BA in Urban Studies

Degree Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from UIC, students must complete university, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Urban Planning and Policy degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies. Elective courses may have prerequisites.

Summary of Requirements
General and Basic Education Requirements32-34
Required for the Degree33
Concentration Required for the Degree12
Free Electives41-43
Total Hours120

General and Basic Education Requirements

Required Courses
ENGL 160Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts3
ENGL 161Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research3
Foreign Language (8 hours or equivalent in a single language)8
Analyzing the Natural World course a3
Exploring World Cultures course a3
Understanding the Creative Arts course a3
Understanding the Individual and Society course a3
Understanding the Past course a3
One elective course from any General Education Core category a3
UPA 120Urban and Public Affairs Seminar I b1
UPA 121Urban and Public Affairs Seminar II b1
Total Hours32-34
a

See the General Education section of the catalog for a list of approved courses in this category.

b

Required for new freshmen only.

Required for the Degree

Required Courses
US 101Introduction to Urban Studies a3
US 130Principles of Urban Sustainability a3
US 202Social Justice and the City a3
US 240Urban and Community Economics3
US 250Analyzing the City3
US 301Political Economy of Urban Development3
US 306Urban Policy Analysis Methods3
US 308Globalization and Environmental Planning3
UPP 403Just and Sustainable Planning Practices for Great Cities3
UPP 405Researching the City3
US 495Senior Capstone Experience in Urban Studies3
Total Hours33
a

This course is approved for the Understanding U.S. Society General Education category.

Concentration Required for the Degree

Required Courses
Students must complete four courses within one of the concentrations listed below. At least two courses should be at the 200, 300, or 400 level.12
Total Hours12

Urban Data Analytics

CS 111
Program Design I
or CS 113
 Program Design I in the Context of Law and Public Policy
PPOL 105
Programming and Data Analysis for Public Policy I
PPOL 205
Programming and Data Analysis for Public Policy II
PPOL 220
Introduction to Civic Technology
PA 402
Principles of Data Analysis
PA 431
Civic Technology
PA 434
Intermediate Data Management and Analysis
PA 446
Coding for Civic Data Applications
US 261
Mapping, Data, and Geographic Information Systems
US 361
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems I

Urban Environments and Climate Change

ANTH 319
Environmental Anthropology
BIOS 365
Human Ecological Systems
CME 311
Water Resources Engineering
CME 421
Water Treatment Design
EAES 101
Global Environmental Change
EAES 285
Earth Systems
EAES 473
Soils and the Environment
ECON 370
Environmental Economics
EOHS 411
Water Quality Management
EOHS 418
Water Quality Analysis in Public Health
ENGL 253
Environmental Rhetoric
ENGL/UPP 452
The UIC Freshwater Lab Course
ENGL/UPP 453
Freshwater Lab in Practice: Environmental Research, Projects, and Internships
IE 118
Energy for Sustainable Society
PPOL 240
Environmental Policy
US 390
Sustainability Internship
UPP 493
Topics in Urban Planning and Policy

City Design and Infrastructure

AH 111
World History of Art and the Built Environment II
AH 122
History of Chicago Architecture
ARCH 210
Architecture as Archetype: Explorations of the City and Its Forms
CME 111
The Art of Structural Form
CME 112
Evolution of Infrastructure and Society
CME 440
Cities and Sustainable Infrastructure
DES 222
Human Experience in Design
UPP 493
Topics in Urban Planning and Policy
US 140
Introduction to Urban Transportation

Healthy Cities and Social Welfare

ANTH 216
Medicine, Culture, and Society
BLST 104
Race, Place, and Schooling: Black Americans and Education
BLST 271
Race and the Politics of Incarceration
ECON 215
Health Economics
IPHS 430
Epidemics of Injustice
PSCH 231
Community Psychology
PUBH 100
Health and the Public
PUBH 110
Public Health and Global Societies
PUBH 120
Public Health and the Study of Disease and Epidemics
PUBH 320
Ecologies of Health and Modern Life

Diverse and Just Cities

ANTH 244
Arab and Asian Connections in the U.S. and Globally
ANTH 262
Constructions of Gender, Race, Health, and Human Rights
BLST 249
Black Freedom Movements in the U.S.
DHD 101
Disability in U.S. Society
DHD 202
Disability, Health, and Society
DHD 206
Disability, Inclusive Cities, and Environmental Accessibility
DHD 303
Disability Activism: From the Local to the Global
GLAS 300
Global Asia in Chicago
HIST 240
Radicalism in America: From the Revolution to Occupy Wall Street
LALS 103
Introduction to Latino Urban Studies
LALS 233
Latinos in Chicago
UPP 493
Topics in Urban Planning and Policy

Urban Economics

ECON 311
Introduction to Urban Real Estate
ECON 332
Urban Economics
ECON 342
Regional Economics
ECON 475
Urban Economics and Public Policy
HIST 255
History of Chicago
LALS/US 220
Latin American Cities in a Global Context: Environment, Employment, and Housing
PPOL 300
Urban Policy and Metropolitan Governance
RES 250
Real Estate Principles
RES 420
Real Estate Market Analysis

Community Building and Organizing

ENGL 389
Writing for Community Advocacy and Activism
GLAS 250
Critical Issues in Community Engagement
LALS 425
Urban Field Research in Latino/a Communities
PA 467
Civic Engagement
POLS 210
Introduction to Urban Politics
POLS 211
Chicago's Future
PPOL 230
Nonprofit Organizations and Civil Society
PPOL 330
Introduction to Managing Public and Nonprofit Organizations
PPOL 430
Fundraising and Development for Nonprofit Organizations
PSCH 331
Laboratory in Community and Prevention Research
PUBH 360
Local Citizenship and Community Health Initiatives
ED 100
Introduction to Urban Education
US 296
Special Topics in Urban Studies

Urban Studies: Self-Designed

Students must receive prior approval for self‐designed concentration from advisor and DUS. Four courses required, at least 3 must be 200-level and above.

Electives

Courses
Free Electives41-43
Total Hours41-43

Sample Course Schedule

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman Year
Fall SemesterHours
US 101 Introduction to Urban Studies 3
UPA 120 Urban and Public Affairs Seminar I 1
ENGL 160 Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts 3
Exploring World Cultures course 3
Foreign Language 101 4
 Hours14
Spring Semester
US 130 Principles of Urban Sustainability 3
UPA 121 Urban and Public Affairs Seminar II 1
ENGL 161 Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research 3
Understanding the Individual and Society course 3
Foreign Language 102 4
 Hours14
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester
US 202 Social Justice and the City 3
US 240 Urban and Community Economics 3
Understanding the Past course 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
US 250 Analyzing the City 3
Analyzing the Natural World course 4
Understanding the Creative Arts course 3
Electives 6
 Hours16
Junior Year
Fall Semester
US 301 Political Economy of Urban Development 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
Electives 7
 Hours16
Spring Semester
US 306 Urban Policy Analysis Methods 3
US 308 Globalization and Environmental Planning 3
Concentration Course 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Hours15
Senior Year
Fall Semester
UPP 405 Researching the City 3
UPP 403 Just and Sustainable Planning Practices for Great Cities 3
Concentration Course 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
US 495 Senior Capstone Experience in Urban Studies 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Hours15
 Total Hours120