Curriculum for the USP Major (Effective Fall 2024)

This is the curriculum required for all students that ENTERED UCSD Fall 2024 and later. Students who started at UCSD prior to Fall 2024 are held to the previous curriculum requirements and should check the USP Major Requirements Prior to Fall 2024 for details.

A bachelor of arts degree in Urban Studies and Planning (USP) will be given to students who satisfactorily complete the general education requirements of their college in addition to the urban studies and planning courses. Students are encouraged to complete the lower division courses before they enroll in the upper division courses. Completing the USP major is flexible.

Lower division* and upper division requirements must be taken for a letter grade, and graded C- or higher to count toward the major. *USP-030, which is a 2-unit lower division requirement, is the only major requirement that can be completed with Pass/No Pass grading.

A 2.0 grade point average is required for all courses in the major. You can declare the major using the Triton Student System.

Transfer students should see the USP student affairs advisor to determine whether courses taken elsewhere satisfy USP major requirements. No more than one special studies course, USP-198, USP-199, will be accepted to count towards the major.

Lower Division Requirements

6 Courses Required

USP-001: History of U.S. Urban Communities
USP-002: Urban World System OR USP-006: Introduction to Global Architecture
USP-003: The City and Social Theory OR USP-005: Introduction to Real Estate and Development
USP-004: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
USP-030: Urban Studies and Planning Colloquium (2 units, only Pass/No Pass allowed in major)
USP-060: The Practice of Planning Research
- Exception: Transfer students who previously completed the equivalent of POLI-030: Political Inquiry, PSYC-060: Introduction to Statistics or SOCI-060 The Practice of Social Research as transfer prep at a community college should reach out to the USP Department via the Virtual Advising Center as the department will honor those transfer equivalents for the 24-25 school year. Transfer students that did not complete the equivalent at their community college prior to entering UCSD are required to take USP-060 at UCSD.

Upper Division Requirements

12 Courses Required

three (3) Foundation Courses
one (1) Technical Elective
one (1) Research Methods Course
two (2) Senior Sequence Courses
five (5) Upper-Division Elective Courses

Three (3) Foundation Courses Required

Required for all USP majors:

USP-124: Land Use Planning
USP-173: History of Urban Planning and Design

Plus one additional foundation course from the following list:

USP-100: Introduction to Urban Planning
USP-103: American City in the Twentieth Century (HIUS-148)
USP-104: Ethnic Diversity and the City (ETHN-105)
USP-105: Urban Sociology (SOCI-153)
USP-106: The History of Race & Ethnicity in American Cities (HIUS-129)
USP-107: Urban Politics (POLI-102E)
USP-108: Planning Theories
USP-170: Planning for Sustainable Communities
USP-171: Sustainable Development
USP-171GS: International Sustainable Development (Summer Global Seminar offered every other year)

One (1) Technical Elective Course Required

Chosen from the following list. Should be taken Junior year.

USP-169: Introduction to Green Building
- Prerequisite: USP-124
USP-172: Graphics, Visual Communication and Urban Information
USP-175: Site Analysis
USP-177A: Urban Design Practicum
USP-183GS: International Urban Design Practicum (Summer Global Seminar offered every other year)
USP-191A: Intermediate Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning
- Prerequisite: USP-004

One (1) Research Methods Course Required

Chosen from the following list. Should be taken Junior year.

USP-125: The Design of Social Research
USP-128A: Climate Action Scholars: Community Engagement and Research
USP-141A: Life Course Scholars Research and Core Fundamentals
USP-142A: Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Core Fundamentals
USP-142B: Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Fieldwork
USP-160: Research Methods: Analyzing Crime
USP-163: Community-Based Research and Planning
USP-188/SOCI-188: Mexican Migration Field Research Practicum
USP-193: San Diego Community Research

Two (2) Senior Sequences courses are required:

Both of the following courses are required for all USP majors:

USP-186: Senior Sequence Research Proposal (6 units - offered only in Fall quarter)
- Prerequisites: USP-030*, USP-060*,USP-124, Research Method, and Technical Elective
- Includes 2 units related to completing a USP related internship
USP-187: Senior Sequence Research Project (6 units - offered only in Winter quarter)
- Prerequisites: USP-186
- Includes 2 units related to completing a USP related internship

As part of USP-186/USP-187 students must complete 100 hours of a USP related internship between Sept 1st and the end of Winter quarter while enrolled in the capstone. Please review the Senior Sequence page for additional information.

