Urban and Regional Studies

Xueming (Jimmy) Chen
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator
xchen2@vcu.edu
(804) 828-1254

The Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Studies provides a solid foundation for professional work or advanced study aimed at addressing some of the most important challenges and issues facing the United States and other world regions, such as urban sprawl, economic marginalization, ethnic and racial conflict, and environmental degradation.  The program covers a wide range of topics related to these issues, including transportation, housing, land use, environmental management, regional and international development, human-environment interaction, globalization, and socio-economic change.  Students can focus on the subject matter of their interest by choosing to concentrate in either Urban Planning and Policy or Regional Analysis and Development; alternatively they may opt for a generalized course of study.  Nine core courses and a lab (28 credits total) are required for all majors.  These courses provide fundamental background knowledge in an array of disciplines that form the foundations of urban and regional studies, such as urban planning and design, human and physical geography, economics, environmental management, urban and public policy, and geographic information systems (GIS).  Students complete their remaining 12 credits within one of the two concentrations, or through a generalized course of study.

The program helps develop a theoretical and methodological background, as well as analytical skills, that can be used to address a wide range of issues and problems.   Students acquire marketable skills in qualitative and quantitative analysis, computer usage, problem solving, and communication - as well as a broad perspective on environment and society - that are essential for many occupations.

Faculty members represent the following disciplines and professions: planning, geography, political science, urban studies, architecture, and environmental studies.  Additionally, supporting courses in Urban and Regional Studies are taught by faculty members from other departments within the College of Humanities and Sciences, and by adjunct professors.

The Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Studies requires 120 credits, including 40 credits within the major. The program is designed so that students may enter as late as their junior year.  Note: proof of competency with Excel software is a pre-requisite for URSP/GEOG 306, and GEOG 204 (or permission of instructor) is a prerequisite for URSP 332.

Core courses

Urban Foundations Course - Choose one:  URSP 116 Intro to the City; URSP 108 Uncovering Richmond; or URSP 120 Urban Issues in Film

GEOG 102 Intro to Human Geography

GEOG 204 Physical Geography

GEOZ 204L Physical Geography Lab

URSP 302 Land Use and Infrastructure Planning

URSP 306 Economic Geography

URSP 313 Research and Field Methods

URSP 332 Environmental Management (URSP 332)

URSP 360 Community/Regional Analysis and GIS

URSP 440 Senior Seminar: Cities and Regions or GVPA 493 Government and Public Affairs Internship

Students can then choose to pursue one of the following two concentrations or, if following a generalized course of study, take any of the non-core courses, to complete the remaining 12 credits for the major.  Courses marked with an asterisk are required for the concentration under which they are listed.

Concentration I - Urban Planning and Policy

The concentration in Urban Planning and Policy involves an examination of the evolution of urban areas, urban governments and economies, the relationship between urban activities and the natural environment, land use and the built environment, urban culture and social dynamics, and policies and planning strategies for improving urban socioeconomic and environmental conditions.   Students have the opportunity to explore and develop plans and policy strategies aimed at revitalizing communities, preventing urban sprawl, fostering environmental sustainability, and alleviating poverty.

Students following this concentration complete the two required courses (marked with asterisks) and the remaining six credits from the list below.

*URSP 310 Intro to Planning

*URSP 541 Urban Public Policy-making Processes

URSP 261 Design of the City

URSP 245 Housing and Community Revitalization

URSP 315 Evolution of the American City

URSP 322 Urban Finance

URSP 350 Great Cities of the World

URSP 340 World Cities Outside North America

URSP 461 Applied Planning Studio

URSP 517 Historic Preservation

URSP 525 Site Planning and Graphics

URSP 552 Transportation

URSP 567 American Suburbs

Concentration II - Regional Analysis and Development

This concentration focuses on the economic, socio-political, technological, and environmental transformations affecting most nations and regions.   In some cases these have given rise to difficult problems and challenges, such as poverty and economic marginalization, resource scarcity, environmental degradation, and ethnic conflict.   Such issues are addressed by drawing upon both the natural and social sciences and by utilizing detailed yet holistic analysis of the problems and their root causes.   The concentration seeks to engage students in exploring how particular regions can maintain or create favorable economic, social, and environmental conditions in light of the rapid transformations that are taking place at multiple scales.  Like the discipline of geography with which it is related, the Regional Analysis and Development concentration focuses on the phenomena of place and space, and more specifically on the biophysical, socio-economic, and cultural characteristics of regions, and the relationships among these characteristics.  Students examine how and why places and regions differ from one another, how and why they change over time, and how societies interact with the natural environment.  They also explore the impacts of existing and potential policies and programs on regional socioeconomic and environmental conditions.

Students following this concentration complete the two required courses (marked with asterisks) and the remaining six credits from the list below.

*URSP/GEOG 320 Regional Planning and Sustainable Development

                GEOG 304 World Regions

                GEOG 334 Regional Geography of _______

GEOG 203 Physical Geography

GEOZ 203L Physical Geography Lab

GEOG 312 History of Human Settlement

GEOG 335 Environmental Geology

GEOG 401 Meteorology and Climatology

GEOG 411 Oceanography

URSP/GEOG 502 Global Economic Change and Geography

URSP 552 Transportation

Other Available Courses:

URSP 413 Policy Implementation

GEOG/URSP 391 Special Topics (GEOG/URSP 391)