Graduate Certificates
Add a little extra to your degree
Graduate/professional certificates are available to all degree-seeking graduate and professional students (GRAD, LAW, MED, PHARM, VMED careers). Graduate/professional certificate programs coordinate teaching and research among scholars active in interrelated disciplines. Consult the certificate program regarding recognition of program completion. Certificate programs monitor their own course and satisfactory progress requirements.
AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
Choose your own adventure
The Urban and Regional Planning Program does not have established concentrations. Each student, in consultation with their advisor, must identify an individualized area of planning where they develop in-depth skills and knowledge. The area of concentration is commonly used by graduates of the UW–Madison program to communicate areas of special expertise to potential employers and allows the student to concentrate on planning issues of most importance to them. The area of concentration often draws on courses taught in URPL, but often also draws on courses taught in other leading departments available to students at UW–Madison.
One unique thing about URPL is that each student and their advisor develop areas of concentration individually. Although it is up to the student to choose an appropriate area of concentration based on their interests, often areas of interest fall into broader categories.
Planning Divisions
The American Planning Association has several planning divisions, which serve as gathering places for planners with similar interests. The 21 divisions below may guide you into areas of concentrations as well as provide networking opportunities with professional planners. Explore the links for more information on each planning division.
Courses by Theme
Each student consults with their advisor in identification of their chosen area of concentration and in selecting the courses that will be used to fulfill the Area of Concentration requirement. This process normally starts during the first semester of study and must be completed by the last semester of study. The following themes are concentrations formed by past students and may provide inspiration for your coursework. These are not official concentrations endorsed by UW-Madison.
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Energy Planning
URPL 306 The Real Estate Process
GEOG 332/ATM OCN 332 Global Warming – Science & Impacts
BSE/ENVIR ST 367 Renewable Energy Systems
GEOG/ENVIR ST 377 Intro to GIS
ENVIR ST 401 Introduction to Air Quality
ENVIR ST 402 Climate Change Governance
ENVIR ST 502 Air Pollution & Human Health
AAE 531 Natural Resource Economics
URPL 590 Bicycles, Pedestrians & the City
URPL 611 Urban Design: Theory & Practice
URPL 617 Community Development
URPL 622 Applications of GIS in Planning
RMI 650 Sustainability, Environmental & Social Risk Mgmt
URPL 671 Energy Economics
URPL 731 Introduction to Regional Planning
URPL 809 Intro to Energy Analysis & Policy
URPL 810 Energy Analysis Seminar
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
URPL 844 Housing & Public Policy
ENVIR ST 866 Global Environmental Governance
ENVIR ST 970 Colloquium – Transportation Management Policy
URPL 999 Independent Work
Environmental Policy & Planning / Open Space Preservation
URPL 306 The Real Estate Process
ESL 345 American English Pronunciation
ENVIR ST/BSE 367 Renewable Energy Systems
GEOG 378 Introduction to Geocomputing
POL SCI 426 Legislative Process
ENVIR ST 430 Law & Environment
LA 462 Regional Design
MED HIST 559 Ethics of Climate Change
GEOG 572 Graphic Design in Cartography
GEOG 579 GIS & Spatial Analysis
URPL 590 Planning for Resilience/Natural Hazards
URPL 590 Health & the Built Environment
URPL 590 Urban Design
URPL 590 Urban Open Space Systems
URPL 590 Bicycles, Pedestrians & the City
URPL 590 Planning & Public Health
URPL 601 Site Planning
URPL 611 Urban Design: Theory & Practice
URPL 622 GIS for Planners
