City and Regional Planning Minor (24 hours)

Coordinator: Dr. Wagendorp, AICP, GISP.

City and Regional planning in Michigan and the nation is a dynamic and growing area of employment that is concerned with optimal and sustainable land use. Professionally trained planners strive to create better living environments for all by planning and designing smart and integrated land use systems. This process is sometimes undertaken with the assistance of public, academic, private, and community organizations.

Career Opportunities

A minor in City and Regional Planning provides career opportunities in public, private, and nonprofit planning organizations and agencies. A minor in City and Regional Planning can also amplify or be a strong adjunct to a major in Public Administration, Civil Engineering, Finance, Business, Urban Sociology and Social Work. Agencies such as public (village, city, township, and county) planning offices, district planning offices, state transportation departments (MDOT), county road commissions, park and recreation organizations, neighborhood associations, federal offices, private architecture and planning establishments, utility companies, and many other types of organizations  employ graduates with formal training in planning.

Requirements for a City and Regional Planning Minor

Students who minor in City and Regional Planning are required to complete a minimum of 24 credits from the courses below. The required core consists of 12 hours, the remaining 12 hours can be selected from ten elective courses. 

Required courses:

• GPY 307 Introduction to Computer Mapping/Geographic Information Systems. 3 credits.
  GPY 309 Introduction to City and Regional Planning. 3 credits.
• GPY 310 Land Use Planning. 3 credits.
• PA 307 Local Politics and Administration. 3 credits.

Electives:

• GPY 370 Introduction to Remote Sensing. 3 credits
• GPY 407 Advanced GIS. 4 credits.
• GPY 410 Landscape Analysis. 3 credits.
• GPY 470 Digital Image Processing. 3 credits.
• GPY 490 Internship. 3 credits.
• ECO 345 Environmental and Resource Economics. 3 credits.
• ECO 435 Urban Economics. 3 credits.
• ECO 436 Real Estate Economics. 3 credits.
• PA 439 Community Analysis. 3 credits.
• PA 307 Local Politics and Administration. 3 credits.
• SS 324 Urbanization. 3 credits.
• SOC 351 Urban Sociology, 3 credits.