Courses Offered
Sample Schedule of Courses (PDF)
Sample Schedule of Classes (HTML)
Lower Division
URBS 150. The Urban Scene (3)
A lecture-discussion course on the problems of the modern city and
its environment. Subjects discussed include economics, culture, architecture,
politics, crime, pollution, planning, history, etc. (Available for General
Education, Social Sciences.)
URBS 250. Planning the Multiethnic City (3)
Comprehensive
analysis of the social, cultural and land use structure of cities in
the US during the 20th century. A major focus of the course will be
on the significant demographic changes that have influenced urban and
public policy since 1975. This course will explore
a myriad of issues related to multi-ethnic constituencies
in American cities.
Upper Division
URBS 300. The Planning Idea (3)
Prerequisite: URBS 150. Detailed examination of the foundational ideas
and issues of the urban planning profession drawn from planning history,
alternative models of planning, and planning ethics. Planning principles
will be examined in the context of case studies drawn from the Los Angeles
region, the U.S. and world cities.
URBS 310. Growth and Development of Cities (3)
An examination of the forces contributing to the form, development,
and structure of cities. Emphasis on urban areas of the United States.
(Available for General Education, Social Sciences.)
URBS 345. The General Plan and Zoning (3)
This course
deals with the requirements for comprehensive planning
and zoning in the State of California. Emphasis will
be placed on the mandated general plan elements of Land Use, Housing,
Circulation, Open Space, Conservation, Safety, and Noise. Special
attention will be paid to formulating a framework for a general plan,
preparation, adoption, and amendment of the general
plan. As the major tool for the implementation of the
general plan, zoning will be addressed in terms of the enactment process
and administration through the use of the variance, conditional use
permits, and zone changes. Students will be required to participate
in a series of field-based and studio-based exercises focusing on general
plan formulation and current zoning problems .
URBS 340AB. Urban Research Methods (3-3)
Prerequisite:
Upper division standing. Identification and examination of information
sources used by public and private clients in urban research; introduction
to appropriate research designs and methodologies; collection and analysis
of data. Emphasis on student generated research
design, field work and final project. Two hours lecture
and two hours methods activity.
URBS 350. Cities of the Third World (3)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing and completion of lower-division
writing requirement. A cultural analysis of Third World urbanization
and counter-urbanization with emphasis on particular aspects of urban
life and social change in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and
Southeastern Asia. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural
Studies.)
URBS 380. Los Angeles: Past, Present, Future (3)
(Same as HIST and POLS 380)
A multidisciplinary investigation
of the Los Angeles urban area - its
patterns of population and resources distribution; its historical, economic,
social and cultural developments; and policies models designed to cope
with its problems and to develop its potential as an ethnically diverse
metropolis on the Pacific Rim. Application of social science
methodology. Series of faculty and guest speakers, weakly discussion
sessions, field trips. (Available for General Education, Social
Sciences.)
URBS 400. Planning for the Natural and Built Environment (3)
Prerequisites:
Completion of the lower-division writing requirement and Economics 200
or 300. The relationships between people and technology in the city;
the application of resources to supply such urban needs as transportation,
waste disposal, water and communication. Technological change and forecasting.
URBS 405. Advanced Research Methods (3)
Prerequisite:
URBS 340A/Al and B/ BL. This course focuses on
key urban planning concepts, theories, and research methods.
Emphasis will be placed on the application of research methods to tasks
normally assigned to professional planners and the completion of a class
project that focuses on a specific urban planning problem defined by
a local, community-based organization (CBO). Working with a CBO, students
will prepare a proposal consisting of a problem statement, a research
protocol, gather quantitative and qualitative data, perform analysis,
and write a final report that includes recommendations to the community-based
organization.
URBS 408. Policymaking for Urban Planners (3)
The course will comprehensively address the complex arena of public
policy in relation to city planning, land use issues and urban policy.
This will incorporate how a society based on pluralist democracy balances
the demands of a range of interest groups including planners, city bureaucracies,
politicians, community groups, private sector economic interests, the
non-profit sector, state and federal agencies, and the general public.
The focus will be on issues related to the built environment and the
controversial nature of constant transformation of land uses in cities.
In addition, the course will address the interrelationship between local
government implementation strategies, and federal urban program laws
and regulations. The course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive
understanding of the linkages between urban social policy, distributional
equity in local and federal programs, and environmental considerations
within the arena of governmental decision making systems.
URBS 415. The California Environmental Quality Act for Urban Planners (3)
This course deals with California's statutory requirements for environmental
planning and policy. The focus of the course will be on the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process which addresses with the preparation
of Initial Studies, issuance of Negative Declarations, preparation of
draft and final environmental impact reports (EIRs), litigation, decision-making,
and the requirements of professional consulting. A special emphasis
will be placed on understanding the environmental implications of typical
projects that occur in an urban setting.
