The department faculty endeavors to organize areas of planning specialization to enhance the program’s curriculum and to increase the department’s research opportunities.

Each area of specialization is listed below with a brief description, contact information, and external departments that offer related courses in addition to those offered in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning.

URBAN & ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

Urban Design has no definition acceptable to all that profess a serious interest in its realm. Whatever its precise definition, it deals with the composition of the form of the city’s physical elements and accompanying spaces, whether in public or private ownership. It takes into consideration all its functions, economics, and individual and collective human experience both practical and aesthetic. We address these matters in two manners. The simpler of these is oriented toward impending construction projects in either or both private and public ownership. In this sense urban design is akin to architecture and landscape architecture. In the second manner, it concerns design without the expectation of immediate concrete construction as it deals with the articulation of desirable eventual urban characteristics of complex developments involving many participants in various roles and implementation of such designs over a long time, through regulations and certain other public inventions acceptable to our democracy.

Students are expected to develop an appropriate program of study with the major faculty

This specialization examines the social, political and economic context in which transportation systems are developed in the United States and within the State of Florida. Transportation is one of the fastest growing fields of planning because of legislation that has increased the requirements on the system. The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the Intermodal Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (scheduled for reauthorization in 1997), the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the concurrency requirements of the Florida Growth Management Act are changing the nature of transportation planning. The federal legislation has forced planners to consider the diverse needs of all users of the transportation systems rather than simply the highway users. The concurrency requirements have a major impact on how transportation is financed in Florida. The transportation specialization, thus, overlaps with the concentration in Growth Management (on topics related to the implementation of the Florida Growth Management Act) and with the concentration in Urban Design in the creation of pedestrian, bicycle and transit-friendly environments.

Increasingly GIS is being applied to transportation systems. Students who are interested in transportation applications of GIS are encouraged to combine these two specializations.

Students are encouraged to consult with major faculty to develop a program of study that is consistent with their interests.

Growth Management planning basically involves using governmental regulatory powers in a comprehensive, rational, coordinated manner to meet public objectives for balancing economic growth, with the protection and preservation of our natural and man-made systems. In recent years concern that unplanned and uncontrolled growth can threaten our fragile natural environments and undermine the quality of public life has caused many state and local governments to enact growth management legislation. Students are encouraged to consult with major faculty to develop a program of study that is consistent with their interest.

This specialization provides and in-depth examination of significant housing, community and economic development issues that affect planning. Local economic development concerns and methods are examined in the larger context of major national and international trends (demographic social, cultural and technological), which influence practice. Public policy issues in housing which affect “at-risk” groups (low income, the youth and elderly, racial and ethnic minorities) are also examined. Applications include urban revitalization projects, preparation of short-range plans and planning implementation measures such as capital improvements planning, public acquisitions and housing development, maintenance and upgrading.

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the considerable resources within the GeoPlan Center

This specialization provides an in-depth examination of the use of computer technologies, primarily the use of geographic information systems (GIS), as related to urban and regional planning. Introductory courses examine the structure and use of GIS through lectures, readings and “hands on” student projects. Spatial analysis techniques, database design, database management and problem solving are emphasized. Advanced courses teach theory and technique for cellular based geographic information systems, macro programming language and the utilization of an object-oriented paradigm for GIS. A studio “project specific course” is offered as the final course for this specialization and is jointly taught by Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning. The course offers students an opportunity to utilize GIS skills acquired in other courses toward the solution of a “real world” Project. Past studio courses have examined how to locate ecological greenways and recreational trails utilizing GIS methods and technologies.

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the considerable resources within the GeoPlan Center.