Urban Planning

The UCLA Department of Urban Planning is at the intersection of unique academic, regional, geographic and professional resources that create a learning environment unlike any other. Los Angeles, one of the most culturally diverse and exciting urban settings in the world, serves as a unique laboratory for faculty and students to study and solve urban issues and problems. The world-class faculty in the department — nationally and internationally recognized scholars and leaders in community development, environmental planning, housing, land development, regional and international development, transportation, and urban design — prepare master’s and doctoral degree students to address the social, economic and spatial relationships that shape society.

For 50 years, UCLA’s Department of Urban Planning has been a leading center of innovation and action. We are consistently ranked among the nation’s top planning programs.  We study urgent and topical issues at multiple scales and using interdisciplinary approaches — from local community development in Southern California to global environmental degradation.