URBS 412. Grant Writing (3)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing. URBS
340 A, A1, and B, B1.
This course is intended to provide
students with basic knowledge in the research, writing, and planning
skills involved in preparing grant proposals. Presumption is that students possess no substantive
prior knowledge of grant writing. Students will learn the basic
phases of writing a grant proposal, how to search for sources of grant
funding, and the process of submitting grants proposals to public and
private agencies and foundations. Students will also learn how
to use the internet to search for grant opportunities. Emphasis
will be placed on nonprofit organizations that deal with human service
needs. The course will address how to manage the implementation
of a grant proposal and how to measure the impact a particular
service has on a community.
URBS 416. Urban Housing (3)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing and completion of lower division writing requirements. This course is designed to help students explore the complexity of housing and housing-related issues from a planning perspective. Students will develop a basic understanding of the housing market, its relationship to community development, and its importance to communities and the U.S. economy. A wide variety of topics will be discussed, including the use and meaning of housing, the development of Federal, State, and local housing policy, the changing dynamics of housing policy, the housing market, housing finance, the challenge of providing affordable housing, and the relationship of housing to community development/neighborhood transformation. Considerable emphasis will be placed on housing issues in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Class time will be devoted to lectures, guest lectures, class discussions, and group discussions.
URBS 420. Communities, Neighborhoods and Planning (3)
Prerequisites: Upper division standing and completion of the lower-division
writing requirement. The study of human behavior as it is affected by
basic human needs and urban environmental conditions, and an examination
of alternative strategies for restructuring social institutions and
social behavior.
URBS 425. Social Policy, Environmental Justice and the City
(3)
This course will address the linkages between urban social
policy, distributional equity in local and federal programs, and environmental
movements initiated as a response to regressive land
use and/or planning strategies. The specific areas of social
policy that will be analyzed in this course are housing policies and
programs, economic development and revitalization, transportation,
urban recreation and cultural projects, and local governmental implementation
strategies.
URBS 430. Planning in the Public Sector (3)
Prerequisites: Upper-division standing and completion of the lower-division
writing requirement. Analysis of public and private institutions through
which modern urban society functions, with emphasis on the structure
and functions of cities from the perspective of their organizational
life.
URBS 435. Planning for Community Development (3)
Prerequisite: URBS 310. Examination of the theories of local economic
development and how each theory informs real-world policy and practice.
The implementation and implications of alternative strategies are illustrated
by specific case studies.
URBS 440. Community-Based Urban Design (3)
Prerequisite: URBS 340AB, AL, BL, or other equivalent research methods
courses. The study of current urban design techniques and policies and
their application to local communities and neighborhoods.
URBS 441. Advanced Urban
Design (3)
Prerequisites: URBS 440 or consent of the
instructor
This second, advanced course in the Urban
Design series (URBS 440 and URBS 441) examines selected aspects of urban
design and development in further depth, typically involving sites in
Southern California through a practice-oriented studio experience that
requires civic engagement and community partnership. The design project selected will vary
by semester as well as the urban design topics selected for emphasis,
which might include advanced problem-solving methodologies; the utilization
of computer simulation techniques; methods for community participation;
research in planning, environment and behavior, or environmental sustainability;
or real estate development practices. Emphasis will be placed
on developing physical designs and/or implementation strategies to create
livable, sustainable, and "smart" communities that balance economic
prosperity and social equity with environmental protection
URBS 450. Urban Problems Seminar (4)
Prerequisites:
Senior standing and completion of the lower-division writing requirement.
An advanced seminar on problems and issues in urban and environmental
studies. Interdisciplinary symposia and opportunities
for critical appraisal and exchange of ideas on special studies developed
in or stemming from field work. Emphasis on case studies and
other problem approaches.
URBS 460. Legal Foundations of Planning (3)
Prerequisites: Upper Division Standing and completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course is a general introduction to land use planning law in the United States. It looks primarily at the state, regional, and municipal levels with an emphasis on practices and procedures to manage land use and growth in California. The course covers four broad areas: Introduction to Law and the US Legal System, State and Local Planning Law, Managing Urban Land Use: Conflicts and Quality of Life, and Managing Growth.
URBS 480. Transportation Planning (3)
Prerequisites: URBS 150 or URBS 250; or consent of the instructor.
This
course is a general introduction to the interrelated systems of urban
transportation and urban land use and its effect on the growth, development,
and future of human settlements. The course will
provide entry-level competence for students seeking employment in transportation
planning in the public or private sectors. Four broad areas are
covered: transportation planning history, transportation and
land use theory, transportation planning process and
techniques, and urban transportation policy.
URBS 490ABC. Field Work (1-2-3)
Prerequisites: URBS 340AB. An introduction to urban field analysis
and interview techniques through supervised field work and individual
projects.
URBS 494ABC. Internship (1-2-3)
Prerequisite: Senior standing. Upon prior approval by the Internship
Coordinator, students may earn up to 6 units for professional experience
in a planning department, social service agency, or other public or
private organization dealing with urban problems.
URBS 495A-Z. Selected Topics in Urban Planning (3)
Prerequisite:
URBS 340 A, Al and B, Bl. This course deals with
a wide range of topics and specializations that are customarily dealt with
by professional urban planners.
URBS 496A-Z. Experimental Courses in Urban Studies and
planning (1-3)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing. Selected topics in Urban Studies
and Planning with course content to be determined.