URPL 644 International Development & Gender
ENVIR ST 651 Conservation Biology
ENVIR ST 695 Application of GIS: Natural Resources
CLASSICS 700 Art & Archaeology in Ancient Greece
URPL 711 Food Systems & Marketplaces
URPL 731 Intro to Regional Planning
URPL 751 Intro to Financial Planning
ENVIR ST 809 Energy Analysis & Policy
URPL 812 Planning Effectiveness
URPL 814 Environmental & Alternative Dispute Resolution
URPL 821 Resource Policy Issues: Regional & National
URPL 839 Transportation & Infrastructure Systems Planning
URPL 841 Planning for the Ecological City: Urban Functions, Spatial Organization & Environmental Form
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
URPL 844 Housing & Public Policy
URPL 865 Water Resources & Management
PA 885 Advanced Public Management: Constraints & Accountability
ART HIST 887 Methods in Buildings, Landscapes, & Cultures
ENVIR ST 900 Environmental Planning
URPL 923 Land Problems
URPL 945 Planning for Tourism/Outdoor Recreation
URPL 969 Seminar: Trends & Issues – Public Planning
URPL 969 Comprehensive Planning
ENVIR ST 970 Colloquium in Transportation Management & Policy
ENVIR ST 977 Sustainable Development
URPL 990 Research & Thesis
URPL 999 Independent Work
Water Resources / Stormwater / Resilience
ENVIR ST 315 Limnology – Conservation of Aquatic Resources
URPL 590 Markets & Food Systems
URPL 590 Bikes, Pedestrians & the City
URPL 590 Planning for Resilience to Natural Hazards
URPL 601 Site Planning
URPL 622 Applications of GIS in Planning
URPL 644 International Development & Gender
RMI 650 Sustainability, Environmental & Social Risk Management
URPL 731 Intro to Regional Planning
URPL 841 Planning and the Ecological City
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
URPL 865 Water Resources Institutions & Policies
ENVIR ST 866 Global Environmental Governance
URPL 878 Public Management
URPL 945 Tourism Planning
URPL 999 Independent Study
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Food Systems
AAE 323 Cooperatives
AGRONOMY 377 Cropping Systems of the Tropics
OTM 421 Fundamentals of Supply Chain Mgmt
BOT 474 Ethnobotany
URPL 590 Searching for the Just City
URPL 601 Site Planning
AE 701 Farm as Sociological Endeavor
AE 702 Multifunctionality of Agriculture
AE 710 Agroecology Seminar
URPL 711 Food Systems
URPL 751 Intro to Financial Planning
URPL 821 Resource Policy
URPL 839 Transportation Planning
URPL 841 Planning for the Ecological City
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
AE 875 Food Systems, Sustainability & Climate Change
ENVIR ST 900 Food Systems Policy Analysis
URPL 969 Sustainable Cities
CEE 970 Transportation Colloquium
LAW 988 Food Systems & Agricultural Law
AE 990 Professional Project
GIS / Urban Design
CS 301 Introduction to Data Programming
AAE 306 Real Estate Process
LA 312 Graphics for Designers
GEOG 349 Europe
ENVIR ST 401 Intro to Remote Sensing
LA 462 Design of Sustainable and Resilient Regions
URPL 506 Historical Geography of Western Urbanization
ENVIR ST/LA 556 Digital Image Processing/Remote Sensing Digital Image
URPL 601 Site Planning
URPL 611 Urban Design: Theory & Practice
URPL 622 GIS for Planners
LA 695 Applications of GIS in Natural Resources
URPL 699 Directed Study
URPL 711 Food Systems
URPL 731 Intro to Regional Planning
URPL 751 Intro to Financial Planning
URPL 839 Transportation & Land Use Planning
URPL 841 Ecological City Planning
URPL 969 Topics: Planning & the Sustainable City
URPL 969 Comprehensive Planning
Transportation
URPL 305/URPL 306 The Real Estate Process
CEE 370 Transportation Engineering
GEOG 377 Intro to GIS
URPL 420 Urban & Regional Economics
ECON 502 Economics of Transportation
ENVIR ST 506 Environmental Systems Monitoring
URPL 520 Community Economic Analysis
CEE 571 Urban Transport Planning
CEE 573 Geometric Design – Transportation Facility
CEE 574 Traffic Control
URPL 590 Bicycles, Pedestrians & the City
URPL 590 Urban Design
URPL 590 Health & the Built Environment
URPL 590 Gentrification in American Cities
URPL 601 Site Planning