*Prerequisites effective Fall 2025

Five (5) Upper Division Electives - Alphabetical Order

Any USP course numbered 100-149 and 160-194 can count toward the USP Upper Division Elective Requirement as long as they are not used elsewhere in the major requirements. Courses numbered 150-159 are reserved for the Real Estate & Development major and therefore do not count toward USP Major requirments. Students may also use one special studies course (USP 198 or 199) toward their five upper division USP electives.

At least three of the upper division elective courses must be USP courses.

Be sure to check the catalog for any prerequisites.

The full list of USP upper division electives are below:

ANBI-132/BIEB-176: Conservation and the Human Predicament
CGS-134: Gender and Climate Justice
COMM-111C: Cities and Politics of Space
COMM-124A: Critical Design Practice/Advanced Studio
ECON-116: Economic Development
ENVR-102: Selected Topics in Environmental Studies (special topics can change quarterly and must be petitioned for credit)
ENVR-110: Environmental Law
ENVR-111: Environmental Law and Federal Indian Policy
ENVR-140: Wilderness and Human Values
ESYS-103: Environmental Challenges: Science and Solutions
ETHN-103: Environmental Racism
ETHN-104: Race, Space, and Segregation
ETHN-118: Contemporary Immigration Issues
ETHN-121: Contemporary Asian-American History
ETHN-123: Asian-American Politics
ETHN-131/HIUS-159: Social and Economic History of the Southwest II
ETHN-142: Medicine, Race, and the Global Politics of Inequality
ETHN-151: Ethnic Politics in America
ETHN-160: Global Indigenous Studies
ETHN-161: Black Politics and Protest Since 1941
ETHN-184: Black Intellectuals in the 20th Century
HIEU-029: Paris, Past and Present
HIUS-114: California History
HIUS-117: History of Los Angeles
HIUS-124/ETHN-125: Asian American History
HIUS-139: African-American History in the Twentieth Century
HIUS-144: Lost Neighborhoods of San Diego
HIUS-158/ETHN-130: Social and Economic History of the Southwest I
HIUS-180/ETHN-134: Immigration and Ethnicity in Modern American Society
POLI-100H: Race and Ethnicity in American Politics
POLI-100J: Race in American Political Development
POLI-103A - Calif Government & Politics (A)
POLI-105A: Latino Politics in the U.S.
POLI-117/SIO-109: Bending the Curve: Solutions to Climate Change
POLI-150A: Politics of Immigration
POLI-162: Environmental Policy
SOCI-125: Sociology of Immigration
SOCI-139: Social Inequality: Class, Race, and Gender
SOCI-151: Comparative Race and Ethnic Relations
SOCI-159: Special Topics in Social Organizations and Institutions (special topics can change quarterly and must be petitioned for credit)
SOCI-169: Citizenship, Community and Culture
SOCI-179: Social Change
SOCI-180: Social Movements and Social Protest
USP-100: Introduction to Urban Planning
USP-101/POLI-160AA: Introduction to Policy Analysis
USP-102/ECON-135: Urban Economics
USP-103/HIUS-148: American Cities in the Twentieth Century
USP-104/ETHN-105: Ethnic Diversity and the City
USP-105/SOCI-153C: Urban Sociology
USP-106/HIUS-129: History of Race and Ethnicity in American Cities
USP-107/POLI -02E: Urban Politics
USP-108: Planning Theories
USP-110/POLI-102J: Advanced Topics in Urban Politics (special topics can change quarterly and must be petitioned for credit)
USP-118: Inclusive Urbanism
USP-119: Planning for Natural Hazards
USP-120: Urban Planning, Infrastructure, and Real Estate
USP-128A/ANTH-128A: Climate Action Scholars: Community Engagement and Research
USP-128B/ANTH-128A: Climate Action Scholars: Climate Action Scholars: Capstone Project
USP-131: Culture, Tourism, and the Urban Economy: Case Studies of Craft Breweries
USP-132/ETHN-188: African Americans, Religion, and the City
USP-133/SOCI-152: Social Inequality and Public Policy
USP-135/ETHN-129: Asian and Latina Workers in the Global Economy
USP-136: Community Organizing
USP-137: Housing and Community Development and Practice
USP-138: Urban Economic Development
USP-140: Healthy Placemaking
USP-141A: Life Course Scholars Research and Core Fundamentals
USP-141B: Life Course Scholars Capstone Project
USP-142A: Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Research
USP-142B: Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Fieldwork
USP-142C: Urban Challenges: Sustainable Food Systems
USP-143: The U.S. Health Care System
USP-144: Environmental and Preventive Health Issues
USP-145: Aging-Social and Health Policy Issues
USP-147: Case Studies in Health Care Programs/Poor and Underserved Populations
USP-148: Health and the Built Environment
USP-160: Research Methods: Analyzing Crime
USP-161: Environmental Design and Crime Prevention
USP-162: Migration and the City
USP-163. Community-Based Research and Planning
USP-164: Cities in Film
USP-165A: Advanced Special Topics in Housing
USP-165B: Advanced Special Topics in Sustainability
USP-165C: Advanced Special Topics in Transportation
USP-165D: Advanced Special Topics in Urban Design and Land Use
USP-167/HIUS-123: History of New York City
USP-168/HIUS-117: History of Los Angeles
USP-169 Introduction to Green Building
USP-170: Planning for Sustainable Communities
USP-171: Sustainable Development
USP-171GS: International Sustainable Development (Summer Global Seminar offered every other year)
USP172: Graphics, Visual Communication, and Urban Information
USP-173GS: International History of Urban Planning and Design
USP-175: Site Analysis
USP-176: International Planning and Development: U.S.- Mexico Border
USP-177A: Urban Design Practicum
USP-177B: Advanced Urban Design
USP-179: Urban Design, Theory, and Practice
USP-180: Transportation Planning
USP-181: Public Transportation
USP-182: Gentrification
USP-183/SOCI-183: The Geography of American Opportunity
USP-183GS: International Urban Design Practicum (Summer Global Seminar offered every other year)
USP-184: Decolonizing Design: Histories and Theories
USP-188/SOCI-188: Field Research in Migrant Communities - Practicum
USP-188B: Research Analysis and Reporting
USP-189: Special Topics in Urban Planning
USP-190: Senior Honors Seminar (4 units - offered only in Spring quarter)
USP-191A: Intermediate Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning
USP-191B: Advanced Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning
USP-193: San Diego Community Research
USP-194: Research Seminar in D.C. (4 units)
VIS-101A: Desgining Urban Ecologies
VIS-103: Architectural Practices
VIS-103B: Architecture and Urbanism of Korea

