Program Description
The program in Urban and Regional Studies (URS) is a four-year academic program aimed at understanding human communities and the urban built environment. URS courses ask how a vast spectrum of social and economic forces have changed cities; what these changes mean for people in their daily lives; and how citizens, community groups, and planners can work together to make productive, sustainable, safe, lively, and livable places. Graduates from the program receive a bachelor of science degree.
B.S. URS Policies
B.S. URS students are expected to complete all URS degree requirements and comply with college and program rules. Any deviation must be petitioned prior to the act. Failure to comply with department rules may result in review by the college Academic Review Committee.
B.S. URS Class Requirements
- Students may not use any one class to meet more than one specific requirement (i.e., if a student takes a statistics class to meet the statistics requirement, that same statistics class may not be used to meet the Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning distribution requirement).
- For classes that satisfy any specific requirement (i.e., distribution requirements, core requirements for the major, and CRP required courses), the class must be successfully completed with a letter grade, unless a particular class is offered exclusively under the satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading basis (SX/UX).
- Students may not satisfy any distribution requirement, core requirement for the major, or required CRP class requirement with a class completed for fewer than 3 credits.
- The required core classes for the major and the five required CRP classes at the 3000-level must be completed at Cornell.
Advanced Placement Credit
The general college advanced placement credit policies apply, in addition to the URS-specific policy below:
For URS students, AP credit is applied as free elective credit only, with the exception of up to one First-Year Writing Seminar. URS students may not apply AP credit to core major requirements or distribution requirements.
Please refer to the AP section of this catalog for additional university guidelines regarding AP credit.
Transfer Credit
The general college transfer credit policies apply to all transfer coursework, in addition to the URS-specific processes and policies below:
Additional Information for Transfer Students
To ensure a timely transfer of credit, incoming transfer students are required to submit final transcripts immediately upon acceptance. Students should also meet with the director of undergraduate studies and the AAP Registrar during orientation to review how their credits are applied toward the Cornell degree and for course enrollment planning.
Students who transfer into the URS program must successfully complete:
- A minimum of four semesters in residence
- A minimum of 60 academic credits at Cornell
- 30 of the 60 credits must include the seven required CRP courses for the major (AAP 1100, CRP 1103, CRP 1104, CRP 1106, CRP 2100, CRP 2200, and the required Engaged Learning course) and the five required CRP courses.
Honors in Urban and Regional Studies
URS offers qualified students the opportunity to write an honors thesis. To qualify for honors, students must at least have completed the junior year, completed four semesters registered in URS, have a cumulative GPA of 3.5, a GPA of 3.7 in the major (including the micro economics and statistics requirements), and have completed at least 10 of the 13 major courses. In exceptional cases, the faculty will consider a petition to waive an eligibility requirement. Once accepted, an honors student selects a faculty adviser and develops and writes a thesis with close guidance. Theses must be seventy-five or fewer pages.
Participation in the Honors Program requires completion of CRP 4920 Undergraduate Honors Thesis Research in the fall semester for four academic credits and CRP 4930 Undergraduate Honors Thesis Writing in the spring semester for an additional four academic credits.
Program Information
- Instruction Mode: In Person
- Location: Ithaca, NY
- Minimum Credits for Degree: 120
Program Requirements
Core classes in the major focus on cities and regions — their history, governments, economies, and sociology; students elect other classes from the department and throughout the university.
URS requirements for graduation include:
General Education
First-Year Writing Seminars: Two Courses
URS students must successfully complete two First-Year Writing Seminars. Information regarding the First-Year Writing Seminar can be found on the Knight Institute website. Advanced Placement (AP) credit can be applied toward a maximum of one First-Year Writing Seminar. Students earning a score of 5 on one English literature or English language exam will receive 3 credits which will be applied toward one First-Year Writing Seminar. Students earning a score of 5 on both English literature and English language exams will receive 3 credits toward one First-Year Writing Seminar and 3 credits toward the free elective requirement.
Distribution Requirements: Nine Classes Outside of CRP
Students must successfully complete nine classes outside of the Department of City and Regional Planning for the distribution requirement. A total of four classes must be completed in the categories of physical and biological sciences (PBS, BIO, and PHS) and mathematics and quantitative reasoning (MQR, MQL, SDS, and SMR). Of those four classes, at least two must be classified as Physical and/or Biological Sciences and at least one class must be classified as Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning. The fourth class can be classified as either.
The remaining five courses must be courses identified by any college at Cornell in the humanities and social sciences categories of arts, literature, and culture (ALC), ethics and the mind (ETM), global citizenship (GLC), historical analysis (HST), social difference (SCD), social sciences (SSC). These five courses must be selected from at least four of these six categories (i.e., ALC, ETM, GLC, HST, SCD, and SSC). No more than three of these five courses can be taken in any one department.
