Overview

The Community and Regional Planning programme at Iowa State University provides a comprehensive professional education that blends classroom instruction with practical, studio-based applications. Students engage deeply with the theory and methods of planning practice to address the evolving social, economic, and physical needs of modern society.

Why Community and Regional Planning at Iowa State University?

This programme is fully accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board, ensuring that the curriculum meets the highest professional standards. Students benefit from a grounded education where studios frequently collaborate with local governments and communities to solve genuine planning problems. The College of Design also hosts an exclusive annual Design Career Fair, attracting over 125 firms specifically looking to recruit students from these disciplines.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

International fee: USD 16325 per semester
National fee: USD 15322 per semester
Local fee: USD 5751 per semester

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

The curriculum is designed to be flexible, allowing students to enter directly into the professional degree without the initial core design year. Students can choose to be generalists or select a specific focus area such as Physical Planning and Urban Design or Ecological and Environmental Planning. Modules may include:

Community Development and Social Policy
Ecological and Environmental Planning
Regional and International Planning
Physical Planning and Urban Design
Transportation and Land Use
Geographic Information Science
Planning Methods
Planning Practice

Careers with Community and Regional Planning

Graduates are prepared for immediate professional practice or advanced graduate study. The programme provides the necessary foundation to become a certified professional planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners. Students have successfully secured roles across various sectors, focusing on the management of urban and rural growth. Potential career paths include:

Economic Development
Historic Preservation
Land-use Planning
Urban Revitalization
Zoning Administration and Coordination
Transportation Planning
Environmental Planning
Neighborhood Planning

The Design Career Services Office provides dedicated support to ensure students are career-ready upon graduation. Since 2020, over 90 different companies have recruited students from this department, highlighting the strong industry demand for Iowa State University graduates in this field.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Critical Thinking and Communication

Moral Theory and Practice

Public Speaking

Theory of the Planning Process

Environmental Planning

Transportation Policy and Planning

Public Participation in Planning

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-08-25 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-06-01 00:00:00 , International

More details

Iowa State operates on rolling admission. We strongly recommend that you apply at least six to eight weeks in advance.

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

105

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IELTS

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Credits

128 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Ames, United States

Disciplines

Urban Planning View 191 other Bachelors in Urban Planning in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

Required

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

105

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

ACT composite (or converted SAT) score x 3

Cumulative GPA x 30

Number of years of high school core courses x 5

RAI (Regent Admission Index)

SAT scores will be converted to their ACT composite equivalents for this calculation.

High school GPA is expressed on a 4-point scale (you can use our GPA calculator to convert your GPA if it's not on a 4.0 scale).

The number of core high school courses is measured in years or fractions of years.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

32650 USD / year

≈ 32650 USD / year
Out-of-State

30644 USD / year

≈ 30644 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

11502 USD / year

≈ 11502 USD / year

Living costs

Ames

United States

1158 - 1797 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Community and Regional Planning.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Ames

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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