About the Program

Urban Studies is an interdisciplinary undergraduate program that combines classroom learning with real-world experience to understand cities. If you've ever wondered why people live in cities (or suburbs), how the physical environment influences behavior, or how to address issues like urban poverty, homelessness, environmental sustainability, troubled schools, or transportation, Urban Studies may be for you. Students in Urban Studies learn fundamental concepts and gain transferable skills. They collaborate with community organizations, complete a capstone research project, and become part of a tight-knit community of students, alumni, and faculty striving to make communities better.

What You'll Study

Our curriculum is designed to give you both a broad understanding of urban environments and the freedom to focus on the specific issues you care about most.

• Interdisciplinary Foundations: Gain a multi-faceted understanding of how cities function by studying them through social, economic, political, and spatial lenses.

• Specialized Pathways: Tailor your major to your unique interests and career goals by choosing a distinct pathway to focus your studies: Global Urban Culture and History, Race, Ethnicity, and Urban Life, Urban Education, Urban Society and Social Change, or Urban Sustainability. A self-designed option is also available.

• Hands-On Experience: Connect your classroom learning to real-world action through a community-engaged learning course or internship that provides practical, professional experience.

• Original Research: Learn about the issues that matter to you through original research with close faculty support. Students conduct studies in their home communities, across the US, and around the world.