Who is an urban and regional planner?
Urban and regional planners develop plans and programs for the use of land. Their plans help create communities, accommodate population growth, and revitalize physical facilities in towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
Community Development Planner, Planner, Planning Director, Urban Design Consultant
What does an urban and regional planner do?
Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
On the job, you would:
Hold public meetings with government officials, social scientists, lawyers, developers, the public, or special interest groups to formulate, develop, or address issues regarding land use or community plans.
Design, promote, or administer government plans or policies affecting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, or transportation.
Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, or possible alternatives.
Meet with public officials, developers, and the public regarding development plans and land use
Gather and analyze economic and environmental studies, censuses, and market research data
Conduct field investigations to analyze factors affecting land use
Review site plans submitted by developers
Assess the feasibility of proposals and identify needed changes
Recommend whether proposals should be approved or denied
Present projects to communities, planning officials, and planning commissions
Stay current on zoning or building codes, environmental regulations, and other legal issues
Urban and regional planners identify community needs and develop short- and long-term plans to create, grow, and revitalize communities and areas. For example, planners examine plans for proposed facilities, such as schools, to ensure that these facilities will meet the needs of a changing population.
As an area grows or changes otherwise, planners help communities manage the related economic, social, and environmental issues, such as planning a new park, sheltering the homeless, and making the region more attractive to businesses.
Some planners work on broad, community-wide plans; others focus on specific issues. Ultimately, planners advocate the best use of a community’s land and resources for residential, commercial, educational, and recreational purposes.
When beginning a project, planners work with public officials, community members, and other groups to identify community issues and goals. Using research, data analysis, and collaboration with interest groups, planners formulate strategies to address issues and to meet goals.
They also may help carry out community plans, oversee projects, and organize the work of the groups involved. Projects may range from a policy recommendation for a specific initiative to a long-term, comprehensive area plan.
Planners use a variety of tools and technology in their work, including geographic information systems (GIS) that analyze and manipulate data. GIS is used to integrate data with electronic maps. For example, planners use GIS to overlay a land map with population density indicators. They also use statistical software, visualization and presentation programs, financial spreadsheets, and other database and software programs.
The following are examples of types of urban and regional planners:
Land use and code enforcement planners are concerned with the way land is used and whether development plans comply with codes, which are the standards and laws of a jurisdiction. These planners work to carry out effective planning and zoning policies and ordinances. For example, a planner may develop a policy to encourage development in an underutilized location and to discourage development in an environmentally sensitive area.
Transportation planners develop transportation plans and programs for an area. They identify transportation needs and issues, assess the impact of services or systems, and anticipate and address future transportation patterns. For example, as growth outside the city creates more jobs, the need for public transportation to get workers to those jobs increases. Transportation planners develop and model possible solutions and explain the possibilities to planning boards and the public.
Environmental and natural resources planners attempt to mitigate the harmful effects of development on the environment. They may focus on conserving resources, preventing destruction of ecosystems, or cleaning polluted areas.
Economic development planners focus on the economic activities of an area. They may work to expand or diversify commercial activity, attract businesses, create jobs, or build housing.
Urban design planners strive to make building architecture and public spaces look and function in accordance with an area’s development and design goals. They combine planning with aspects of architecture and landscape architecture. Urban design planners focus on issues such as city layout, street design, and building and landscape patterns.
Important Qualities for Urban and Regional Planners
Analytical skills. Urban and regional planners analyze information and data from a variety of sources, such as market research studies, censuses, and environmental impact studies. They use statistical techniques and technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in their analyses to determine the significance of the data.
Communication skills. Urban and regional planners must be able to communicate clearly and effectively because they interact with colleagues and stakeholders, prepare research reports, give presentations, and meet with a wide variety of audiences, including public officials, interest groups, and community members.
Decision-making skills. Urban and regional planners must weigh all possible planning options and combine analysis, creativity, and realism to choose the appropriate action or plan.
Leadership skills. Urban and regional planners must be able to manage projects, which may include overseeing tasks and planning assignments.
Types of urban and regional planning
Responsibilities, Planning permission
The responsibilities of an urban planner vary between jurisdictions, and sometimes within jurisdictions. The following is therefore a general description of the responsibilities of an urban planner, of which an urban planner may well typically practice two or more of. An urban planner may also specialize in one responsibility only.
Land use planning
Urban planners specializing in land use planning are predominantly concerned with the regulation of land use, development and subdivision, with the intent of achieving the desired urban planning outcome.
