Overview

The Urban and Regional Planning programme at the University of Michigan provides a comprehensive professional education designed to prepare future-focused practitioners for leadership in city-making and community engagement. Students learn to address complex societal, technological, and climate-related challenges through a robust core curriculum and specialised elective pathways. This research-intensive degree emphasises co-creative planning to build sustainable institutions and policies for the greater good.

Why Urban and Regional Planning at University of Michigan?

Benefit from a world-class reputation and the extensive resources of a leading research-intensive public university.
Engage with a dedicated, full-time career and professional development team, a rare feature among national planning programmes.
Study in the unique urban laboratory of Ann Arbor and Detroit, gaining exposure to both sustainable small-city practices and dynamic grassroots redevelopment.
Access cutting-edge urban technology integration, collaborating with faculty who are designing AI and advanced energy systems for future cities.
Gain hands-on experience through project-based learning and award-winning capstone studios working with real-world clients.
Customise your education with nine distinct focus areas, including Global and Comparative Planning, Transportation Planning, and Social Justice.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

International fee: USD 60634 per year
National fee: USD 60634 per year
Local fee: USD 30314 per year

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

The curriculum requires 48 credit hours, including a foundational core and specialised electives. Modules may include:

Planning History and Theory
U.S. Planning Institutions and Law
Comparative Planning Institutions and Law
Planning Methods
Fundamentals of Planning Practice
Public Economics for Urban Planning
Fiscal Planning and Management
Capstone Studio

Students also complete an exit project, choosing between a professional project, a thesis, or a collaborative capstone studio.

Careers with Urban and Regional Planning

Graduates are prepared for immediate impact across various sectors, supported by an extensive network of nearly 700,000 alumni worldwide. The programme equips students for roles in:

Public sector agencies at local, regional, state, and federal levels.
Private business and consultancy firms specialising in land use and development.
Social impact non-profit organisations and community-based groups.
International institutions and research centres focusing on global urban growth.
Affordable housing development and community development corporations.

The dedicated career team assists students in securing positions and developing long-term management skills within the planning profession.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Planning History and Theory

Statistics

Public Economics for Urban Planning

Planning Practice

Comparative Planning Institutions
Law

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-08-31 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-15 00:00:00

Language

English

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

42 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Ann Arbor, United States

Disciplines

Urban Planning View 211 other Masters in Urban Planning in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

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IELTS

6.5

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Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

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AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Applicants must gain separate and independent admission to both the School for Environment and Sustainability and the Urban and Regional Planning Program, both overseen by the Rackham Graduate School

Applicants should contact the Admissions Office of each school for application and admission information. A prospective student can apply to the combined program by applying to both programs simultaneously as a new applicant, or a student already admitted to one program can apply to the second program for the dual degree while work in the first program is in progress

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

60634 USD / year

≈ 60634 USD / year
Out-of-State

60634 USD / year

≈ 60634 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

30314 USD / year

≈ 30314 USD / year

Living costs

Ann Arbor

United States

1025 - 1870 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Urban and Regional Planning.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Ann Arbor

Financing

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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