Urban Studies
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Program Type
Overview
The study of cities is a vital part of a liberal arts curriculum. During this moment of global change, such forms of knowledge are of critical importance. The world is more urban now than in any other era in human history, and with this rapid urbanization has come the crucial role of cities as sites of economic development, crucibles of civic citizenship, and spaces of cultural imagination.
The Urban Studies major is housed in the Department of City and Regional Planning (DCRP) of the College of Environmental Design. The major seeks to introduce students to the following bodies of knowledge:
Historical and contemporary analysis of American and global urbanization, urbanism, urban societies, and urban political economies
Conceptual tools, analytical methods, and theoretical frameworks to understand urban environments such as economic analysis, social science theory, and visualization technologies
Forms, functions, and practices of urban planning and design, metropolitan governance, social movements, and social justice, including issues such as transportation planning, community development, and housing
Ways of providing more humane, equitable, environmentally sensitive, and efficient settlements as well as ways to lead change for better urban futures
The major trains undergraduates for a variety of future careers and fields of graduate study that are related to urban studies and planning. These include practice-oriented fields such as urban planning, law, non-profit management, and public policy as well as research-oriented fields such as geography, sociology, and anthropology. Above all, the intent of the major is to produce urban citizens and global leaders.
Admission to the Major
Students must declare one of the CED majors at the time of application to the college; however, current UC Berkeley students may apply to change colleges into CED. Transfer applicants must complete two years worth of lower division coursework to be considered for admission to CED. For information regarding admission to the major for first-year, transfer students, and current students who wish to change majors or colleges, please see the College of Environmental Design (CED) page in this Guide or the CED website.