About the Program

Bachelor of Arts

The study of cities is a vital part of a liberal arts curriculum. During this moment of global change, such forms of knowledge are of critical importance. The world is more urban now than in any other era in human history, and with this rapid urbanization has come the crucial role of cities as sites of economic development, crucibles of civic citizenship, and spaces of cultural imagination.

The Urban Studies major is housed in the Department of City and Regional Planning (DCRP) of the College of Environmental Design. The major seeks to introduce students to the following bodies of knowledge:

1. Historical and contemporary analysis of American and global urbanization, urbanism, urban societies, and urban political economies
2. Conceptual tools, analytical methods, and theoretical frameworks to understand urban environments such as economic analysis, social science theory, and visualization technologies
3. Forms, functions, and practices of urban planning and design, metropolitan governance, social movements, and social justice, including issues such as transportation planning, community development, and housing
4. Ways of providing more humane, equitable, environmentally sensitive, and efficient settlements as well as ways to lead change for better urban futures

The major trains undergraduates for a variety of future careers and fields of graduate study that are related to urban studies and planning. These include practice-oriented fields such as urban planning, law, non-profit management, and public policy as well as research-oriented fields such as geography, sociology, and anthropology. Above all, the intent of the major is to produce urban citizens and global leaders.

Admission to the Major

Students must declare one of the CED majors at the time of application to the college; however, current UC Berkeley students may apply to change into CED. Transfer applicants must complete two years worth of lower division coursework to be considered for admission to CED. For information regarding admission to the major for freshmen, transfer students, and current students who wish to change majors or colleges, please see the College of Environmental Design (CED) page in this Guide or the CED website.

Minors offered by the Department of City and Regional Planning

City Planning
Geospatial Information Science and Technology (offered in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management in the College of Natural Resources)

Visit Department Website

Major Requirements

In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.

General Guidelines

1. All lower division courses taken in fulfillment of major requirements must be completed with a grade of C- or better.
2. Courses taken to fulfill lower division major requirements may also be used to fulfill seven-course breadth.
3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in upper and lower division courses used to fulfill the major requirements.
4. A minimum overall GPA of 2.0 for all courses taken at UC Berkeley is required for graduation.
5. Courses used to fulfill upper division requirements may not simultaneously fulfill the breadth requirements.
6. Up to two upper division courses taken at another institution, including an approved study abroad program, may be applied to the major requirements below (if transferable and approved in advance).

For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.

Summary of Major Requirements

Lower Division Major Requirements: Freshman and Sophomore Year

Upper Division Urban Studies Core: 2 Courses

Upper Division Major Electives List One: 4 Additional City Planning Courses

Upper Division Major Electives List Two: 2 Interdisciplinary Courses Outside of CED, at least 1 with International Content

Students admitted to Berkeley FL16 and later must select two urban studies-related courses outside CED from the following list of courses. One of the two courses must have international content, marked with an asterisk (*). Students can also petition to have other urban studies-related courses count for this requirement. Students admitted to UCB prior to FL16 must select three courses from this list; at least one of the three must have international content.

Upper Division Capstone Experience (Required for Students Admitted Fall 2013 and Later)

During the junior and/or senior year, students admitted to UC Berkeley FL 16 and later are required to complete ONE of the following four capstone experiences. (Students admitted FL13-SP16 must complete TWO capstones.) Courses taken to fulfill the Capstone Experience requirement may be used for the Capstone only and may not also be used to fulfill the Upper Division Urban Studies Core Requirement above or the requirement to complete 3 “Upper Division College of Environmental Design Courses Outside of City Planning”:

1. Thesis: This option requires ENV DES 195B (Thesis Research and Writing). Whether a thesis is written or a project is produced, this option should be pursued with a faculty adviser.
2. Planning Studio: CY PLAN 116, an advanced synthetic educational experience.
3. Research Seminar: CY PLAN 180 Research Seminar in Urban Studies.
4. Field experience/internship with a written planning report: CY PLAN 197. Each student must find their own urban studies-related internship and tenure-track faculty adviser, who will be the faculty of record for a CY PLAN 197 field studies course. CY PLAN 197 must be taken for 3 units and requires a final written report (analyzing the fieldwork and internship experience) submitted to the faculty adviser. To merit 3 units, the internship should require approximately 9 hours per week for 15 weeks. If you are thinking about doing an internship in the summer, see the Urban Studies advisor in 250 Wurster Hall for details.