URPL 622 GIS for Planners
URPL 644 International Development & Gender
URPL 651 Intro to Financial Planning
TRAN P U 671 Energy Economics
CEE 679 Topics: Transportation & City Planning
CEE 679 Topics: Transportation Operations
CEE 694 Management of Civil Infrastructure Systems
LA 695 Applications of GIS for Natural Resources
RE 720 Urban Economics
URPL 731 Introduction to Regional Planning
POP HLTH 740 HIA of Global Environmental Change
OTM 744 Economics of Transportation
URPL 751 Introduction to Financial Planning
CEE 772 TMP Practicum
ENVIR ST 575 Assessment of Environmental Impact
POL SCI 813 Political Science Statistics, Ph.D
URPL 839 Land Use & Communication Systems Planning
URPL 839 Transportation & Infrastructure Systems Planning
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
URPL 844 Housing & Public Policy
PA 885 Advanced Public Management
URPL 969 Planning & the Sustainable City
URPL 969 Comprehensive Planning
CEE 970 TMP Colloquium
URPL 990 Research & Thesis
URPL 999 Independent Work
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Community Development
URPL 305 Introduction to the City
URPL 306 The Real Estate Process
AAE 343 Environmental Economics
HORT 365 Growing Dilemma
POL SCI 401 Supreme Court as Political Institution
POL SCI 467 Elections & Voting Behavior
URPL 520 Community Economic Problem Analysis
URPL 590 Planning for Resilience to Natural Hazards
URPL 590 Community Field Research Methods
URPL 590 Searching for the Just City
URPL 601 Site Planning
URPL 611 Urban Design: Theory & Practice
URPL 622 GIS in Planning
URPL 711 Planning for Food Systems & Marketplaces
URPL 731 Intro to Regional Planning
URPL 734 Microeconomic Problem Analysis
URPL 751 Intro to Financial Planning
GEN BUS 765 Sustainability meets Entrepreneurship
URPL 814 Environmental & Alternative Dispute Resolution
URPL 839 Transportation & Infrastructure
URPL 839 Transportation & Land Use Planning
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
URPL 844 Housing & Public Policy
PA 873 Intro to Policy Analysis
PA 874 Policy-Making Process
PA 875 Public Personnel Administration
PA 878 Public Management
PA 881 Cost Benefit Analysis
PA 892 Public Budgeting
URPL 969 Trends & Issues
URPL 969 Sustainable Cities
URPL 990 Research & Thesis
URPL 999 Independent Work
Economic Development
RE/URPL 306 The Real Estate Process
GEOG 377 Intro to GIS
COMM 398Y Topics: Going Viral – Digital Rhetoric & Social Media Discourse
RE 410 Real Estate Finance
RE 415 Valuation of Real Estate
RE 420 Urban & Regional Economics
URPL 590 Gentrification
URPL 590 Community Planning Field Course
URPL 590 Searching for the Just City
URPL 590 Urban Open Space Systems
URPL 601 Site Planning
RE 611 Residential Property Development
URPL 611 Urban Design: Theory & Practice
AAE 642 Foundation of Development Economics
RE 651 Green-Sustainable Development
URPL/AAE 671 Energy Economics
LA 695 Applications of GIS: Natural Resources
URPL 720 Urban Economics
AAE 730 Frontier of Development Economics I
URPL 731 Intro to Regional Planning
URPL 751 Intro to Financial Planning
RE 750 Commercial Property Development
RE 765 Case Study Competition
URPL 814 Environmental & Dispute Resolution
URPL 844 Housing & Public Policy
URPL 945 Land Use/Community Development
URPL 969 Comprehensive Planning
URPL 969 Issues in Public Planning
URPL 990 Research & Thesis
URPL 999 Independent Work (Public Finance)
URPL 999 Independent Work
Sustainable Development & Planning
ECON 343 Environmental Economics
ESL 349 Academic Writing for Grads
DS 356 Sustainable Residential Construction
URPL 449 Gov. & Natural Resource
URPL 590 Gentrification in Contemporary American Cities
URPL 590 Bicycles, Pedestrians & the City
URPL 590 Urban Design & Theory
URPL 590 Natural Hazards Resilience Planning
URPL 590 Health & the Built Environment
URPL 590 Urban Open Space Systems
URPL 590 Planning & Public Health
BUS 600 Topics in Sustainable Business
URPL 601 Site Planning
URPL 611 Urban Design
DS 642 Taste
URPL 644 International Development & Gender
