Associate Professor--Rivera-Pinderhughes
Minor in Urban Studies
The program is founded upon the conviction that urban universities have unique opportunities as well as responsibilities to help shape the future of city life. Because of their organic connection to the city, urban universities can provide educational programs which articulate directly with the ongoing activities of the city and which help to produce the knowledge, skills, and commitment necessary to address the central issues of contemporary urban life.
The curriculum combines a liberal arts education with an applied, problem-solving focus, training in research methods, and practical hands-on experience in a carefully supervised internship and a senior practicum. Course requirements consist of two parts: core coursesdesigned to present appropriate social science perspectives, develop the research and analytic tools necessary for planning and policy analysis, and offer hands-on experience; and electives designed to apply the basic core courses to a policy or professional focus of interest.
For a copy of the Urban Studies Advising Handbookor further information about the program, contact the Urban Studies Program.
The Minor in Urban Studies is designed to complement a wide range of majors by offering students an opportunity to develop competence in urban planning or policy analysis. The minor consists of a three course core and three specialized courses in urban planning or policy analysis. For further information about the minor, contact the Urban Studies Program.
The Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies is recognized as a solid basis for graduate study. Recent program graduates have gone on to graduate work in schools of city and regional planning (Harvard, UC Berkeley, UCLA, NYU, the New School for Social Research, University of Texas at Austin), schools of public policy and administration (Kennedy School, Georgetown, UC Berkeley, San Francisco State), and other fields including law, architecture, social work, public health.
Units
URBS 400 Dynamics of the American City 3
Three of the following courses: 11-12
URBS 535 Urban Economics
URBS 432 Urban Geography (4)
URBS 512 Urban Politics and Community
Power (4)
SOC 480 Urban Sociology (4) or
URBS 555 Urban Anthropology (4)
URBS 492 Data Analysis 4
URBS 493 Research Methods 4
One course chosen from the following: 4
URBS 480 Policy Analysis (4)
URBS 658 Land Use Planning (4)
URBS 603 Public Service Internships 3
URBS 604 Internship Seminar 1
URBS 680 Senior Seminar 4
Total for core 34-35
Three (3) upper division electives chosen by
each student with the approval of a
faculty adviser, designed to develop
competence in policy or professional
areas of interest. See the Urban Studies
Advising Handbookfor a description of
possible foci of interest. 9-12
Environmental Planning
Policy Analysis
Housing and Community Development
Health Policy
Land Use Planning
Computer Applications in Urban Analysis
Urban Law
Transportation
Community Organizing
Social Services
Total for major 43-47
URBS 400 Dynamics of the American City 3
URBS 492 Research Methods 4
Emphasis(select one of the emphases listed
below) 13-16
Total units 20-23
URBS 480 Policy Analysis 4
Three courses selected from the following: 9-11
URBS 560 Urban Poverty and Policy (4)
URBS 565 Social Policy and the Family (4)
URBS 570Urban Health Policy
URBS 580 Urban Housing Policy
URBS 582 Homelessness and Public
Policy
URBS 660Nonprofit Organizations in
Urban Life
Approved substitute(s) with consent of adviser (3-4)
Total for emphasis 13-15
URBS 658Land Use Planning 4
Three courses selected from the following: 11-12
URBS 433Urban Transportation (4)
URBS 513 Politics, Law, and the Urban
Environment (4)
URBS 515 Race, Poverty, and the Urban
Environment (4)
URBS 580 Urban Housing
URBS 652 Environmental Impact
Analysis (4)
URBS 655Urban Environemntal
Design (4)
Approved substitute(s) with consent of adviser (3-4)
Total for emphasis 15-16