Dual Master of Urban Planning and Master of Arts in American Studies
This program combines the two-year Master of Urban Planning degree and the two-year Master of Arts degree in American Studies into a two and one-half year program. A program of 60 credit hours is required. This program is designed for students interested in careers in policy planning and research involving the arts, social planning, cultural activities and facilities, and historic preservation.
Admission to Graduate Studies
Admission Requirements
- All applicants must meet the requirements outlined in the Admission to Graduate Study policy.
- Bachelor’s degree: A copy of official transcripts showing proof of a bachelor's degree (and any post-bachelor’s coursework or degrees) from a regionally accredited institution, or a foreign university with equivalent bachelor's degree requirements is required.
- English proficiency: Proof of English proficiency for non-native or non-native-like English speakers is required. There are two bands of English proficiency, including Admission and Full proficiency. For applicants to online programs, Full proficiency is required.
Admission to the Dual M.A./M.U.P.
Students seeking admission to the dual degree must meet the admission requirements for both programs. Eligibility criteria for admission follow Graduate Studies' admission policy.
Applications are accepted for fall admission only with a funding priority deadline of January 5 and a final deadline of May 1. If January 5 or May 1 falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline will extend to the following business day.
M.U.P Application Requirements
- A completed graduate application submitted online;
- An application fee
- A statement of the applicant’s career goals and substantive interests in urban planning and rationale for undertaking graduate study in urban planning at KU;
- Official transcripts from applicant's undergraduate institution and any post-graduate institutions attended;
- 3 letters of recommendation from persons qualified to comment on the applicant’s academic abilities and probable success in graduate study;
- A current resume;
- Non-native speakers of English must meet English proficiency requirements.
American Studies M.A. Application Requirements
- A completed application form and non-refundable application fee submitted online to Graduate Studies.
- A copy or scan of official transcripts from each college and post-secondary institution you have attended.
- A statement of academic objectives describing your intellectual development, previous academic training, and areas of academic interest. The statement of academic objectives should make it clear why the student is pursuing graduate study in American Studies, and what kind of work they hope to prepare for through a rigorous, interdisciplinary program. The most effective statements often identify an existing intellectual conversation or problem to which the student wishes to contribute, and at least one faculty member with whom they may potentially work. The statement need not describe a developed research project, but ought to give a good idea of the kinds of questions, topics, and priorities that the student will pursue in building a research agenda. The quality of this statement is an especially important factor in the decisions of our admissions committee.
- A current résumé or curriculum vitae (C.V) summarizing your academic background and relevant work experience.
- Three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with your academic abilities, potential, and preparation for graduate study (submitted via the recommendation section of the online application).
- A sample of your written academic work. This should be a research paper or article of no more than 35 pages that represents your best work to date. Students who have completed a thesis may submit the introduction.
While completing the following degree requirements, graduate students are expected to understand and follow Office Graduate Studies policies relevant to their student status and academic standing.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUP Core Courses | ||
| UBPL 705 | Urban Economic Theory and Analysis | 3 |
| UBPL 736 | Planning Law and Institutions | 3 |
| UBPL 741 | Foundations of Compassionate Critical Thinking | 3 |
| UBPL 742 | Applied Data and Spatial Analysis | 3 |
| UBPL 763 | Politics and Planning | 3 |
| UBPL 777 | Equity, Justice, and American Cities | 3 |
| UBPL 780 | Climate Change and Hazards Planning | 3 |
| UBPL 785 | History and Theory of Planning | 3 |
| MUP Electives | 12 | |
| Sustainability and the Future of Transportation | ||
| Housing Policy and Planning | ||
| Community and Neighborhood Revitalization | ||
| Sustainable Land Use Policy and Planning | ||
| Environmental Planning Techniques | ||
| City and County Planning | ||
| Site Planning and Design | ||
| GIS Applications for Design and Planning | ||
| Transportation Policy and Planning | ||
| Data Driving Transportation | ||
| Transportation for Livable Cities | ||
| Real Estate Development | ||
| Creative Placemaking | ||
| Special Topics in Urban Planning: ______ | ||
| Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector | ||
| Collaboration in Public Administration | ||
| Creating Good Public Policy | ||
| Urban Policy and Administration | ||
| Nonprofit Management and Policy | ||
| Human Resource Management | ||
| Managing Public Money | ||
| Data Informed Decision-Making | ||
| Advanced Public Budgeting and Finance | ||
| Topics in Public Administration: _____ | ||
| Context, Ethics and Legal Environment of Public Administration | ||
| Managing Public Organizations | ||
| Infrastructure Management | ||
| Policy Analysis | ||
| Innovation and Organizational Change | ||
| Performance Management and Governance | ||
| Performance Audit | ||
| Data Analytics | ||
| Emergency Management in the United States: Theory and Practice | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Reflections on Practice | ||
| Directed Readings | ||
| Leading to Create a Culture for High Performance | ||
| Research Seminar in Public Administration and Democracy | ||
| Research Seminar in Public Management | ||
| Seminar in the Intellectual History of Public Administration | ||
