Urban Studies Program

  “Welcome to the wonderful world of urban studies! Urbanization is transforming the world economy. Urban studies explains the how, why, who wins, and who loses. Urban studies is for the student who wants to make a difference.”
                                                                                                                                               The department's approach integrates theory, analysis, and implementation. Urban Studies Majors analyze urban policy problems and prescribe solutions using interdisciplinary tools.  Several different disciplines are unified to provide a coherent perspective on cities of the United States and the world.
Required courses help the student understand urban institutions and how they function in the American political system and the global economy. Courses encourage students to consider professional careers in community planning, nonprofit administration, and government administration. Students learn different professional skills and community planning approaches to evaluate, plan, and implement solutions to urban and metropolitan problems. Minors in Urban Studies receive certification and credentials. Some students further their professional education at the Master’s or Ph.D. level. Students are introduced to political and professional careers for urban service delivery and metropolitan reform. Others go directly into service careers for cities and urban counties.
The program director can be approached to tailor courses to meet individual needs and interests. Flexible requirements give Urban Studies Majors many choices to achieve their goals. Urban Studies Majors can substitute by-arrangement courses to meet individual circumstances. The program director is available to meet with each student to answer any questions and solve individual needs. Each student may tailor a plan to meet his or her specific needs, skills, and academic and professional aspirations. This written plan should be signed by the program director. By-arrangement courses can be substituted for regular classroom attendance courses with permission of the Director, Dr. Russell Harrison. 
The curriculum offers a diverse range of options to students, including: 
1. Double majors. These allow the student to develop an urban studies major in addition to a major in another discipline or professional field.
2. Minors. These permit majors in other departments to concentrate in one of the options of the Department of Urban Studies and Community Planning. Minors complete six courses in the department and should arrange their program in consultation with the program director.

Major Requirements

 New Major Requirements Fall 2007
6 Core Courses for 18 credits (CORE CURRICULUM)
1)    INTRODUCTORY.   At least one course from the following:
975:102  Approaches to Urban Studies   (3)
975:103  Urban and Regional Ecological Planning   (3)
790:331  Urban Policy and Economic Development   (3)
790:340  Urban Public Policy   (3)

2)    PROBLEM-RELATED.   At least one course from the following:
975:204  Poverty and the Urban Environment   (3)
202:337  The Poor, Minorities, and Justice   (3)
790:103  Basic Urban Issues   (3)
790:346  Urban Legal Problems   (3)

3)    PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION.   At least one course from the following:
975:  any urban studies planning course 200-400 level.

• These include: 231, 312, 315, 339, 405, 478 or 326 Planning and Administration of Municipal Services   (3)

790:318  Comparative Public Policy   (3)
790:340  Urban Planning   (3)
790:342  Principles of Public Administration
690: any course in Museum Studies

4)    POLICY.   At least one course from the following:
512:364  City and Suburb in American History   (3)
220:330  Urban Economics   (3)
790:242  Urban Social Ecology
790:332  Urban Political Systems   (3)

5)    ORGANIZATION.   At least one course from the following:
975:104  Power and Decision Making   (3)
975:451  Community and Leadership Training   (3)
790:205  American State and Local Government  (3)
790:425  Modernization in the Third World   (3)

6)   METHODOLOGY:  At least one course from the following:
220:322  Econometrics   (3)
790:390  Empirical Political Theory
790:391  Quantitative Methods in Political Science   (3)
790:413  Political Methodology   (3)
830:215  Statistics for Social Science   (3)
920:301  Methods and Techniques of Social Research   (3)
975:306  Basic Methods of Urban Planning   (3)
960:183  Elementary Applied Statistics   (3)
975:306  Basic Methods of Urban Planning   (3)
975:487  Geographical Information Systems   (3)
Total Core Credits 18

6 Additional courses required from list below:
Majors must select six additional courses (18 credits) from the concentrations listed below. Majors who present a major in another discipline or a minor in another discipline, need 4 courses (12 credits) in addition to the core courses.
Concentrations: [majors: 18 credits] or [double majors/minors: 12 credits.]
OTHER RELATED  (ELECTIVE) COURSES THAT MEET
URBAN STUDIES MAJOR/ MINOR REQUIREMENTS
Other elective courses can fulfill the urban studies major or minor.

