Bachelor of Arts: Urban Planning and Design
University Requirements
General Education
UMKC Essentials is the university-wide curriculum that all undergraduate students will complete. The 30-credit hour program includes a First Year Experience course; three critical thinking courses in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Natural & Physical Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences; a Culture and Diversity course; a Civic & Urban Engagement course; two courses in Written Composition and one course in Oral Communication; and a Math Pathway course. Transfer students entering UMKC will elect from the UMKC Essentials General Education Program or the Missouri Core 42 General Education Curriculum. Academic advisors will meet with incoming transfer students to determine which option best serves the student’s educational needs. More information about General Education may be found here: https://catalog.umkc.edu/undergraduate-academic-regulations-information/general-education-requirements/
Constitution Course
Every undergraduate student must take a course covering the United States Constitution and the Missouri State Constitution before graduation. Course options are included in the program requirements section below.
Exit Examinations
Information on exit examinations is available in the Undergraduate Academic Regulations and Information section of the catalog.
Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination
In accordance with Missouri Senate Bill 807 (section 170.013.1), 'any student entering a public institution of higher education for the first time after July 2019 who is pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree from such institution shall successfully pass an examination on the provisions and principles of American civics with a score of seventy percent or greater as a condition of graduation from such institution'. To satisfy this requirement at UMKC, students access the exam through the Canvas site. This requirement will be listed in the degree audit system as, 'Take State Mandated Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination', and listed on the transcript as 'Missouri Civics Examination'.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from this program will:
- Students use planning knowledge to create planning solutions for a project.
- Students demonstrate written, oral, and graphic communication skills and professional work capacity required in planning and design practice.
- Students can articulate and exercise professional ethics and responsibility.
The Urban Planning and Design program provides an innovative curriculum that incorporates a combination of broad liberal arts courses, with a core of professional planning classes, coupled with a series of design studios. The design studio represents a forum where students employ a creative process, infused with knowledge gained from supporting courses, to generate holistic urban planning and design solutions. Urban design projects will engage professionals, civic officials, neighborhood leaders and government officials into an important dialogue.
Admission to the program is selective and reviewed by the UPD program.
UMKC Essentials
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Semester Experience Course (GEFSE) | 3 | |
| Written Communication: | ||
| ENGLISH 110 | Introduction to Academic Prose | 3 |
| ENGLISH 225 | English II: Intermediate Academic Prose | 3 |
| Oral Communication (choose one of the following): | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Effective Speaking and Listening | ||
| Introduction to Communication | ||
| Argumentation And Debate (offered via dual credit only) | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Math Pathway (satisfied in major requirements below) | ||
| Critical Thinking in Arts & Humanities (GECRT-AH) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Natural & Physical Sciences (GECRT-SC) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Social & Behavioral Sciences (GECRT-SS) | 3 | |
| Culture & Diversity Course (GECDV) | 3 | |
| Civic & Urban Engagement Course (GECUE) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
Constitution Course Requirement
Section 170.011.1 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, 2015, states that all candidates for a degree issued by a college or university in the state of Missouri must have “satisfactorily passed an examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri, and in American history and American institutions.”
Courses at UMKC that satisfy this state requirement are:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Supreme Court And The Criminal Process | ||
| U.S. History to 1877 | ||
| U.S. History Since 1877 | ||
| Honors American Government | ||
| American Government | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
There are a few other ways this requirement can be satisfied for students transferring to UMKC:
- Take an equivalent course from the list above at a regionally accredited institution.
- Earn credit for one of the above courses through AP, IB, or CLEP.
- Take a course that directly satisfies the Missouri Constitution Requirement at another Missouri institution.
- Have a previous bachelors degree (or higher) from a regionally accredited institution.
- Have an Associate of Arts degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Complete the 42 Hour Core at a Missouri institution and have it listed on the official transcript.