| Research Methods in Public Administration | ||
| Advanced Quantitative Methods for Public Administration | ||
| Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation | ||
| Qualitative Methods in Public Administration | ||
| Topics in Public Administration: _____ | ||
| Constitutional Foundations of Public Administration | ||
| Law, Courts, and Public Policy | ||
| Directed Reading on Public Administration | ||
| American Studies M.A. Core Courses | ||
| AMS 801 | Introduction to American Studies | 3 |
| AMS 802 | Theorizing America | 3 |
| AMS 803 | Research Methods in American Studies | 3 |
| AMS 804 | Research Seminar | 3 |
| American Studies M.A. Program of Study | 9 | |
| The student, in consultation with their faculty advisor, creates a unique program of study comprised of 3 graduate-level courses based on their research and professional interests. The courses will include historical depth in a defined area, which prepares the student for their M.A. portfolio and defense. These can be AMS or non-AMS classes. | ||
| Portfolio Hours | 3 | |
| After completing the AMS required courses, the student enrolls in AMS 898 with their faculty advisor to prepare the M.A. portfolio. | ||
| Total Hours | 60 | |
M.U.P. Electives
Elective coursework can take various forms, but the Urban Planning Program recommends completing 9 credit hours in a substantive topic areas housing and development, transportation, sustainable land use, or multidisciplinary planning and then one additional elective. Any School of Public Affairs & Administration (SPAA) class can be taken as an elective. UBPL 767 Creative Placemaking and UBPL 730 City and County Planning are strongly suggested as electives because they are applied skills classes covering all of the topic areas. Students are encouraged to consult the Urban Planning Director when choosing elective courses for the best options to meet their research and career goals. Graduate level classes taken outside of SPAA require the Urban Planning Director's approval.
M.A. Portfolio and Oral Examination
Students prepare and submit to their committee a portfolio, which includes a research article of publishable quality, research and teaching statements, and a reflection on the graduate experience to date. The article is an original piece of research that should be written and formatted for submission to a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal relevant to the topic and approach of the research. The article does not have to be accepted for publication as a requirement of graduation.
An oral examination is required and consists of a presentation from the student and questions from the committee related to the portfolio materials. The final exam committee, chosen by the student, must have at least four members; at least two from the Urban Planning area and at least two from the American Studies area. A majority of the committee members must approve the defense with an assessment of Pass or Pass with Honors in order for the requirement to be met.
Course Level Requirement
Students pursuing a dual M.U.P. and M.A. in American Studies must take 50% or more of their coursework at the 700 level or above.
Graduate Policy
Students are encouraged to review Graduate Studies' policies related to master's degrees for information about other requirements that may apply.
If a student decides to complete only the M.A. or M.U.P. and withdraw from the other program, they must complete all requirements for the stand-alone degree.
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Critically apply theories, methodologies, and knowledge to address fundamental questions in primary area of study.
- Participate in an interdisciplinary scholarly community.
- Follow ethical guidelines for work in the discipline.
- Become effective teachers. The successful student will understand how to design learning experiences to maximize student learning and how to connect course design explicitly to desired outcomes. The student will develop a sense of teaching purpose informed by transformative pedagogies that problematize social reality and knowledge.
- Produce a valuable contribution to the field.
- Understand the evolution and current practice of planning in communities, cities, regions, and nations; how planning has advanced and hindered the attainment of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion; past and present conceptions of the future, including the relationship between planning and the future. (Planning History)
- Understand the expectations about planning outcomes in different local and national contexts; conceptual models about what planning is and how it works; the role of planning in responding to the global climate crisis. (Planning Theory)
- Understand the behaviors and structures available to bring about sound planning outcomes; mechanisms and practices for ensuring equitable and inclusive decision-making; legal and institutional contexts within which planning occurs in the U.S. and/or internationally. (Planning Law & Institutions)
- Understand the political, economic, social, and environmental explanations of and insights on historical, present, and future development; relationships between the built and natural environments and individual and community health and well-being; planning responses to mitigate climate change, reduce risks, and recover from climate-exacerbated impacts; interactions – flows of people, materials, ideas, and cultures – across world regions. (Urban & Regional Development)
- Understand the planning process and community and stakeholder engagement; plan creation and implementation; methods of design and intervention to understand and influence the future. (Planning Process & Engagement)
- Develop research and critical analysis skills for preparing and conducting research; quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection, analysis, and forecasting; methods of geo-spatial analysis, mapping and data visualization; data analytics and urban technology. (Analytical Skills & Tools)
- Work in teams and with professionals in allied fields; professional leadership in the planning context; written, oral, and graphic communication. (Professional, Communication, & Leadership Skills)