Concentrations
Concentration Descriptions
Each concentration requires completion of 18 credits.
Students are required to complete six courses, chosen in consultation with the major advisor, from one of the following concentrations:
- Community Organization
- Comparative International Urbanism
- Urban Policy and Administration
- Urban Planning
NOTE: Each of the following courses marked with an asterisk* is a non-Arts and Sciences course. The School of Arts and Sciences permits no more than 18 non-Arts and Sciences credits to count toward graduation.
Community Organization Concentration
This concentration is designed for the student who is interested in social issues such as poverty, education, housing or other social welfare problems. Students who want to work at the grass-roots or neighborhood level or who want to pursue a career in the non-profit sector often choose this area of study.
Fundamentals Course- Required
| SOCWRK 1000 | Intro to Social Work* |
|---|
Core and Elective Courses
These courses must be chosen from at least three different disciplines. The actual list of possible elective courses for each term can be found under Urban Studies on the course description Web site.
| Two (2) of the following courses | |
|---|---|
| AFRCNA 0311 | Intro African American Family |
| ANTH 1755 | Urban Anthropology |
| SOC 0460 | Minority Groups |
| URBNST 1612 | Social Justice and the City |
| PUBSRV 1200 | Practices of Non-Profit Management* |
| PUBSRV 1400 | Organizing Community Controlled Development |
NOTE: There are many courses from which to choose each semester (see the Urban Studies Program Courses listed under Course Descriptions each semester). Courses should be chosen with the advisor. The following are SOME of the courses that may be applicable.
| Three (3) of the following courses | |
|---|---|
| AFRCNA 1402 | Learning Paradigms of African American Child Development |
| AFRCNA 1538 | History of Black Pittsburgh |
| ECON 0330 | Urban Economics |
| ENGCOMP | Grant and Proposal Writing |
| ENGLIT 0628 | Working Class Literature |
| HIST 1668 | History of Pittsburgh |
| PUBSRV 1230 | Fundraising for Non-Profit Organizations* |
| PSY 1312 | Child Development and Social Policy |
| SOC 0351 | Social Change |
| SOC 0444 | Urban Sociology |
| SOC 1277 | Pittsburgh Area Study |
| URBNST 1200 | Urban Field Research Seminar |
Comparative International Urbanism Concentration
This concentration is designed for students interested in focusing on urban issues in a much broader context. Some students choose to have a geographic focus while others take a more thematic approach.
Fundamentals Course- Required
| URBNST 1700 | International Urbanism Seminar |
Elective Courses
These courses must be chosen from at least three different disciplines. The actual list of possible elective courses for each term can be found under Urban Studies on the course description Web site.
NOTE: There are many courses from which to choose each semester (see the Urban Studies Program Courses listed under Course Descriptions each semester). Courses should be chosen with the advisor. The following are SOME of the courses that may be applicable.
| Five (5) of the following courses | |
|---|---|
| ANTH 1530 | Origins of Cities |
| ECON 0530 | Intro to Development Economics |
| GERM 1528 | Vienna |
| HAA 1880 | World Cities |
| HIST 0756 | Intro to Islamic Civilization |
| HIST 1019 | Cities in Historical Perspective |
| HIST 1123 | Modern Britain |
| HIST 1772 | Race, Caste, and Ethnicity |
| LING 1951 | Languages of the World |
| PS 1315 | Italian Government and Politics |
| PS 1385 | Politics of Contemporary Middle East |
| SPAN 0082 | Latin America Today |
Urban Policy and Administration Concentration
This concentration is designed for students interested in policy development as it pertains to a variety of urban issues. This is also the appropriate concentration for those who want to pursue careers in politics or administration in the public sector.
Fundamentals Course- Required
| PUBSRV 1100 | Practices in Public Administration* |
Core and Elective Courses
These courses must be chosen from at least three different disciplines. The actual list of possible elective courses for each term can be found under Urban Studies on the course description Web site.
| Two of the following courses | |
|---|---|
| ECON 0230 | Public Finance 1 |
| PS 1241 | Public Administration and Political Systems |
| PS 1251 | Urban Government and Politics |
| PS 1261 | American Public Policy |
| URBNST 1610 | Urban Politics and Regional Governance |
| PUBSRV 1110 | Financial Management in the Public Sector* |
NOTE: There are many courses from which to choose each semester (see the Urban Studies Program Courses listed under Course Descriptions each semester). Courses should be chosen with the advisor. The following are SOME of the courses that may be applicable.
| Three of the following courses | |
|---|---|
| ECON 0330 | Urban Economics |
| ECON 0280 | Introduction to Money and Banking |
| HIST 1695 | Environmental Politics |
| GEOL 1055 | Environmental Ethics, Science, Public Policy |
| PSY 1312 | Child Development and Social Policy |
| PS 1252 | State Government |
| LEGLST 1152 | Legal Issues in Public Service* |
| LEGLST 1355 | Emerging Issues in Legal and Social Policy* |
| PUBSRV 0030 | Public Policy Process* |
| PUBSRV 0050 | Ethics and Accountability* |
| PUBSRV 1455 | Law, Ethics, Public Policy, and Mass Media* |
| SOC 1476 | Urban Policy and Planning |
Urban Planning Concentration
This concentration is designed for those who have an interest in the built environment, and who may be considering a career in urban planning. It is appropriate, more generally, for those interested in the use, design and allocation of space in the urban environment.
Fundamentals Course
| PUBSRV 1130 | Planning in the Public Sector* |
|---|
Core and Elective Courses
These courses must be chosen from at least three different disciplines. The actual list of possible elective courses for each term can be found under Urban Studies on the course description Web site.
| Two of the following courses | |
|---|---|
| ECON 0330 | Urban Economics |
| GEOL 1445 | GIS, GPS, and Computer Methods |
| HIST 1665 | History of the American City |
| PS 1251 | Urban Government and Politics |
| SOC 1476 | Urban Policy and Planning |
| URBNST 1608 | Urban Economic Geography |
NOTE: There are many courses from which to choose each semester (see the Urban Studies Program Courses listed under Course Descriptions each semester). Courses should be chosen with the advisor. The following are SOME of the courses that may be applicable.
| Three of the following courses | |
|---|---|
| ANTH 1541 | Cultural Resource Management |
| ECON 0230 | Public Finance 1 |
| GEOL 1055 | Environmental Ethics, Science, Public Policy |
| HAA 0940 | Approaches to the Built Environment |
| HAA 1510 | Pittsburgh Architecture / Urbanism |
| HAA 1531 | Modern American Architecture |
| HAA 1920 | Introduction to Historical Preservation |
| HAA 1922 | Preservation- Texts and Theory |
| HIST 1019 | Cities in Historical Perspective |
| HIST 1695 | Environmental Politics |
| URBNST 1200 | Urban Field Research Seminar |
| URBNST 1700 | International Urbanism Seminar |