Program Overview

The Urban School of Sciences Po (Paris) and the Urban Planning Department at UCLA (Los Angeles), two of the most highly rated programs in urbanism, policies, governance and urban planning in the world, have launched a new dual master’s degree program.  This is a world class, cutting-edge program, building on the strengths of both programs and the specialized training offered by each.

The Urban School of Sciences Po is renowned for its comparative approach to metropolitan governance around the world. Its interdisciplinary social science approach to urbanism draws on political economy, the political sociology of urban policies and their implementation, emphasizing political protest and participation, planning and the social/ethnic transformations of cities. At the forefront of its different programs are the climate crisis, urban policies, housing, transport and infrastructure, digital governance, and citizen participation.

The Urban Planning Department at UCLA offers rigorous training in a wide array of areas of concentration, including community development, housing, transportation, urban design and development, regional and international development and environmental analysis and policy. A hallmark of UCLA’s program is its deep commitment to social, environmental and racial justice, democratized planning, inclusivity, and the integration of practice and research.

Degree Objectives

This is the only degree program that combines urban planning training from a US university and training in metropolitan governance in cities of the Global South. The second year of the dual degree is embedded in the Governing the Large Metropolis master’s program, which tackles the challenging issues faced by the urban areas of the Global south, representing around half of the world population. It offers academic courses and professional workshops dealing with housing, utilities and transport, project management and financing, public policies, and a yearly rotation of classes specialized in specific geographic areas. We train our students how to practice planning and shape urban collective action and policies in different political and institutional contexts.

Students spend:

During their internship for UCLA and their group projects in their second year at GLM, students have opportunities to work individually and in teams in real hands-on professional situations in fields including urban planning, transport, infrastructure, housing, the ecological transition and climate policies, local and community development, and smart cities, among others.
Provided that all course requirements are met, students will graduate after two years with two master’s degrees, one granted by UCLA and the other by Sciences Po. The year at UCLA will also be accredited professionally in the United States.

Admissions

Candidates apply directly through the UCLA Online Graduate Application.

The application deadline is 15 January, 2025.

Applicants are selected on the strength of their applications only. The final admissions decision is made by a jury with members from both universities.

En savoir plus sur les admissions de Sciences Po

Application Timeline

September: Applications Opens
January 15: Double Degree Deadline

Mid-March: Decisions for Double Degree are sent out

April 2025: MURP Welcome Day
April 15: National Enrollment Deadline

APPLICATION PROCESS – GENERAL 

What is the application deadline?
For admission and fellowship consideration to Fall Quarter 2024, the departmental deadline for the Double Degree  is January 15, 2024. The same deadlines apply for both domestic and international students.

Where do I send my application materials?
The majority of your supplemental application materials should be submitted electronically via the online UCLA Application for Graduate Admission. Official transcripts only should be sent directly to:

UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
Dept of Urban Planning, Admissions
3250 Public Affairs Building, Box 951656
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1656

For universities that send electronic transcripts, please have them sent to the Associate Director of Admissions and Recruitment, Sean Campbell, at sean@luskin.ucla.edu.

Do official transcripts need to arrive by the application deadline?
No, official transcripts need only be sent if you are admitted to the program.

What should I do with my junior college transcripts? 
Please upload unofficial copies of all junior college transcripts to the Transcript Upload section of the Online Application, despite contradictory language in the description of that site.

Should I send my application materials to both Sciences Po and UCLA?
No. You will submit all application materials to UCLA through the online graduate application. There is no need to apply through Sciences Po or to send materials to them unless specifically instructed to do so.

What is the application fee?
We understand that applying to graduate school is an expensive process. The fee for domestic applicants is $120. The fee for international applicants is $140.

How do I apply for a fee waiver?
Waivers will only be granted to those who fall under one of the categories listed on the UCLA Graduate Division application. The university will grant need-based fee waivers for currently-enrolled students who are receiving financial aid. You must submit a letter from your financial aid officer indicating your enrollment and financial aid status and that payment would be a hardship. This letter should be uploaded directly to the application; select “Fee Waiver” as your method of payment. Your application will NOT be reviewed until your waiver is approved. Please follow up with the department no sooner than January, at least two weeks after you complete the application.

How can I verify that my GRE scores and transcripts have been received?
We receive a high volume of materials and cannot verify receipt of materials over the phone. If anything is missing from your application, the staff will contact you in January. At that time, you may submit your missing material(s) without penalty.

How long should the Statement of Purpose and Personal History Statements be? 

Please follow departmental guidelines over those in the graduate application for all application materials. The Statement of Purpose may be up to 1000 words, while the Personal History Statement should be limited to around 500.

When will I hear from the Department regarding the status of my application?
Admission notification and fellowship letters are usually sent out in early to late March. Please do not contact the Department regarding admission decisions until after March 15.

When do I need to notify the Department about whether or not I will be attending UCLA?
The national deadline to inform all graduate schools of your decision is April 15th.

May I defer admissions?
No, the Department of Urban Planning does not defer admissions. You will have to re-apply to the program.

Does the Department admit new students mid-year?
No. Students are admitted to the fall term only.

