EducationUnderstanding metropolitan regions and their problems, and analyzing policies to shape their evolution and overcome obstacles are major concerns of the Urban Studies Ph.D., Master of Urban Studies, and Urban Studies/Regional Science Ph.D. programs at Portland State University. The Portland metropolitan area, which is widely known for its regional approach to dealing with these issues, is an excellent setting for both theoretical and applied studies of metropolitan region phenomena. The nation's only directly elected regional government is here. The state of Oregon and the metropolitan area are committed to fostering environmentally sustainable patterns of urban growth, as the ongoing transformation of the Pacific Northwest's historically resource-based economy continues. A variety of grassroots and official efforts aimed at dealing with social and economic inequalities are in place as well.
The doctoral programs explore these issues from multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary points of view. Through participation in classes and seminars, and supervised research and teaching activities, Ph.D. students are prepared for careers in institutions of higher education and in research organizations. M.U.S. graduates generally work in applied research and community-based advocacy settings.
The Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) degree is fully accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board, which is under the sponsorship of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), American Planning Association (APA), and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP). The curriculum includes a 37-credit core that focuses on the history and theory of planning as a field, plan implementation, analytical methods (including Geographic Information Systems [GIS]), and the dynamics of metropolitan development. A two-term planning workshop and an internship experience are also required.
Community Development is an emerging field that draws from diverse academic disciplines including: anthropology, communications, cultural studies, ecology, environmental studies, geography, history, political economy, political science, social psychology, sociology, and urban design.
We understand community development as a process in which people act together to promote the social, economic, political, and physical well-being of their community. Community-based participation in all aspects of government planning and administration is an established part of the political culture of our region. Neighborhood associations are actively involved in land use, housing, and transportation issues. The City of Portland has been practicing community-oriented policing for several years. Public schools are establishing community-based management councils and involving local business firms in curricular design. Community development corporations are growing rapidly in the range and sophistication of their activities. New community-oriented financial institutions and public-private partnerships are emerging to build and maintain affordable housing and to create jobs. Portland has been designated an Enterprise Community by the federal government. We anticipate continued growth in these kinds of activities in the years ahead.
The programs in urban studies and planning are strengthened by the ability to draw on the resources of other units in the College of Urban and Public Affairs, including the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government and the School of Community Health; the Institute on Aging, the Center for Urban Studies, the Center for Population Research and Census; and the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies. A number of public and professional leaders also serve as adjunct faculty. For information about Educational opportunties in urban and regional planning please see the ACSP guide to planning programs: http://www.acsp.org/Guide/ACSP_13th_Edition_Guide.pdf
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