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Core Curriculum

Choose Your Degree Program

M.R.P. Degree and Ph.D. Degree for Students Lacking a Master’s Degree in Planning
The following are the list of courses required to complete a typical two-year M.R.P. degree. In order to make sure that you complete your degree on time, please check with Tina Nelson, the graduate field administrator, before the beginning of your final semester to determine if you meet all graduation requirements. This will ensure that you have sufficient time take a required course, petition, or finish incomplete courses.

1. CRP 5130 Introduction to Planning Practice and History (4 credits)
This course is an introductory graduate seminar on the theory and history of planning, administration, and related public intervention in urban affairs. Topics are analyzed from the perspective of the political economy of the growth and development of cities. Students improve their understanding of the planning process and of the urban application of the social sciences, get practice in writing, and explore one research topic in depth.

2. CRP 5250 Introductory Methods of Planning Analysis (4 credits)
This is a course on quantitative and qualitative analysis of neighborhoods, cities, and regions. Focus is on data from various regions in the U.S., but tools are applicable throughout the world, and include, descriptive and inferential statistics, mapping, and observation. Required lab exposes students to essential microcomputer applications and builds skills in writing and analysis.

3. CRP 5190 Urban Theory and Spatial Development (3 credits)
This course surveys theories on the existence, size, location, and functioning of cities and their metropolitan areas in rich and poor regions of the world. We will consider orthodox/conservative treatments as well as critical/left-wing perspectives of planners, geographers, economists, sociologists, and political economists. These theories are indispensable for understanding the origins of cities, the persistence of urban and regional spatial patterns, and the distinctive nature of urban problems.

4. Demonstrate competence in economics, or take an economics course at Cornell:
CRP 5120 Public and Spatial Economics for Planners (3 credits) RECOMMENDED
This course covers basic microeconomic theory and some topics in macroeconomics. What distinguishes it from foundation courses in economics is that the context of every topic is both spatial and public. The concept of space is central to city and regional planning. The perspective of the public and nonprofit sectors is the same as that of city and regional planning. Both space and the public-nonprofit sectors are peripheral to (or absent from) the usual graduate foundations courses in economics. The course will also cover the economic theory necessary to understand the many applications of economics presented in subsequent courses in city and regional planning. See Graduate Field Administator Tina Nelson for a list of additional choices.

CRP 6220
Urban and Regional Economics
3 credits
CRP 6640
Economics & Financing of Neighborhood Conservation & Preservation
3 credits
AEM 6510
Environmental & Resource Economics
4 credits
ECON 1010
Introduction to Microeconomics (for 5th year URS/M.R.P. only) 3 credits
ECON 3010
Microeconomics
4 credits
ECON 3130
Intermediate Microeconomics Theory
4 credits
PAM 2000
Intermediate Microeconomics
4 credits
PAM 2040
Economics of the Public Sector
3 credits

5. Demonstrate competence in statistics, or take a course at Cornell. Choices include, but are not limited to, the following:

CRP 5450
Introduction to Public Policy Analysis and Management
3 credits
ILRST 5100
Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences I
3 credits
ILRST 6100
Statistical Methods I (also BTRY/STBTRY 6010)
4 credits
AEM 4110
Introduction to Econometrics
3 credits
BTRY 6010
Statistical Methods I (also STBTRY 6010)
4 credits
ECON 3210
Applied Econometrics
4 credits

6. Take an advanced methods course. Choices include, but are not limited to, the following:

CRP 5080
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
4 credits
LA 7010
Urban Systems Studio
5 credits
CRP 5460
Introduction to Community and Environmental Dispute Resolution
3 credits
CRP 6210
Quantitative Techniques for Policy Analysis and Program Management
4 credits
CRP 6270
Regional Economic Impact Analysis
3 credits
DSOC 5600
Analysis Mapping and Spatial Modeling
3 credits
CRP 6320
Methods of Regional Science and Planning I
4 credits
DSOC 6190
Quantitative Research Methods
4 credits
CSS 6200
Spatial Modeling and Analysis
3 credits
CRP 6201
Qualitative Methods
3 credits
PAM 3050
Introduction to Multivariate Analysis
4 credits

