Are you attracted to the hustle and bustle of city streets? Are you fascinated by the way city government is run? Do you want to make a positive impact in the lives of urban families and individuals? If you answered yes to any of these questions, read on to learn about the possibilities an Urban Studies degree can open up for you.
What Is Urban Studies?
Urban Studies is an academic concentration that is made up of a variety of disciplines. The major, sometimes called Urban and Environmental Planning (depending on the institution), covers history, sociology, humanities, business and other facets critical to a well rounded education.
Urban Studies students learn to identify and examine a wide range of social problems found in urban life, as well as how cities develop, and how that development affects the areas around the urban line. Students learn how cities are designed, how city government and planners have had to prepare for changes, and how urban societies must plan for the future.
What Can I Do With A Degree In Urban Studies?
Graduates from accredited Urban Studies degree programs often continue on to have a rewarding career in one or more of the following areas:
- Public Administration
- City Planning
- Government
- Education
- Housing
- Journalism
- and a variety of other public and private sector employment opportunities.
A college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies may further their higher education and earn a master’s in Urban Studies or a related field to pursue higher positions in the above career areas or the fields of criminal justice and law.
What Types Of Courses Will I Study?
Common courses found at colleges and universities offering degree programs in Urban Studies like Vassar, Brown, UPenn, and the University of Pittsburgh, just to name a few, include but are certainly not limited to:
- Architecture (ancient through modern)
- American History
- World History
- Political Science
- Planning
- Literature
- and Anthropology
Student Life
The size of the Urban Studies department will greatly vary depending on where you choose to attend. At a private college such as Brown, the graduating class in 2016 is made up of 25 students, with 65 students in the concentration for the year. At a larger state university, such as California State University’s Urban Studies and Planning program, the number of dedicated classmates may be higher.
No matter which size program you choose, private or public, you can be sure to be diving into a pool of great opportunities, working side by side with community organizations to learn the ins and outs of urban life and development.
Is A Degree In Urban Studies For You?
If all of the above information sounds like a good fit, you may have found the perfect degree program to meet your needs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Urban and Regional Planers made a median annual salary of $66,940 in 2014. Also in 2014, 38,000 jobs were reported to the BLS and jobs are expected to increase in demand around the national average of 6% through 2024. As cities continue to grow, so will the opportunities of Urban Studies students.
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