City and Regional Planning

About the Program

The mission of the Department of City and Regional Planning at UC Berkeley is to improve equity, the economy and the environment in neighborhoods, communities, cities, and metropolitan regions by creating knowledge and engagement through our teaching, research, and service. We aim to design and create cities, infrastructure, and public services that are sustainable, affordable, enjoyable, and accessible to all.

Wisely and successfully intervening in the public realm, whether locally, nationally, or globally, is a challenge. Our urban future is complex and rapidly changing. Resource scarcity and conflict, technological innovation, retrofitting of existing built environments, and social empowerment will alter the ways in which planning has conventionally been carried out.

We believe the planning academy has a special responsibility to always address social justice, equity, and ethics; to teach and research means of public participation, collective decision making, and advocacy; and to focus on reforming institutions, urban governance, policy, and planning practices to make these goals possible.

Master of City Planning (M.C.P.) 

The two-year Master of City Planning (M.C.P.) program comprises a solid core of knowledge in the field of city and regional planning, including history and theory, planning skills and methods, planning law,  and urban economics. The program offers the opportunity to specialize in one to two of the four concentration areas: Environmental Planning and Healthy Cities (EPHC); Housing, Community and Economic Development (HCED); Transportation Policy and Planning; and Urban Design.

Accreditation

The M.C.P. program at UC Berkeley is one of the oldest accredited planning programs in the country. The Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) last reviewed the M.C.P. program in Fall 2022, and in Spring 2023 issued reaccreditation for five years. For more information about PAB, please visit http://www.planningaccreditationboard.org/.

Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) Designated Degree Program 

The M.C.P. degree is an approved field of study within the U.S. government’s official STEM fields list. For international students, practical work experience in your field of study, typically after completion of a degree for a maximum of 36 months (12 months of “regular” OPT with a 24-month extension possible). For further details regarding STEM extensions, contact the Berkeley International Office (BIO).

Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning

The Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley provides training in urban and planning theory, advanced research, and the practice of planning. Established in 1968, the program has granted more than 170 doctorates. Alumni of the program have established national and international reputations as planning educators, social science researchers and theorists, policymakers and practitioners. Today the program is served by nearly 20 City and Regional Planning faculty with expertise in community and economic development, transportation planning, urban design, international development, environmental planning, and global urbanism. With close ties to numerous research centers and initiatives, the program encourages its students to develop specializations within the field of urban studies and planning and to expand their intellectual horizons through training in the related fields of architecture, landscape architecture and environmental planning, civil engineering, anthropology, geography, sociology, public policy, public health, and political science.

Visit Department Website

Admissions

Admission to the University

Applying for Graduate Admission

Thank you for considering UC Berkeley for graduate study! UC Berkeley offers more than 120 graduate programs representing the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary scholarship. The Graduate Division hosts a complete list of graduate academic programs, departments, degrees offered, and application deadlines can be found on the Graduate Division website.

Prospective students must submit an online application to be considered for admission, in addition to any supplemental materials specific to the program for which they are applying. The online application and steps to take to apply can be found on the Graduate Division website.

Admission Requirements

The minimum graduate admission requirements are:

1. A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;

2. A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale; and

3. Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in your chosen field.

For a list of requirements to complete your graduate application, please see the Graduate Division’s Admissions Requirements page. It is also important to check with the program or department of interest, as they may have additional requirements specific to their program of study and degree. Department contact information can be found here.

Where to apply?

Visit the Berkeley Graduate Division application page.

Admission to the Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning Program  

The principal admission requirements to the doctoral program in City and Regional Planning are overall excellence in past academic work and research, demonstrated creativity and intellectual leadership in professional activity, and the strong promise of sustained intellectual achievement, originality, and scholarship. The emphasis in the doctoral program is upon scholarship and research. At the same time, because the doctorate is offered in the context of a professional school, doctoral students are challenged to undertake applied research relevant to city and regional planning and policy problems. If you do not want to teach in planning or a related field, or to do advanced research, please reconsider applying to this program. Most doctoral students enter the program with a master's degree in planning or a related field. The Master of City Planning is regarded as a terminal professional degree, and is not comparable to mid-study Master of Arts or Master of Science degrees offered in anticipation of the doctorate.

Admission to the doctoral program is very competitive. Only six to eight students are admitted each year, sometimes from a pool of as many as 80 applicants. All applicants to the doctoral program (even those required to take an English-language competency exam—TOEFL, TOEFL CBT, iBT TOEFL, or IELTS) must take the Graduate Record Examination; tests should be taken before December to ensure timely receipt of scores. Applicants must also secure at least three letters of recommendation that can explicitly evaluate their intellectual capability and past research and academic work.

PhD in City Planning Program Statement

UC Berkeley Graduate Application to the PhD in City Planning Program

Admission to the Master of City Planning (M.C.P.) Program

The M.C.P. Program Committee seeks applicants with keen interests in social justice, equity and ethics; innovative means of public participation, collective decision making, and advocacy; and ways to reform institutions, urban governance, policy and planning practices. We look for applicants with intellectual curiosity, preparation, maturity, and desire to delve into an intense program of study in one of the top-rated professional planning programs in the country. We look at what you have undertaken as an undergraduate, both inside and outside the classroom, and whether you have focused your efforts around planning or related field. Admitted students are drawn from a broad range of undergraduate majors, including social sciences, environmental majors, engineering, geography, economics, and so on. M.C.P. students possess broad perspectives on society and culture, while focusing and grounding their studies in a particular planning concentration. The M.C.P. Program Committee gives particular weight to letters of recommendation, the Statement of Purpose (SOP) and the Personal History Statement (PHS). The two statements, as a unit, should clearly present why you are interested in a planning career, your goals and the reasons for them, and what you hope to achieve in a Berkeley professional program.

Master of City Planning Program Statement

Admission Requirements 

Admission Statistics 

Public Information 

UC Berkeley Graduate Application to the Master of City Planning Program

Doctoral Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning program has the following goals:

• To provide critical understanding of the history of thought in city and regional planning and urban studies, and to train students to contribute to theoretical advances in these fields;
• To enable students to develop their individual specializations within city and regional planning;
• To prepare students to undertake original research through the formulation of research questions, use of research methods, and application of research design;
• To encourage students to disseminate their research such that it has an impact in the worlds of social science scholarship, planning education, and national and international policy; and
• To create and nurture an intellectual community committed to promoting research in city and regional planning.