College Requirements

For College Requirements, please refer to the College of Environmental Design.

Plan of Study

Each student’s plan will vary depending on interests. Students should see an advisor if they are interested in applying for graduate school, studying abroad, attending summer school, or pursuing a minor or second major.

For more detailed information regarding the courses listed below (e.g., elective information or GPA requirements), please see the Major Requirements tab.

^One course from Elective List Two must have international content. See the major handbook for more information.

Students must complete 120 units to graduate.

Student Learning Goals

Learning Goals of the Major

The Urban Studies major seeks to introduce students to the following bodies of knowledge:

• Historical and contemporary analysis of American and global urbanization, urbanism, urban societies, and urban political economies. Conceptual tools, analytical methods, and theoretical frameworks to understand urban environments such as economic analysis, social science theory, and visualization technologies.
• Forms, functions, and practices of urban planning and design, metropolitan governance, social movements, and social justice including issues such as transportation planning, community development, and housing.
• Ways of providing more humane, equitable, environmentally sensitive, and efficient settlements as well as ways to lead change for better urban futures.

Advising

The CED Office of Undergraduate Advising provides a wide array of programmatic and individual advising services to prospective and current students as well as to students in other colleges who are pursuing CED minors or taking CED courses. The professional advising team assists students with a range of issues including course selection, academic decision-making, achieving personal and academic goals, and maximizing the Berkeley experience.

Advising Staff

Architecture Major Advisor: Isela Pena-Rager
250 Wurster Hall
isela.penarager@berkeley.edu
510-642-4944

Landscape Architecture Major Advisor: Omar Ramirez
250 Wurster Hall
oramirez@berkeley.edu
510-642-0926

Sustainable Environmental Design Major Advisor: Heather Grothjan
250 Wurster Hall
heather.grothjan@berkeley.edu
510-642-0928

Urban Studies Major Advisor: Omar Ramirez
250 Wurster Hall
oramirez@berkeley.edu
510-642-0926

College Evaluator: Heather Grothjan
250 Wurster Hall
heather.grothjan@berkeley.edu
510-642-0928

Undergraduate Advising Director: Susan Hagstrom
250 Wurster Hall
hagstrom@berkeley.edu
510-642-0408

Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies: C. Greig Crysler
250 Wurster Hall
cgreigc@gmail.com

Advising Hours

Fall/spring: Monday through Friday, 10 to noon (office opens at 9 a.m.) & 1 to 4 p.m.
Summer: Monday through Friday, 10 to noon  & 1 to 3 p.m.

Address

Office of Undergraduate Advising
College of Environmental Design
250 Wurster Hall #1800
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-1800
510-642-4943

CED Career Services

The CED Career Services Center (CSC) offers personalized career counseling, a yearly CED Career Fair, and a wide variety of professional development workshops on topics such as licensure, internships, and applying for graduate school. To schedule an appointment with the Career Counselor or for more information on CED CSC, please click here.

