Undergraduate Certificate in Regional and Community Planning

Overview

This program provides the student with a solid foundation in the principles of regional and community planning and design. 

This program provides the student with a solid foundation in the principles of regional and community planning and design. 

Coursework will focus on regional and community scale environmental and land use planning, proving the student with an understanding of the principles of sustainable design, energy and resource sustainability, remote sensing and geographic information systems, and environmental impact assessment.

Students will gain valuable practical skills by applying these principles to develop resilient communities and identify strategies to address real world challenges in planning for the private and public sectors.

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

• Identify critical issues in landscape level planning and development that affect regional and local environmental planners and assess their implications on the environment and quality of life for the citizenry.
• Assess the resource needs (energy, water resources, sustainability, greenspace, etc.) of a population and develop strategies for meeting them.
• Describe innovative approaches, alternative actions, and strategic planning efforts needed to resolve complex, landscape-level land use planning problems and meet the needs of multiple and varied stakeholders.
• Assess leading trends and challenges in the fields of Local and Regional Planning, Landscape-level Planning, and Environmental Assessment and Impact.
• Describe current and emerging technologies in sustainable land use planning and energy development and discuss appropriate applications.

Accreditation

American Public University is part of the American Public University System (APUS), which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The HLC accredits degree-granting institutions located in a 19-state region, and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).