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Mission

We strive to enhance our position as a leading center for urban and regional planning education in Northern California by:

• preparing a diverse student population to become leaders in rapidly-changing urban environments,
• advancing the planning profession through teaching, professional and research activities, and
• partnering with community leaders and organizations to enhance the quality of life in our metropolitan region.

Three cornerstones to our educational program are to equip our graduates with a strong education in general planning practice and theory, as well as specialized training in planning sub-fields; familiarize them with cutting-edge planning concepts and applications that are evolving locally in the Silicon Valley; and make our programs available to working professionals who wish to attend the university on a part-time basis.

Program Educational Objectives

The MUP curriculum is designed to teach students the skills that will allow them to:

1. Apply the history and theory of planning in relation to social and economic structures, including, but not limited to, such characteristics as income, race, ethnicity, and gender.
2. Understand the ethics of professional practice and behavior, including the relationship to clients and the public, and the role of citizens in a democratic society.
3. Understand the role of government and citizen participation in a democratic society and the balancing of individual and collective rights and interests.
4. Interpret case laws relevant to the field of urban and regional planning and application of these laws to realistic hypothetical situations.
5. Understand  the contexts in which planning takes place, focusing particularly on agencies conducting planning or employing planners, and the processes by which plans are made and implemented. 
6. Conceptualize problems from complex, real world situations so that the problems are meaningful to clients, and are research-worthy.
   • Design and conduct first-hand research.
   • Frame research questions and hypotheses.
   • Analyze and synthesize data from multiple sources.
7. Apply statistical and other analytic techniques, as well as computer methods, to define planning problems, generate alternatives, and evaluate their consequences. Use census data to inform policy formulation
8. Communicate effectively.
   • Communicate effectively in writing.
   • Communicate effectively by expressing concepts in visual terms.
   • Communicate effectively through public speaking.
9. Work effectively as members and leaders of planning teams, and to apply an understanding of interpersonal and group dynamics to assure effective group action.
10. Synthesize planning knowledge and apply it to actual planning problems.