Master of Urban Spatial Analytics

Curriculum

Course Requirements (9 CU)

The MUSA degree requires completion of 9 course units (CUs), including seven required courses, one elective, and the completion of an independent research Capstone project. The entire program may be completed within one full-time academic year with elective summer coursework.

• 5 CUs – Required Analytic Courses
• 2 CUs – Required Urban Content Courses
• 1 CUs – Elective Course
• 1 CUs – Capstone Project

Each student in the MUSA program will work with a faculty advisor who will guide the student’s course selection and research. Additional student guidance and mentorship will be given by Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) Faculty Associates, as well as other Penn faculty working in various areas of urban and spatial analytic research.

1 CU – Intro Vector GIS (choose one)

• CPLN 666 – Modeling Geographic Objects
• ENVS 541 – Geographic Information Systems
• CPLN 667 – Applications in GIS
• URBS 530 – GIS Applications in Social Science
• SWRK 730 – Community Mapping
  (with permission)

1 CU – Intro Raster GIS (choose one)

• LARP 741 – Modeling Geographic Space
• ENVS 681 – Cartographic Modeling

1-2 CUs – Intro Statistics (choose one pair)

• SOCI 535 – Quantitative Methods I (2 CUs)
• SOCI 536 – Quantitative Methods II (2 CUs)

OR

• STAT 603 – Statistical Analysis for Management (Basic)  (1 CU)
• STAT 621 – Statistical Analysis for Management  (1 CU)

1 CU – Spatial Statistics

• ESE 502 – Introduction to Spatial Data Analysis

At least 2 CUs must be chosen from Student’s Urban Content Area. Student must choose one of the 10 content areas to concentrate on.

The Urban Content Areas are:

• Criminology

• Design

• Economic and Community Development

• Education

• Local and State Government

• Public Health

• Real Estate and Land Use

• Social Welfare

• Transportation

• Urban Demography

See Appendix (Download PDF) for a list of courses that can satisfy the Urban Content Area Requirement.
Your Faculty Advisor will work with you to select courses appropriate for the content area you choose.

Students may choose one elective from either the Analytics Courses or the Urban Content Courses. 

Students will work with their Faculty Advisor to develop a Capstone Project.

MUSA 800 – MUSA Capstone (Spring)
(1 CU)
Time:  Per Instructor
Instructor: Hillier
Description: This seminar will guide students through their MUSA capstone project. Students will be expected to apply the spatial methods learned in the GIS and statistical coursework to their content area in a research project. The project will involve a detailed research proposal, literature review, data collection, analysis and writing.