L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

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Urban and regional studies and planning

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Study where it’s happening.

Our setting in Richmond, Virginia, puts you at the forefront of urban revitalization.

APPLY AND BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY TODAY

You’re in the perfect place to study urban and regional studies/planning — Richmond is a beautiful, diverse and historic city with a strong network of public, nonprofit and private organizations dedicated to urban revitalization.

Apply to URP Undergraduate Program

Apply to URP Graduate Program

Determine your per semester cost of attending VCU

What does this mean for you? Think community engagement, experiential learning and service learning. Each of our students partner with community organizations through paid internships or client-based studio work.

The M.U.R.P. program is fully accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB). Learn more about this distinction

Bachelor’s program

Build a solid foundation in understanding emerging trends in cities and regions and the role of planning, design and communication. You’ll gain marketable skills in qualitative and quantitative analysis, problem-solving and professional competence to solve current social, economic and environmental challenges.

Program and Degree Requirements

Master’s program

Gain professional grounding in the theory and methodology of planning through a curriculum that balances classroom and field experience. You’ll learn practical planning skills through hands-on, field-based instruction and a required internship in a public or private planning-related organization.

The Master of Urban and Regional Planning program offers three concentrations:

Dual-degree option

Our M.U.R.P./ J.D. program allows you to receive a J.D. from the law school at the University of Richmond and a master’s in urban and regional planning from VCU in four years rather than five. 

Program and degree requirements

Wilder School Request for Information

Want to learn more about the program and application process? Get in touch and request information with this form.

 

Internships

For more information on internship opportunities, credits, and applications visit the student section.

 

Study Abroad
 
The Wilder School offers  exchange programs in Germany at Bauhaus University, Weimar and the University of Kaiserslautern
 
Learn about other study abroad opportunities.

Certificate programs

Urban revitalization

Learn the techniques and processes of city and neighborhood revitalization, including adaptive reuse of buildings, historic preservation, real estate market analysis and the role of private-public partnerships in financing development projects. Grades of “B” or better are fully transferable to the master’s program.

Program requirements for Urban revitalization

Geographic information systems

Gain specialized training in operations and techniques related to the creation, analysis, modeling, visualization, interpretation and management of geographic information.

Program requirements for Geographic information systems

Sustainability planning

Acquire analytical and professional skills to identify and address barriers to sustainability, and to develop plans and policies for more sustainable lifestyles, systems and institutions.

Program requirements for sustainability planning.

Wilder School Request for Information

Want to learn more about the program and application process? Get in touch and request information with this form.

Minor

The urban and regional studies/planning minor requires 18 credits and allows you to gain theoretical and practical education in the field.

Course requirements

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“The Wilder School's M.U.R.P. program is helping me turn big ideas and hopes about what a community can be into an implementable plan. Faculty members encourage you when solutions are not clear and equip you with the training and experience to create positive change.”

— Shekinah Mitchell, Class of 2019