With these goals in mind, all students must complete the following requirements:

• Completion of courses in Planning and Urban Theory;
• Completion of courses in Research Methods;
• Preparation and completion of inside and outside field courses, statements, and examinations;
• Completion of the oral qualifying examination; and
• Completion of written dissertation, which reflects original research, approved by the dissertation committee.

Students must also meet the university’s minimum residency requirement of two years and complete 48 units of coursework. Note that DCRP requires doctoral students to complete several of these requirements through letter-graded courses. In keeping with Graduate Division guidelines, doctoral students must maintain an overall grade point average of at least 3.0 on the basis of all upper division and graduate courses taken in graduate standing.

Planning and Urban Theory

Planning and urban theory are the hallmarks of the PhD program. All students are required to demonstrate competence in this body of scholarship by completing at least two theory courses. It is required that you take both courses during your first year; if one of the theory courses is not offered in the first year, then students will be expected to take it during the second year. Students are also encouraged to pursue further training in theory in sub-fields that are relevant to their interests.

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Students must take both of the following courses for a letter grade:
CY PLAN 281	Planning Theory	3
CY PLAN 284	Urban Theory	3

Students who have taken any of these courses during their MCP studies at the University of California, Berkeley, may choose another course from the list, or petition the PhD Program Committee to substitute a course.

Research Methods

All students in the Ph.D. program are expected to demonstrate competence in research design, data‐gathering methods, and data analysis and interpretation. To complete the methods requirement, doctoral students must complete at least three methods courses prior to taking their oral qualifying examination. Note that advancement to candidacy is contingent upon approval of the student’s methods program by the primary advisor. It is recommended that students start taking their methods courses during their first year of study.

Students must take the following courses for a letter grade: 

1. Take CY PLAN 280A: Research Design for the PhD, which addresses a variety of research methodologies and assists students in preparing a research prospectus. This course may be taken more than once. It must be taken at least once for a letter grade.
2. Take TWO advanced methods courses to be decided in consultation with the student’s primary adviser. These courses, which can be taken though DCRP or another department on campus, prepare students for doctoral research. They must be taken for letter grades.

Colloquium 

Students are required to take CYPLAN 280C: Ph.D. Research Colloquium, for at least two semesters prior to advancing to candidacy. Doctoral students are encouraged to regularly attend when they are in residence. The colloquium is a central part of the intellectual life of the department. It is a venue in which students and faculty can share and comment on their work, and hold discussions about current topics in city planning.

Dissertation Writing

After advancement to candidacy, students must take CYPLAN 280B: Doctoral Writing Seminar, at least once. This intensive writing course should be taken during the process of writing the dissertation. It may also be taken to support students in writing articles for publication. This course may be taken more than once. It must be taken at least once for a letter grade.

Field Requirements

In addition to general training in planning and urban theory and in research methods, the PhD program in DCRP encourages students to gain depth of knowledge in at least two fields of their choosing. Completed under the supervision of a faculty committee usually chaired by the student’s primary adviser, the inside field statement and examination is a self-defined specialization of study within city and regional planning. Completed under the supervision of an outside field advisor (a faculty member outside the department), the outside field is a set of courses and assignments that build expertise in an area of study related to city and regional planning.

Inside Field

The inside field is a self-defined specialization of study within city and regional planning. Such a specialization can be a sub-field of city and regional planning (e.g. community development, regional planning, housing, international development, urban design, transportation planning, land use, environmental planning) or it can be a unique field defined by the student in consultation with faculty advisers. Note that the intent of the inside field is not to make a theoretical contribution to the field but instead to demonstrate mastery of existing paradigms and debates within a field of inquiry.

Mastery is defined as:

1. Demonstrating knowledge of key foundational texts within the inside field subject of study;
2. Understanding how the history of thought within that area has developed (including epistemologies and methodologies, critiques and points of contention), and
3. Engaging analytically with the current state of research and recent work in the field.

To undertake the inside field requirement, each student must constitute an inside field committee of three Academic Senate faculty from the department. This committee is usually chaired by the student’s primary adviser.

Inside Field Statement

Working closely with their inside field committee, the student must prepare an inside field statement, which explains the scope of the field and provides a bibliography encompassing the key conceptual frameworks that make up this field. Typically an inside field statement is 10-20 double-spaced pages in length with a bibliography of at least 50-60 academic books and peer-reviewed journal articles. Note that the length and scope of the inside field will vary depending on the expectations of the inside field committee and the nature of the inside field topic. What is important for doctoral students to keep in mind is that the inside field statement is not the Inside field examination but rather an analytical exercise meant to set the stage for the examination. With this in mind, the inside field statement should generate the analytic categories and concepts that will then be used by the inside field committee to structure the inside field examination.

Inside Field Examination

Once the statement has been approved by the inside field committee, the student may proceed to the inside field examination, a three-day take-home written examination. Students with accommodations approved by the Disabled Students’ Program (DSP) may be granted additional time for the examination.

In DCRP, the inside field examination consists of three sections related to the categories and concepts outlined in the inside field statement. Each section contains 2-3 questions and students answer one question in each section, with a limit of 10 double-spaced pages per answer. All sections of the examination are graded by all members of the inside field committee.

The examination is administered by DCRP’s student affairs officer. Students are responsible for arranging the examination date and coordinating the logistics of the examination with the student affairs officer. Students with disabilities should consult with the student affairs officer for campus-approved accommodations. A copy of the inside field statement must be filed with the student affairs officer; this will also be archived in the Environmental Design Library.

Students must successfully complete the inside field requirement before proceeding to the oral qualifying examination. DCRP requires a six-week minimum gap between the inside field examination and the oral qualifying examination, to allow for adequate time for faculty feedback and revision. Grading of the examination is coordinated by the chair of the inside field committee. Possible grades include: distinction, pass, and fail. If one of the three essays receives a failing grade, the student will be asked to rewrite this essay within a time period determined by the committee. If two or more essays receive a failing grade, the committee will ask the student to retake the entire examination. Students who fail the examination twice will be asked to withdraw from the PhD program.