Five (5) Upper Division Elective - Potential Career Tracks

Below you can find some electives from the list above organized by potential career interest. You do not need to take all of the courses listed if you are interested in that career field but the courses listed explore and cultivate relavent skills and knowledge for that career track.

Bolded courses are considered foundational for the listed career track.

At least three of the upper division elective courses must be USP courses.

Be sure to check the catalog for any prerequisites.

Career Tracks: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Design; Community Health; Community Organizing/Empowerment; Environmental Planning, Sustainability & Climate Change; Housing & Community Development; Land Use and Comprehensive Planning; Law or Public Policy; Research (Academic Research and Graduate School Preparation); Transportation

Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Design

It is highly recommended to focus on studio coursework when possible:

USP161: Environmental Design and Crime Prevention
USP-165D: Advanced Special Topics in Urban Design and Land Use (topics vary)
USP-172: Graphics, Visual Communication, and Urban Information
USP-175: Site Analysis
USP-177A: Urban Design Practicum
USP-177B: Advanced Urban Design
USP-179: Urban Design, Theory, and Practice
USP-183GS: International Urban Design Practicum (Summer Global Seminar offered every other year)
USP-184: Decolonizing Design: Histories and Theories
VIS-101A: Designing Urban Ecologies
VIS-103: Architectural Practices
VIS-103B: Architecture and Urbanism of Korea
COMM-111C: Cities and Politics of Space
COMM-124A: Critical Design Practice/Advanced Studio

Community Health

USP-140: Healthy Placemaking
USP-141A: Life Course Scholars Research and Core Fundamentals
USP-141B: Life Course Scholars Capstone Project
USP-142A. Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Core Fundamentals
USP-142B. Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Fieldwork
USP-142C: Sustainable Food systems
USP-143: The US Health-Care System
USP-144: Environmental and Preventive Health Issues
USP-145: Aging - Social and Health Policy Issues
USP-147: Case Studies in Health-Care Programs/Poor and Underserved Population
USP-148: Health and the Built Environment

Community Organizing/Empowerment

USP-105/SOCI-153C: Urban Sociology
USP-136: Community Organizing
USP-140: Healthy Placemaking
USP-188/SOCI-188: Field Research in Migrant Communities—Practicum
ETHN-104: Race, Space, and Segregation
ETHN-118: Contemporary Immigration Issues
ETHN-142: Medicine, Race, and the Global Politics of Inequality
ETHN-151: Ethnic Politics in America
SOCI-125: Sociology of Immigration
SOCI-139: Social Inequality: Class, Race, and Gender
SOCI-159: Special Topics in Social Organizations and Institutions (special topics can change quarterly and must be petitioned for credit)
SOCI-180: Social Movements and Social Protest

