with their assigned non-degree advisor.