San José State University : Urban and Regional Planning : Planning Careers

Planning Careers

Finding An Internship

To assist students in finding an internship, we recommend joining the MURPs e-group through Yahoo. This e-group provides a centralized location for information exchange among SJSU students, faculty, and alumni by sharing information about planning internships, jobs, and planning-related events in the San Francisco and Monterey Bay regions. To subscribe to the e-group, visit MURPs e-group and follow the instructions on joining.

SJSU's Career Center also assists students in finding internships and jobs, as well as providing support on interviewing skills and resume preparation.

Planning In The News

A 2008 article in U.S. News & World Report rated urban planning as one of the best careers for 2009. According to the article, two key planning subfields include transportation planner and private-sector planner. With the Department of Urban and Regional Planning's specializations in transportation planning, including a certificate program, plus courses in private-sector development, we are well positioned to provide the necessary training in these areas.

Recently, E/The Environmental Magazine recognized planning as a excellent career opportunity, particularly for those interested in "green" opportunities. The MUP program at SJSU offers students a wide range of educational opportunities in environmental planning as well as land use and transportation planning, key subfields for students interested in learning how urban planning can contribute to more sustainable development.

If you are interested in deciding whether you want to be a planner or not, this recent Planetizen article answers some common questions prospective planning students have about planning as a career.

The American Planning Association provides some excellent information on choosing a career in planning, plus information about job listings. The Association of Collegiate School of Planning recently released their 2008 Guide to Graduate and Undergraduate Education in Urban and Regional Planning. Here you can find out more information about planning as a career, plus learn more about accredited planning programs in the United States and Canada and why you should try to attend an accredited planning program.