- Approved Physical and Biological Sciences Classes
- Approved Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning Classes
Notes about AAP classes:
- URS students can count architectural history offerings in the Department of Architecture (ARCH 3819 ) as ALC without petition.
Required Core Classes for the Major: Nine Classes
Course List Code | Title | Hours |
AAP 1100 | The Worlds We Make | 3 |
CRP 1103 | Observing the City: Introduction to Field-Based Analysis | 3 |
CRP 1104 | Introduction to Global Urban Studies | 3 |
CRP 1106 | Advising Seminar: MentURS | 1 |
CRP 2100 | Neighborhood Change in the City: Quantitative Methods | 3 |
CRP 2200 | Community Engagement in the City: Qualitative Methods | 3 |
Microeconomics
Students will be enrolled in ECON 1110 Introductory Microeconomics in their first fall semester.
If students have Advanced Placement credit for Microeconomics, they have the option of taking one higher-level economics course from the following list of microeconomics courses:
Course List Code | Title | Hours |
AEM 2500 | Environmental and Resource Economics (crosslisted) | 3 |
CRP 4040 | Urban Economics (crosslisted) | 3 |
ECON 3030 | Intermediate Microeconomic Theory | 4 |
PUBPOL 2000 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 4 |
Advanced Placement microeconomics credit will be forfeited with the completion of ECON 1110.
Statistics
Students will be enrolled in CRP 1200 Introduction to Statistics for Urban Studies in their first spring semester.
If students have Advanced Placement credit for statistics, they have the option of taking one advanced statistics course from the following list of statistics courses instead of CRP 1200.
Advanced Placement statistics credit will be forfeited with the completion of CRP 1200 or equivalent.
Engaged Learning Course
URS students in their third or fourth year must complete at least one semester-long course that involves engaged learning, which is a context to apply methods and to experiment with forms of collaboration beyond the academy and university. This can be accomplished via workshops in Rome (in the 3rd year), Ithaca, New York City, and/or Nilgiris Field Learning Center. The course must be taken for at least 4 credits and be offered by the CRP department.
Courses include:
Course List Code | Title | Hours |
CRP 3072 | Land Use, Environmental Planning, and Urban Design Workshop | 4 |
CRP 4160 | Rome Workshop | 6 |
CRP 5074 | Economic and Community Development Workshop: Affordable Housing Law, Policy, and Practice | 4 |
CRP 5076 | International Planning and Development Workshop | 4 |
CRP 5172 | NYC Workshop: Land Use, Environmental Planning, and Design | 6 |
Additional Required CRP Classes: Five CRP Classes
The program requires that students take five additional CRP classes at the 3000-level or higher, for a minimum of 3 credits each. Independent study courses (CRP 4900-CRP 4970) cannot be applied toward this requirement and will be automatically applied toward the free elective requirements area. CRP 3348/CRP 5348, if completed for 3 or more credits, can be applied toward a maximum of one required CRP class; additional enrollments will be applied as free elective credit. Students are encouraged to select courses in consultation with their faculty advisor or from the list of recommended courses organized by planning interest area. Required CRP courses must be completed at Cornell University.
*Note - The following combined classes can also count toward the required CRP course requirement:
Course List Code | Title | Hours |
CRP 5320 & CRP 5321 | Real Estate Development Process I and Real Estate Development Process II | 3 |
CRP 5560 & CRP 5561 | Creating the Built Environment and Innovation and Strategy in Commercial Real Estate Development | 3 |
REAL 5320 & REAL 5321 | Real Estate Development Process I and Real Estate Development Process II | 3 |
REAL 5560 & REAL 5561 | Creating the Built Environment and Innovation and Strategy in Commercial Real Estate Development | 3 |
*Note - The following out-of-department classes can also count toward the required CRP course requirement:
Course List Code | Title | Hours |
ARCH 3820 | The Topography and Urban History of Rome in Antiquity and the Middle Ages (taught in Rome) | 3 |
ARCH 3823 | Urban Design, Architecture, and Art in Renaissance and Baroque Rome (taught in Rome) | 3 |
CEE 3610 | Introduction to Transportation Engineering | 3 |
GDEV 2010 | Population and Social Change | 3 |
ORIE 2380 | | 3 |
PUBPOL 4640 | Regulation and Infrastructure Policy | 3 |
SOC 3250 | Neighborhoods, Housing, and Urban Policy | 3 |
Free Electives
Central to the liberal arts philosophy of the URS program is the opportunity to take a large number of elective courses in a variety of subjects. URS students are free to take classes in any academic department on campus.
Focus Areas
Focus areas build on their URS core classes and CRP electives to inform a students' choice of electives, deepen their knowledge of a particular application (courses within an area), or explore various applications of the URS skill set (courses across areas). Focus areas help students ground the URS major in real-world issues, practices, and career paths. The classes in the focus areas are classes students will likely take in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years. Students are encouraged to take four elective courses, two of which should be in CRP.