Regulation of land use and development is achieved via the drafting and adoption of planning instruments designed to influence the land use and built form goals of the jurisdiction. The planning instruments take the form of legislation and policy, and have a wide variety of terms across jurisdictions including acts and regulations, rules, codes, schemes, plans, policies, and manuals; and often a combination of some of these. The planning instruments often spatially zone land or reserve the land for certain purposes, presented in the form of a zoning map or plan. The urban planner is tasked with preparing planning instruments and zoning plans. Further, given urban development is rarely static and the goals of urban planning change from time to time, the urban planner will be responsible for continuously maintaining planning instruments and zoning plans to ensure they are kept up-to-date.
Consultation with the community and other stakeholders is generally desired by urban planners in most jurisdictions when planning instruments are prepared and updated. The level of consultation will vary depending on the project.
The urban planner will also be responsible for implementing the planning instruments. This is achieved through a permit process, where the proponent of a proposed development, a change in land use, or the proposed subdivision of an allotment will be required to obtain a permit, approval, license, or consent for the proposed development or change of use. An urban planner will be tasked with considering the proposal and determining whether it complies with the intent and the specific provisions of the applicable planning instruments and zoning plans. Depending on the jurisdiction, the urban planner may have authority to determine the proposal; otherwise the planner will present a recommendation to the decision-maker, often a panel of non-planners (for example, the elected council of a local government).
While concerned with future development, an urban planner will occasionally be responsible for investigating development or land use which had been undertaken without authorization. In many jurisdictions urban planners can require that unauthorized land use cease and unauthorized development is returned to its predevelopment condition; or alternatively retrospectively approve the unauthorized development or land use.
Strategic urban planning
In order to plan effectively for long term development and growth, an urban planner will be responsible for the preparation of a strategic plan (also known in different jurisdictions by names such as development plan, core strategy, comprehensive plan, planning strategy, structure plan, etc.). Strategic urban planning sets the high-level goals and growth principles for a jurisdiction, which will in turn inform the preparation and amendment of the legal planning instruments within that jurisdiction.
Regional planning
Main article: Regional planning
Regional planning deals with the planning of land use, infrastructure and settlement growth over a geographical area which extends to a whole city or beyond. In this sense, the urban planner's role is to consider urban planning at a macro scale. Regional planning is not concerned with planning at the local (neighborhood) level.
Heritage and conservation
An urban planner may be responsible for identifying, protecting and conserving / restoring buildings and places which are identified by a community as having cultural heritage significance. This may include the task of compiling and maintaining a heritage register, finding and making available incentives for encouraging conservation works, and the consideration of proposals to redevelop or use a heritage-listed place.
Urban Revitalization
As urban areas decline, an urban planner may be tasked with preparing a plan for the redevelopment of an urban area. Such plans are not limited to an individual development site, but rather encompass a locality or district over which an urban redevelopment plan is prepared.
Urban revitalization often relies on obtaining funding from government sources to assist in the regeneration of an area; the funding may be used for a variety of purposes such as improvement of public roads, parks and other public spaces, development of infrastructure, and acquisition of land. The urban planner will be responsible for costing an urban revitalization plan and obtaining funding for infrastructure works necessary to implement the urban renewal plan.
The urban planner for an urban revitalization project will need to liaise closely with stakeholders during the preparation and implementation of the plan, including government agencies, landowners and community groups.
Master planning
A master plan will be prepared for many greenfield development projects. The purpose of a master plan is to plan for the ultimate spatial layout of the land uses for a future development area. A master plan will consider the required infrastructure to service the development and determine the need and location of urban amenities including commercial and industrial land, community facilities, schools, parks, public transport, major roads, and land uses, both within and outside the master plan area, and consider the staging of development of a master planned area.
The urban planner will be responsible for coordinating the various professional consultant inputs, and to lay out the master plan infrastructure and land uses. It will often be necessary for the urban planner to consult with landowners and government agencies affected by the master plan.
Transportation planning
An urban planner may be responsible for planning for transport facilities and infrastructure in urban and inter-regional areas.
Economic development
An urban planner's responsibility may extend to economic development. In this sense, an urban planner may be responsible for identifying opportunities for economic growth, and encourage investment in an area.
Environmental planning
An urban planner may be concerned with the impact of land use, development and subdivision on the natural environment including land, water, flora, and fauna, to achieve sustainable outcomes.
Urban design
An urban planner will develop the design of public spaces (streets, squares, parks, etc.) and the relationship between built form and public spaces. Depending on the country and planner's training they may work with other design professionals such as civil engineers, architects or landscape architects to complete and construct the design.
Infrastructure planning
An urban planner may be required to plan for the future provision of public works infrastructure such as water supply, sewerage, electricity, telecommunications, and transport infrastructure, and community infrastructure including schools, hospitals and parks.
What is the workplace of an urban and regional planner like?