Outside Field

The outside field is a set of courses and assignments meant to build expertise in an area of study related to city and regional planning. Such a specialization can be a discipline relevant to planning (e.g. geography, anthropology, public health, economics, sociology) or it can be a unique field defined by the student in consultation with the outside field adviser. Note that the intent of the outside field is not to make a theoretical contribution to the field but instead to demonstrate mastery of existing paradigms and debates. Students must successfully complete the outside field requirement before proceeding to the oral qualifying examination.

To undertake the outside field requirement, a student must select an outside field adviser, a member of the Academic Senate faculty in a department other than city and regional planning. The outside field adviser usually serves as the outside member of the oral qualifying examination committee and as the outside member of the dissertation committee. The content of the outside field is determined by the outside field adviser but must include at least two letter-graded courses supplemented by an additional reading list and writing assignments. These specific requirements must be listed by the outside field adviser on a form, which is filed with DCRP’s Students Affairs Office and which serves as a declaration of the outside field. On successful completion of the outside field, the adviser signs a second form, which is also filed with the Student Affairs Office.

Oral Qualifying Examination

The oral qualifying examination marks advancement to candidacy. The examination is governed by policies set by the Graduate Division. In addition, DCRP has requirements for the examination.

Eligibility to take the Oral Qualifying Examination

 To be eligible to take the exam, a student must:

1. Be registered and enrolled for the semester in which the exam is taken or, if it is taken during the winter or summer sessions, be registered in either the preceding or the following semester;
2. Have completed at least one semester of academic residence;
3. Have at least a B average in all work undertaken in graduate standing;
4. Have no more than two courses graded Incomplete;
5. Have satisfactorily completed departmental preliminary exam requirements (Planning and Urban Theory; Research Methods; Inside and Outside Fields).

Applying to take the Qualifying Examination

Graduate Division approval is required to take the oral qualifying examination. In order to allow Graduate Division sufficient time to review and approve the application, students must apply to take the qualifying examination and file the necessary paperwork with DCRP’s Student Affairs Office no later than one month before the examination date. The application for Qualifying Examination is part of the Higher Degree Committee eForm in CalCentral. The completed application must be received by the Graduate Division at least three weeks before the proposed examination date.

Note that students must list on their applications at least three subject areas to be covered during the examination. These three areas are: Planning and Urban Theory, Inside Field topic, and Outside Field topic.

Also note that in keeping with Graduate Division guidelines, DCRP’s head graduate adviser (chair of the PhD program committee) must also be certain that students who are non-native speakers possess the English skills necessary for participating in an oral exam since the qualifying examination must be conducted in English.

The Oral Qualifying Examination Committee

The oral qualifying exam committee in DCRP is composed of four Academic Senate faculty members (see section F4.9 of the Guide to Graduate Policy). The chair of the qualifying examination committee must be an Academic Senate faculty from City and Regional Planning; the OQE chair cannot also serve as chair of the student’s dissertation committee. The committee must include at least one outside member, i.e., an Academic Senate faculty from a department other than City and Regional Planning. Typically three of the four OQE members will serve on the student’s dissertation committee.

Scheduling the Examination

Scheduling the oral qualifying examination is the responsibility of the student. Students are urged to begin the process of finding an examination date several months ahead of their preferred window of time. The OQE must be scheduled for three hours and all members of the oral qualifying examination committee must be present for the entire duration of the examination.

If the student’s health or personal situation makes it impossible to take the examination as scheduled, or if accommodation for a disability is necessary, the student is required to make this known before the examination so the chair can arrange for a postponement or appropriate accommodation.

The Examination

The oral qualifying examination (OQE) starts with the committee asking the student to leave the room so that the student’s performance and expectations for the exam can be discussed. After returning, the student gives a brief introduction (around 10 minutes). Although the contents of this introduction vary, students usually choose to describe the background of their research interests and to relate these interests to the contents of the inside and outside fields. During the main part of the examination, the student is responsible for responding to questions relevant to the Inside Field and Outside Field. Committee members ask questions in sequence, usually with 20 minutes allocated per faculty, in an order determined by the student. In general, members of the Inside Field Committee cover the Inside Field Statement (and written exam), and the advisor on the Outside Field covers the Outside Field Statement. In general, a short break is scheduled after the second set of questions. At the end of the exam, the student leaves the room so that the committee can deliberate on the results. The student is asked to return to the room and the results of the examination are communicated to them.

Examination Material

As prerequisites to the oral qualifying examination, DCRP requires the following completed documents to be disseminated to all members of the oral qualifying examination committee at least two weeks prior to the date of the examination. Four hard copies of this material, organized in spiral-bound format, must be submitted to DCRP’s Student Affairs Office, by this deadline. An electronic copy must also be submitted to the Student Affairs Office. Both hard copies and electronic copies will be sent out by the Student Affairs Office to the members of the oral qualifying examination committee.

• Inside Field Statement and Bibliography
• Inside Field Examination
• Outside Field List of Requirements + Reading List

Oral Qualifying Examination Outcomes

The Graduate Division policy regarding grading, reporting, and re-administering oral qualifying exams is as follows:

Pass. The qualifying examination committee unanimously votes that the student passed the examination with scholarship that is at least acceptable.

Failure. A total failure occurs if the qualifying examination committee votes unanimously that the student failed the entire examination. The committee either: 

1. Recommends that the student take a second and final examination on all examination topics; or
2. Does not recommend reexamination, the consequence of which will be the student’s dismissal from the program.

If a second and final examination is recommended, the following procedures apply:

1. The committee must submit its “Report to the Graduate Division on the Qualifying Examination” with its recommendation;
2. Committee membership for the student’s retake must be the same as for the first exam;
3. The student may not retake the exam until three months after the first exam unless an exception is approved by the Graduate Division; and
4. A third examination is not permitted. If the committee wishes to suggest preparation for the second examination through additional course work or special tutoring, this must be communicated to the student in writing with a copy to the Graduate Division.

If the committee does not recommend a reexamination, a written explanation by the committee chair must accompany the completed “Report to the Graduate Division on the Qualifying Examination” and sent to the Graduate Division. If the Graduate Division concurs with the chair’s explanation, the student is sent a letter of dismissal from the program by the graduate dean, with a copy to the department.

