Program Overview

The Department of Geography and Sustainable Planning offers a minor in sustainable urban and regional planning, which focuses on strategies, best practices, and skills required for sustainable area development, smart and green infrastructure, and sustainable integration of social, environmental, and economic priorities in planning.

See catalog for the complete list of courses.

Why Study Urban and Regional Planning at Grand Valley?

• To demonstrate mastery of key principles of design and policy in the field of urban and regional planning, including the historical roots of those principles and strategies for their implementation.
• To understand the historical evolution of urban planning including key thinkers and planning paradigms.
• To master best practices in urban sustainable design.
• To develop competency in environmental, economic and social goals of sustainable planning.

Location & Format

Undergraduate students in this program study at Grand Valley's Allendale Campus.

• Face To Face

Coursework

Students complete 24 credits, including:

• GPY/PA 209 Intro to Urban and Regional Planning
• GPY 310/PA 313 Land Use Planning
• GPY/ENS/PA 312 Urban and Regional Environmental Planning
• GPY 314 Land Use Planning Policy and Law
• GPY/PA 316 Transportation Planning
• GPY/PA/MKT 365 GIS for Economic and Business Decision Making
• GPY/ENS/PA 410 Landscape Analysis

Career Options

Concepts and skills in urban planning are applicable to a variety of specialties that include:

• Urban planning
• Regional planning
• Environmental planning
• Sustainability planning
• Smart/green infrastructure
• Environmental design

Helpful Links

• Scholarships
• Financial Aid
• Tuition & Fees
• Study Abroad
• Course Catalog
• Geography Programs
• Environmental and Sustainability Programs

For More Information

gvsu.edu/geography
B-4-105 Mackinac Hall, (616) 331-3065
gpydept@gvsu.edu

gvsu.edu/admissions