Work Environment
Urban and regional planners held about 38,700 jobs in 2012, a majority of which—about 65 percent—were in local government.
Most other planners worked for state and federal governments; real estate developers; nonprofit organizations; and consulting firms. Planners work throughout the country in all sizes of municipality, but most work in large metropolitan areas.
The industries that employed the most urban and regional planners in 2012 were as follows:
Local government, excluding education and hospitals 65%
Architectural, engineering, and related services 14
State government, excluding education and hospitals 10
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services 7
Most planners work with others. They often collaborate with public officials, engineers, architects, lawyers, and developers and must give presentations, attend meetings, and manage projects.
Because planners must balance conflicting interests and negotiate deals, the work can be stressful. Planners face pressure from politicians, developers, and the public to design or recommend specific plans. They may also work against tight deadlines.
Urban and regional planners often travel to sites to inspect the land conditions and use. Those involved in inspecting development sites may spend much of their time in the field.
Work Schedules
Most planners work during normal business hours, but some also work evenings or weekends to attend meetings with officials, planning commissions, and neighborhood groups.
Knowledge areas that need to be acquired –
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Skills –
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
Science - Using scientific rules and
Abilities –
Urban and regional planners typically have an interest in the Thinking, Creating and Persuading interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Thinking interest area indicates a focus on researching, investigating, and increasing the understanding of natural laws. The Creating interest area indicates a focus on being original and imaginative, and working with artistic media. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people.
If you are not sure whether you have a Thinking or Creating or Persuading interest which might fit with a career as an urban and regional planner, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Urban and regional planners should also possess the following specific qualities:
Analytical skills. Planners analyze information and data from a variety of sources, such as market research studies, censuses, and environmental impact studies. They use statistical techniques and technologies such as geographic information systems (GIS) in their analyses to determine the significance of the data.
Communication skills. Planners must be able to communicate clearly and effectively because they often give presentations and meet with a wide variety of audiences, including public officials, interest groups, and community members.
Decision-making skills. Planners must weigh all possible planning options and combine analysis, creativity, and realism to choose the appropriate action or plan.
Management skills. Planners must be able to manage projects, which may include overseeing tasks, planning assignments, and making decisions.
Writing skills. Planners need strong writing skills because they often prepare research reports, write grant proposals, and correspond with colleagues and stakeholders.
Personality
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision:Technical.
Education and Training
Urban and regional planners usually need a master’s degree from an accredited planning program to qualify for professional positions.
Education
Most urban and regional planners have a master’s degree from an accredited urban or regional planning program. In 2013, 72 universities offered an accredited master’s degree program in planning.
Many master’s programs accept students with a wide range of undergraduate backgrounds. However, many candidates who enter master’s degree programs have a bachelor’s degree in economics, geography, political science, or environmental design.
Most master’s programs include considerable time in seminars, workshops, and laboratory courses, in which students learn to analyze and solve planning problems. Although most master’s programs have a similar core curriculum, they often differ in the courses they offer and the issues on which they focus. For example, programs located in agricultural states may focus on rural planning, and programs located in an area with high population density may focus on urban revitalization.
Some planners have a background in a related field, such as public administration, architecture, or landscape architecture.
Aspiring planners with a bachelor’s degree can qualify for a small number of jobs as assistant or junior planners. There are currently 15 accredited bachelor’s degree programs in planning. Candidates with a bachelor’s degree typically need work experience in planning, public policy, or a related field.
Other Experience
Although not necessary for all positions, some entry-level positions require 1 to 2 years of work experience in a related field, such as architecture, public policy, or economic development. Many students gain experience through real-world planning projects or part-time internships while enrolled in a master’s planning program. Often this includes summer internships. Others enroll in full-time internships after completing their degree.
Mid- and senior-level planner positions usually require several years of work experience in planning or in a specific planning specialty.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
As of 2012, New Jersey was the only state that required planners to be licensed, although Michigan required registration to use the title “community planner.” More information can be requested from the regulatory boards of New Jersey and Michigan.
The American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) offers the professional AICP Certification for planners. To become certified, candidates must meet certain education and experience requirements and pass an exam. Certification must be maintained every 2 years. Although not required for all planning positions, some organizations prefer to hire certified planners.
Job Outlook
Employment of urban and regional planners is projected to grow 10 percent from 2012 to 2022, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Population growth and environmental concerns will drive employment growth for planners in cities, suburbs, and other areas.
Planners will continue to be needed to make changes to plans, programs, or regulations to reflect demographic changes throughout the nation. Within cities, urban planners will be needed to develop revitalization projects and address problems associated with population growth, population diversity, environmental degradation, and resource scarcity. Similarly, suburban areas and municipalities will need planners to address the challenges associated with population changes, including housing needs and transportation systems.
