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The Top Ten Reasons to Pursue a Master's Degree
in Urban & Regional Planning at Florida State University
(PDF Version)
1. FSU’s Department of Urban & Regional Planning (DURP) is one of the
nation’s best programs.
Planetizen ranked FSU's
Department of Urban & Regional Planning as the nation's 8th best public
university planning school. These rankings were based upon a combination of
statistical indicators and reputational surveys completed by practitioners and
academics. For more information see: http://www.planetizen.com/guide
2. DURP allows students to develop a curriculum that fits each
student’s interests. The department’s program of study allows students to
focus upon their areas of interest, with five specializations (Environment,
Growth Management, Housing/Community Development, Planning for Developing
Areas, Transportation), three joint degree programs (with Law, Public
Administration, and International Affairs) and three certificate programs
(Dispute Resolution, Real Estate, and Urban Design).
3. The DURP curriculum provides a foundation from which to embark upon
a successful career in planning. The department prepares students to be
successful planning professionals, developing their computer skills (such as GIS,
spreadsheets, web data acquisition), planning skills (such as survey design,
demographic analysis, land suitability analysis) and critical thinking skills.
Employers report that DURP’s graduates are well-prepared to undertake planning
work the day they leave the program.
4. DURP provides real world experience to students through group
projects and a required internship with a planning agency or firm. Given
that planning is an applied field, DURP’s program of study provides numerous
opportunities for learning outside of the classroom. For example, many courses
require students to undertake work in the community through things like
resident surveys, traffic analyses, and management of community meetings. Students
also are required to undertake an internship in one of the state’s many public
planning agencies, non-profit organizations, or private planning firms.
5. The DURP faculty is recognized as one of the nation’s strongest.
Faculty continue to work and publish on issues at the cutting edge of the
field, including growth management, community health, neighborhood development,
hazards planning, and planning in the developing world. Current faculty have
served as president of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning,
edited and authored key publications, and taken leadership roles in regional
and statewide planning organizations.
6. As one of the oldest and largest programs in the Nation, DURP’s
alumni network is over 1,100 strong. DURP’s graduates work throughout Florida at all levels of
government and in the private sector. The program also has graduates working in
planning positions in over forty states and over twenty nations outside of the United States.
7. The Department has a 100% job placement rate of graduates with
public planning agencies, private planning firms, or non-profit planning
organizations. Within the last ten years, many DURP graduates have been
hired for post-graduation, full-time positions by government agencies or
private firms while still in school. For DURP’s graduates finding a job is not a
problem, instead they can focus upon choosing the right job to further their
professional goals.
8. DURP is situated in a dynamic capital city in a fast-growing region
of the country. Located in Florida’s state
capital, Tallahassee, and in a fast-growing
region, Florida’s
Great Northwest, DURP offers students a dynamic location, with opportunities to
work with state government and private planning firms, enjoy beautiful rural
and coastal areas, and experience a high quality of life in a vibrant southern city.
9. Florida
is a place where planning innovation is encouraged and rewarded. The state
of Florida is
known nationally and internationally for its efforts to manage growth and protect
the environment, even in the face of substantial population growth. Planning
has been embraced as a fundamental activity of government and planning
professionals are respected in Florida
for their commitment to placemaking and environmental stewardship.
10. The field of Urban Planning is a growing, desirable profession. In
January, 2007 FastCompany magazine ranked Urban Planning one of the “10
Hot Jobs for 2007”, noting that “individuals in residential planning and
development can expect a lot of work” in the foreseeable future.
See: http://www.fastcompany.com/articles/2007/01/top_jobs_2007.html
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