RMI 650 Sustainability: Risk Management
RE 651 Green Sustainable Development
URPL 720 Urban Economics
URPL 731 Introduction to Regional Planning
URPL 761 Central City Planning: Issues & Approaches
MHR 765 Sustainable Environmental Management
URPL 821 Environmental & Natural Resources Planning
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
URPL 844 Housing & Public Policy
URPL 865 Water Resources, Institutions & Policies
ART HIST 867 Seminar: American Architecture
PA 878 Public Administration
URPL 878 Introduction to Public Management
ENVIR ST 900 Radical Property for Environmental Sustainability
ENVIR ST 900 Sustainability, Science
ENVIR ST 900 Sustainable Development
URPL 923 Land Problems
URPL 949 Independent Work
URPL 969 Sustainable City Planning
URPL 969 Comprehensive Planning
PA 974 Influencing Political Systems for Social Change
URPL 999 Independent Work
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Equity Planning
AMER IND 306 Indigenous Peoples & the Environment
ANTHRO 307 Urban Anthropology
GEOG 307 International Migration, Health, & Human Rights
GEOG 309 People, Land & Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems
CHICLA 315 Racial Formation & Whiteness
CHICLA 331 Immigrant Health & Wellbeing
ENVIR ST 441 Environmental Ethics
URB R PL 463 Evolution of American Planning
HISTORY 465 Global Environmental History
CHICLA 470 Sociodemographic Analysis of Mexican Migration
CHICLA 478 Border & Race Studies in Latin America
CHICLA 501 Chican@ & Latin@ Social Movements in the U.S.
GEOG 505 Urban Spatial Patterns & Theories
GEOG 506 Historical Geography of European Urbanization
HISTORY 519 Sexuality, Modernity & Social Change
PUB AFFR 520 Inequality, Race & Public Policy
AAE 520 Community Economic Analysis
SOC 533 Public Health in Rural & Urban Communities
ENVIR ST 540 Sociology of International Development, Environment, & Sustainability
SOC 541 Environmental Stewardship & Social Justice
LAND ARC 561 Housing & Urban Design
SOC 573 Community Organization & Change
SOC 578 Poverty & Place
URB R PL 590 Contemporary Topics in Urban & Regional Planning
URB R PL 611 Urban Design: Theory & Practice
URB R PL 617 Community Development
SOC 620 Comparative Racial Inequality
SOC 633 Social Stratification
LAND ARC 639 Culture & Built Environment
URB R PL 641 Housing Economics & Policy
URB R PL 645 Modern American Communities
CHICLA 657 Understanding Latino Families & Communities
ENVIR ST 668 Green Politics: Global Experience, American Prospects
URB R PL 711 Planning for Food Systems & Marketplaces
URB R PL 741 Introduction to Planning
URB R PL 761 Central City Planning: Issues and Approaches
URB R PL 781 Planning Thought & Practice
URB R PL 841 Urban Functions, Spatial Organization & Environmental Form
URB R PL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
URB R PL 844 Housing & Public Policy
HISTORY 979 Seminar in Urban History
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International Policy / Development
LCA LANG 333/334 First & Second Semester Pashto
LCA LANG 371/372 First & Second Semester Urdu
ECON 464 International Trade & Finance
AAE 477 Economic Development in Africa
ELPA 502 Law & Public Education
HIST 500 Colonialism: South Asia & Africa
URPL 644 International Development & Gender
RMI 650 Sustainable, Environmental, & Social Risk Management
AFRICAN 669 Itineraries Africa & Middle East
AFRICAN 669 Sixth Semester Arabic
INTL STUD 699 Independent Study: Latin America
URPL 699 Directed Study: FEMA; Afghanistan
URPL 731 Intro to Regional Planning
ED POL 760 Education in Developing Societies
PA 799 Independent Reading (Pashto)
PA 800 Professional Development Workshop
PA 802 Public Affairs Seminar Series
ED POL 830 School Finance
PA 850 International Governance
PA 854 Macroecon Pol & International Financial Regulation
PA 857 Political Economy of Corruption & Good Governance
PA 860 International Public Affairs Workshop
SOC WK 861 Public Management in Complex Times
PA 873 Intro to Policy Analysis
PA 880 Microeconomic Policy Analysis
