Urban and Regional Planning Minor

Overview

The Regional Planning minor introduces students to the field of planning and its vital aspects of creating, improving, and sustaining communities, cities, and regions. It provides students with knowledge of how cities and regions function and how they can be transformed through planning, public policy, design, and social action. While it cannot convey the full scope of regional planning, the minor is an excellent addition to many other degree programs and majors at Westfield State. 

Topics Covered 

Students in the Regional Planning minor learn about planning as a profession and an academic discipline that makes important contributions to communities, and to society at large, through planning processes.   Planning as a civic activity and its specific social, economic and ecological concerns are highlighted.  The importance of planning in different contexts—local, regional and international—are also stressed.  Students also learn about planning methodologies, including master plans, geographic information systems (GIS), site planning, data collection and analysis. 

Outcomes

Students become aware of the needs of cities and towns and how planners work to address these needs through geographic analysis and public input 

Students become aware of career opportunities as professional planners and related job opportunities 

 

Requirements

Program Description

The Department of Geography, Planning, and Sustainability (GPS) offers a minor in urban and regional planning that is open to all Westfield State majors. The minor introduces the challenging and vital aspects of creating, improving, and sustaining communities, cities, and regions. It provides students with knowledge of how cities and regions function and how they can transform through planning, policy, design, and social action. While it cannot convey the full scope of regional planning, the minor is an excellent addition to many other degree programs and majors at Westfield State.

Requirements for the Regional Planning Minor

The requirement is 18 credits, twelve (12) of which must be taken in residence at Westfield State University, as follows:

Foundation (6 credits)

Planning Core (6 credits)

Students must choose any two of the following courses:

Planning Specializations (3 credits)

Students must choose any one of the following courses:

Electives (3 credits)

Any course, by advisement, that matches student's interest.

With the Chair of GPS's approval, an upper-level course (200 or 300 level) that another department offers may substitute for no more than two of the GPS courses. Students seeking more information about the minor should contact the GPS Chair.