Academics
Combined Degree (4+1) Program
MURP Combined Degree (4+1) Program
The Department of Urban and Regional Planning offers a combination degree program that allows academically qualified students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree within a five-year period, rather than the usual six years.
Interested students should meet with their undergraduate advisor as well as the URP 4+1 coordinator in the sophomore year of their undergraduate program. Students typically begin enrolling in graduate-level URP courses in their junior year through their senior year. Students must complete the combined degree contract before they enroll in the graduate courses that can be counted towards both degrees. A maximum of 21 credit hours of graduate coursework completed with grades of B or higher can count towards both degrees.
The minimum qualification for initial acceptance into the Combination Degree Program is a 3.2 GPA. Acceptance into the 4+1 combined degree program does not guarantee acceptance into the URP graduate program. You will need to complete the Graduate School application during your senior year.
Combined Degree Process
Make a Plan
First, meet with your undergraduate advisor. Map out available space in your undergraduate career where you could take graduate-level URP courses. You should also determine which URP courses will be accepted by your undergraduate degree program.
Combined Degree Contract
Meet with the URP 4+1 Coordinator after you gather information from your undergraduate advisor. This can happen as early as your sophomore year. You will complete the combined degree contract with the 4+1 coordinator.
Transition to MURP Program
You must submit a graduate application to the MURP program in your senior year. You will enter the MURP program the semester immediately following completion of your undergraduate program.
Important Notes
• Before meeting with the URP 4+1 Coordinator, you need to meet with your undergraduate advisor. Determine (1) which semesters you have space to take graduate-level URP courses, (2) which URP courses are able to be accepted by your undergraduate program, and (3) contact information for both your undergraduate advisor and your associate dean of undergraduate advising.
• You must have a signed contract in place in order to enroll in graduate-level URP courses.
• You can still enroll in the MURP combined degree program after your junior year, or if fewer than 21 credits is able to be accepted. This will still allow for some shared coursework with the MURP. Discuss with the URP 4+1 coordinator.
• Only courses listed in the combined degree contract will be counted and shared across both programs. Students are responsible for revising their contract if the original course list changes. If contracts are not revised ahead of schedule changes, those courses and credits will not count.