Any other 975 Urban Studies not listed in the core.  These include:
975:220  Civic Education   (3)
975:422  Urban Practicum   (3)
975:489  ST: Urban Health Theory   (3)
975:490  Community Development Techniques/Sustained Dialogue   (3)
975:493  Non Profit Organization and Management   (3)
975:498  Independent Study   (3)

Urban Studies related courses in the Arts and Humanities:
080:347  Environmental Design   (3)
082:251  Modern History   (3)
082:382  History of Design   (3)
512:203  African-American History   (3)
512:204  African-American History II   (3)
512:340  The Civil Rights Movement   (3)
615:225  Language, Class and Culture   (3)

Urban Studies related Courses in the Social Sciences
202:201  Criminal Justice in American Society   (3)
202:322  Juvenile Justice   (3)
202:325  Violent Crime   (3)
220:330  Urban Economics   (3)
590:201  Introduction to Latin America   (3)
698:205  Introduction to Museum Studies   (3)
790:284  Geography and the World   (3)
790:308  New Jersey Politics   (3)
790:489  Transportation Policy   (3)
910:311  Social Welfare Policy and Services    (3)
920:208  Contemporary Social Problems   (3)
920:217  Drugs and Society   (3)
920:280  Social Movements in Society   (3)
920:316  Race and Ethnicity   (3)
920:321  Urban Sociology   (3)
920:326  American Communities-Structure and Change   (3)
920:370  Globalization/Change (Global Studies)   (3)
920:380  Conflict and Change in Society   (3)

For any questions contact Dr. Russell Harrison, Director Urban Studies, phone (856) 829-3503 [see the program director for substitutions]

Old Major Requirements
(Optional for students under 2006 – 2008 Catalogue.
They can choose between old and new requirements.)
Courses required (Previous Requirements)
Core Curriculum
975 102 Approaches to Urban Studies (3)
975 204 Poverty and the Urban Environment (3)
975 220 Civic Education (urban internship) (3) (soph./junior year)
975 306 Basic Methods of Urban Planning (3)
975 315 Theory of Urban Planning (3)
975 413 Urban Revitalization (3)
Total Core Credits 18

Additional courses required:
Majors must select six additional courses (18 credits) from the seven concentrations listed below. Majors who present a major in another discipline or a minor in another discipline, need 4 courses (12 credits) in addition to the core courses.
Concentrations: majors: 18 credits - double majors/minors: 12 credits.
Urban Studies Program Concentrations:
 I. Voluntary Action and Non Profit Organization
975 104 Power and Decision Making in Urban Communities (3)
975 220 Civic Education (3)
975 231 Social Policy Planning (3)
975 490 Community Development Techniques-Sustained Dialogues (3)
975 492 Nonprofit Organizations in International Perspective (3)
975 493 Non Profit Organization and Management (3)

II. Urban and Regional Planning
975 103 Urban and Regional Ecological Planning (3)
975 231 Social Public Policy Planning (3)
975 312 Urban and Regional Planning Studio (3)
975 326 Planning and Administration of Municipal Services (3)
975 339 Housing and Planning Seminar (3)
975 478 History of Planning Thought (Global Studies) (3)
975 487 ST Geographical Information Systems (3)
 
Interdisciplinary Concentrations:

I. History, Design and Structure of Cities
082 251 Modern Architecture (3)
082 382 History of Design (3)
510 255 The Rise of the City (3)
512 364 City and Suburb in American History (3)

II. Urban Politics and Public Administration
790 205 American State and Local Government (3)
790 332 Urban Political Systems (3)
790 342 Principles of Public Administration (3)
790 360 Urban Public Policy (3)
790 489 Transportation Policy (3)

III. Urban Sociology
920 208 Contemporary Social Problems (3)
920 217 Drugs and Society (3)
920 321 Urban Sociology (3)
920 326 American Communities-Structure and Change (3)
920 370 Globalization/Change (Global Studies) (3)

IV. Criminal Justice
202 201 Criminal Justice in American Society (3)
202 322 Juvenile Justice (3)
202 337 The Poor, Minorities and Justice (3)
 
V. Economics
220 105 Microeconomic Principles or 220 106 Macroeconomic Principles (3)
220 310 American Economic History (3)
220 330 Urban Economics (3)   

Dr. Russell Harrison, Ph.D.
Director of Urban Studies at Rutgers Camden
Rutgers University, Camden, New Jersey  08102

Telephone: (856)-829-3503
email: russellharrison@msn.com

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