Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) Learning Outcomes

1. History, theory, and institutional context of planning: Assess the history, theory and institutional context of planning as a field and profession.

• Understand the historical bases, fundamental perspectives, and current challenges of urban and regional planning 
• Understand theories of planning, including the potential and limitations of planning as a means for communities to achieve desired futures 
• Understand the legal and institutional context of planning, the role of officials, stakeholders and community members, and how these dimensions vary across places and change over time

2. Forces impacting human settlements: Understand the forces impacting human settlements and interconnections among systems. 

• Demonstrate knowledge of market, environmental and institutional factors that influence urbanization processes and outcomes, and how these forces are likely to change in the future
• Understand the interconnections between physical (natural and built), economic, and social dimensions of the urban environment, and how each influences the context and need for planning within particular places and communities 
• Understand the relationship between global processes and local outcomes

3. Data collection and analysis to support planning practice: Collect, analyze, and synthesize information from multiple sources to support planning practice.

• Demonstrate an ability to conceptualize problems from complex, real world situations so the problems are meaningful to clients and research worthy. 
• Compile and synthesize primary and secondary data from multiple sources to address planning questions.
• Utilize quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to address planning problems and understand inequality.

4. Plan making and communication: Develop and communicate plans, planning processes, and implementation strategies. 

• Demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively through professional quality reports, memos, presentations, and displays for diverse audiences.
• Identify and practice effective and inclusive public engagement techniques and plan implementation strategies.
• Demonstrate understanding of planning processes that account for the physical/social/political context, planning ethics, and power dynamics of institutions and stakeholders.
• Develop leadership skills such as the ability to organize and complete planning tasks, foster collective decision-making, and negotiate and mediate conflict.
• Demonstrate an ability to collaborate in teams for an applied community based project

5. Planning for social justice and sustainability: Apply knowledge and skills to create more equitable and sustainable communities and planning outcomes. 

• Demonstrate knowledge of historical, market and institutional forces that result in inequitable outcomes across race, gender, LGBTQ, class and other dimensions of difference within communities. 
• Analyze distributional impacts of urban development and planning interventions. 
• Utilize strategies to engage and empower marginalized communities through the planning process. 
• Identify the environmental, economic, physical design, and social/political factors that contribute to sustainable communities and the creation of sustainable futures. 
• Assess the impact of planning and urban development on individual and community health in the places where people live, work, play and learn.