Major Requirements
Students must successfully complete the major requirements below with at least 12 hours of the noted upper division (300+) course requirements completed at UMKC.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 110 | Precalculus Algebra (satisfies Math Pathway) | 3 |
| Lab Science | ||
| Choose an Introductory Science Class with a Lab | 4-5 | |
| Astronomy: Motions of the Cosmos and Introductory Astronomy Laboratory | ||
| Biology and Living and Biology and Living Laboratory | ||
| Elements Of Chemistry I and Elements Of Chemistry, Laboratory I | ||
| General Chemistry I and Experimental General Chemistry I | ||
| Understanding the Earth: Introduction to Environmental Science and Laboratory and Understanding the Earth Laboratory | ||
| General Geology and General Geology Laboratory | ||
| General Physics I | ||
| Physics For Scientists and Engineers I | ||
| Studio | ||
| UPD 210 | Visual Communication for Urban Design | 4 |
| UPD 310 | Planning And Design Studio I | 4 |
| UPD 312 | Planning And Design Studio II | 4 |
| UPD 410 | Planning and Design Studio III | 4 |
| UPD 412WI | Planning and Design Studio IV | 4 |
| Urban Planning | ||
| UPD 203 | GIS For Urban Planning | 3 |
| UPD 260 | History Of Planning And Urban Design | 3 |
| UPD 280 | Land Use Planning | 3 |
| UPD 300 | Quantitative Planning Methods And Techniques | 3 |
| UPD 320 | Planning Theory And Practice | 3 |
| UPD 411 | Professional Practice I | 1 |
| UPD 413 | Professional Practice II | 1 |
| UPD 432 | Urban Environment Planning And Design | 3 |
| UPD 450 | Planning Law And Practice | 3 |
| UPD 490 | Urban Planning Internship | 3 |
| STAT 235 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| ECON 201 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| or ECON 202 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| Planning Electives | ||
| Select a minimum of 3 of the following: | 9 | |
| Neighborhood And Community Development | ||
| Advanced GIS For Urban Planning | ||
| Transportation Planning | ||
| Planning For Historic Preservation | ||
| Natural Hazards and Disaster Planning (by permission only) | ||
| Urban Redevelopment | ||
| American Housing | ||
| Climate Change Impact Assessment and Policy Response | ||
| Professional Electives | ||
| Choose any 2 of the following | 6 | |
| Foundation Digital Design | ||
| Foundation 2D Design | ||
| Race And Ethnic Relations | ||
| Urban Anthropology | ||
| Second Year Arabic I | ||
| General Ecology * | ||
| Second Year Chinese I * | ||
| Project Management of Integrated Design and Construction | ||
| Capital Project Delivery Methods | ||
| Environmental Compliance, Auditing and Permitting | ||
| Green Building and Sustainable Infrastructure | ||
| Race, Class and Justice | ||
| Problem Solving and Programming I * | ||
| Data Visualization | ||
| Political Economy of Race, Class And Gender: Theory, History, And Policy | ||
| The Kansas City Economy | ||
| Environment, Resources And Economic Growth | ||
| State And Local Government Finance * | ||
| Urban Economics * | ||
| Professional and Technical Writing | ||
| Technical Communication | ||
| Social Entrepreneurship | ||
| Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Understanding and Living with Volcanoes * | ||
| Global Water and Sustainability | ||
| Cultural Perspectives on the Environment | ||
| Global Tourism * | ||
| Second Year French I | ||
| Environmental Remote Sensing and Digital Image Analysis * | ||
| Second-Year German I | ||
| Rise of the City in the U.S. | ||
| Museums, Monuments, and American Life: An Introduction to Public History | ||
| American Environmental History | ||
| Environmental Ethics And Policy | ||
| Ethics and Government | ||
| Politics In The American States | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
| Introduction to Race, Ethnic, and Gender Studies | ||
| Introduction to Black Studies | ||
| Introduction to Latinx and Latin American Studies | ||
| Introduction To Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | ||
| Introduction to Feminist Theory | ||
| Introduction to Queer Theory | ||
| Race and Ethnic Relations | ||
| Latinx Immigrants, Migrants, and Refugees in the U.S | ||
| Real Estate Principles | ||
| Real Estate Finance Fundamentals * | ||
| Social Movements | ||
| Globalization and Development | ||
| Second Year Spanish I | ||
| Machine Learning and Statistical Modeling * | ||
| Total Credits | 74-75 | |
| * | Pre or co-requisites may add hours to program completion if this course is selected. |
General Electives
Students must take elective credit hours to meet the minimum credit hour requirement for their degree, including at least 36 credit hours of coursework at the 300-level or above. The minimum required by the university is 120 credit hours, of which at least 30 credit hours must be taken at UMKC, but some degree programs require more.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Electives | 16 | |
Minimum GPA: 2.0 (2.5 in all major coursework)
Total Credit Hours 120
Tools for Planning and Fulfilling Academic Requirements
UMKC's Major Maps are detailed, semester by semester plans that lead a student to complete all degree requirements within four years. Plans include benchmarks and critical courses by term that assist a student’s evaluation of progress and major “fit”. In order to ensure that the appropriate courses are taken, students are encouraged to consult with the undergraduate advisor for this major. Please see the tab above to view the major map for this program.
UMKC’s Transfer Guides provide detailed guidance on recommended transfer coursework, plans of study, transfer timelines, and transfer contact information. To ensure a seamless transfer experience, students are encouraged to work with both their community college advisor and a UMKC advisor when planning their coursework.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Audit’ degree audit system provides an individual evaluation of all degree requirements (General Education, Degree Specific, Major Specific, etc.) for students' officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. This evaluation is used to certify all graduation requirements.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Plans’ degree planning tool enables students to develop a personalized semester by semester plan of study towards completion of degree requirements for student’s officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. Update and edit your full plan to degree completion each term and confirm accuracy each semester with your Academic Advisor(s).
