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Recommended Quarter by Quarter Degree Plans for Urban Studies and Planning Majors

The USP Department recommends the following quarter by quarter plans for Urban Studies and Planning Majors.  These plans vary based on how many years the student has to complete their USP major requirements.

Important Notes:

  • The plans provided by the USP Department do not include any college or university requirements. Students should consult with their college advising office to add any missing coursework such as general education and university requirements. Students may be able to overlap gen ed/universitity and major requirements.
  • All courses taken to satisfy USP major requirements must be taken for a letter grade and a C- or better must be earned for major credit. *Only USP 30, which is a 2-unit lower division course can be completed with Pass/No Pass grading.
  • The USP Senior Sequence (USP 186 & 187) must be taken in order during the Fall and Winter of a student's senior year. 
  • Students should review major requirements and academic plans on the USP website each quarter for potential changes and updates. Customizable Academic Plans with a major requirement checklist can be found on the USP Academic Advising page of the USP website under Class Planning Tools.

Key Courses with Prerequisites: 

  • USP 186: USP 30*, USP 60*, USP 124 Land Use Planning, Research Methods, and Technical Elective. 
  • USP 187: USP 186
  • Other course options amongst technical electives and upper division electives may have prereqs.  Be sure to check the UCSD catalog for prereqs and course restrictions.
  • *Prerequisites effective Fall 2025

Course Sequencing:

  • Lower division courses should generally be taken before upper division courses, but overlapping is allowed. It is also recommended that students complete one foundation course before taking upper division electives. Options for major requirements with options to choose from can be found on the USP Major Requirements pages:

Additional Notes:

  • While Summer Session is not a requirement for UCSD students, major courses may be available during summer terms. Students wishing to graduate early or who have missed a prerequisite course during the academic year are encouraged to consider summer courses.