The MURP Program is a two-year professional curriculum. The program is one of only four in the Pacific Northwest states that is professionally accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board.

The Purpose of the Graduate Planning Program is to:

1. provide communities and agencies with competent professionals in the field of urban and regional planning;
2. prepare professionals who can develop and administer planning policies for the economic vitality, resource efficiency and environmental quality of communities and regions;
3. fulfill the need for planning-related research with particular emphasis given to research benefiting the region and state;
4. provide community services in the form of continuing education for public officials, practicing professionals and citizens; technical assistance for area agencies and communities; information and technology exchange with appropriate local, state and federal authorities.

A major distinction between Eastern’s and other planning programs is that our teaching and practice focuses on engaged problem solving at regional and community scales, within the context of sustainable community development.

Admission requirements/Preparation of the MURP program include those required by the graduate school, as well as the following:

1. Two letters of recommendation submitted online, addressed to the planning graduate advisor. Both letters should be from instructors familiar with the applicant’s undergraduate or, where applicable, graduate academic record. In the event the applicant has professional planning experience, letters may come from a supervisor or person familiar with planning work of the applicant;
2. All applicants must also submit a personal letter of intent explaining why they wish to study planning and outlining their educational and career goals;
3. All applicants to the program must have completed a class in statistics prior to entry into the program or complete a course while in the program. In the latter case, the credits for the class will not be included in the 72 credits required for the degree.

Degree Requirements

Each student will be expected to complete a minimum of 72 credit hours, including at least 36 hours at the 500 level or above. In support of an area of specialization or professional focus, graduate students are encouraged to consider selected upper division undergraduate courses as electives.

Note: with the exception of those who have applied for leave of absence, students who enroll in PLAN 601 Research Project must maintain continuous enrollment until their degree requirements are met.

Grade Requirements: the candidate for the degree of Master of Urban and Regional Planning must pass a final examination. At the time of the final examination, a student’s cumulative GPA ≥3.0. There must be no unabsolved grades less than C. 

Required Core Curriculum
Theory/Philosophy
PLAN 501	FOUNDATIONS OF PLANNING	5
PLAN 502	ADVANCED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT	5
Administrative/Management
PLAN 500	PLANNING PRACTICE	2
PLAN 505	PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION AND LAW	5
Methods/Techniques
PLAN 503	PLANNING METHODS I	5
PLAN 504	PLANNING METHODS II: POPULATION AND ECONOMY	5
PLAN 506	PLANNING METHODS III	5
PLAN 540	LAND USE PLANNING	5
PLAN 565	GIS FOR URBAN AND REGIONAL ANALYSIS	4
Applied Synthesis
PLAN 507	ADVANCED PLANNING STUDIO	5
PLAN 523	TRIBAL GOVERNANCE	4
PLAN 542	SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES	3
PLAN 570	ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING	5
PLAN 591	RESEARCH PROJECT PREPARATION	1
PLAN 601	RESEARCH PROJECT (1–15 variable credit course)	5
Electives–choose at least five credits from the following		5
PLAN 451	WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
PLAN 460	URBAN DESIGN
PLAN 470	COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION TECHNIQUES
PLAN 472	HOUSING
PADM 507	PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS
PLAN 508	REFLECTIVE PLANNING THEORY
PLAN 510	COMMUNITY FACILITIES PLANNING
PADM 525	NETWORKED GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR GRANTS-WRITING
PLAN 535	PLANNING, POLITICS AND PUBLIC POLICY
PLAN 551	TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
PLAN 571	ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
PLAN 572	RURAL AND SMALL TOWN PLANNING
PLAN 595	GRADUATE INTERNSHIP
Total Credits		69