Urban and regional studies and planning
Study where it’s happening.
Our setting in Richmond, Virginia, puts you at the forefront of urban revitalization.
APPLY AND BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY TODAY
You’re in the perfect place to study urban and regional studies/planning — Richmond is a beautiful, diverse and historic city with a strong network of public, nonprofit and private organizations dedicated to urban revitalization.
Apply to URP Undergraduate Program
Determine your per semester cost of attending VCU
What does this mean for you? Think community engagement, experiential learning and service learning. Each of our students partner with community organizations through paid internships or client-based studio work.
The M.U.R.P. program is fully accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB). Learn more about this distinction
Bachelor’s program
Build a solid foundation in understanding emerging trends in cities and regions and the role of planning, design and communication. You’ll gain marketable skills in qualitative and quantitative analysis, problem-solving and professional competence to solve current social, economic and environmental challenges.
Master’s program
Gain professional grounding in the theory and methodology of planning through a curriculum that balances classroom and field experience. You’ll learn practical planning skills through hands-on, field-based instruction and a required internship in a public or private planning-related organization.
The Master of Urban and Regional Planning program offers three concentrations:
Dual-degree option
Our M.U.R.P./ J.D. program allows you to receive a J.D. from the law school at the University of Richmond and a master’s in urban and regional planning from VCU in four years rather than five.
Program and degree requirements
Wilder School Request for Information
Want to learn more about the program and application process? Get in touch and request information with this form.
Internships
For more information on internship opportunities, credits, and applications visit the student section.
Certificate programs
Urban revitalization
Learn the techniques and processes of city and neighborhood revitalization, including adaptive reuse of buildings, historic preservation, real estate market analysis and the role of private-public partnerships in financing development projects. Grades of “B” or better are fully transferable to the master’s program.
Program requirements for Urban revitalization
Geographic information systems
Gain specialized training in operations and techniques related to the creation, analysis, modeling, visualization, interpretation and management of geographic information.
Program requirements for Geographic information systems
Sustainability planning
Acquire analytical and professional skills to identify and address barriers to sustainability, and to develop plans and policies for more sustainable lifestyles, systems and institutions.
Program requirements for sustainability planning.
Wilder School Request for Information
Want to learn more about the program and application process? Get in touch and request information with this form.
Minor
The urban and regional studies/planning minor requires 18 credits and allows you to gain theoretical and practical education in the field.
“The Wilder School's M.U.R.P. program is helping me turn big ideas and hopes about what a community can be into an implementable plan. Faculty members encourage you when solutions are not clear and equip you with the training and experience to create positive change.”
— Shekinah Mitchell, Class of 2019