Urban Design

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The Master of Urban Design (M.U.D.) is an initial, interdisciplinary program of study that focuses on contemporary challenges of urbanism at local, regional and global scales.  Courses are taught by faculty from Architecture, Community and Regional Planning, and Landscape Architecture; with an understanding that urban environments should be engaged through an integrated design process that includes ecological, social, material, economic, and urban policy factors.

The urban design degree reflects a deep commitment to resilient urban environments within the context of an increasingly concentrated, connected and, diverse urban world. Accordingly, the coursework engages emerging urbanization topics including:

  • The formation of more adaptable, flexible and resilient cities;
  • the exponential growth of megacities and steady decline of investments in traditional urban economies in the twenty-first century;
  • The transformation of Industrial landscapes, particularly within the Midwestern context, and the global impact of transnational economic operations.
  • the spatialization of informal economies, practices, and services across the south-north global divide;
  • and, a reexamination of the potentials of hard and soft infrastructures, principles of the circular economy and a reframing of the urban-rural divide.

The program consists of 30 credits, typically distributed over three semesters (fall, spring and summer), however, students may choose to distribute these credits over four or five semesters. The degree is geared toward students with professional degrees in architecture (BArch, MArch), landscape architecture (BLA, MLA) or planning (BSCRP, MCRP, MUP). Graduate students can also pursue the following double degrees in the College of Design: M Arch/MUD, MCRP/MUD and MLA/MUD. 

Requirements:

URBD 5010Urban Design Local Studio6
URBD 5020Urban Design Global Studio6
History/Theory/Criticism6
Technology/Methods12
Total Credits30

List of Courses:

History/Theory/Criticism - 6 credits from the following list

ARCH 5270History, Theory, and Criticism of Chinese Architecture3
ARCH 5280AStudies in Architecture: Culture3
ARCH 5750Contemporary Urban Design Theory3
ARCH 5970Seminar on the Built Environment III: Theory3
ARCH 5980Seminar on the Built Environment IV: Topical Study3
ARTH 5010Issues in Visual and Material Culture Seminar3
ARTH 5870Nineteenth Century Art3
ARTH 5880Modern Art and Theory3
ARTH 5920Art History In Europe3
ARTH 5940Women/Gender in Art3
ARTH 5950Art and Theory Since 19453
ARTH 5960History of Photography3
ARTH 5970Green Art: Earthworks and Beyond3
CRP 5290Planning in Developing Countries3
CRP 5610Planning Theory3
CRP 5630Planning the American Metropolis3
LA 5780DTopical Studies in Landscape Architecture: History/Theory/Criticism2-3
URBD 5110North American Urbanization3
URBD 5210Foundations of Urban Design3
URBD 5220Contemporary Urban Design Practices3
URBD 5310Methods of Urban Design Workshop3
URBD 5330Urbanism Theory and Methods3

Technology/Methods - 12 credits from the following list

ARCH 4320Advanced Computer Lighting and Rendering3
ARCH 4340Advanced Computer-aided Architectural Design3
ARCH 5330Digital Fabrication3
ARCH 5340Topics in Computer-aided Architectural Design3
ARCH 5360Advanced Design Media3
ARCH 5580Sustainability and Green Architecture3
ARTGR 5730Multimedia Design3
ARTGR 5780Graphic Design Advanced Web Design3
ARTGR 5790Wayfinding Design3
ARTIS 4080Principles of 3D Animation3
ARTIS 4930CWorkshop: Computer Art and Design1-3
ARTIS 5070Principles of Character Animation3
ARTIS 5080Computer Aided Animation and Visualization3
ARTIS 5090Computer/Video Game Design and Development3
ARTIS 5480Digital Textile Design3
ARTIS 5560Relief Printmaking: Digital/Traditional3-4
ARTIS 5570Intaglio and Monotype Printmaking: Digital / Traditional3-4
ARTIS 5580Lithography: Digital / Traditional3
CRP 5510Introduction to Geographic Information Systems3
CRP 5520Geographic Data Management and Planning Analysis3
CRP 5530Analytical Planning/GIS3
CRP 5560GIS Programming and Automation3
CRP 5950Seminar in GIS Applications/Research1
DSNS 5010Introduction to Research Design3
INDD 6400Advanced Digital Technologies3
LA 5580Web Mapping and Spatial Data Visualization3
LA 5780GTopical Studies in Landscape Architecture: Graphics2-3
LA 5780KLandscape Architecture: Computer Applications2-3
LA 5780LTopical Studies in Landscape Architecture: Ecological Design2-3
URBD 5320Urban Design Media Workshop3

 
First Year
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
Select from History/Theory/Culture List3URBD 50106URBD 50206
Select from Technology/Methods List3Select from Technology/Methods List3 
Select from Technology/Methods List3Select From History/Theory/Culture3 
Select from Technology/Methods List3  
 12 12 6