Office of Undergraduate Advising

• Newly-Admitted Students
• Current Students
• Graduation and Commencement
• Services and Contract
• Articulation
• Policies and Resources
• Forms and Documents

Mission

The College of Environmental Design (CED) Office of Undergraduate Advising helps students graduate in a timely way with a meaningful educational experience at Berkeley. In alignment with the College's vision and principles, the Office of Undergraduate Advising collaborates with CED faculty, deans, and student service units across campus toward the common objective of supporting students as they achieve their educational and career goals. The office seeks to achieve the following:

• Attract a highly-motivated, diverse pool of applicants
• Connect students with resources that match their goals and aspirations
• Support the development and transformation of undergraduates as they become educated, active, and socially just citizens of the world
• Prepare graduates who are uniquely qualified and highly sought after in their field of choice

Advising Values

Student Success

Above all, the CED Office of Undergraduate Advising dedicates itself to maximizing student potential and to helping students succeed in their University experiences. The office encourages students to explore their minds and their hearts, challenges them to do their best work, and helps them realize their talents and passions and achieve their goals.

Equity & Inclusion

The College of Environmental Design (CED) is committed to creating an inclusive environment in which any individual or group can be and feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued. CED aspires to provide fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all students and to identify and eliminate barriers that prevent the full participation of all.

Health & Well-Being

CED collaborates with campus partners to keep the CED community healthy by helping students balance the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, occupational, spiritual, and environmental aspects of life.

Advising Excellence

In all that the office does, it strives to deliver personalized advising services of the highest quality. The CED Office of Undergraduate Advising seeks to continuously educate itself on developments in the field and to evaluate, improve, and streamline its services to support students in obtaining the best education and experience possible.

Academic Opportunities

Student Groups and Organizations

The college provides opportunities for students to be involved in student chapters of professional organizations such as the American Institute of Architects (AIAS) as well as other student groups like the Berkeley Urban Studies Student Association (BUSSA), the Chican@/Latin@ Architecture Student Association (CASA), Global Architecture Brigades, and more. For information regarding  student groups, please see the Getting Involved page of the CED website.

Study Abroad

The College of Environmental Design (CED) encourages all undergraduates in the college to study abroad. Whether students are interested in fulfilling general education requirements, taking courses related to their major/career, or simply living and studying in a country that is of interest to them, CED will work with students to make it happen. For information about study abroad programs, please see the Berkeley Study Abroad website.

CED Career Services

The CED Career Services Center (CSC) offers personalized career counseling, a yearly CED Career Fair, and a wide variety of professional-development workshops on topics such as licensure, internships, and applying for graduate school. For further information, please see the CED Career Services website.

Prizes and Awards

CED offers a number of annual prizes, awards, scholarships, fellowships, and grants to its currently enrolled students. Some of these prizes and awards are college-wide, and some are geared toward students in specific majors. For general information regarding CED prizes and awards, including application instructions and a deadline calendar, please click here.

CED Events and Exhibits Calendar

CED and Wurster Hall is home to a variety of events, lectures, and exhibitions that welcome professors, professionals, and friends to the college to discuss and celebrate the community and professions. Through events and media, CED is constantly creating ways to keep the college connected and up-to-date. To view this calendar, please click here.

CED on Facebook

CED on Twitter

CED Lecture Series

The Departments of Architecture, City and Regional Planning, and Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning each sponsor lecture series which offers students the opportunity to hear internationally-acclaimed speakers. These speakers often also participate in classes and seminars as part of their visit to campus. For a schedule of speakers and events in these lecture series, please see the CED website.

WursterLife

WursterLife is a closed-network platform that enables CED students and alumni from across the globe to connect with classmates, find alumni by practice area, geographic region, affinity group, or shared interest, share professional updates, news, photos, events, and jobs, enhance your career through your alumni connections, and find ways to stay engaged with the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design.

Research Opportunities, Internships, Public Service, and Volunteer Opportunities

Check out the CED Office of Undergraduate Advising website for additional opportunities.

Courses

Urban Studies

Faculty and Instructors

+ Indicates this faculty member is the recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award.