A partial failure. A partial failure occurs if the qualifying examination committee votes unanimously that the student passed some topics but failed others. In this instance, the following apply:

1. A second and final examination is required;
2. The chair of the committee must write a letter to the student, with a copy to the Graduate Division, conveying information about his or her performance (pass, partial fail, or fail) on each of the three subject areas covered during the examination;
3. The committee may choose to examine the student on all topics or only on those failed during the first exam, but must communicate its decision in the letter regarding the student’s performance; and
4. The retake must be scheduled no earlier than three months after the first examination unless an exception is approved by Graduate Division. A third attempt to pass the qualifying examination is not permitted.

A split vote. If the Qualifying Examination Committee cannot reach a unanimous decision concerning a pass, total failure, or partial failure, the chair should:

1. Determine the areas of disagreement; and
2. Request that each committee member write, as required, a detailed assessment of the student’s performance for submission to the Administrative Committee of the Graduate Council.

The chair’s letter should outline the progress of the examination itself, the efforts made by the committee to reach a unanimous agreement, the remaining areas of disagreement, and the chair’s own assessment of the student’s performance. Such letters may be released to the student under provisions of the 1972 Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), current Department of Health and Human Services regulations, and California public records legislation.

If the exam results in a split vote, the committee will only inform the student that the matter was sent to the Administrative Committee for a final decision. The student has neither passed nor failed the exam until the Administrative Committee decides the results.

Student Appeals

Student appeals of an oral qualifying examination outcome must be directed, in writing, to the PhD Program Committee. The committee will convene to discuss the appeal and may refer the matter to Graduate Division. If a student is not satisfied with the result of the appeals decision made by the department, the student is permitted to bring the complaint to the Graduate Division under the Formal Appeal Procedure.

The Dissertation Prospectus

Following advancement to candidacy, the student works on a prospectus for the proposed dissertation research. The prospectus is focused on the student’s dissertation research, and should clearly outline: (1) the motivation of the proposed research; (2) the literature with which the dissertation research will engage, and the anticipated contributions to the literature; (3) the methods to be employed in the conduct of research, and the specific research design that connects research methods to specific findings and research outcomes; (4) a proposed timeline for the research and write-up. To complete the Prospectus requirement the student must complete all three courses of the Research Methods Requirement. If any methods courses are taken in the same semester in which the prospectus is approved, the committee will issue a provisional approval pending the completion of these courses.

All students are required to present their prospectus in a public presentation that is generally scheduled as part of the PhD colloquium. The prospectus presentation is an opportunity to share work with other members of the DCRP community and to receive feedback from colleagues. It is not required that the prospectus be presented prior to the prospectus submission, meeting, and approval process.

Prospectus Submission, Meeting, and Approval Process

The Prospectus is discussed and approved in a meeting between the student and the dissertation committee. It is the responsibility of the student to schedule the meeting at a time that all members of the dissertation committee can be present. The meeting should be scheduled for no less than 1.5 hours. The student submits the Prospectus to the dissertation committee for review at least six weeks prior to
the meeting.

The Prospectus meeting is conducted according to the following format:

● The student leaves the meeting room for an initial faculty discussion (roughly ten minutes) about the overall state of the Prospectus.
● The student returns to the meeting room and may offer introductory remarks about and a summary of the prospectus and plans for dissertation research.
● The faculty and the student engage in a conversation about specific issues or challenges with the
Prospectus and proposed research. The discussion will be moderated by the Chair of the dissertation committee.
● At the conclusion of this conversation, the student leaves the room and the faculty deliberate about the approval of the prospectus.
● The student returns to learn of the results.

The Prospectus Meeting may have three outcomes: (1) Prospectus is Approved; (2) Prospectus is Approved Subject to Minor Revisions; (3) Prospectus Requires Significant Revisions. The result is entered by the Chair of the dissertation committee on a Prospectus Approval Form, along with any provisions for Conditional Approval or explanation for Non-Approval.

Prospectus is Approved means that the student has satisfied the Prospectus Requirement and may proceed to work on the dissertation. Upon receiving an approval, the GSAO confirms that the student has completed courses for the Research Methods requirement.

Prospectus is Approved Subject to Minor Revisions indicates that the Prospectus is approved subject to certain specific changes that are identified by the committee. In the case of Conditional Approval, the student should agree with the Committee on a timeframe for resubmission of the Prospectus, which can then be reviewed and approved without an additional meeting by all members of the Dissertation
Committee. Upon written confirmation of approval by other members of the dissertation committee, the Chair submits a new Prospectus Approval Form.

If the Committee decides that Prospectus Requires Significant Revisions, the Prospectus must be re-submitted and another meeting of the Dissertation Committee must be held, as described above. The Chair of the Dissertation Committee should indicate on the Prospectus Approval Meeting Form the reasons for non-approval and committee expectations for a resubmitted prospectus.

Presentation of Prospectus

All students are required to present their prospectus in a public presentation that is generally scheduled as part of the PhD colloquium. The prospectus presentation is an opportunity to share work with other members of the DCRP community and to receive feedback from colleagues. It is not required that the prospectus be presented prior to the prospectus submission, meeting, and approval process.

The Dissertation

The final requirement of the PhD program is the completion of a written dissertation, which presents original research, and which has been approved by the dissertation committee. On completion of the oral qualifying examination, a student advances to candidacy (see the following section) and is allowed to establish a dissertation committee. The committee is composed of three Academic Senate faculty: Chair (DCRP Faculty; cannot be OQE chair), Academic Senate representative (DCRP or non-DCRP Faculty),  Additional Member (DCRP or non-DCRP Faculty). Of the two inside members, one serves as chair of the dissertation. Note that in keeping with Graduate Division guidelines, the dissertation chair cannot be the faculty member who served as chair of the student’s oral qualifying examination committee. In some cases, a dissertation is chaired by more than one faculty. At least one of the co-chairs is a member of the department. The dissertation committee must be approved by the Graduate Division.

During the fieldwork and data analysis phase of the dissertation, students are urged to stay in close touch with their dissertation committees. The department expects students to be in residence during the dissertation writing phase of their study, a practice that has proven successful in ensuring that students finish their dissertations in a timely manner.

Note that all students are expected to complete a final research methods requirement, the doctoral writing seminar, during the post-candidacy phase of their doctoral training.

In Absentia Status

In absentia registration is available to graduate students undertaking coursework or research related to their dissertation outside of California. Students registered in absentia are only assessed full health insurance fees, and 15 percent of the combined University educational and registration fees. Students in absentia must be enrolled in 12 units (usually 299 independent study units with their dissertation adviser). The student’s dissertation advisor's signature is required on the form.