ENVIR ST 900 Sustainable Science, Technology, & Policy
ENVIR ST 900 Building an Energy Career
POP HLTH 915 International Health Systems
URPL 923 Land Problems: Institutional Development
PA 974 Topics: International Development Policy
PA 974 Topics: Protection Policies in Latin America
URPL 999 Independent Work
Public Policy
URPL/GEOG 305 Introduction to the City
URPL/GEOG 377 Intro to GIS
URPL 590 Contemporary Topics in Planning
URPL 601 Site Planning
URPL 611 Urban Design: Theory & Practice
POL SCI 642 Political Power in Contemporary China
SOC WRK 664 Topics of Contemporary Social Welfare
URPL 696 Seminar: Trends & Issues
ECE 699 Advanced Independent Study
ELPA 701 Intro to Higher- and Post-Secondary Education
URPL 711 Food Systems and Marketplaces
POP HLTH 740 Health Impact of Global Environmental Change
PA 765 Issues in Educational Policy
ELPA 860 Organizational Theory & Behavior in Education
ELPA 875 Theory & Practice of Education Planning
URPL 844 Housing & Public Policy
URPL 865 Water Resources: Institutions & Policies
PA 865 Public Management
URPL 999 Independent Work
Housing
RE 306 The Real Estate Process
ESL 349 Academic Writing for Graduates
GEOG 377 Intro to GIS
RE 415 Real Estate Valuation
GEOG 505 Urban Spatial Pattern & Theory
CEE 571 Urban Transportation Planning
URPL 601 Site Planning
URPL 611 Urban Design: Theory & Practice
URPL 622 GIS for Planners
RE 641 Housing Economics & Policy
URPL 751 Intro to Financial Planning
URPL 812 Planning Effectiveness
URPL 839 Transportation & Land Use Planning
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
URPL 844 Housing & Public Policy
PA 873 Intro to Policy Analysis
URPL/PA 874 Policy-Making Process
URPL/PA 878 Public Management
LAW 940 Housing & Community Development
URPL 969 Comprehensive Planning
URPL 969 Trends & Issues in Public Planning
URPL 999 Independent Work
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Regional Planning
URPL 590 Urban Open Space Systems
URPL 590 Searching for the Just City
URPL 590 Planning for Resilience to Natural Hazards
URPL 601 Site Planning
CEE 694 Management of Civil Infrastructure Systems
URPL 814 Alternative Dispute Resolution
URPL 841 Planning the Ecological City
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
CEE 970 Colloquium:Transportation Management & Policy
LAW 988 Food Systems Law
URPL 999 Independent Study
Public Health
GEOG 377 Intro to GIS
STAT 571 Statistic Methods for Bioscience I
STAT 572 Statistic Methods for Bioscience II
URPL 590 Urban Design
POP HLTH 650 Public Health Preparedness
POP HLTH 662 Intro to Social Marketing
POP HLTH 797 Intro to Epidemiology
POP HLTH 801 Epidemiology – Infectious Disease
POP HLTH 904 Topics – Epidemiology
URPL 999 Independent Work
Transportation & Housing
URPL 420 Urban & Regional Economics
CEE 571 Urban Transport Planning
URPL 590 Bicycle & Pedestrian Planning
URPL 590 Urban Design
LA 695 Applications of GIS: Natural Resources
POP HLTH 740 Health Impact of Global Environment Change
URPL 839 Transportation & Infrastructure Systems Planning
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
URPL 844 Housing & Public Policy
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Land Use
ENVIR ST 343 Environmental Economics
LA 375 Special Topics
URPL 601 Site Planning
URPL 611 Urban Design: Theory & Practice
RE 651 Green Sustainable Development
URPL 717 Water Resources Management Pract.
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
URPL 844 Housing & Public Policy
ART HIST 868 Seminar: American Architecture
URPL 923 Seminar: Land – Institutional Development
URPL 999 Special Topics
Land Use & Community Development
URPL 590 Gentrification in American Cities
URPL 590 Bicycles, Pedestrians & the City
URPL 590 Planning for Resilience to Natural Hazards
URPL 601 Site Planning
URPL 622 Applications of GIS in Planning
URPL 731 Intro to Regional Planning
URPL 761 Central City Planning
URPL 843 Land Use Policy & Planning
URLP 844 Housing & Public Policy
URPL 969 Planning & the Sustainable City