The faculty in the School of Planning and Landscape Architecture offer a program leading to the professional degree Master of Environmental Planning (M.E.P.). Three areas of specialty are offered: urban and regional development; urban design; and landscape ecological planning. Graduates acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for leadership roles in the planning profession. Students take a core and select additional courses from the area of specialty. Urban and regional development prepares students for employment in areas such as housing, economic and community development, policy analysis, transportation, and the politics of planning. Urban design provides a link between the School of Planning and Landscape Architecture and the other disciplines in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design—architecture, interior design, and industrial design. Students selecting this area of specialty should have a degree in design or planning or be prepared to take basic design courses as a prerequisite. Students are prepared to work in land-use planning, the design of specific parcels of land, the preparation of development controls, and the drafting of guidelines for development controls and design. Landscape ecological planning prepares students for careers in public land management, conservation of renewable and nonrenewable resources, the management of solid and hazardous wastes, environmental impact assessment, and land-use planning. All areas of specialty emphasize environmental and urban planning in rapidly developing metropolitan areas, preparing graduates for advanced careers in either the public or private sector.
A common core of required lecture, seminar, and studio courses provides knowledge of urban and environmental planning issues and fundamental theories, practices, and skills in planning. The areas of specialty in urban design and landscape ecological planning offer a series of fundamental and advanced design studios that enhance knowledge of urban form and land planning.
Individual practical experience in planning is provided through an internship program and independent work on a required final thesis. In addition to the planning faculty, the program is enriched by the interdisciplinary participation of faculty from other academic units of the university as well as leading planning and landscape architecture practitioners from the Phoenix area.
Admission Requirements and Procedures. To be considered for the program, the applicant must fulfill all admission requirements of the Graduate College, in addition to meeting admission requirements of the School of Planning and Landscape Architecture. Separate application materials must be submitted.
School of Planning and Landscape Architecture. The following materials should be submitted to
International students who wish to be considered for a teaching assistantship and whose first language is not English are required to pass the TSE administered by the American English and Culture Center at ASU.
Application Deadlines. For fall enrollment, application materials are due in the School of Planning and Landscape Architecture and the Graduate College on March 15.
For spring enrollment, application materials are due in the School of Planning and Landscape Architecture and the Graduate College on October 15.
Selection Procedures and Notifications. School faculty evaluate the applications and supporting materials and recommend to the Graduate College whether the applicant should be granted regular or provisional admission or if admission should be denied. If admission is provisional, the Graduate College specifies in its letter of admission the provisions to be met to gain regular status. The school informs successful applicants of the procedures for enrollment.
Program of Study. See “Environmental Planning” for faculty and course listings. An approved program of study is 48 semester hours or 51 with an optional internship. The program has the typical distribution as follows:
| Required core courses, including two four-hour studios (25) | |
| Specialization courses (15) | |
| Optional internship (3) | |
| Approved elective (3) | |
| Thesis (5) | |
| Total: 51 | |
| Total without internship: 48 | |
Students are encouraged to take the required core courses and then to select an area of specialization. The program of study must be approved by the student’s supervisory committee and be completed as specified for graduation. Requests for changes in the program must be made in writing. Some graduate courses may require undergraduate-level prerequisites; specifically, all students are expected to have taken introductory courses in planning and statistics. Inquiries regarding the M.E.P. program should be directed to the School of Planning and Landscape Architecture.
Foreign Language Requirements. None.
Thesis Requirements. A thesis is required.
Final Examinations. A comprehensive oral examination based on the student’s thesis is required. The oral examination is administered by the supervisory committee.
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