Master of Urban Planning - Accelerated Degrees

• Officially declare your interest in the Accelerated Master of Urban Planning program by completing an Accelerated Master's Inquiry Form.
• All prospective students should discuss their interest in the accelerated master’s with their undergraduate advisor and the program director of Urban Planning as soon as possible.
• A meeting with the program director of urban planning should take place no later than the student’s junior year.

Prospective students are eligible to apply to the Accelerated Master or Urban Planning program in the spring semester of their junior year.  The following requirements must be met by this time:

• Major and cumulative GPA of at least 3.25;
• On track to complete all requirements for a CLAS degree from KU by the spring semester of the senior year

Required Application Materials

• Statement of interest that succinctly summarizes the students’ interests, education, long-term career goals, and how the accelerated degree program will help them achieve those goals;
• A copy of their advising report
• Three reference forms or letters of recommendation.  Provided references should be qualified to comment on the applicant’s academic abilities and probable success in graduate study.  At least two should be faculty members who have had the student in class.

An official copy of the student’s undergraduate transcript will be required if final admission is granted.

• Upon review of the application for admission, the Urban Planning Program will notify the student of their eligibility to begin graduate level coursework in the program.
• Approved students will meet with the Urban Planning Program director to plan the urban planning graduate courses to be taken for elective undergraduate credit. 
• Students should continue to work closely with their undergraduate advisor to ensure all requirements for the undergraduate degree(s) are met.

• In the final spring semester of undergraduate study, the student will meet with the Urban Planning Program director to review the student’s performance in urban planning courses. 
• The student must earn a grade of “B” or better in these courses to be eligible for regular admission to the Master of Urban Planning.

Final acceptance to the Master of Urban Planning graduate program will be contingent upon the following:

• Successful completion of all requirements for the bachelor’s degree;
• Grades of B or above in all urban planning graduate-level coursework taken in the student’s senior year

Following completion and award of the undergraduate degree, the admitted student will again meet with the Urban Planning Program director to review the course plan for the fifth year of study and update as needed. At this time, the student will meet with a faculty advisor who is overseeing that specialization to ensure the course plan is on track.

For those students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement of 3.25 in the first semester of year 5 an alternative plan of study to address the student’s deficiencies may be developed, at the program’s sole discretion. Students may also be dismissed from the program.

• Officially declare your interest in the Accelerated Master of Urban Planning/B.A. in Environmental Studies program by completing an Accelerated Master's Inquiry Form.
• All prospective B.A. and B.G.S. students should let their Environmental Studies advisor know they are interested in pursuing the accelerated master's as soon as possible.  
• A meeting with the program director of urban planning should take place no later than the student’s junior year.

Prospective students should apply to the Accelerated Master of Urban Planning/B.A. in Environmental Studies during the 2nd semester of their junior year at KU.  Applications will be reviewed by environmental studies and urban planning faculty who will be looking for following criteria to begin graduate coursework:

• Achieve a 3.0 GPA in Environmental Studies major and overall KU GPA
• On-track to complete all the requirements for the bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies by the end of the Senior year

Required Application Materials

• Statement of interest that succinctly summarizes the students’ interests, education, long-term career goals, and how the accelerated degree program will help them achieve those goals;
• A copy of advising report
• Three reference forms or letters of recommendation.  Provided references should be qualified to comment on the applicant’s academic abilities and probable success in graduate study.  At least two should be faculty members who have had the student in class.

An official copy of the student’s undergraduate transcript will be required if final admission is granted.

• Upon review of the application for admission, the Urban Planning Program will notify the student of their eligibility to begin graduate level coursework in the program.
• Approved students will meet with the Urban Planning Program director to plan the urban planning graduate courses to be taken for elective undergraduate credit. 
• Students should continue to work closely with the Environmental Studies advisor to ensure all requirements for the undergraduate degree(s) are met.

• In the final spring semester of undergraduate study, the student will meet with the Urban Planning Program director to review the student’s performance in urban planning courses. 
• The student must earn a grade of “B” or better in these courses to be eligible for regular admission to the Master of Urban Planning.

Final acceptance to the Master of Urban Planning graduate program will be contingent upon the following:

• Completion of all requirements for the B.A. or B.G.S. in Environmental Studies with an overall GPA of a 3.0
• Achieved grades of B or higher in all urban planning graduate-level coursework taken during the senior year

Following completion and award of the undergraduate degree, the admitted student will again meet with the Urban Planning Program director to review the course plan for the fifth year of study and update as needed. At this time, the student will select a specialization area within the planning degree, and will meet with a faculty advisor who is overseeing that specialization to ensure the course plan is accurate.

For those students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement of 3.25 in the first semester of year 5 an alternative plan of study to address the student’s deficiencies may be developed, at the department’s sole discretion. Students may also be dismissed from the program.