Students may hold University fellowships and GSR appointments but may not hold GSI, Reader, or Tutor appointments during the in absentia period.

International Students planning on registering in absentia. Those students in F and J status who plan to be outside California must register in absentia and also inform the Berkeley International Office (2299 Piedmont Avenue, 510-642-2818) of their plans.

Filing Fee

The filing fee is a reduced fee, one-half of the student services fee, for doctoral students who have completed all requirements for the degree except for filing the dissertation. The filing fee may only be used once during a student’s career, and the student must have the approval of their dissertation adviser.

To use the filing fee the student must be registered the semester (or summer session) prior to the semester they plan to use filing fee. If a student does not complete the dissertation during the semester for which the filing fee is approved, the student must pay regular registration fees during the semester in which the requirements are completed, unless they file during summer session while registered for a minimum of three units. Additional information is located on the graduate division website.

Filing Fee status and international students. Filing fee status can satisfy the SEVIS requirement for international students only if the student has obtained the signature of the BIO student adviser (contact the Berkeley International Office, located in International House, 2299 Piedmont Avenue; 510-642-2818).

Health insurance for students on Filing Fee: US resident students may purchase Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) coverage for the semester they are on approved filing fee status if they have not already purchased SHIP during a period of withdrawal beyond one semester. UHS allows the purchase of SHIP if a student is in a non-registered status for two semesters only, which pertains to both filing fee and withdrawal. For eligibility information and enrollment details, refer to the UHS website

Residency and Unit Requirements

The university requires a minimum of two years of residence and 48 units of coursework (or equivalent) for the PhD degree. Full-time students are expected to take a minimum equivalent of four courses or twelve units per semester. The University limits credit for pre-candidacy examination preparation (CY PLAN 602) to 16 units total, and 8 units per semester. Units in CY PLAN 299, independent study, may also be taken by arrangement with a faculty instructor.

Professional Development

The PhD program encourages its students to build an intellectual community and to participate in national and international venues of scholarship. Doctoral candidates regularly present their research at the annual conferences of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, Association of American Geographers, Association of European Schools of Planning, World Planning Schools Congress, Urban Affairs Association, and American Anthropological Association. They organize and participate in a weekly research colloquium and manage the Berkeley Planning Journal, a peer-reviewed academic publication. Such activities utilize the vast intellectual resources available to doctoral students at the University of California, Berkeley, both within their departments and across the campus.

PhD students are encouraged to seek appointments as Graduate Student Instructors (GSI) or Graduate Student Researchers (GSR) during their residency. The GSI Teaching & Resource Center offers classes in pedagogy, and all students are expected to finish a departmental pedagogy course.

Master's Degree Requirements

Unit Requirements

The Master of City Planning (M.C.P.) Degree Requirements:

• 48 units of coursework within two consecutive years of residence, or 36 units in concurrent degree programs; 
• The core curriculum; 
• A concentration curriculum; and
• A capstone project consisting of a Client Report, a Professional Report, or a master’s Thesis. 

Core Curriculum

For days/times offered, check the Class Schedule.

Course List

Code	Title	Units
History and Theory Requirement
The following course must be taken during the first year:
CY PLAN 200	Planning Histories and Practice: Frameworks, Opportunities and Dilemmas	4
Skills and Methods Requirement
CYPLAN 201A is a required foundational course and must be taken in the first semester. Dual degree students may take this course in the second year.
CY PLAN 201A	Planning Methods Gateway: Part I	4
A second graduate level methods course is required to graduate. Select one of the following:
CY PLAN 204B	Qualitative Research Methods	4
CY PLAN 204C	Analytic and Research Methods for Planners: Introduction to GIS and City Planning	4
CY PLAN 204D	Multivariate Analysis in Planning	3
CY PLAN 255	Urban Informatics and Visualization	3
CY PLAN C257H	Human Mobility and Network Science	3
Planning Law Requirement
Select one of the following:
CY PLAN 205	Introduction to Planning and Environmental Law	3
CY PLAN C251	Environmental Planning and Regulation	3
Urban Economics Requirement
Select one of the following:
CY PLAN 207	Land and Housing Market Economics	3
CY PLAN 220	The Urban and Regional Economy	3
Studio Requirement
Select one of the following:		4-6
CY PLAN 208	Plan Preparation Studio	5
CY PLAN 218	Transportation Planning Studio	4
CY PLAN 228	Research Workshop on Metropolitan Regional Planning	4
CY PLAN 238	Development--Design Studio (CY PLAN 235 is a prerequisite)	4
CY PLAN C243	Shaping the Public Realm	5
CY PLAN 248	Advanced Studio: Urban Design/Environmental Planning (CY PLAN 208 is a prerequisite for students with no design background)	5
CY PLAN 268	Community Development Studio/Workshop	4
CY PLAN 291	Special Projects Studio in Planning	4-6
LD ARCH 205	Environmental Planning Studio	5
RDEV 270	Development + Design Studio	4
Professional Report/Client Report/Thesis Workshop
CY PLAN 290	Topics in City and Metropolitan Planning (PR/CR/Thesis Class)	1

Concentrations

M.C.P. Students declare one or two of the four concentrations by the end of their first semester of study. Each concentration provides an opportunity for students to develop deeper knowledge and skills in a particular sub-area of planning. (Note: The same course may not be used to satisfy core and concentration requirements.)

Concentration in Environmental Planning and Healthy Cities (EPHC)

Faculty Advisers: Charisma Acey, Stephen Collier, Jason Corburn, Zoé Hamstead

The concentration in environmental planning and healthy cities is designed to give M.C.P. students the broad knowledge necessary to analyze pressing urban environmental and health challenges, such as climate change, natural resource depletion, access to basic services and infrastructure, as well as ecologic and human health risks. The concentration emphasizes the theory and practice behind the related ideas of urban sustainability, environmental risk and justice, political ecology and human health. Students will study urban and regional environmental and human health issues in a comparative perspective, with a focus on both US and international settings. The concentration introduces students to the relationships between natural, built and social environments in cities, as well as the local, regional and global impacts of urban ecosystems and the political institutions that aim to manage these environments. The emphasis on healthy cities engages in the practices of urban public health, recognizing that planners are increasingly required to analyze and act upon how the urban environment influences human well-being.

