Oct 05, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Urban Planning MUP/JD


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The two-year Master of Urban Planning degree provides students with the knowledge, skills and experience to become a professional planner. The MUP program is built around a core curriculum, general electives, a planning studio, a departmental colloquium, and a culminating professional project or thesis. Our program is fully accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board. Graduates of our program find diverse job opportunities in government agencies, international agencies, development authorities, nonprofit organizations, community groups, land development firms and consulting companies.

Curriculum


Year 1 and 2


Students take a full foundational curriculum in each program (e.g., a year of law followed by a year of urban and regional planning or vice versa).  Students take a leave of absence from the program in which they are non-resident during these years. 

Year 3 and 4


Students combine law and urban and regional planning, mixing courses from both schools to complete the curriculum.  Students enroll in a full-year law clinic in year three concurrent with an MUP/JD colloquium. In the fourth year, students enroll in a graduate planning studio and Law Seminar, and complete degree requirements toward the dual degrees. Students may choose to tailor their elective choices to concentrate studies in a cross-professional topic area, such as land use and environmental law/planning; housing and community development law/planning; international law/planning; or state and local governance. Courses marked with an asterisk in the matrix count as credits toward both degree programs.

Students in the dual program may further choose to concentrate their elective choices in one or more optional areas of concentration, such as land use and environmental law/planning; housing and community development; state and local governance; international law/planning; or another area designed by the student. Sample course offerings in these areas follow, for illustrative purposes only. Course selections may also include relevant law clinics, law seminars, planning studios, and other electives.

Possible Sequencing of Courses


students should carefully plan the sequence with both departmental advisors.

First Year[1]


[1] Dual degree students can start in either program. Thus, the first and second years could be reversed.

­Fall


  • LAW - Civil Procedure 4 Credits
  • LAW - Contracts 4 Credits
  • LAW - Research and Writing 4 Credits
  • LAW - Legal Profession 0 Credits
  • LAW - Torts 4 Credits

Spring


  • LAW - Criminal Law 4 Credits
  • LAW - Property 4 Credits
  • LAW - Contract Law 4 Credits
  • LAW - Research and Writing 3 Credits
  • LAW - Legal Profession 1 Credit

Second Year


Third Year


­Fall


[1] Depending on availability, this course may have to be taken in the spring. It must, however, be taken in the second year of law school (third year of joint program).

[2] Same as note 4.

[3] If students are in the bottom 40% of their entering law classes, then certain bar topic courses are required and would replace law electives.

  • LAW - Ethics 3 Credits [1]
  • LAW - Advanced LAWR or Qualified Seminar 3 Credits [2]
  • LAW - Elective or Required Bar Course 3 Credits [3]
  • LAW - Elective 3 Credits
  • URP - Elective 3 Credits

Spring


[4] Bridge courses are taken during the winter session.  Thus, credits taken over bridge are not part of the maximum number of credits that may be taken by students over the spring semester. Anything over 16 credits per semester (whether solely law school courses or a combined set of law and URP courses) requires a waiver by the law school.  In no event may a law school student take over 18 credits a semester when taking a law or combined law and URP semester due to accreditation standards.

  • LAW - Bridge Course Electives 3 Credits [4]
  • LAW - Elective or Required Bar Course 3 Credits
  • LAW - Elective or Required Bar Course 3 Credits
  • LAW - Elective 3 Credits
  • URP - Elective 3 Credits
  • URP - Elective 3 Credits

Fourth Year


­Fall


Spring


  • LAW - Bridge Course Electives 3 Credits [1]
  • LAW - Law School Elective 3 Credits
  • LAW - Law Experiential 3 Credits
  •  

  • LAW - Law Elective 3 Credits
  • or

  • Required Bar Course 3 Credits
  •  

  • LAW - Law Elective 3 Credits
  • Credits: 3

Law and Urban Planning


Law and urban planning intersect in numerous ways academically and professionally.Common ground includes issues of land development; property; regulatory systems (such as zoning, environmental controls, and other municipal, state or federal regulations); community development; environmental law and policy; housing and business development. 

By permitting some elective courses to count toward both degrees, the JD/MUP program enables students to complete the two degrees in four years rather than the five years required to complete the programs separately. The program offers considerable curricular flexibility enabling students to custom design a dual professional degree matching their interests and career aspirations.

Total Credit Hours: 142


Instruction Method


  • In Person (100 percent of courses offered in person)

Full/Part Time Options


  • Full Time

Credits Required


  • 124 Hours

Time-To-Degree


  • 4 Years

Application Fee


  • $75

Admissions Tests**


  • LSAT

Special Requirements


Students should apply separately to the Law School for the JD and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning for the MUP.

SED Statement


This program is officially registered with the New York State Education Department (SED).

Online programs/courses may require students to come to campus on occasion. Time-to-degree and number of credit hours may vary based on full/part time status, degree, track and/or certification option chosen. Time-to-degree is based on calendar year(s). Contact the department for details.

** At least one of the admissions tests are required for admission. Test and score requirements/exceptions vary by program. Contact the department for details.

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