Urban & Regional Planning

What Is Urban & Regional Planning?

Urban and regional planning is about making cities, regions, and communities better for people to live; that is, making them more convenient, more beautiful, and better for a healthy life style, while keeping them affordable. The planning over the post-WWII years has been based a lot on regulations related to how, where, and when building can occur. Suburban areas became popular in the US during that time, along with more and more dependence on cars for transportation. But, in more recent times, some planners, like those in the Strong Towns movement, are finding that fewer regulations may lead to more interesting, walkable places where people want to hang out.

Most positions in the field will require Bachelor’s degrees in Urban Planning or Community Planning with the Master’s degree becoming the preferred degree, especially in large, industrialized areas.  Some support positions may be available at the Associate’s degree level, especially if you have specialized training in computer-assisted design (CAD) and architectural/mechanical drawing.  Many cities and towns are looking for skilled planners, and, surprisingly, so are some branches of the military.  Community planners are needed to create good communities for military people and their families to live and work.

So, if you’re a creative person willing to work in the field and have a sense of what a well-planned community or city can do to improve the lives of everyday people, this is an area to check out.