Urban Studies

Urban Studies (B.A.)
At-a-Glance

Degree granted: Bachelor of Arts

Hours required for major: 36

Hours required for minor: 20

Hours required for GIS Certificate: 16

Concentrations: urban planning, urban management, environmental policy and management, historic preservation, geographic information systems, and general urban studies

Articulation Agreements: public management, public safety management, community health management, paralegal studies, and human services

Advising: designated college adviser: phone: 687-2138

Student organizations: Urban Studies Association, Pi Alpha Alpha, American Planning Association

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 courses in major fields 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, reading courses, and internships are available. Students may also participate in the Cooperative Education Program. Students majoring in Urban Studies should consult their advisers for assistance in planning course work.

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Major-Field Requirements

Urban studies majors are required to complete a minimum of 36 credit hours from the following courses, A through C.

  1. Required courses:
    (15 to 16 credit hours )
  2. Application Courses:
    (8 credit hours), chosen from:
  3. Thematic Concentration:
    Students select one concentration from 1 through 6 below (12 credit hours) or a Degree Completion program area if transferring with a degree from a community college.
    1. Urban Planning
      Urban planners use their skills in research, design, and program development to effect social goals in cities. The urban planning concentration helps students use the heritage of urban planning to influence urban 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.
    2. Urban Management
      Urban managers develop budgets, strategic plans, policies, and programs for a variety of public and private organizations. The urban management concentration gives students basic management techniques and analytic skills necessary to manage effectively in an urban environment.
    3. Environmental Policy and Management
      This concentration 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.
    4. Historic Preservation
      This concentration is designed to increase students' awareness of the considerable resources of urban art, culture, history, and ethnicity found in major American cities. They will examine archival information and historic structures, and learn methodologies for preserving those physical aspects of cities that continue to contribute to the quality of life of their citizens.
    5. Geographic Information Systems
      A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computerized database management system for capture, storage, retrieval, analysis, and display of spatial (locationally defined) data. GIS is useful to every discipline that utilizes geographic data and is one of the most exciting and rapidly growing computer technologies
    6. General Urban Studies
      Students majoring in Urban Studies who wish to specialize in an area that is not offered as a departmental concentration may use this option to complete their major-field requirements. Students design a three-course interdisciplinary program (12 credit hours) in consultation with their academic adviser and the program director. Examples of general urban studies concentrations include: comparative urban studies, criminal justice, economic development, and conflict management.

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Degree Completion Programs

For community college transfer students with 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, police and fire science programs)

Community Health Management

(For transfer students from nursing and physician assistant 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.

Human Services

(For transfer students from human services programs)

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Urban Studies Minor

Students in any discipline may elect to minor in Urban Studies, Nonprofit Administration, or Environmental Studies. The Urban Studies minor consists of 20 credit hours.

Urban Studies Minor (20 credit hours)

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Certificate in Urban Geographic Information Systems

(16 credit hours)

The Undergraduate GIS Certificate Program consists of the following required four-credit courses:

It is strongly recommended that students take these classes in the order listed above.

Any student eligible to take undergraduate courses at Cleveland State University may enroll in the GIS courses on a space-availability basis. Students must have a B-average across all courses and earn a B or better in UST 486 to earn the certificate.

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This page last modified Monday, 09-Jun-08 16:43:06