In the first year, MURP students take urban and regional planning core courses that cover urban and regional planning analysis; history and theory; professional practice; and the social, economic, political, legal, and physical aspects of planning. Those who already have an acceptable level of competence in an area covered by a core course will be able to choose an additional elective. Most of the program’s core courses are taken in the first year, giving students flexibility to take mostly electives during their second year.
The MURP program requires successful completion of 48 credit hours and all required coursework. You also need to maintain a B average.
Click here for a visual diagram of the current MURP curriculum.
MURP Course Load
MURP students should take at least 12 credits per semester to complete the minimum 48 over the typical four-semester sequence. Most courses are three credits each. You can take more or less depending on your individual needs and workload. Many students take 15 credits per semester in order to gain more exposure to topics of particular interest to them. Taking 18 credits is possible, but less common.
Course Waivers
MURP students may be eligible to request a waiver for URP 509: Public Economics for Urban Planning if (a) you have taken an introductory microeconomics course during your undergraduate studies, or (b) you are a current University of Michigan student in a dual-degree program and you have taken similar courses in another University of Michigan graduate program, and you have received a grade of at least a B in the course.
I believe I am eligible to waive economics. Should I take the course anyway?
Consider three potential reasons for taking this course even if you can waive it.
- The course is different from a standard undergraduate course in economics. It applies economics to policy issues in general by examining equity and efficiency-based rationales for governmental intervention into markets. It applies economics to urban and regional planning in particular by exploring economics tools for land use, transportation, environmental protection, and economic development. Unlike most undergraduate economics courses, it offers a critical view of the field, seeking both areas of convergence and divergence between the way economists and urban planners look at the world.
- Some students want a refresher on economics topics that they will encounter in the MURP core. These include market-failure rationales for governmental intervention, the economics of the decentralized structure of US planning and local governance, and standard approaches to economic-development policy.
- Some students want a refresher on economics topics they will encounter in the concentrations (notably transportation and housing, community and economic development) beyond that which they will encounter in the core. The transportation courses assume familiarity with supply and demand, consumer surplus, elasticity, and marginal and average costs. The economic development courses assume knowledge in fixed vs variable costs, elasticity, opportunity costs, marginalism, demand and supply, and welfare efficiency of markets.
Please note that MURP students are encouraged to waive economics, if they are eligible. The decision to request a waiver is completely up to you and the information above is only provided to offer some additional context as you make your decision. View more details on the course waiver process and the waiver form.
Degree requirements may vary given the year you were admitted to Taubman College. See a comprehensive view of requirements related to your entry year.
As always, please don’t hesitate to schedule an advising appointment to gain a clear understanding of your individual degree progression.
Tip: Make sure you’re taking the time to understand and utilize your individual online advising file.