2016-2017 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Certificate in Sustainable Urban and Regional Planning
The certification program in Sustainable Urban and Regional Planning is housed within the department of Geography and Sustainable Planning (www.gvsu.edu/geography). Students learn how urban and regional development and planning impact environment and society. This applied program offers tools and strategies to professional interested in smart urban development, land-use planning, transportation, green architecture and design, and geographic applications in planning and urban development.
Program coordinator: Professor Jeroen Wagendorp, Ph.D., department of Geography and Sustainable Planning.
Reasons to study sustainable urban and regional planning:
The certificate in sustainable urban and regional planning gives students additional expertise and opportunities for applying geographic understandings and skills in the wider community.
Our students:
- Gain an understanding of planning terms and concepts, which equips them to enter conversation about local planning and zoning, and qualifies them for internship and jobs.
- Build a strong foundation in the history and theory of planning and a depth of understanding that informs their analyses of local issues.
- Participate in regional and state planning conferences and are exposed to frequent guest speakers, giving them contact with real-world practitioners in the field of planning.
- Are in contact with a broad community of alumni in planning related fields - people our undergraduates come to know on a first name basis - offering our graduates a ready-made network for job-hunting and advice.
Students who have graduated from GVSU with the sustainable urban and regional planning certificate have found employment in economic development, housing, real estate, transportation planning, watershed management, land-use planning, environmental planning.
Requirements for a Certificate in Sustainable Urban and Regional Planning
Students must earn a bachelor's degree to earn this certificate. Students who seek a certificate in sustainable urban and regional planning are required to complete four of the five courses listed below.
- GPY/ PA 209 - Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning (3 credits)
- GPY/ PA 313 - Land Use Planning (3 credits)
- GPY/ PA/ ENS 312 - Urban and Regional Environmental Planning (3 credits)
- GPY/ PA 324 - Urbanization (3 credits)
-
GPY/
ENS/
PA 410 - Landscape Analysis (3 credits)
(prerequisites GPY 100 or GEO111 or BIO 105)