Transportation shapes how people access jobs, housing, education, healthcare, and opportunity. The Transportation Policy and Planning (TPP) Area of Concentration prepares students to analyze and improve transportation systems that support equitable, sustainable, and economically vibrant communities.
As one of UCLA’s leading areas of expertise, TPP combines policy, planning, data analysis, and research to address today’s transportation challenges at the local, regional, national, and global levels.
What You’ll Study
Transportation is closely connected to housing, economic development, environmental planning, urban design, and public policy. TPP students explore how transportation systems influence mobility, equity, sustainability, and regional growth. Core topics include:
- Transportation and land use
- Public transit and shared mobility
- Transportation equity and accessibility
- Transportation finance and policy
- Travel behavior and demand modeling
- Bicycle and pedestrian planning
- Traffic congestion and urban mobility
- Freight and goods movement
- Transportation data science
- Environmental impacts of transportation
Students gain both theoretical knowledge and practical analytical skills used by transportation planners and policymakers.
Why Study Transportation at UCLA?
UCLA is recognized as a national leader in transportation policy and planning research. Faculty expertise spans transportation and land use, mobility and accessibility, transportation finance, environmental policy, travel behavior, and transportation equity. Students benefit from:
- Interdisciplinary coursework
- Applied research opportunities
- Hands-on analytical training
- Strong connections to transportation agencies and industry
- An extensive alumni network across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors
Experiential Learning
Students apply classroom learning through field experiences and research opportunities.
Transportation courses regularly include site visits to organizations such as:
- Port of Long Beach
- Los Angeles Union Station
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Students may also participate in Comparative Transportation Policy study programs, which have included visits to:
- Berlin
- Cairo
- London
- Mexico City
- Mumbai
- Tokyo
The program also works closely with the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, providing opportunities for:
- Transportation seminars and guest speakers
- Faculty research projects
- Graduate fellowships
- Professional networking
Career Opportunities
Graduates pursue careers across the public, private, nonprofit, and research sectors. Common career paths include:
- Transportation Planner
- Transit Planner
- Transportation Policy Analyst
- Mobility Planner
- Transportation Consultant
- GIS and Transportation Analyst
- Transportation Data Scientist
- Public Agency Planner
Our alumni work for local, regional, state, and federal agencies, consulting firms, advocacy organizations, and research institutions throughout the United States and internationally.
Area of Concentration Requirements
Students complete 20 units (five courses). The Urbanization Requirement also fulfills one course in Group 1.
| Urbanization Requirement. (4 units) | UP M250 Transportation and Land Use: Urban Form (urbanization course) |
Students in TPP are required to take five courses (20 units), with at least one course from each group. The urbanization requirement for TPP can count as both a Group 1 course and an urbanization course:
| Course Group 1: Transportation and Land Use | UP M250 Transportation and Land Use: Urban Form (urbanization course) UP 251 Parking and the City UP 252 Transportation and Land Use: Urban Design Studio |
| Course Group 2: Transportation Methods and Applications | C&EE 180 Introduction to Transportation Engineering C&EE 181/281 Traffic Engineering Systems: Operation & Control C&EE 183/283 Transportation Sustainability C&EE 185/285 Transportation Systems Analysis C&EE 186/286 Intelligent Transportation Systems UP M213 Urban Data Science UP 221 GIS and Spatial Data Science UP M253 Travel Behavior Analysis (PP M221) UP 254 Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning |
| Course Group 3: Transportation Policy | C&EE 184/284 Transportation System and Policy Outcomes UP 249 Special Topics in Transportation Policy and Planning UP M255 Public Transit and Shared Mobility (PP M244) UP M256 Transportation Economics, Finance, and Policy (PS M222) UP 257 Transportation and Economic Outcomes UP M258 Transportation and Environmental Issues (PS M223) |