Joint degree programs with the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning (M.C.P. & M.L.A.) and the School of Public Health (M.C.P. and Masters in Public Health, M.P.H.) are available for interested students. For further information about concurrent M.C.P./M.L.A. degree requirements, contact Professor Elizabeth Macdonald. For further information about concurrent M.C.P./M.P.H. degree requirements, contact Professor Jason Corburn. 

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Students must take 2 courses from the following list:
CY PLAN 214	Infrastructure Planning and Policy: Climate Change Planning and Urban Systems	3
CY PLAN C251	Environmental Planning and Regulation	3
CY PLAN 254	Sustainable Communities	3
CY PLAN C256	Healthy Cities	3
Studio from CORE list		4-5

Concentration in Housing, Community and Economic Development (HCED)

Faculty Advisers: Sai Balakrishnan, Teresa Caldeira, Daniel Chatman, Zachary Lamb, Ben Metcalf, Carolina Reid 

The Housing, Community and Economic Development (HCED) concentration focuses on the equitable development of neighborhoods, cities and regions. From “housing as a human right” to addressing the systemic inequalities that produce segregated landscapes of poverty and wealth, this concentration is distinguished by its attention to issues of racial, social and economic justice. It seeks to expose the linkages between land use, governance, capitalism, and inequality, and explore how communities chart varied development pathways. Berkeley’s program is distinguished by two strong strands of expertise among its faculty: a theoretically informed understanding of private property and land tenure, segregation, and the right to housing, and a practice-oriented approach to housing policy, affordable housing development, and inclusionary forms of land organization, both in the context of the United States and the Global South. 

Faculty in this concentration work on topics such as:

• Housing and real estate development, including access to credit, the financing and construction of affordable housing, and housing policy
• Spatial segregation and social discrimination in both the United States and the Global South
• The politics of land ownership, tenure, and property rights
• Gentrification and displacement
• Forms of political participation and resistance
• International development, including the provision of housing, water and sanitation in informal settlements
• Community development and community organizing, including programs and policies designed to address longstanding patterns of residential segregation 
• Planning for sustainability, including issues related to regional governance, resilience, affordability, and the linkages between land use and climate change

Faculty within the HCED concentration draw on multidisciplinary perspectives including anthropology, economics, history, planning, and sociology, and incorporate both qualitative and quantitative methods in their research. 

Graduates in the HCED concentration go on to work in a wide variety of positions, including nonprofit and public sector agencies Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmBH, Living Cities, Metropolitan Transportation Commission/MTC, PolicyLink, San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, the City of Richmond, the Association of Bay Area Governments/ABAG, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development), affordable housing developers (e.g., BRIDGE Housing, Eden Housing, Mercy Housing, and Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation/TNDC, as well as community-based organizations (e.g., East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation/EBALDC, East Bay Housing Organizations/EBHO, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. Local Initiatives Support Corporation/LISC and Mission Economic Development Agency/MEDA). 

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Students must take 2 courses from the following list:
CY PLAN C215	Global Urban Inequalities	3
CY PLAN 220	The Urban and Regional Economy	3
CY PLAN 230	U.S. Housing, Planning, and Policy	3
CY PLAN 235	Affordable Housing Finance and Development	4
CY PLAN 250	The Spatial Politics of Land: A Transnational Perspective	3
CY PLAN 260	The Origins and Practice of Community Development	4
CY PLAN C261	Community Engagement and Public Participation in Planning Processes	3
Studio from the CORE list. (recommended studios)
CY PLAN 228	Research Workshop on Metropolitan Regional Planning (Not offered in AY 15-16)	4
CY PLAN 238	Development--Design Studio (CY PLAN 235 is a prerequisite)	4
CY PLAN 268	Community Development Studio/Workshop	4

Concentration in Transportation Policy and Planning

Faculty Advisers: Daniel Chatman, Marta González, Daniel Rodríguez, Karen Trapenberg-Frick

The transportation planning concentration focuses on planning for urban transportation and land use systems, and interactions of transportation and land use with the built, natural, and social environments. In presenting the social, economic, and environmental implications of transportation and land use plans and policies, and promoting economic efficiency, green transport, resource conservation, and environmental protection, the courses in the concentration are focused around themes of equity, environmental justice, and social welfare. We emphasize the planning and policy challenges encountered by attempting to increase the use of environmentally sustainable travel modes such as walking, cycling and public transit, and the creation of environmentally sustainable land use patterns such as compact growth and transitoriented development. Topics covered in the core courses include the impacts of transit and highways on urban form and economic development; the impacts of urban form, transit-oriented development and new urbanism on travel behavior; governance, finance, and implementation challenges in making sustainable transport investments; the importance of highway and transit finance, municipal finance, and development finance; the promises and pitfalls of innovative sustainability solutions such as congestion pricing, parking pricing, and master development plans; streets and pedestrian- oriented designs; transportation and land use planning in the developing world; and comparative international transportation and land use policies.

As concerns heighten over regional mobility, air quality, global climate change, energy, and equality of access, it is increasingly important that transportation and land use planners apply a multi-disciplinary approach to the field. Accordingly, students in the concentration are encouraged to augment the department’s transportation course offerings by designing a study program, in consultation with their advisor that involves course work in other fields and departments.

Students in the transportation planning concentration may seek to pursue the concurrent degree program in transportation planning and engineering. This option confers both the M.C.P. and the M.S. upon students who complete 60 units of course work, normally over five semesters. For further information about concurrent M.C.P./M.S. degree requirements, contact Professor Daniel Chatman. 

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Required Courses
CY PLAN C213/CIV ENG C290U	Transportation and Land Use Planning	3
CY PLAN C217/CIV ENG C250N	Transportation Policy and Planning	3
Recommended Electives
CY PLAN 205	Introduction to Planning and Environmental Law	3
CY PLAN 216	Active Transportation	3
CY PLAN 254	Sustainable Communities	3
Studio from the CORE list		4-5

Concentration in Urban Design

Faculty Advisers: Zachary Lamb, Elizabeth Macdonald 

Urban designers are concerned with how places look, how they feel, how they relate to natural processes, and how they work for the people who use them. The Urban Design concentration is structured to give M.C.P. students the knowledge necessary to design urban built form in relation to social, environmental, and economic concerns. “Design” is a key, operative word: urban designers shape built and natural environments both directly through their proposals for specific interventions and indirectly through their contributions to policies and plans that shape the actions of other city making actors. Urban design work ranges in scale from small public spaces and streets to neighborhoods, citywide systems, and regional strategies. The emphasis of much urban design work is on the public realm of cities, with central concerns being livability, identity, place-making, equity, environmental performance, the interface between the public and private realms, and the quality of everyday life. The concentration is equally concerned with conceptions of the “urban” and it draws on approaches from the disciplines of city planning, architecture, landscape architecture, as well as theories and methods from the social sciences with the intent of analyzing the urban condition and designing the urban realm. The studio experience is central to the urban design concentration. Working in teams and individually, students explore planning and design possibilities for urban places and learn to articulate and present their ideas through visual and verbal communication. Learning from local and global contexts, and how cities have been designed and inhabited in the past, students envision possibilities for the future. Graduates in urban design work for public agencies across scales, advocacy organizations, and private architectural, landscape, city planning, and community development firms whose clients are both public and private.

Students concentrating in urban design often have some prior design training or experience, typically in architecture, landscape architecture, environmental design, or urban planning with a design emphasis, but a design background is NOT required.

A three- or four-year joint degree program in urban design is available with the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, where students receive both the M.C.P. and the M.L.A. degree. For further information about concurrent M.C.P./M.L.A. degree requirements, contact Professor Elizabeth Macdonald. A joint degree is also available with the Department of Architecture, where students receive both M.C.P. and M.Arch degrees. For further information about concurrent M.C.P./M.Arch degree requirements, contact Professor Elizabeth Macdonald. 

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Required Courses:
CY PLAN C240	Theories of Urban Form and Design	3
CY PLAN C241	Research Methods in Environmental Design	4
Studio
CY PLAN 248	Advanced Studio: Urban Design/Environmental Planning (CYPLAN 208: Plan Preparation Studio (SP, 5 units) is a prerequisite for students without an advanced urban background or experience.)	5
Note: CYPLAN 208: Plan Preparation Studio (SP, 5 units) is a prerequisite for students without an advanced urban background or experience
Recommended Electives
Design Practice, Design Methods and Additional Urban Design Studios:
CY PLAN 255	Urban Informatics and Visualization	3
CY PLAN C243	Shaping the Public Realm	5
Note: Students must have significant design experience and be accepted into the class by the LAEP instructor of this jointly listed course.
ARCH 201	Architecture & Urbanism Design Studio (when the studio has an urban design focus, check with Architecture Department)	5
ENV DES 251	Discourses in Urban Design	1,3
LD ARCH 201	Ecological Factors in Urban Landscape Design	5
LD ARCH 222	Hydrology for Planners	4
LD ARCH 237	The Process of Environmental Planning	3

Self-Defined Concentration

Students are strongly encouraged to complete one of the defined M.C.P. concentrations. Self- defined concentrations that are NOT substantively focused on city and regional planning topics and related fields of study will NOT be approved. To develop a defined concentration, select one of the existing concentrations and select courses to develop a concentration with crosscutting expertise.

Requirements

Students who develop a self-defined concentration must satisfy the M.C.P. common core curriculum and identify a willing faculty advisor who can provide substantive guidance. The self-defined concentration must include three courses, including a studio, which ordinarily should be drawn from DCRP courses. However, one course may be drawn from another department if its inclusion in the concentration is justified. If a non-DCRP course is proposed, the student must supply a syllabus, and explain what compelling substantive material the course provides that DCRP courses cannot fulfill, and why the course can’t be taken as an elective.

Procedures

Approach the faculty advisor to discuss. Prepare a one- to two-page proposal, including a justification and an explanation about how the concentration has been conceptualized and its content. Fill out a Self-Defined Concentration Declaration form. If a non-DCRP course is proposed, the syllabus and explanation (see above) must be included as a separate attachment. Submit these materials to the faculty advisor.

The student’s faculty advisor must review the proposal and indicate approval by signing the form. After approval by the advisor, submit the packet to the GSAO. All submissions must be submitted to the GSAO two weeks before the deadline to declare a concentration, at the end of the first semester of study. The M.C.P. Program Committee will review the proposal and inform the student of its decision.

The Thesis or Capstone Project 

To fulfill the capstone requirement, M.C.P. students must complete a Thesis, Client Report (CR), or Professional Report (PR), typically during the final year of their coursework. The goal of the thesis/capstone project is to support a student’s professional development by completing a significant body of work representing advanced subject and methodological expertise. Students are encouraged to review and follow the deadlines stated in the CR PR Thesis Handbook.

Master’s Thesis - Plan I

The Thesis is an academic publication that undertakes original research on a topic related to planning. It is most often chosen by students who are considering a Ph.D. degree, and/or students who wish to immerse themselves in an academic research project. Theses follow standard academic research paper conventions, including a literature review, an original research question, and the development and execution of data collection and analysis. 

Thesis requirements are set by the Graduate Division, and students must comply with the University requirement for the Plan I degree option. Thesis committees are composed of three ladder-rank faculty members, two of whom must be from DCRP (including the thesis committee chair). The third committee member must be a faculty member in another department. Theses are filed with the Graduate Degrees Office by the deadlines posted on their website. The Thesis must also satisfy style guidelines set by the Graduate Division.

Students pursuing the thesis option, and who are collecting data from human subjects, MUST receive clearance from UC Berkeley’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) for their research project. The Committee for Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS) serves as the IRB at UC Berkeley, and reviews and approves the use of human subjects in research. The IRB process is designed to ensure that the rights and welfare of human subjects are protected throughout their participation in research projects. Note that if thesis research includes data collection from vulnerable populations (e.g., children, unhoused individuals or families), the thesis research will NOT be eligible for expedited review and the full IRB review process can take 4-6 months to complete. 

Client Report (CR) - Plan II 

The Client Report (CR) is undertaken for an outside client or agency and aims to satisfy the needs of the sponsoring organization. It provides an opportunity for students to study a real-world planning issue by selecting appropriate analytic methods, evaluating alternative approaches, and recommending an approach or solution. The CR is carried out in a manner demonstrating high professional judgment and competence.

The CR is written under the supervision of a three-person committee. This committee must be chaired by a ladder-rank DCRP faculty member. The second reader can be a ladder rank faculty member, adjunct faculty member, or lecturer from DCRP. For dual degree students, one of the two readers can be from the joint degree department, as long as at least one committee member is ladder-rank faculty. The third member is generally the Client for whom the report was written. Final CRs are submitted electronically (with Title Page and Sign Off Form) to the GSAO and will be catalogued in the College of Environmental Design Library.