Planners also will be important as new communities will require extensive development and infrastructure, including housing, roads, sewer systems, parks, and schools.
An increased focus on sustainable and environmentally conscious development also will increase demand for planners. Issues such as storm water management, environmental regulation, affordable housing, cultural proficiency, and historic preservation should drive employment growth.
Engineering and architecture firms are increasingly collaborating with planners for land use, development site design, and building design. In addition, many real estate developers and governments will continue to contract out various planning services to these consulting firms.
However, employment of planners in local or state government may suffer because many projects are canceled or deferred when municipalities have too little money for development. Expected tight budgets over the coming decade should slow planners’ employment growth in government.
Pay/salary
The median annual wage for urban and regional planners was $65,230 in May 2012. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $41,490, and the top 10 percent earned more than $97,630.
In May 2012, the median annual wages for urban and regional planners in the top four industries employing planners were as follows:
Architectural, engineering, and related services $71,010
Management, scientific, and technical
consulting services 67,390
State government, excluding education and hospitals 64,380
Local government, excluding education and hospitals 63,300
Most planners work during standard business hours, but many also work evenings or weekends to attend meetings with officials, planning commissions, or neighborhood groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is some good advice for urban and regional planner students?
Demonstrate ability through actual work experience. At the bachelor's degree level, students may be able to engage in projects or internships that could demonstrate a proficiency in urban and regional planning skills. Such a project may be part of the requirements to get into a master's degree program.
Take advantage of work experience opportunities. Because work experience is typically required by employers, engaging in internship experiences at the master's degree level can help students become qualified for positions more quickly. Not all master's degree programs require an internship, so students may need to put in some effort to get one.
Choose a concentration in a preferred area of specialization. Due to the broad nature and complexity of urban planning, concentration options in one of the various areas of the field are commonly offered at the master's level. Proficiency in a particular area of specialization, such as economic or environmental development, could help aspiring planners to develop a specific set of skills preferred by some employers.
What is it like being an urban planner?
Urban and Regional Planners develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas. Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, or possible alternatives.
What is the difference between an urban and suburban regional planner?
Urban areas usually include the inner, or main city, whereas suburban areas are those that are just adjacent to the city, or surround the city. Urban areas are more congested in terms of people and establishments compared to suburban territories
Regions is about belonging; you are either a part of it or outside it. Urban has to do with the density of which a particular area has been settled and therefore which amenities the area can sustain.
What is the difference between an urban and regional planner?
So basically, the overall difference between Urban and Regional Planning is the scale of development. Region includes an area with its satellite towns so as to form a region.
How difficult is it to become an Urban and regional planner?
No specific bachelor's degree is required for aspiring city planners, but there are multiple areas of study relevant to the field that can help students get accepted to master's degree programs.Students may be able to find urban and regional planning bachelor's degrees, but such programs could be rare.
Is urban and regional planner an art or a science?
Urban planning is not a science, rather a social science since cities are social entities. Urban planning is multidisciplinary and uses economics, sociology, engineering, and the list goes on, to achieve its goal: which is to improve and enhance communities' livelihoods.
Is it worth it to study urban and regional planner?
urban planners spend much of their time interacting with other professionals. They may need to hold public meetings with governments, developers, special interest groups, lawyer, and many more to develop issues regarding land use and others. It will be a good prospect for your future.
Are Urban and regional planner happy?
Urban planners are about average in terms of happiness. As it turns out, urban planners rate their career happiness 3.1 out of 5 stars which puts them in the bottom 43% of careers.
Should I become an urban and regional planner?
Most urban and regional planners have a master's degree from an accredited urban or regional planning program. Candidates with a bachelor's degree typically need work experience in planning, public policy, or a related field. Discover some of the courses you will take pursuing a degree in Urban and Regional Planning.
What are the professional courses one can pursue as an urban and regional planner?
With a BA in Geography, BSEd in Geography, or a BS in Regional Planning, you can pursue careers as:
Community/urban (city or county) planner (with regional, state, and federal agencies)
Geographic information systems specialist or analyst
Energy industry location analyst
Environmental analyst
Technical specialist for engineering/consulting firms
Land use planner
Energy industry environmental compliance/permitting specialist
Community development specialist
Cartographer
Remote sensing specialist
Watershed/water quality specialist
Transportation planner
Social science (geography, history, economics educator)
Facility manager
Writer/researcher
With a With a BSEd in Social Studies Education, Geography Track, you can:
Teach secondary school geography classes
Path to Higher Degrees
With a geography or regional planning degree from IUP you can pursue many different higher degrees. The following are some of the more common ones:
MS in Geography
PhD in Geography