Master of Urban Planning in Urban Design

1 Years On Campus Masters Program

City University of New York

Program Overview

The Master of Urban Planning in Urban Design at the City College of New York’s Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture is a 1.5-year, full-time, 45-credit, STEM-designated program designed for students with professional backgrounds in architecture or landscape architecture who want to work at the intersection of urban design, planning, research, ecology, infrastructure, and technology. The program suits designers interested in shaping complex urban environments, with collaborative design research and “design think tanks” addressing social, environmental, technological, and infrastructural challenges in New York and other global urban contexts.

Curriculum Structure

Semester 1 – Fall: Students begin with UD 61001: Urban Design Lab I, where they develop research agendas and design approaches using geospatial mapping, environmental simulations, urban anthropology, and economic and data analysis. Alongside this, UD 61100: Urban Design Seminar I develops complementary theoretical and digital-lab skills, while UD 61510: Topics in Urban Histories and Theories examines cities and built environments through historical, cultural, technological, ecological, and planning perspectives.

Semester 2 – Spring: The second semester advances this work through UD 62001: Urban Design Lab II, where students deepen their investigations into social, environmental, and technological urban issues using mapping, simulation, planning, and data-analysis methods. UD 62100: Urban Design Seminar II extends the seminar and digital-lab work, while UD 61520: Topics in Urban Ecologies and Technologies explores areas including infrastructure, environmental planning, urban ecology, big data technology, and digital protocols.

Semester 3 – Fall: The final semester brings students to UD 73000: Urban Design Lab III / Capstone and UD 73100: Urban Design Seminar III / Capstone, where research and design work culminate in advanced capstone projects. Students also undertake UD 61510: Topics in Urban Histories and Theories and UD 61530: Topics in Socially Situated Practices, strengthening their understanding of urban history, theory, social conditions, and participatory approaches.

Focus Areas

Urban design, participatory urbanism, urban research, ecological planning, infrastructure, technology and cities, geospatial mapping, environmental simulation, urban anthropology, economic and data analysis, urban histories and theories, urban ecologies, socially situated practices, advocacy, and leadership.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop technical, design, research, leadership, and analytical capabilities for defining urban problems, developing design responses, evaluating social and environmental conditions, using technological and data-driven methods, and communicating proposals for complex urban systems.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The program is STEM designated. The official program information does not state that the MUP in Urban Design itself is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB); therefore, PAB accreditation: not stated on the official program page.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

CUNY is ranked #=677 in the QS World University Rankings 2027. The City College of New York, where the program is housed, is ranked #1001–1200 in the QS World University Rankings 2026; the program itself does not publish a separate employability ranking.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the Master of Urban Planning in Urban Design at City University of New York develop practical planning and urban-design skills through Hunter College’s studio-based curriculum, community engagement, research, and analytical coursework. New York City serves as a living laboratory, with students venturing into neighborhoods across all five boroughs to examine real urban challenges. The program combines planning theory with applied work in urban design, GIS, urban data analysis, visualization, and community-based planning, while practitioner-instructors bring current professional experience into the classroom.

Practical learning opportunities include:

Community-based studio projects: The required Planning Studio brings students together in teams to address real-world planning issues using professional policy-driven research and development methods. Recent projects have included Stamford North, Grand Street BID, Public Art for NYCHA, and a regional trails project.
Urban design concentration: Students interested in urban design can pursue the Housing and the Built Environment concentration, which specifically includes urban design, through four related elective courses selected with an advisor.
GIS and spatial analysis: Coursework includes Introduction to GIS for Urban Policy and Planning and Advanced GIS for Urban Environmental Analysis, giving students practical experience with geospatial approaches to planning and environmental analysis.
Urban data and visualization: Students can develop skills in urban data analytics and visualization, supported by faculty research in urban data, applied GIS, urban heat, microclimates, and urban-form policy analysis.
Real client and stakeholder work: Studio teams work on community-oriented projects involving organizations and public-sector partners; for example, the Spring 2026 Stamford North studio worked with the Stamford Land Use Bureau on zoning, housing, and public-space strategies.
Professional exposure: Students secure internships and employment with organizations including the MTA, NYC Department of Transportation, and NYC Department of City Planning, providing a direct connection between the program and professional planning practice.
Practitioner-led learning: Hunter’s part-time faculty includes working professionals from government and industry, including urban designers and NYC Department of City Planning practitioners, bringing current professional perspectives into planning and design courses.
New York City field-based learning: Students work directly in neighborhoods across all five boroughs, using New York City itself as the local laboratory for examining transportation, housing, infrastructure, development, public space, and other urban issues.
Research opportunities: Faculty research covers urban ecosystems, green infrastructure, heat mitigation, urban ecology, geospatial science, and urban-form policy, providing opportunities to connect planning and urban design with contemporary urban research.
Collaborative CUNY resources: With program-director approval, MUP students can take courses at other CUNY campuses in areas such as transportation engineering, real estate, and environmental psychology, expanding their interdisciplinary learning options.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Urban Planning in Urban Design at City College of New York prepares graduates for professional work across urban design, planning, architecture, government, real estate, and policy-focused organizations. The program states that graduates move into urban design and architectural firms, government planning agencies, policy-focused nonprofits, and academia, while its New York City setting provides direct access to professional networks and employers.

Typical career roles: Urban Designer, Urban Planner, Architectural/Design Professional, Government Planning or Development Specialist.

Career progression and professional opportunities include:

Career services: The Spitzer School's Career & Professional Development Institute (CPDI) provides job and internship listings, professional workshops, training, and career fairs. The annual Spitzer School Career Fair specifically recruits students and recent graduates from Urban Design, alongside Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Sustainability.
Employer connections: The 2026 Spitzer Career Fair included employers recruiting for full-time and internship positions, while the school's professional network connects students with architecture, planning, design, public-sector, and other organizations.
University–industry connections: Spitzer reports extensive connections across New York City's AEC sector, including public agencies, design firms, nonprofits, and construction companies. Recent employers listed by the school include the MTA, NYC Department of Buildings, NYC Department of City Planning, NYC Department of Design and Construction, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, and NYC Public Design Commission.
Professional networking: Students can benefit from the school's alumni and professional network, with faculty and alumni active across urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, and related professional fields. The school also organizes mentoring and career-preparation activities around its career fair.
Employment and salary figures: Not stated by City College/CUNY for the Master of Urban Planning in Urban Design program. The university identifies career destinations and employer connections but does not publish a program-specific employment rate or graduate salary figure on the official program pages reviewed
Graduation outcomes: Official program information identifies graduate destinations in urban design, architectural firms, government planning agencies, policy-focused nonprofits, academia, city government, real estate development, NGOs, and research/teaching.
STEM designation: The 1.5-year, 45-credit Urban Design MUP is officially STEM designated, adding value for graduates pursuing careers involving technology, data, environmental analysis, and other quantitatively oriented aspects of urban design.
Accreditation value: The Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) currently lists accredited CUNY planning programs at Hunter College, but it does not list City College's MUP in Urban Design among its accredited programs. Therefore, PAB accreditation should not be presented as an accreditation of this specific CCNY Urban Design degree.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the MUP in Urban Design, students can pursue further graduate or doctoral-level study in areas such as urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture, urban studies, real estate, geography, public administration, or related built-environment fields, depending on their academic and professional goals. The program itself also identifies academia and research/teaching among graduate destinations, while CUNY's wider academic environment provides opportunities for continued study and interdisciplinary work. (The City College of New York)