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We are a community of planners, designers, and analysts committed to understanding and transforming cities and environments, bridging research with practice. We provide students with tools to understand the politics, economics and culture of human settlements amid a rapidly changing climate and society.

 

 

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⚠️ Website design in progress 

News + Events

 

Block #1: 15th Annual NAIOP University Challenge, UCSD students set to compete on May 15th, 2025, 2:45-6pm, in Torrey Heights.

 

Block #4: Labor Center's Lilly Irani presented research on prioritizing workers' needs in an evolving, automated world at CHI 2025.

 

Block #7: DUSP faculty Caroline Collins featured in San Diego Union Tribune for her work in the Black Pacific Project. Archival photo circa 1892 of Black and white sailing crew members.

 

 

Block #2: DUSP Faculty Amy Lerner teaches the social importance of food through hands-on learning. Lerner and her students pose for a photo with food they are prepping in front of them.

 

Block #5: Homelessness Hub mental health study featured in KPBS article.

 

Block #8: 2025 Urban Expo. The Expo is a unique event that brings together students, faculty, staff, and the San Diego community to celebrate the research capstone projects of USP and RED graduating students as well as showcase work from students in DUSP courses. Urban Expo is held on March 13th, 2025, 4-7:15pm in Price Center West Ballroom. 

Block #3: Spring 2025 Design@Large Lecture Series. Design + Politics is curated by faculty Manuel Shvartzberg Carrió (DUSP) and Lilly Irani (Communications), and held at the UCSD Design Lab.

 

Block #6: DUSP faculty John Arroyo served as resource team member at Long Beach Mayor's annual Design meeting. Arroyo and another man sit facing the Mayor's team discussing future design plans.

 

Block #9:  DUSP Faculty Mirle Rabinowitz-Bussell receives award for advancing equity in postdoctoral training. 6 honorees, including Rabinowitz-Bussell, holding their awards. 

What We Do

 

 

Our work stretches across many interdisciplinary practices and methods, such as Community Engagement, Practica, Publications, Media, Research Centers + Hubs, and Student Research. The department engages in research across thematic areas including Justice + Equity, Space + Society, Bridging Borders, and Climate + Sustainability.


 

 

Undergraduate Programs

 

 

We offer undergraduate degrees in Urban Studies + Planning, B.A. and Real Estate + Development, B.S. Our department offers academic and professional support for our students, majors and minors, through Academic Advising and Careers + Internships.