Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning and Spatial Analytics

The Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning and Spatial Analytics prepares students to address some of the world’s most challenging urban problems in the context of core social values such as sustainability and resilience. The curriculum gives students both a broad understanding of the urban and regional environment and a firm grounding in the practical skills needed for effective analysis and planning.

All students take 10 core courses to

  • Establish a foundational understanding of how cities and regions work through the complex interactions between the natural environment, built environment, and socioeconomic context; and
  • Build an array of practical urban planning and analytical skills, including urban data analytics, geographic information systems, data visualization, community engagement, and planning methods, among others.

Students are encouraged to self-design a specialized focus area in one of the many subfields of the degree: environment, climate, land use, transportation, economic development, community development, housing, urban design, urban analytics, and geographic information systems.

The curriculum features a capstone senior studio that engages students directly in hands-on experiential learning and emphasizes soft skills such as teamwork, leadership, communication, and critical thinking. 

Graduates of the program will find jobs in occupations related to the well-established profession of city and regional planning, the high-technology field of geographic information systems, and the newly emerging field of urban data analytics. Student skills will also be directly transferable to an even larger number of jobs in areas such as government and business consulting, data science, and sustainability.

Wellness Requirement
APPH 1040Scientific Foundations of Health2
or APPH 1050 The Science of Physical Activity and Health
or APPH 1060 Flourishing: Strategies for Well-being and Resilience
Core IMPACTS
Institutional Priority
CS 1301Introduction to Computing3
or CS 1315 Introduction to Media Computation
Mathematics and Quantitative Skills
MATH 1712Survey of Calculus4
or MATH 1552 Integral Calculus
Political Science and U.S. History
HIST 2111The United States to 18773
or HIST 2112 The United States since 1877
or INTA 1200 American Government in Comparative Perspective
or POL 1101 Government of the United States
or PUBP 3000 American Constitutional Issues
Arts, Humanities, and Ethics
Any HUM6
Communicating in Writing
ENGL 1101English Composition I3
ENGL 1102English Composition II3
Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences
MATH 1711Finite Mathematics4
or MATH 1551
MATH 1553
Differential Calculus
and Introduction to Linear Algebra
Lab Science Elective8
Social Sciences
Any SS9
Field of Study 2
CP 2020Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning3
CP 2233Sustainable Urban Development3
CP 2030Atlanta Past, Present, and Future3
CP 2040Cities of Tomorrow3
Any 1000-,2000-level course from Colleges of Sciences, Computing, or Engineering3
Any 1000-,2000-level course from ARCH, BC, ID, PUBP, ECON, INTA, or HTS3
Major Requirements
CP 3024Qualitative Analysis and Research Design3
CP 3025Quantitative Analysis in Planning3
CP 4190Introduction to Climate Change Planning3
CP 4510Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems3
CP 4060Urban Data Science3
CP 4052Sustainable Cities Studio3
City and Regional Planning Electives 1
4000-level or higher CP courses12
4000-level or higher CP courses or other electives 29
Free Electives
Free Electives20
Total Credit Hours122
1

Students must complete 12 credits of CP-prefix courses at the 4000-level or higher. Students must also complete 9 credits of CP-prefix courses or select courses from an approved list.

2

Students must complete 9 credit hours of 4000-level or higher CP-prefix courses or select from the following: ARCH 4107, ARCH 4151, ARCH 4320, BC 4120, BC 4270, CEE 4160, CEE 4600, CEE 4610, CEE 4620, EAS 3110, EAS 4410, EAS 4480, ECON 4421, ECON 4440, HTS 3012, HTS 3011, HTS 3081, PUBP 4803 (Public Finance & Policy), PUBP 3315, PUBP 3320, PUBP 3350, PUBP 3600, PUBP 4211