If I am not admitted to the Double Degree Program, can I still be considered for the MURP?
Yes! In the application supplemental section, simply indicate you would like to be considered for the MURP at UCLA Luskin if not admitted to the Double Degree. If you would like to be solely considered for Sciences Po, you will need to go through their application process.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

May I submit more than three letters of recommendation?
Yes, although we encourage you to limit yourself to three letters unless special circumstances require additional letters.

How does the letters of recommendation system work?

  • Click the “Recommendation Provider List” button.
  • Insert the name and contact information of each recommendation provider.
  • Once the recommendation provider information is saved, an email will be sent to the online recommendation provider with an access code and instructions on how to proceed with the online recommendation.
  • When the recommendation provider submits the form to our office it will become a part of your application.
  • You can view the status of your online recommendations each time you log into your application account.

May I use a third-party vendor such as Interfolio to submit my letters of recommendation?
Such a vendor may send letters of recommendation directly to Sean Campbell via email (sean@luskin.ucla.edu). However, this method is discouraged because your application may be at a slight disadvantage as compared to other applicants who use the online submission process. Through a third-party system, your referees are not able to complete the rating piece of the evaluation.

TEST SCORES

Is the GRE required?
No. The GRE is currently optional.

The GRE institution code for UCLA is R4837 and the department code is 4402, titled “City and Regional Planning.” However, indicating a department is not necessary.

Please make sure that the name indicated on your GRE report is exactly the same as the name on your application. Mismatched names will cause a delay in the review process of your application.

I did not include the department code in my GRE submission. Will my score still reach you? 
Yes. ETS sends both electronic and paper copies to UCLA when requested.

Is there a minimum GRE requirement? 
No. We evaluate applicants holistically when making admissions decisions, weighing the undergraduate record, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and prior planning-related work experience above all else. 

Is the TOEFL required?
The TOEFL is required for international applicants only. The minimum score required is 600 paper-based, 250 computer-based, or 100 internet-based. The UCLA Graduate Division requires the following minimum passing scores for each section on the internet-based exam: Writing 25, Speaking 24, Reading 21, and Listening 17.

The TOEFL institution code for UCLA is 4837 and the department code is 97.

Is the IELTS accepted in lieu of the TOEFL?
Yes, the IELTS is accepted in lieu of the TOEFL. Please note that the minimum Overall Band Score for admission to the Department of Urban Planning is 7.5. No subsection score may be beneath a 7.0.

What are the English language requirements for admission to UCLA? 
International applicants whose first language is not English must certify their proficiency in English when applying to UCLA, and, if admitted, upon arrival.

Because of the rigors of the concurrent degree, the application requirements are more strict than those of applying to either university’s individual master’s programs. All applicants must meet the following requirements to be considered for admission:

  • A 3.5 overall GPA in undergraduate coursework, or an international equivalent
  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
  • Undergraduate coursework in microeconomics, statistics and college algebra is highly recommended
  • Previous experience in planning, a planning-related field or community development is recommended

Note that all courses at Sciences Po are taught in English, so no mastery of the French language is required.

All applications will be evaluated by a committee made up of faculty from UCLA Luskin and the Sciences Po Urban School. Applicants approved by both schools will be admitted.

We expect a maximum cohort of 12 students in the double degree program each year.

Am I able to work in an internship in the summer between the UCLA and Sciences Po year?

Yes, you may hold CPT, meaning that you make work a paid job or internship while engaged in study. So during Year 1 or the summer in between, students can hold paid work in the US.

However, be advised that UCLA is on the quarter system, while Sciences Po is on the semester system. This means the summer between the two programs is relatively short, so plan accordingly.

Am I able to obtain OTP and work in the US after completing the second year in the program? 

No. Eligibility for OTP rests on three factors set by the US State Department:

  1. 3 contiguous quarters of study resident in the US
  2. Work must begin within 90 days of graduating
  3. The OPT must be immediately after the 3 quarters of resident study

As such, students may not obtain OTP after the completion of their studies at Sciences Po and may not work in the United States without US citizenship or an appropriate visa sponsorship from an employer.

May I take a gap year between the two years of study to work in the US before continuing on to Sciences Po? 

No. Both years of the program must be completed consecutively.

Am I able to work in France and/or the EU following the completion of the program?

This may differ depending on your country of citizenship. Please refer to all French / EU guidelines to determine your ability to work following the program.

Please direct any questions about the program to:

Sean Campbell
Associate Director of Admissions & Recruitment
Public Affairs Building, Room 5363
sean@luskin.ucla.edu
(310) 825-8957

Schedule an appointment here!

Careers

The UCLA – Sciences Po Dual Degree provides access to stimulating career paths in the US and France but also, thanks to a strong comparative and critical approach, in America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. They will be prepared to take on jobs in the public sector, nonprofits and NGOs, research organizations, and private planning, consulting, and development firms.

For career survey data from recent UCLA Luskin MURP Alumni, visit our career services page.

For information about graduates from the Urban School at Sciences Po, see their career page.

Validation of Degree

Students are registered for two full years at both universities and have access to the student services of both Sciences Po and UCLA. Students must validate their course work under the requirements of the university at which they are studying.

  • 48 US Credits (= 96 ECTS) during the year at UCLA
  • 60 ECTS credits during the year at Sciences Po

To earn the dual degree, students must validate the two years of study in both universities.

Tuition and Fees

Students pay their fees: