City Planning & Urban Affairs Programs

To prepare future leaders, practitioners, and innovators for the myriad political, social, and technical challenges that arise in urban planning and policymaking, BU Metropolitan College (MET) offers undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs in sustainability, urban affairs, and city planning. Part of Metropolitan College’s Department of Applied Social Sciences, these programs boast faculty with expertise in areas including sustainable development, climate change, transportation, data analytics, infrastructure planning, regional economics, and urban design. These interdisciplinary tracks look at urban and economic development through an environmentally conscious lens, with courses in environmental law, green IT, urban planning history, and sustainability within the context of climate change. Students are taught the essentials of community development, service delivery, and the administration of public and private agencies in urban settings. By embracing sustainability, creativity, pragmatism, and diversity of thought, BU MET’s interdisciplinary, application-oriented programs in city planning and urban affairs train students to be critical, open-minded thinkers, and inventive problem solvers.With access to a network of area and regional employers, policymakers, and analysts, graduates of MET’s city planning and urban affairs programs are uniquely positioned to make an impact in the field. No matter the area of focus, all of our programs are built on three foundational principles—that urban planning education and practice should 1) advance equity and social justice; 2) emphasize sustainable solutions; and 3) utilize technology to facilitate human-centered communities.