Urban Studies Certificate

There is no single way to understand cities. There is no master discipline that unlocks their secrets and no one profession that holds the key to their future. Starting from these assumptions, Urban Studies takes an interdisciplinary approach and brings many different perspectives to the study of urban life.

Just as no one discipline can provide all the answers, the Urban Studies Program cannot give you the solutions to the problems confronting American cities or a ticket to a specific profession. But it is a place to start. In Urban Studies classes, you will learn how to think about cities in an informed, disciplined and integrated way as you construct an intellectual understanding of the challenges and virtues of urban life.

Urban Studies prepares graduates for a variety of fields and careers – urban economic development, low-income housing development, community services, journalism, education, arts and culture, policy research and government – usually in public or private non-profit organizations.

Program

• Five courses listed or cross-listed as Urban Studies courses, from among the following themes: History of Cities, Comparative and Theoretical Dimensions, the Built Environment, Urban Economics and Finance, Public Policy and Government.
• A Capstone Project on a topic pertaining to Urban Studies, completed as one of the five course units
• An MLA Proseminar
• Three electives from the MLA curriculum

Application Procedure

Students wishing to pursue a certificate in Urban Studies through the Master of Liberal Arts Program should complete an MLA Application.