Master of Planning
Urban planning is an excellent career choice for individuals who want to help implement positive community change at the places where it is most needed and who want to help shape the quality of life for people in the built environment.
Urban planning professionals help community members and decision makers find better, place-based solutions to problems related to land use, transportation, housing, economic development, the environment, sustainability, and the design of more livable communities.
In addition, planners lead the search for solutions to problems at many different scales — from a city block or neighborhood, to a metropolis or even an entire region. In their interdisciplinary and inter-professional work, planners engage with businesses, citizen groups, and elected officials to define, organize, and better understand their physical, natural, and social environments. They address challenges of crucial social concern, such as:
- How can we make a city greener without creating economic inefficiencies that adversely affect residents' lives?
- How can we protect vulnerable communities while managing growth and change?
- What balance does a region need between private and public transportation?
- What design components could we insert into neighborhood plans to help residents live healthier, more socially connected lives?
- Cities are growing around the world, how does the American experience compare and contrast to the challenges and opportunities in Asian or Latin American cities?
- How do we envision a healthy, prosperous future to create livable and sustainable communities?
What makes the MPL program so unique?
SPPD's Master of Planning program is committed to preparing students for practice — providing them with a core of knowledge that underlies the key forms and applications of planning. Accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board of the American Planning Association, the MPL program's outstanding curriculum and rich institutional and intellectual environment prepare students for a wide range of careers in the field.
A hallmark of the MPL program is the multi-sector perspective on, and approach to, planning. In this view, planning must not only emphasize the public sector, but also factor in private sector development, nonprofit organizations, and the needs of citizens who are intended beneficiaries. A further distinction of the curriculum is its commitment to exploring universal principles and preparing planners to practice anywhere in the world. This training gives the basis for a wide choice of specific careers in the field and extends the relevance and value of graduate education over a lifetime.
In addition, due to its vast size and rapid growth, southern California boasts the largest planning job market in the world. USC is located just three miles from the hub of the region's planning activity centered in downtown Los Angeles. Equally important, SPPD students receive instruction from adjunct faculty pulled from the vast pool of professional talent in the region.