MUP Curriculum Details

The Master in Urban Planning (MUP) degree prepares students for professional practice in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors by providing the technical and conceptual skills needed to formulate, evaluate, and implement plans, policies, and projects. Students learn through a range of formats, including studios, lectures, participatory seminars, and client-based projects.

Students complete 80 units, including 28 units of core coursework. The core curriculum comprises two planning studios, required courses in planning theory and practice, and methods requirements covering analytic, economic, and legal and institutional approaches. Students also complete 12 units in a chosen concentration and 8 units of intensive, project-based learning. The remaining units are fulfilled through electives, which can be taken throughout the GSD and university.

Together, these requirements provide a common foundation in planning while giving students substantial flexibility to develop expertise in areas aligned with their own interests and professional goals. Students can use the elective, concentration, and project-based elements of the curriculum to pursue greater depth in particular subjects, methods, and modes of practice.

Curricular Elements

  • METHODS

    The methods curriculum equips students with the analytical, technical, and interpretive skills needed to make informed decisions in complex urban environments.

  • AREAS OF CONCENTRATION

    Concentration courses provide a deeper engagement with a specific subject area of urban planning.

  • PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

    Project-based learning enables students to apply theory, methods, and professional judgment to real-world problems.

  • ELECTIVES

    Electives allow students to pursue their individual interests and develop a depth of specialized expertise.

A group of people walk down an internal staircase in the GSD trays.

Schedule and Program Declaration Forms:

Core Course Schedule Fall 2026

PDF 85KB

Area of Concentration Declaration Form

PDF 363KB

Second-Year Project-Based Learning Declaration Form

PDF 296KB
Grid structure build in the backyard of Gund Hall by Andres Svetsuk.

Requirements by Date of Matriculation

For students entering in 2026

PDF 73KB

For students entering in 2025

PDF 75KB

For students entering in 2024

PDF 73KB

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Additional Resources