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Program Overview

Since its founding in 1948, the Department of City and Regional Planning (DCRP) has grown into one of the largest and most respected graduate city and regional planning programs in the United States. 

 

Program Statements (Curriculum and Policy Guide)

• 2021-22 MCP Program Statement (PDF)
• 2020-21 MCP Program Statement (PDF)
• 2019-20 MCP Program Statement (PDF)
• 2018-19 MCP Program Statement (PDF)

Capstone Handbook (CR/PR/Thesis Guide)

• 2021-22 CR PR Thesis Handbook (PDF)

The MCP is a two-year nationally accredited professional-degree STEM program. We aim to provide our students with:

• Lifelong analytical, research, and communication skills;
• The knowledge and skill sets to successfully practice planning in a variety of urban, metropolitan, and regional settings;
• An understanding of the history and theory of planning and of cities and urban regions;
• Expertise in various fields and sub-fields of city and regional planning;
• Sensitivity to the human impacts of planning decisions, with particular attention to equity, diversity, and social justice.

The Master of City Planning (M.C.P.) degree combines a common core curriculum with the opportunity to specialize in one or more of the following concentration areas:

• Environmental Planning and Healthy Cities
• Housing, Community, and Economic Development
• Transportation Policy and Planning
• Urban Design

Degree Requirements

To earn the M.C.P. degree, a student must complete:

• 48 units of in-residence coursework or 36 units in concurrent/dual degree programs 
• Successful completion of the core curriculum
• Courses in at least one concentration area
• A capstone project consisting of either a client report, a professional report, or a master's thesis

Program Selection and Advising

Students plan their individual programs with the help of their faculty advisor. All new graduate students are paired with an advisor, whose role is to help students structure their first-semester program. First-year students set up an intial meeting with their assigned adviors during the first three weeks of the fall semester.  

Students declare a concentration at the end of the first semester by completing a Concentration Declaration Form and submitting it to the Graduate Student Affairs Officer (GSAO). Advisors are chosen within the area of concentration.

Internships

All students are expected to complete a three-month internship in a planning-related position, usually between their first and second years of study unless exempted by previous work experience. Frequently, the work completed during a summer internship forms the basis for the the Professional Report, Client Report or Thesis. International students who hold an F-1 or J-1 visa must complete an internship during their two years of study.

Financial Aid

DCRP and UC Berkeley offer multiple types of financial support to its graduate students. Details are available here.

Arcus Social Justice Corps (ASJC) Fellowship

The ASJC is a NEW fellowship program at the College of Environmental Design that offers significant debt-relief to select graduate students (current and new) who intend to do social justice work after graduation. Details are available here.

STEM-Designated Program 

The M.C.P. degree is an approved field of study within the U.S. government’s official STEM fields list. Practical work experience in your field of study, typically after completion of a degree for a maximum of 36 months (12 months of “regular” OPT with a 24-month extension possible). For further details regarding STEM extensions, contact the Berkeley International Office (BIO).