Urban Design Graduate Certificate

Two things about cities, their design and planning, have become abundantly clear in the early 21st century: first, even at the largest scales, the details matter, and second, good policy is important, but it's not enough to create a great place. Together, these two lessons of the last 100 years of urban placemaking in America have brought new interest and attention to urban design.

What is Urban Design? The term generally means the process for shaping urban growth, conservation and change - making design decisions about individual buildings as well as big plans about the design of streets, public spaces, and collections of buildings. Urban design combines the aesthetic and three-dimensional design skills of the architect with the decision-making, engagement, and management methodologies of the urban planner. What excites the urban designer is the making of memorable and artful places - places that are pleasant to be in as well as go through, places that reflect the uniqueness of different communities.

The Graduate Certificate in Urban Design at Portland State University, a joint effort of the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning and the School of Architecture, has been created to offer planners, designers, and architects the opportunity to engage and incorporate in their own work the principles and methods of urban design. It utilizes the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region as a laboratory, an urban place renowned for its use of urban design and attention to urban design concerns. This certificate is intended for those who are currently seeking an advanced planning or architecture degree, or who are currently employed as a professional planner, architect, or designer.

Application and Admission Requirements

Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Urban Design program is limited to graduate students currently enrolled in either the MURP or M.ARCH programs; graduate students in other programs who have an undergraduate or graduate design degree, those who have completed an undergraduate or graduate design degree, or those who have completed a graduate planning degree from an accredited planning degree program.

In addition, admission to graduate study at Portland State University is granted on the basis of evidence of suitable preparation and the probability of success in the intended field of study. Admission generally requires a minimum of an accredited baccalaureate degree and a GPA which meets university graduate admission standards. Typically, students admitted to graduate study at Portland State have an undergraduate or graduate (minimum of 12 credit hours) GPA of at least 3.0.

If you meet all of these requirements, please visit the websites of either the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning (www.pdx.edu/usp) or the School of Architecture (www.pdx.edu/architecture) for a link to the online application process.

If you are currently admitted to a masters or doctoral program at PSU, in good academic standing, and currently registered for classes, use the GO-19 form to request addition of the Graduate Certificate program: GO-19 Form

For more information, please contact the GCUD coordinators: Dr. Naomi Adiv, Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, nadiv@pdx.edu, 503-725-5171; Clive Knights, School of Architecture, knightsc@pdx.edu, 503-725-3349.

Course Overlap Between Degrees and Certificates

Graduate courses can be applied to a master's (or a doctoral) degree and a graduate certificate. However, graduate courses cannot be applied to two graduate certificates. See PSU Bulletin for more course overlap information.