The format of the CR is determined in collaboration with the Client, and can include non-traditional options (e.g., memos, presentations, web sites, software applications, or podcasts/videos), provided that there is a short memo accompanying the final product that describes 1) the motivation and context for the project, 2) the relevance to planning, and 3) how the project contributed to the student’s professional development.

Professional Research Report (PR) - Plan II

The Professional Research Report (PR) is undertaken by the student independent of an external client sponsor, but is still focused on an applied policy or planning issue. The objective is to allow a student to explore in-depth an issue of interest to them, and to build additional substantive and analytical skills.

The PR is written under the supervision of a two-person committee. Only ladder-rank faculty (Professor, Associate Professor or Assistant Professor) can serve as Chair of PR committees. The second reader can be a ladder rank faculty member, adjunct faculty member, or lecturer from DCRP. For dual degree students, one of the two readers can be from the joint degree department, as long as the Chair is ladder rank faculty. Final PRs are submitted are submitted electronically (with Title Page and Sign Off Form) to the GSAO and will be catalogued in the College of Environmental Design Library.

The format of the PR is determined in collaboration with the student’s committee chair. Possible options for the PR include:

• A report the student produced for their internship but, for various reasons, is not a client report.
• An issue the student would like to learn more about, but wasn’t covered in-depth in their coursework.
• A project a student worked on in another class (e.g., one of the concentration courses or a studio) that they would like to extend. The student must do additional work – it cannot just be a paper or project turned in for a class.
• A project the student worked on as a GSR.

PR’s can include non-traditional options (e.g., memos, presentations, web sites, software applications, or podcasts/videos), provided that there is a short memo accompanying the final product that describes 1) the motivation and context for the project, 2) the relevance to planning, and 3) how it contributed to the student’s professional development. 

Additional Information regarding Client Reports and Professional Reports

Group Projects

Students may collaborate on a PR. However, each student’s work must be presented in a way that it can be evaluated individually. PR’s can include non-traditional options (e.g., memos, presentations, web sites, software applications, or podcasts/videos), provided that there is a short memo accompanying the final product that describes 1) the motivation and context for the project, 2) the relevance to planning, and 3) how it contributed to the student’s professional development. 

Human Research Protection

The Committee for Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS) serves as the institutional review board (IRB) at UC Berkeley. The IRB must review and approve the use of human subjects in research. The process is designed to ensure that the rights and welfare of human subjects are protected throughout their participation in research projects. UC Berkeley operates within the regulations and guidelines set forth by federal authorities, primarily the Office for Human Research Protections and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as other bodies. The Office for the Protection of Human Subjects (OPHS) provides operational and staffing support to the CPHS and administers all human subjects research performed on behalf of UC Berkeley.

To determine if your project requires CPHS/OPHS review, we suggest that you start with the links below. In addition, please consult with the chair of your committee who is required to be a ladder rank DCRP faculty member.

What Needs CPHS/OPHS Review

Where to Start: Decision Tree

CPHS Guidelines on Exempt Research

Advancing to Candidacy

Students advance to candidacy during their final semester of study. GSAOs will contact students at the end of the next-to-final semester of study with instructions to fill out and submit the M.C.P. Degree Checklist Form (concentration-specific). This form is submitted to the GSAOs no later than the first week of study in the last semester, and reviewed with the GSAOs in a degree check-in meeting.

The M.C.P. Degree Checklist Form lists all courses and units taken for completion of the M.C.P. degree, for a minimum of 48 units (36 units for concurrent degree students). As noted above, no more than a maximum of six units of 299 independent study, and a combined total of three units of 295 and 297, may be applied towards the degree. Lower division undergraduate courses (numbered 1-99) do NOT count towards the 48-unit M.C.P. requirement, nor does CYPLAN 375: Supervised Teaching in City and Regional Planning. Two-thirds of all course work must be letter-graded. For letter-graded courses, only those graded C- or better will count toward the degree. For S/U courses, only those graded Satisfactory will count toward the degree.

Graduate Program Outcomes

The Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning program has the following goals:

• To provide critical understanding of the history of thought in city and regional planning and urban studies, and to train students to contribute to theoretical advances in these fields
• To enable students to develop their individual specializations within city and regional planning
• To prepare students to undertake original research through the formulation of research questions, use of research methods, and application of research design
• To encourage students to disseminate their research such that it has an impact in the worlds of social science scholarship, planning education, and national and international policy
• To create and nurture an intellectual community committed to promoting research in city and regional planning

The Master of City Planning (M.C.P.) program provides its many successful graduates with:

• Lifelong analytical, research, and communication skills;
• The knowledge and skill sets to successfully practice planning in a variety of urban, metropolitan, and regional settings;
• An understanding of the history and theory of planning and of cities and urban regions;
• Expertise in various fields and sub-fields of city and regional planning;
• Sensitivity to the human impacts of planning decisions, with particular attention to equity, diversity, and social justice.

Public Information 

Professional Development Activities

DCRP Students are encouraged to start career and professional development activities as soon as they enter the degree program. The department hosts an annual alumni gathering, and students meet with professionals and academic advisers in national and international conferences such as ACSP and APA throughout the year. In addition, DCRP students connect with faculty and local professionals who visit classes as guest speakers and give lectures.

Internships for M.C.P. Students

Master of City Planning students complete a two- to three-month internship in a planning-related position usually between their first and second years of study, unless exempted by previous work experience. Frequently, the work completed during a summer internship forms the basis for the Client Report, Professional Report or Thesis. International students who hold an F-1 or J-1 visa must complete an internship during their two years of study.

The College of Environmental Design offers comprehensive career services to all students.

The Department of City and Regional Planning hosts a planning jobs website and maintains an email list for planning and planning-related jobs.

Professional Development of Ph.D. Students

Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning students are encouraged to pursue a Certificate in Teaching program, offered by UC Berkeley's GSI Teaching and Resource Center.  All PhD students are awarded an opportunity to serve as graduate student instructors (GSI) during their studies. Many do research with faculty and serve as graduate student researchers (GSR). UC Berkeley Graduate Division provides information on academic student appointments and other professional development opportunities.

Courses

City and Regional Planning