“The strong technical skills and analytics taught at FSU have helped advance my career… It was the foundation for future success”
– Karla Weaver, Class of 2005
The Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) offers Joint Graduate Pathways in partnership with the related disciplines of demography, international affairs, law, public administration, and public health. Joint Graduate Pathways permit students to complete two master’s degrees simultaneously at a substantial reduction in the total number of credit hours required. Information about the Joint Graduate Pathways is provided below.
Joint Graduate Pathway in Planning and Demography
The Joint Graduate Pathway in Planning (MSP) and Demography (MSD) prepares students for careers at the intersection of these two professions. Students complete 66 credit hours, with half the coursework in each discipline. Please contact DURP or the Program in Demography, if you have questions.
Joint Graduate Pathway in Planning and Geography
The professions of planning and geographic information science overlap in a number of ways. Many positions in planning depend on competency in spatial understanding and mapping. In fact, an introductory GIS course is currently required for planning students. GIS students can move beyond technical employment options and have more professional pathways from which to choose. Students complete 63 credit hours, with 33 hours in Urban and Regional Planning (MSP degree) and 30 hours in Geography’s GIS coursework (MSGIS degree).
Joint Graduate Pathway in Planning and International Affairs
The Joint Graduate Pathway in Planning (MSP) and International Affairs (MA) prepares students for careers in Planning and International Affairs. Students complete 67-68 credit hours, with a minimum of 36 hours in the MSP program and either 31 hours (thesis option) or 32 hours (non-thesis option) in International Affairs. Please contact DURP or the Program in International Affairs, if you have questions.
Joint Graduate Pathway in Planning and Law
The Department of Urban and Regional Planning and the College of Law offer a Joint Graduate Pathway that allows students to qualify for both the Master of Science in Planning (MSP) and Juris Doctor (JD) degrees in substantially less time than would be necessary to achieve each independently. Students complete 111 credit hours, of which 33 are taken in Planning and 78 in Law. Students enrolled in the Joint Graduate Pathway pursue both degrees concurrently, spending their first year in full-time coursework in law and the second year in urban and regional planning. Applicants should begin the admissions process with the College of Law.
Joint Graduate Pathway in Planning and Public Administration
The professions of planning and public administration are intertwined in numerous ways. Many positions in government can best be filled by persons who possess the knowledge and skills of both administrators and planners. Planners in local governments often aspire to become administrators of governments and planning organizations. Conversely, administrators, especially in rapidly growing governments, may be hampered if they cannot exercise the skills to frame plans. The Joint Graduate Pathway in Planning and Public Administration permits the mastery of core knowledge and skills in both professions in three years or less, instead of the four years or more that would otherwise be required. Total minimum credit hours are 66. The student usually spends two semesters of full-time study in each department and then divides the remaining coursework between the two departments. Please contact DURP or the School of Public Administration and Policy if you have questions.
Joint Graduate Pathway in Planning and Public Health
Florida State University is one of only a handful of universities offering a Joint Graduate Pathway in planning and public health. This pathway reflects the recent resurgence of interest in what civic stakeholders, local communities, and global society are doing to ensure that urban and urbanizing landscapes are healthy and desirable places for today’s world. Major improvements in health can result from improving places and the planning processes that shape them, and changing our personal and collective lifestyles, rather than simply investing further in the health (sick) care system. The city and the communities where people live and work, provide a useful focus for these concerns because more than half the world’s population now lives in urban areas. There’s a required minimum of 66 credit hours. Please contact DURP or the Program in Public Health, if you have questions.
Students interested in the Joint Graduate Pathways can contact the department’s admissions coordinator at (850) 644-4510 or durp@coss.fsu.edu