Master of Urban Planning

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University at Buffalo SUNY

Program Overview

The Master of Urban Planning (MUP) at the University at Buffalo (SUNY) is a two-year, in-person professional degree designed for students from a wide range of academic backgrounds who want to develop the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed for professional planning. Students study urban sustainability, social justice, land use, environmental planning, housing, transportation, urban design, historic preservation, economic development, community health and food systems, and global development, while working with real projects and clients.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their planning foundation through courses such as URP 501 Evolution of Urban Structure, URP 510 Planning Concepts and Controversies, URP 512 Research Methods for Planners, and URP 538 Economic Concepts. They also begin developing professional competencies through areas such as URP 569 GIS Applications, URP 517 Graphic Communications, URP 565 Urban Design Understanding Form, or URP 577 Planning Techniques in Action, depending on their selected competency pathway.

Year 2: Students advance into specialized planning areas through electives and the program's planning studios, applying their knowledge to issues such as land use and urban development, environmental planning and climate adaptation, housing, sustainable transportation, urban design, historic preservation, economic development, community health and food systems, and global development. The degree concludes with a culminating professional project or thesis, allowing students to bring together research, analytical, collaborative, and practical planning skills.

Focus areas: Urban sustainability, social justice, land use and urban development, environmental planning and climate adaptation, housing, sustainable transportation, urban design, historic preservation, economic development, community health and food systems, global and international development, GIS and analytics, and planning research.

Learning outcomes: Professional planning knowledge, research methods, GIS and analytical skills, design literacy, group-process and community-engagement skills, policy understanding, and the ability to apply planning knowledge through professional projects or a thesis.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The MUP is fully accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB), the professional accrediting organization for urban and regional planning programs.

Reputation (employability rankings): UB states that its MUP is among the major urban and regional planning programs in the Northeast and reports that 55% of students, as of its cited count, received scholarships, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or stipends.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Master of Urban Planning (MUP) at the University at Buffalo SUNY places strong emphasis on learning through real projects, real clients, and community engagement. Students connect planning theory with policymaking, community advocacy, geospatial analysis, and applied planning work, while UB’s School of Architecture and Planning provides collaborative studios, digital technologies, research facilities, and specialized planning resources.

Real-World Planning Projects: Students work on real projects with real clients, applying planning concepts to community and urban challenges in areas such as housing, transportation, economic development, environmental planning, and neighborhood development.
Planning Studios: The two-year MUP curriculum includes two studios, giving students structured opportunities to apply planning methods and collaborate on practical planning problems.
Internship: Students may complete URP 545 Internship for up to 3 credits. The program requires students to identify an appropriate internship site, recruit a faculty advisor, and submit an internship proposal for departmental approval.
Community-Based Learning: The Neighborhood Development Internship Program connects graduate students with residents, community groups, and partner organizations through service-learning activities addressing neighborhood development and urban challenges. Graduate students can complete URP 545 Internship for 3 credits, involving a minimum of 120 work hours.
Geospatial Analysis: Geospatial analysis is an identified component of the MUP's professional preparation, allowing students to develop spatial approaches relevant to planning and community analysis.
Digital & Fabrication Facilities: The School of Architecture and Planning provides research and fabrication facilities equipped with digital technologies, printing services, and a fully equipped materials and methods shop, supporting students in developing and visualizing ideas.
Collaborative Learning Spaces: Hayes Hall and Crosby Hall provide spaces designed for collaborative learning, with studios, lounges, galleries, and technology supporting the School's architecture and planning programs.
Center for Urban Studies: The Center for Urban Studies connects planning education with field-based work and community development, with a particular focus on distressed neighborhoods, urban sprawl, and socioeconomic and racial justice.
Architecture & Planning Library: Abbott Library's Architecture & Planning collection supports urban and regional planning research, with resources covering planning, zoning, urban and environmental studies, architecture, landscape architecture, and design. The library also provides research consultations and curricular support.
Planning Research Resources: Students have access to specialized planning resources through the Architecture & Planning Library, including planning research guides, the Food Systems Lab resources, the Growing Food Connections collection, and the Rudy Bruner Award Digital Archive.
Buffalo as a Living Laboratory: Studying in Buffalo gives MUP students access to an urban environment with historic neighborhoods, waterfront areas, redevelopment initiatives, and community planning challenges that complement the program's applied approach.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Urban Planning (MUP) at the University at Buffalo prepares graduates for professional planning careers across government, nonprofit, development, consulting, and community-focused organizations. The program’s real-world projects, professional studios, interdisciplinary training, and Planning Accreditation Board accreditation support progression into professional planning practice as well as further academic study.

Typical career roles: Urban Planner, Community Planner, Transportation Planner, Land Use and Development Planner.

Career support: UB’s School of Architecture and Planning reports that MUP students routinely obtain internships during the program and rewarding employment after graduation; collaborative studio projects with clients have also contributed directly to policy initiatives and public investments in the Buffalo-Niagara region.
Employment outcomes: UB’s published MUP student-achievement data for the 2024 graduating class reports that 15 of 30 graduates responded to the employment survey; 11 reported obtaining planning positions, two planning-related positions, and two positions unrelated to planning. UB notes that employment information was unavailable for the 15 nonrespondents.
Recent alumni outcomes: In UB’s 2024 MUP alumni survey, 60% of respondents reported working in planning and another 32% working in planning-related positions.
Salary information: UB’s official admissions data for urban and public policy-related careers, drawing on U.S. Department of Labor statistics, reports a mean annual wage of $89,730 for Urban and Regional Planners. This is occupational data rather than an MUP-specific graduate salary figure.
Industry and community connections: MUP students work on real projects with real clients, and UB reports that student studio work has led to policy initiatives and public investments in the Buffalo-Niagara region. Alumni work across government agencies, development authorities, nonprofit organizations, community groups, land-development firms, and consulting companies.
Research and professional network: Students can engage with UB’s Center for Urban Studies, UB Regional Institute, Food Systems Planning and Healthy Communities Lab, Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access (IDEA), and WHO Collaborating Center on Health in Housing, connecting planning education with applied research and community issues.
Long-term professional value: The MUP is fully accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB). UB states that graduating students are expected to demonstrate the basic competencies needed to become professional planners or enter advanced study and planning research; UB also publishes AICP examination outcomes as part of its accreditation reporting.
Graduation outcomes: UB reports a 94% retention rate for students who began the MUP in fall 2024 and continued into fall 2025, while the graduation-rate figure published for the 2021 entering class is 68% graduating within four years.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the MUP, students can continue into advanced study or research; UB specifically identifies the professional project or thesis as preparation for professional practice or advanced study, while its PAB requirements recognize progression toward becoming planning researchers. Graduates can also build on the MUP through doctoral-level study or related graduate fields such as public policy, public administration, real estate, environmental planning, transportation, or related interdisciplinary areas.