Accelerated Master of Community and Regional Planning

Prerequisites  |  Degree Requirements  | Required Courses for MCRP | Course Plan  |  Application
 

Contact Us

Contact Bob Choquette (choquett@uoregon.edu) with questions about admissions procedures and Associate Professor Anne Brown (abrown33@uoregon.edu), faculty director of the Master of Community and Regional Planning program, with questions about the curriculum.

The 5-year Bachelor/Master’s Accelerated Master’s of Community and Regional Planning degree program is open to current University of Oregon undergraduate students majoring in Planning, Public Policy and Management. The Accelerated degree enables current PPPM majors to add one additional year of coursework to earn a Master of Community and Regional Planning degree. 

Eligibility

• UO Undergraduate Students majoring in PPPM with a planning focus
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 at UO
• Community involvement (volunteering, organizing, internships, leadership experience, etc.)
• Excellent writing ability
• Specific interest in an issue or issues related to planning (e.g. housing, transportation, community development, environmental planning)

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Degree Overview: Master of Community and Regional Planning

The Master of Community and Regional Planning (CRP) prepares innovative civic leaders through a challenging and hands-on curriculum and an inclusive learning environment. The program empowers students to achieve their full professional potential across various scales in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

The program emphasizes collaborative and hands-on learning, disseminating new relevant knowledge through interdisciplinary study, and partnering with state and local partners to solve societal challenges related to economic, environmental, spatial, and social issues.

The Community and Regional Planning program is a professionally accredited master's program that has awarded degrees in planning since 1968. The progressive planning and policy environment in Oregon, combined with the award-winning applied projects of the CRP program, offer students an innovative learning environment. Our degree program, designed to take two years, enrolls approximately 20 students each year, and our graduates are highly successful in finding jobs after graduation.

Unique Aspects of the Community and Regional Planning Program

Here are some of the many reasons students choose to study planning at the University of Oregon.

• Hands-on Learning Opportunities: We offer one of the most applied planning programs in the United States. You will go beyond the classroom to do real work in real communities with real clients in multiple core and elective classes:             
   
  • Community Planning Workshop (CPW) is consistently cited by students as a highlight. The workshop goes beyond typical hands-on instruction. You will work on a range of projects for paying clients who are supervised by experienced planning professionals. By the end of your first year, you will be presenting to boards, elected officials, and community organizations or running workshops.             
     
  • Sustainable Cities Initiative (SCI) connects courses across the university with a client city or organization. Students get to work on real projects offered by professionals in these organizations and present their findings.
• Collaborative: Students collaborate inside the classroom through teamwork and outside the class by serving as active participants in the governance of PPPM. Starting with the fall retreat, you can help build a community of colleagues through social events, field trips, and other activities. Our Equity Initiative focuses on creating a more inclusive environment for all students and helps support students for careers in diverse communities.             
   
• Public Good: The Community and Regional Planning program emphasizes the role of planners to consider outcomes for current and future generations of the public, whether you work in the public, private, or nonprofit sectors. The program values diversity and respect in all its forms in pursuit of a more just and sustainable future. Students and faculty engage in partnerships to solve society's most pressing economic, environmental, spatial, and social issues.             
   
• Interdisciplinary: The program offers flexibility, allowing you to choose electives that suit your background and career goals. You can also obtain concurrent degrees or certificates with several departments. Options include:

Research Opportunities:

The Institute for Policy Research and Engagement (IPRE) conducts applied research that assists Oregon communities through planning and technical assistance. Programs include:

• Oregon Partners for Disaster Resilience (OPDR) natural hazard planning and coordination of community outreach and education
• Economic Development Administration Center (EDA) a joint program focused on economic development involving IPRE, PPPM, and the Center for Sustainable Business, which is funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

Sustainable Cities Institute applied think-tank engaged in research, teaching, and community partnerships related to sustainability in cities.

Careers in Planning

You'll graduate with a broad-based planning education that provides a range of employment opportunities. Oregon graduates have pursued successful careers in a wide range of sectors:

Internships and Career Support

Our Career Services Director (Julie Voelker-Morris) supports graduate students in seeking internships while in school and careers after graduation.

The PPPM Internship Program offers an array of career and professional development services including:

• individual consultations
• classroom instruction
• résumé and cover letter reviews
• mock interviews
• announcements of internships

Our Master of Community and Regional Planning Program ranks in the top 10 programs in the West and the top 15 small programs in the country. We train policy-oriented planners to become change agents who'll engage communities and translate innovative ideas into practice to make a real difference. Our commitment to building strong communities, equity and inclusion, flexible curriculum, and extensive career support sets us apart.

Prerequisites to be completed before applying

• PPPM 205 Introduction to City Planning, 4 credits
• PPPM 315 Principles and Technical Foundations, 4 credits*
• PPPM 412 Prof Devp (1 credit)

Prerequisites to be completed in their junior year (before fourth year or senior year)

• PPPM 440 Land Use Planning, 4 credits
• PPPM 434 Urban GIS, 4 credits
• PPPM 410 Real World, 4 credits
• PPPM 404 Internship; prerequisite PPPM 412 (2 credits)

Courses that could completed by end of fourth/senior year (students can select 1-3 of these)

• PPPM  413/413/420 Methods Choice, 4 credits*
• One of the following:
  • PPPM 441/416 Planning for Growth and Housing*
  • PPPM 417: Development Process*
• One of the following:
  • PPPM 450: Community Organizing*
  • PPPM 432: Collaboration*

A grade of 3.7 (A-) or higher are required in all 400 level prerequisites* to waive graduate-level equivalent course in the MCRP

If PPPM graduates have not completed the prerequisites or did not receive an A or A- in those courses, they will be required to take the equivalent graduate course or a similar course (identified by their faculty advisor) at the UO.  This may delay their MCRP degree for one to two terms.

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Accelerated MCRP Degree Requirements:

• 17 graduate-level credits at the 500 or 600 level to be completed their senior year along with remaining undergraduate requirements.
• 36 graduate-level credits at the 500 or 600 level following their fourth/senior year level.
• At least 30 credits of the 45 credits must be taken in PPPM.  15 may be in other departments, with adviser approval.
• At least 24 credits must be graded.
• At least 9 credits must be 600-level.

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Required Courses for MCRP Year:

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Application:

• Apply by February 1st of junior year of undergraduate study.  Students who are accepted into the program will be notified by March 1st and can enroll for graduate courses in the fall term.
• Required application materials:
  • Statement of Purpose questions
  • Unofficial UO transcript
  • Resumé
  • Two professional references (at least one must be from a UO faculty member)
  • Optional: GRE scores
• The Statement of Purpose should address:
  • Why are you interested in studying community and regional planning?
  • What are your professional goals with this degree?
  • What do you hope to accomplish with this degree?
  • What professional and personal experiences and values will you bring to this program and the profession?
  • OPTIONAL: share any personal challenges, barriers, or hardships you faced, how you overcame them, and how they have shaped your academic experience and professional goals. This could be an opportunity for you to explain something on your transcript that may raise concerns to the admissions committee.

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