New ERS Program: City and Regional Planning Minor

New Program: This fall, the Earth & Resource Science department will begin offering a minor in City and Regional Planning (also known as “urban planning”).

Planners often work with the public to identify goals and make positive change happen in communities. This minor is ideal for anyone interested in creating healthy, efficient, and sustainable places for people to live.

Planners work in a variety of subfields including environmental planning, transportation, urban design, and economic development. Planners can work for city, state, and federal governmental agencies; non-profit agencies; and private consulting firms. Successful planners have strong written and oral communication skills, as well as technical skills like knowledge of geographic information systems.

Our coursework combines the theoretical, practical, and technical knowledge necessary to prepare students to enter this growing field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 10% job growth in the field of planning through 2022. The median annual wage for planners was $65,230 as of May 2012.

This minor should be especially attractive to students majoring in fields that inform the profession of planning like political science, sociology, economics, public policy, public health, and social work.

Visit the catalog to see requirements for the City and Regional Planning minor.

Any questions about the program should be directed to Dr. Victoria Morckel, Assistant Professor of Earth & Resource Science: [email protected].