7. Take a law or international institutions course. Choices include, but are not limited to, the following:

CRP 5440/NTRES 4440
Resource Management and Environmental Law
4 credits
CRP 5510
Environmental Law
4 credits
CRP 6530
Legal Aspects of Land Use Planning
3 credits
CRP 6570
Real Estate Law
3 credits
CRP 6630
Historic Preservation Law
3 credits
CRP 6720
International Institutions
3 credits
AEM 3200/NBA 5600
Business Law I
3 credits
AEM 3210/NBA 5610
Business Law II
3 credits
COMM 4280
Communication Law
3 credits
HADM 3385
Business Law I
3 credits
HADM 4487
Real Estate Law
3 credits
ILRCB 2010
Labor and Employment Law
3 credits
ILRCB 5010
Labor and Employment Law
3 credits
ILRCB 6340
International Labor Law
4 credits
ILRCB 6890
Constitutional Aspects of Labor Law
4 credits
LAW 6521
International Business Transactions
2 credits
LAW 6621
Law and Social Change: International Experience
3 credits
LAW 6791
Public International Law
3 credits
LAW 7855
International Human Rights Clinic
4 credits

8. Take a workshop. Workshops are offered in land use, community and economic development, international, historic preservation planning, real estate, and design. Offerings vary each year.

CRP 5072
Land Use, Environmental Planning, and Urban Design Workshop
4 credits
CRP 5073
Historic Preservation Planning Workshop
4 credits
CRP 5074
Economic and Community Development Workshop
4 credits
CRP 5075
Real Estate Workshop
4 credits
CRP 5076
International Planning and Development Workshop
4 credits

9. Complete an exit project. Options include the following:
  • A research paper (recommended 4 credits), or
  • A professional report or a thesis (recommended 10 credits). Two bound copies must be submitted to the graduate field administrator.


M.A. in Historic Preservation Planning
To complete the M.A. degree in historic preservation planning, a student must do the following:
1. Obtain a total of 60 credit hours, including two semesters of American architectural history, if no background in this area
2. Earn two registration units
3. Have two committee members on file by the end of the first year
4. Fulfill the core course requirements, unless the Department has waived or modified upon recommendation of your Special Committee.
5. Successfully defend and submit a thesis, and have it approved by your Special Committee and the thesis secretary (formatting only) at the Graduate School
6. No grades at the C level in any subject are acceptable for credit toward the degree.

Core Courses Curriculum for the M.A. in Historic Preservation Planning
To assure that M.A. graduates are familiar with central concepts and skills of the field, each student should successfully complete the following core courses:

1. CRP 5600 Documentation of Preservation (3 credits)
Methods of identifying, recording, collecting, processing, and analyzing information dealing with historic and architecturally significant structures, sites, and objects.

2. CRP 5610 Historic Preservation Planning Workshop: Surveys and Analysis (4 credits)
Techniques for the preparation of surveys of historic structures and districts; identification of American architectural styles, focusing on upstate New York; and explorations of local historical resources, funding sources, and organizational structures. Lectures and training sessions. Emphasis is on fieldwork with individuals and community organizations.

3. CRP 5620 Perspectives on Preservation (3 credits)
Introductory course for preservationists. A survey of the historical development of preservation activity in Europe and America leading to a contemporary comparative overview. Field trips to notable sites and districts.

4. CRP 7950 Master's Thesis in Preservation Planning (6 credits)

5. Obtain a total of 60 credits hours, including two semesters of American architectural history (ARCH 3810/AMST 3810 and ARCH 3811/AMST 3811), if no background in this area.


Ph.D. Program Courses

Course Number
Course Title
Topic
Faculty 2008/09
When Offered
CRP 8000
Advanced Seminar in Urban and Regional Theory I
Regional theory
Christopherson Every other year
CRP 8010
Advanced Seminar in Urban and Regional Theory II
Urban theory/Urbanism
Donaghy
Every other year
CRP 8300
Seminar in Regional Science Planning & Policy Analysis
Regional Theory
Donaghy Fall 2008
CRP 7140
Gender, Race, and Class in Planning
Feminist theory
TBA
TBA
CRP 8100
Advanced Planning Theory
Planning theory
Forsyth
TBA
CRP 6190
American Planning History
Planning History
Cavel Fall 2008
CRP 7770
Theories of Development and Underdevelopment
Development theory (Methods)
Olpadwala
Fall 2008
CRP 7201
Research Design
Research design
Warner
Fall 2008
CRP 7310
Methods of Regional Science and Planning 1
Methods of regional science and planning
Donaghy
Spring 2009
CRP 7320
Methods of Regional Science and Planning 2
Advanced spatial statistics (Writing)
TBA
Every other year
CRP 7960
Professional Writing and Publishing
Professional writing and publishing
Christopherson
Fall 2008/ Every other year