Faculty

Charisma Acey, Assistant Professor. Water, sanitation, basic services delivery, poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability, environmental justice, urban governance, participatory planning, community-based development, international development, development planning, sustainable development, African studies.
Research Profile

Teresa Caldeira, Professor. Comparative urban studies, urbanization in the global south, social theory, ethnography qualitative methodology.
Research Profile

Karen Chapple, Professor. Poverty, economic development, regional planning, metropolitan spatial patterns, labor markets, community development, neighborhood change, gentrification.
Research Profile

Daniel Chatman, Associate Professor. Transportation, urban planning, travel behavior, immigration, housing, agglomeration.
Research Profile

Stephen J. Collier, Professor. Social welfare transformation, infrastructure, neoliberalism and governmental rationality, emergency government in the United States, urban vulnerability and resilience, insurance and climate change .

Jason Corburn, Professor. Urban health, informal settlements, global public health, urban climate change, environmental impact assessment, mediation, environmental justice.
Research Profile

Karen T. Frick, Associate Professor.
Research Profile

Carol J. Galante, Adjunct Professor.

Marta Gonzalez, Associate Professor. Data Science, computer modeling.

Elizabeth S. Macdonald, Professor. Urban design.
Research Profile

John Radke, Associate Professor. City and regional planning, landscape architecture and environmental planning, geographic information systems, database design and construction, spatial analysis, pattern recognition computational morphology.
Research Profile

Carolina K. Reid, Associate Professor. Affordable housing, access to credit, foreclosures, community development, the Community Reinvestment Act, poverty, neighborhood change, homeownership and mortgage finance (with a focus on low-income and minority households).
Research Profile

Daniel Rodriguez, Professor. Public transportation, urban sustainability, urban health, environment and health impacts of traveler behaviors Transportation, land development, and their health and environmental impacts .
Research Profile

Paul Waddell, Professor. UrbanSim, land use models, transportation models, urban sustainability.
Research Profile

Jennifer Wolch, Professor. Sustainable urbanism, urban design and public health, poverty and homelessness, human-animal studies.
Research Profile

Lecturers

Sara Hinkley, Lecturer.

Kimberly Suczynski Smith, Lecturer.

Emeritus Faculty

Edward J. Blakely, Professor Emeritus.

Peter C. Bosselmann, Professor Emeritus. Urban design, architecture, city and regional planning, landscape architecture.
Research Profile

Manuel Castells, Professor Emeritus.

Robert B. Cervero, Professor Emeritus. Transportation planning, city and regional planning, transportation and land use, transportation and urban development, international transportation.
Research Profile

Karen Christensen, Professor Emeritus. Evaluation, intergovernmental relations, city and regional planning, housing policy, planning theory, organizational theory.
Research Profile

Stephen Cohen, Professor Emeritus.

Frederick C. Collignon, Professor Emeritus. Urban economics, metropolitan planning, city and regional planning, urban recreational space, passive recreational parkland, urban redevelopment, public assistance, disability.
Research Profile

Elizabeth A. Deakin, Professor Emeritus. Urban design, city and regional planning, transportation policy, planning and analysis, land use policy and planning, legal and regulatory issues, institutions and organizations, energy and the environment, new technologies.
Research Profile

Michael James Dear, Professor Emeritus. Social theory, disability studies, urban theory, comparative urbanism.
Research Profile

David Dowall, Professor Emeritus. City and regional planning, urban and regional development, international comparative urban development policy, domestic and international land management, housing policy, economic development strategy, infrastructure planning, management and finance.
Research Profile

Judith E. Innes, Professor Emeritus. Innovation, governance, collaborative planning and policy making, regionalism, interpretive methods, complexity and adaptation.
Research Profile

Allan B. Jacobs, Professor Emeritus.

Raymond Lifchez, Professor Emeritus.

Michael Southworth, Professor Emeritus. Management, analysis, design, city and regional planning, landscape architecture, environmental planning, morphology of the post-industrial city, design of public space.
Research Profile

Michael Teitz, Professor Emeritus.

Irene Tinker, Professor Emeritus.

Martin Wachs, Professor Emeritus.