Overview

The curriculum of the Urban Studies and Planning program at California State University Northridge is designed for students who:

Want to enter professional graduate schools in such fields as urban planning, urban design, environmental planning, social welfare, law and public administration, and international development;

Intend to begin their professional careers at the end of their baccalaureate education through employment in various governmental agencies, private firms or nonprofit organizations concerned with urban issues, regional planning, real estate development and community development; or

Desire a social science degree that emphasizes the study of the historical and modern city.

The major in Urban Studies and Planning requires all students to complete a set of lower division introductory courses and upper division core courses. This part of the curriculum is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the urban environment and training in the appropriate principles and methods of planning and urban analysis. In addition to the lower division and core course requirements, students must complete a set of elective courses.

As a complement to the coursework, students are required to complete supervised field research and an internship with a public agency, a nonprofit organization or a private-sector organization conducting planning-related work. These experiences help to provide students with professional experience to begin careers in planning and with the skills to find solutions to urban problems and situations.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

Know the key forces responsible for urban development in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world.

Demonstrate knowledge of current principles and practices of urban planning relevant at multiple levels of government from local to global.

Demonstrate the ability to work with diverse communities to advance social justice.

Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate methods and techniques to accomplish urban-related research.

Demonstrate an ability to apply principles of sustainable development using a participatory approach to decision making.

Participate in various forms of civic engagement.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Graphic Communication Tools Used by Urban Studies and Planning Professionals

Planning the Multiethnic City

Planning Theory

Growth and Sustainable Development of Cities

Community-Based Urban Design

Legal Foundations of Planning

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-26 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-05-31 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-01-20 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-31 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-08-26 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-31 00:00:00 , National

Language

English

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Los Angeles, United States

Disciplines

Architecture Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Urban Planning View 314 other Bachelors in Architecture in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

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

You have earned a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale, or an average of "B" grades on an "A - F" letter grading scale. (CSUN will convert your international GPA when you apply for admission.)

You have met our English language requirement

Complete online application at Cal State Apply

A $70.00 (US currency) non-refundable application fee

Affidavit of Financial Support and bank statement

All OFFICIAL secondary-school records, including certificates, examination grades, degrees or diplomas in original language of issue. Your records must include official verification of high school completion. Applicants who have studied in the U.S. are also required to have the U.S. institution(s) send official transcript(s) directly to CSUN.

Official English translations of all academic records, including certificates, degrees or diplomas

A copy of your passport photo page

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

7850 USD / year

≈ 7850 USD / year
Out-of-State

7850 USD / year

≈ 7850 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

7850 USD / year

≈ 7850 USD / year

Additional Details

If you are not a resident of California, add $420 per unit.

Living costs

Los Angeles

United States

1520 - 2570 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 Urban Studies and Planning.

Available Scholarships

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

About

Overview

Student Learning Outcomes

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

Additional Details

Living costs

Los Angeles

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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