Urban Studies (B.A.)
At-a-Glance
Degree granted: Bachelor of Arts
Hours required for major: 36
Tracks: urban and regional planning, public management, environmental policy and management, and personally-designed track.
Articulation Agreements: public management, public safety management, environmental health and safety, community health management, paralegal studies, and human services
Advising: designated college adviser: phone: 216-687-3884
Student organizations: Urban Studies Association, Pi Alpha Alpha, American Planning Association Student Chapter
Additional Information:
Internship opportunities are available to all students; the Columbus Seminar and Washington Seminar provide on-site involvement in government in action; scholarships are available to qualified students; all required courses in the major are available in the evening; students with substantial prior learning experience may apply for credit through the Assessment and Accreditation of Prior Learning Experience program.
Opportunities to participate in small seminar groups, research projects, community engagement, and Cooperative Education are available. Students majoring in Urban Studies should consult their adviser for assistance in planning their course of study.Major_Field Requirements
Urban Studies majors are required to complete a minimum of 36 credit hours from the following courses.
- Core courses (16 credit hours ):
- UST 290 Urban Geography
- UST 300 Economics of Policy Analysis
- UST 302 Contemporary Urban Issues
- UST 489 Advanced Senior Seminar
- Tracks
- Urban and Regional Planning
Urban planners use their skills in research, design, and development to effect social goals in cities. The urban and regional planning track helps students use the heritage of urban planning to influence urban and regional development. Planners analyze a range of data regarding an area—the economic base, the needs of the people, the available resources, and the effects of change—and make recommendations for action. - UST/ART 374 American Architecture
- UST/ART 375 Cities and Planning
- UST 403 Cartography and Graphics
- UST 419 Neighborhood Planning
- UST 420 Urban Design Seminar
- UST 433 Negotiation and Conflict Management
- UST 434 Geographic Information Systems
- UST 436 Urban Sustainability
- UST 441 Environmental Planning
- UST 476 Historic Preservation
- UST 477 Regional Planning
- UST 478 Cleveland Sacred Landmarks
- Public Management
Public managers develop budgets, strategic plans, policies, and programs for a variety of public and private organizations. The public management track gives students basic management techniques and analytic skills necessary to manage effectively in an urban environment - UST 410 Proposal Writing
- UST 433 Negotiation and Conflict Management
- NAD 451 Fundraising and External Relations for Nonprofit Organizations
- UST 453 Managing Urban Diversity
- UST 455 Gender and Leadership
- UST 458 Urban Policy
- UST 473 Columbus Seminar
- UST 474 Washington Seminar
- Environmental Policy and Management
This track is designed to give students an understanding of the economic, political, and social changes necessary for improving the quality of the physical environment in cities. Courses focus on domestic environmental policies and programs, environmental design, and issues related to sustainable development. - ENV 259 Natural History of the Cleveland Area
- UST 289 Physical Geography
- ENV 440 Environment and Human Affairs
- ENV 441 Environmental Planning
- ENV 442 Environmental Finance and Capital Budgeting
- UST 458 Urban Policy
- UST 459 Budgetary Policy
- Personally-Designed Track
Students select one track from 1 through 4 below (20 credit hours) or a Degree Completion program area if transferring with a degree from a community college.
Required courses (8 credit hours):
Electives – Students choose three courses (12 credit hours):
Required courses (8 credit hours):
Electives – Students choose three courses (12 credit hours):
Required courses (8 credit hours):
Electives – Students choose three courses (12 credit hours):
Students may design their own track with their adviser, with the permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies (five courses, 20 credit hours). Examples of personally-designed tracks are: historic preservation, economic development, Geographic Information Systems, and community health management.
Degree Completion Programs
For community college transfer students with A.A, A.A.S. and A.A.B. degrees the following degree completion programs may be completed with technical credits transferred into the Levin College.
Public Management
(For transfer students from public administration programs)
Public Safety Management
(For transfer students from law enforcement, corrections, security administration, emergency management, and police and fire science programs)
Environmental Policy
(For transfer students from environmental health and safety technology programs)
Community Health Management
(For transfer students from nursing programs)
Paralegal Studies
(For transfer students from paralegal studies programs)
Students who have earned an AAB in Paralegal Studies can earn the BA, Urban Studies by completing the following program.
- Completion of all University and College requirements, including a minimum of 128 semester hours, 36 hours at the upper division (300-400 level), and 30 hours in residency, with a grade point average of 2.00 or better.
- Clearance of foreign language deficiency, if any.
- 28 credit hours as follows:
Human Services
(For transfer students from human services programs)
Minor
Go to Minors information website
Sustainable Urban Development Minor (20 credit hours)
- Required Courses
- Students choose one course from the following:
Urban Studies Minor (20 credit hours)
- Required Course:
- Students choose two courses from the following:
- Students choose one concentration from the following (8 credit hours):
- Urban and Regional Planning
- Public Management
- Historic Preservation
