Urban Studies and Planning Minor

City and regional planning is an interdisciplinary field that seeks to improve the quality of life for people in human settlements. Planners are involved in designing solutions to pressing societal problems such as urban sprawl, unemployment, homelessness, environmental pollution, and urban decay. They are involved in guiding the type and location of new development, creating balanced transportation systems (including walking and biking), promoting economic development for all residents, protecting the environment, expanding affordable housing, and revitalizing urban neighborhoods.

City and regional planners are hired by national, state, and local governments; national, regional, and local nonprofit groups; and private sector firms including development companies and consulting firms.

A minor in urban studies and planning allows students to learn about cities and planning processes, to enrich or expand their major, and to explore how they can be involved in improving the prosperity, livability, and equity of cities, towns, and regions. Having a minor in urban studies and planning can help students in the job market, as it teaches skills valued by many employers. It can also help students explore the possibility of pursuing a master's degree in planning, including a dual bachelor's-master's at UNC–Chapel Hill.

Requirements

In addition to the program requirements listed below, students must:

take at least nine hours of their minor "core" requirements at UNC–Chapel Hill
earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 in the minor core requirements. Some programs may require higher standards for minor or specific courses.

For more information, please consult the degree requirements section of the catalog.

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Core Requirements
PLAN 246	Cities of the Past, Present, and Future: Introduction to Planning	3
PLAN 247	Solving Urban Problems	3
Select three additional PLAN courses numbered 100 through 699. ¹		9
Total Hours		15