Focus areas are optional elective courses for students to explore areas of interest. We list a range of classes within CRP and elsewhere for each area. Because the focus areas are optional, students can sample from focus areas a la carte or take as much of the series as they like.
- Focus areas include at least two upper-level undergraduate CRP classes along with classes from other departments on Campus.
- Focus areas include courses that engage with themes in national, regional and global contexts, spanning geographies and ways of knowing.
- Focus areas are suggestions to help students direct their studies and complement and enrich the URS degree.
- Focus areas suggest courses that enable students to deepen methods and practices in the pathway theme.
Focus Areas
- Planning, policy, and urban design
- Climate change and sustainable cities
- Urban data science, technology, in the city
- Inequality and urban life
- Real estate, housing, and urban economics
University Graduation Requirements
Requirements for All Students
In order to receive a Cornell degree, a student must satisfy academic and non-academic requirements.
Academic Requirements
A student’s college determines degree requirements such as residency, number of credits, distribution of credits, and grade averages. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the specific major, degree, distribution, college, and graduation requirements for completing their chosen program of study. See the individual requirements listed by each college or school or contact the college registrar’s office for more information.
Non-academic Requirements
Conduct Matters. Students must satisfy any outstanding sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed or agreed to under the Student Code of Conduct (Code) or Policy 6.4. Where a formal complaint under the Code or Policy 6.4 is pending, the University will withhold awarding a degree otherwise earned until the adjudication process set forth in those procedures is complete, including the satisfaction of any sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed.
Financial Obligations. Outstanding financial obligations will not impact the awarding of a degree otherwise earned or a student’s ability to access their official transcript. However, the University may withhold issuing a diploma until any outstanding financial obligations owing to the University are satisfied.
Additional Requirements for Undergraduate Students
The University has two requirements for graduation that must be fulfilled by all undergraduate students: the swim requirement, and completion of two physical education courses. For additional information about fulfilling University Graduation Requirements, see the Physical Education website.
Physical Education
All incoming undergraduate students are required to take two credits (two courses) of Physical Education prior to graduation. It is recommended they complete the two courses during their first year at Cornell. Credit in Physical Education may be earned by participating in courses offered by the Department of Athletics and Physical Education and Cornell Outdoor Education, by being a registered participant on a varsity athletic team, or performing in the marching band.
Students with medical concerns should contact the Office of Student Disability Services.
Swim Requirement
The Faculty Advisory Committee on Athletics and Physical Education has established a basic swimming and water safety competency requirement for all undergraduate students. Normally, the requirement is taken during the Fall Orientation process at Helen Newman Hall or Teagle Hall pools. The requirement consists of the following: jump or step feet-first into the deep end of the pool, float or tread for one minute, turn around in a full circle, swim 25 yards using any stroke(s) of choice without touching the bottom or holding on to the sides (there is no time limit) and exit from the water. Students who do not complete the swim requirement during their first year, during a PE swim class or during orientation subsequent years, will have to pay a $100 fee. Any student who cannot meet this requirement must register for PE 1100 Beginning Swimming as their physical education course before electives can be chosen.
If a student does not pass the swim requirement in their first Beginning Swimming PE class, then the student must take a second Beginning Swimming PE class (PE 1100 or PE 1101). Successful completion of two Beginning Swimming classes (based on attendance requirements) with the instructor's recommendation will fulfill the University's swim requirement.
Students unable to meet the swim requirement because of medical reasons should contact the Office of Student Disability Services. When a waiver is granted by the Faculty Committee on Physical Education, an alternate requirement is imposed. The alternate requirement substitute is set by the Director of Physical Education.
College of Architecture, Art and Planning Graduation Requirements
Students are responsible for knowing and fulfilling the requirements for graduation and for alerting the college to any problems with their records. Detailed information and graduation requirements for each undergraduate degree, professional master's, and delegated graduate degree can be found on the respective program pages in this catalog.
All AAP students are obligated to satisfy university and degree-specific graduation requirements and are all held to college policies and procedures. AAP undergraduate students are required to complete AAP 1100 in addition to the university and degree-specified graduation requirements.
Learning Outcomes
The bachelor of science degree in urban and regional studies prepares graduates to:
- Engage with critical environmental, social, political, and economic themes in urban and regional studies in the US and around the world.
- Examine and explain patterns of inequality and injustice across different areas of policy, history, and geography.
- Analyze different perspectives that shape city and regional histories, dynamics, and trajectories.
- Critically read, contextualize, and integrate theoretical, practical, and engaged work.
- Apply social-science reasoning through quantitative, qualitative, spatial, visual, and collaborative methods.
- Address ethical questions in urban and regional contexts at various scales.
- Communicate ideas through oral, graphic, and written modalities.