Bachelor of Arts in Urban & Regional Planning

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About

In the Bachelor of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning, you’ll learn the skills needed for a successful planning career. You’ll study community development, different planning methods and techniques, planning law and legislation, and planning for different settings. You’ll get hands-on experience solving problems throughout the program.

Public Information 

Admission Requirements

Although there are no formal admission requirements for entering the undergraduate planning program, it’s important that you have basic skills in English composition and mathematics. Normally, students who enter the program as second or third quarter sophomores or juniors should have completed these requirements. If you haven’t, you’ll need to take some English and math classes during your first three quarters in the program. The university also requires that all students receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree fulfill a foreign language requirement.

 

Curriculum & Requirements

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Urban and Regional Planning Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Required Courses
CSBS 320STATISTICS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES5
PLAN 201INTRODUCTION TO URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING5
PLAN 404PLANNING METHODS AND TECHNIQUES5
PLAN 405PLANNING PRESENT TECHNIQUES5
PLAN 406PLANNING LAW AND LEGISLATION5
PLAN 407COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT5
PLAN 430ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING5
PLAN 440LAND USE PLANNING5
PLAN 450TRANSPORTATION PLANNING5
PLAN 460URBAN DESIGN3
PLAN 464GIS FOR URBAN AND REGIONAL ANALYSIS4
Electives16
THE CITY
COMPARATIVE URBANIZATION
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION
COMMUNITY FACILITIES PLANNING
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS
PLANNING, POLITICS AND PUBLIC POLICY
SITE PLANNING
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
LAND DEVELOPMENT
WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION TECHNIQUES
RURAL AND SMALL TOWN PLANNING
HOUSING
Electives–courses offered with the following topical/non-standard numbers may be used as electives if approved by a planning advisor.
Note: electives in other departments possible upon consultation with and permission of the undergraduate planning advisor.
EXPERIMENTAL COURSE
WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR
SEMINAR
DIRECTED STUDY
Required Capstone
PLAN 490SENIOR CAPSTONE: PLANNING STUDIO5
Total Credits73

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015MATH 1075
Humanities & Arts BACR 115PLAN 2015Social Science BACR 215
Social Science BACR 1 (PLAN 100 recommended)5Humanities & Arts BACR 215Natural Science BACR 115
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
PLAN 4055CSBS 3205PLAN 4405
PLAN 4075PLAN 4045PLAN 4603
Global Studies - graduation requirement15PLAN 4065Diversity - graduation requirement15
  Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective2
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
PLAN 4505PLAN 4305Planning Elective24
Natural Science BACR 215Planning Elective24Planning Elective24
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Planning Elective24Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective2Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective2
 15 15 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
PLAN 4644Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5PLAN 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective1  
 15 15 15
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Electives–chose 16 credits from the approved list. Courses offered with topical/non-standard numbers may be used as electives if approved by a planning advisor. Electives in other departments possible upon consultation with and permission of the undergraduate planning advisor.

Sample Courses

PLAN 406. PLANNING LAW AND LEGISLATION. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: PLAN 201 or permission of instructor.
Reviews the constitutional, statutory and case law governing public planning and regulatory activities, with specific emphasis on the legal aspects of regulating private lands to further public objectives and Washington state law.

Catalog Listing

PLAN 442. SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES. 3 Credits.

This course examines the case for sustainable urban and rural development and explores examples of efforts to create sustainable development.

Catalog Listing

PLAN 475. TRIBAL GOVERNANCE. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: ENGL 201 or permission of instructor.
Presents an overview of Native American community and culture, the history of tribal government, tribal businesses, contemporary structures, and the applications of strategic planning techniques to Native American communities. Emphasizes appropriate community development and planning techniques which promote tribal self-determination and preserve tribal sovereignty. Students will utilize contemporary tribal communities as a case studies approach to better understand tribal governance.

Catalog Listing

Career Possibilities

  • Urban Planner
  • City Planner
  • Land Use Planner
  • Zoning Specialist
  • Development Review Coordinator
  • Regional Planner
  • Community Development Planner
  • Planning Technician

  • Transportation Planner
  • Infrastructure Coordinator
  • Traffic Analyst
  • Public Transit Planner
  • Rail and Aviation Planner
  • Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner
  • Logistics and Mobility Consultant
  • Transportation Systems Analyst

  • Environmental Planner
  • Sustainability Consultant
  • Climate Change Policy Advisor
  • Urban Resilience Specialist
  • Environmental Impact Analyst
  • Green Infrastructure Planner
  • Conservation and Land Use Specialist
  • Renewable Energy Site Planner

  • Economic Development Planner
  • Housing Policy Analyst
  • Affordable Housing Developer
  • Real Estate Development Planner
  • Economic Forecasting Specialist
  • Urban Economist
  • Redevelopment Project Manager
  • Land Acquisition Specialist

  • Historic Preservation Planner
  • Cultural Resource Manager
  • Heritage Site Coordinator
  • Historical Research Analyst
  • Cultural District Planner
  • Preservation Policy Advocate
  • Adaptive Reuse Planner

  • GIS Analyst
  • Spatial Data Specialist
  • Remote Sensing Analyst
  • Urban Data Scientist
  • Mapping and Visualization Specialist
  • Geospatial Programmer
  • Location Intelligence Consultant
  • Smart Cities Technology Coordinator

  • Urban Policy Advisor
  • Public Affairs Consultant
  • Legislative Analyst 
  • Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Specialist
  • Regional Policy Analyst
  • Municipal Program Coordinator
  • Public Engagement Specialist
  • Land Policy Researcher

  • Nonprofit Program Manager 
  • Community Organizer
  • Housing Advocate
  • Urban Agriculture Coordinator
  • Advocacy and Outreach Specialist
  • Grant Writer
  • Neighborhood Development Specialist
  • Public Housing Coordinator

  • Urban Designer
  • Public Space Planner
  • Site Planner
  • Community Visioning Facilitator
  • Streetscape Designer
  • Urban Aesthetics Consultant

  • Emergency Management Planner
  • Hazard Mitigation Specialist
  • Disaster Recovery Coordinator
  • Resilience Planner
  • Risk Assessment Analyst
  • Crisis Management Consultant
  • Post-Disaster Redevelopment Specialist
  • Floodplain Management Planner

  • International Development Planner
  • Global Urban Policy Analyst
  • Consultant for International Organizations (e.g., UN-Habitat)
  • Urbanization Specialist 
  • Humanitarian Aid Urban Planner
  • Global Infrastructure Advisor
  • Cross-Border Planning Consultant
  • Megacity Growth Strategist

  • Urban Planning Consultant
  • Real Estate Development Analyst
  • Infrastructure Project Manager
  • Private Sector Zoning Advisor
  • Corporate Sustainability Planner
  • Land Development Project Manager
  • Site Selection Analyst
  • Environmental Consulting Specialist

As an Urban and Regional Planning major, you’ll gain the skills and knowledge to design and manage sustainable, livable communities.

This field focuses on land use, transportation, housing, economic development, and environmental planning. You’ll learn how to tackle the complex challenges of urbanization and community development by combining spatial analysis, policy-making, and public engagement.

You’ll graduate well-prepared to create equitable and efficient spaces that balance growth with environmental responsibility. You can pursue meaningful careers in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, working in areas like urban design, policy analysis, infrastructure development, and more.

Explore careers in Urban and Regional Planning:

PAB

2334 W Lawrence Ave
Ste 209
Chicago, IL 60625

Accreditation

The EWU Urban and Regional Planning program is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB).

PAB Accreditation Seal