Master of Urban Planning + Design

• Graduate school application and fee (international students click here.)
• Unofficial academic transcripts from all colleges and universities attended should be included in your online application. Official transcripts will be required for those admitted to UGA. More information
• Three reference letters – As part of the online application, you will need to furnish accurate email address information for individuals to provide three letters of recommendation. The link for the form will be electronically sent to your recommender while completing the online application.
• GRE scores: Not required
• International students are required to submit TOEFL scores or IETLS.
• Letter of intent that outlines the reasons for the student’s interest in the program, the relevance of previous degrees and experiences, and the applicant’s goals and ambitions.

Test scores and official transcripts (if admitted) should be sent to the Graduate School at the following address:

Graduate School Admissions Office

The University of Georgia

210 South Jackson Street

Athens, GA 30602

Acceptance letter response required: the applicant must indicate acceptance of the admission offer in writing.

Some applicants to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia, such as veterans and applicants from feeder schools, qualify for an application fee waiver. For more information, click here.

In addition to the requirements for domestic applicants, international students are required to submit TOEFL scores or IETLS. Find out more about Visa qualifications here.

There are two main types of Graduate Assistantships: Graduate School Assistantships and CED Departmental Assistantships. The Graduate School awards University-wide assistantships to entering students on the basis of academic merit and other criteria. To be eligible, students must complete their graduate school applications by February 1st and be sponsored by the College. University-wide assistantships require at least 13 hours of work each week, in addition to an academic load requirement of 12 semester hours. The stipend is available each month for up to nine months of the academic year. The College of Environment and Design awards departmental assistantships on the basis of academic achievement and job skills required. These assistantships are open to all students. Courseload and work requirements are the same as for university-wide assistantships, but departmental assistantships are assigned on a semester-by-semester basis.

Note that A CED student can be awarded an assistantship from another UGA department/college, but CED will not disburse funds from other departments/colleges on campus. 

For both types of graduate assistantships, no special application is required; all entering students who meet the criteria and apply by January 1 are considered.

For more information regarding funding options for the MUPD program, please contact Annelie Klein.

CED ScholarshipsGraduate School Funding  Funding – UGA Graduate School (not guaranteed)

Application Fee Waivers

Some applicants to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia, such as veterans and applicants from feeder schools, qualify for an application fee waiver. For more information, click here.

For more information regarding funding options for the MUPD program, please contact Annelie Klein.

The minor in Historic Preservation will be helpful for students pursuing a career in history, architecture, landscape architecture, geography, engineering, interior design, urban and regional planning, and conservation. Students will develop a solid base knowledge of the tools and practices necessary for the conservation or sensitive adaptation of historic buildings and landscapes.

UGA’s Double Dawg program allows students to earn an undergraduate degree in conjunction with a graduate degree. The CED has a number of Double Dawg programs, including BLA + MUPD.

This program is a great option for BLA students ready to enter the field of urban planning and design. The PAB-accredited Urban Planning and Design graduate program focuses on the physical planning and design of the built environment. The MUPD program is structured around planning studios which foster an energetic, collaborative and creative environment and pursues excellence through innovative teaching.

Apply to the Double Dawgs Program

The profession of urban planning frequently involves careful navigation of the local, state, and federal laws which govern city planning. To an urban planner, the ability to contend with administrative, constitutional, environmental, tax, tort, and real property law would be a tremendous advantage. This dual degree aims to uniquely prepare its students to not only become exceptional city planners through the MUPD program, but skillful lawyers as well through the JD program.

The degree shortens the course of study from five to four years without sacrificing the breadth of instruction. Ideally, students would spend two years of the program principally working on the JD, followed by one year principally working on the MUPD, followed by a year of overlap. The course necessitates completion of 120 credit hours, exceeding the minimum instruction required by the American Bar Association before a JD can be awarded.

With the interdisciplinary skill set this degree develops, a wide range of career opportunities becomes available. Students may enter a variety of fields such as provision of design services, advocacy, governmental regulation, and policymaking, all of which can be applied to the public, private, and nonprofit arenas.

The Master of Public Administration program (MPA) in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia (UGA) is collaborating with the College of Environment + Design’s Master of Urban Planning and Design program (MUPD) to offer a dual MPA/MUPD degree. This academic program will allow a student to earn both degrees in three years, eliminating approximately one year of academic work.

Planning and public administration are complementary professions. Students with a substantiative understanding of planning often find they need management, budget, and policy analysis skills to advance in their organizations. Students trained in public administration working in local government often find they need to develop specialized knowledge in land use, planning, and design. By offering students a pathway to connect these professions while in graduate school, the University of Georgia prepares students with the diverse skillsets necessary to improve the quality of local and regional planning in Georgia.

Students completing this degree program will be well prepared for jobs in city and county planning departments, in one of the twelve regional commissions across the State of Georgia, or in private sector firms that support planning and design processes in communities in Georgia and across the country.

UGA offers a variety of Undergraduate and Graduate Certificates relevant to CED studies that allow students to develop a specialty. Many certificates require a formal application. Be sure to read full descriptions of the certificates and their requirements by visiting their pages here.

For information on all graduate certificates offered by the University of Georgia, please visit the certificate directory on the Graduate School website.

PSA is a student led organization and community affiliated club within the CED at The University of Georgia!

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View the MUPD Public Information Document