The Urban Design program at City College prepares students who already hold a professional degree in architecture or landscape architecture to become urban planners. The program awards a Master in Urban Planning degree, which is considered the equivalent to a Master of Architecture for architectural registration purposes in New York State.

The program is designed to be completed in two full-time, sequential semesters. At the core of the program is the design studio taught by the program’s director. In the first semester, students pursue the design of an autonomous city in an abstract setting. In the second semester, they produce viable designs for a large urban site in New York City, drawing on a variety of "real world" influences and sources.

The curriculum also includes courses devoted to urban history, theory, analysis, and to natural and social urban ecologies. Students explore the practical boundaries of urban growth, cycles of urban development, and fundamentals of a sustainable urban economy. Courses are taught by distinguished CUNY and visiting faculty, all urban design practitioners or researchers.

Committed to experiment, this program is focused on the design of new forms for the city and urban life, through a variety of media. It seeks to play an active role in shaping futures for New York and cities around the world through formal research and direct engagement with communities.

For further information about the Urban Design program, contact:
Dr. Michael Sorkin, Program Director
212-650-6869
msorkin@ccny.cuny.edu