Environmental Planning, Sustainability & Climate Change

USP-119: Planning for Natural Hazards
USP-128A/ANTH-128A: Climate Action Scholars: Community Engagement and Research
USP-128B/ANTH-128A: Climate Action Scholars: Climate Action Scholars: Capstone Project
USP-142C: Urban Challenges: Sustainable Food Systems
USP-165B: Advanced Special Topics in Sustainability (topics vary)
USP-169: Introduction to Green Building
USP-170: Planning for Sustainable Communities
USP-171: Sustainable Development
USP-171GS: International Sustainable Development (Summer Global Seminar offered every other year)
ANBI-132/BIEB-176: Conservation and the Human Predicament
ENVR-102: Selected Topics in Environmental Studies (special topics can change quarterly and must be petitioned for credit)
ENVR-110: Environmental Law
ENVR-140: Wilderness and Human Values
ESYS-103: Environmental Challenges: Science and Solutions
POLI-117/SIO-109: Bending the Curve: Solutions to Climate Change
POLI-162: Environmental Policy

Housing & Community Development

Students may want to consider the RED minor as well as the electives below.

USP-100: Introduction to Urban Planning
USP-102/ECON-135: Urban Economics
USP-131: Culture, Tourism, and the Urban Economy: Case Studies of Craft Breweries
USP-137: Housing and Community Development and Practice
USP-138: Urban Economic Development
USP-142A: Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Research
USP-142B: Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Fieldwork
USP-148: Health and the Built Environment
USP-165A: Advanced Special Topics in Housing (topics vary)
USP-175: Site Analysis
USP-182: Gentrification
ECON-116: Economic Development

Land Use and Comprehensive Planning

USP-100: Introduction to Urban Planning
USP-101/POLI-160AA: Introduction to Policy Analysis
USP-108: Planning Theories
USP-120: Urban Planning, Infrastructure, and Real Estate
USP-137: Housing and Community Development and Practice
USP-148: Health and the Built Environment
USP-165D: Advanced Special Topics in Urban Design and Land Use (topics vary)
USP-170: Planning for Sustainable Communities
USP-191A: Intermediate Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning
USP-191B: Advanced Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning

Law or Public Policy

USP-100: Introduction to Urban Planning
USP-101/POLI-160AA: Introduction to Policy Analysis
USP-107/POLI-102E: Urban Politics
USP-110/POLI-102J: Advanced Topics in Urban Politics (special topics can change quarterly and must be petitioned for credit)
USP-111/POLI-102JJ: Advanced Topics in Urban Politics (special topics can change quarterly and must be petitioned for credit)
USP-133/SOCI-152: Social Inequality and Public Policy
USP-142A: Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Research
USP-142B: Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Fieldwork
USP-176: International Planning and Development: U.S.-Mexico Border
USP-188/SOCI-188: Field Research in Migrant Communities - Practicum
POLI-100H: Race and Ethnicity in American Politics
POLI-103A: Calif Government & Politics (A) (Foundation if planning to work in California)
SOCI-125: Sociology of Immigration

Research (Academic Research and Graduate School Preparation)

USP-125: The Design of Social Research
USP-128A: Climate Action Scholars: Community Engagement and Research
USP-128B: Climate Action Scholars: Capstone Project
USP-141A: Life Course Scholars Research and Core Fundamentals
USP-141B: Life Course Scholars Capstone Project
USP-142A: Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Core Fundamentals
USP-142B: Urban Challenges: Homelessness in San Diego Fieldwork
USP-146: Research Methods for Built Environment and Active Living
USP-160: Research Methods: Analyzing Crime
USP-163: Community-Based Research and Planning
USP-172: Graphics, Visual Communication, and Urban Information
USP-188/SOCI-188: Field Research in Migrant Communities - Practicum
USP-188B: Research Analysis and Reporting
USP-190: Senior Honors Seminar (4 units - offered only in Spring quarter)
USP-193: San Diego Community Research

Transportation

USP-100: Introduction to Urban Planning
USP-165C: Advanced Special Topics in Transportation (topics vary)
USP-180: Transportation Planning
USP-181: Public Transportation
USP-191A: Intermediate Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning
USP-191B: Advanced Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning

Double Major and/or Minor Options

Many students will consider adding a second major or minor during their time at UC San Diego. Below are some of the most common double major and minor options for the USP Major. We have listed the five most popular at the top. Please follow the links for more information. Any additional questions can be submitted to the respective departments through the Virtual Advising Center.