Master of Urban Design
In Berkeley’s Master of Urban Design — the only degree program of its kind in California — you’ll engage diverse communities to imagine the cities of the future. The program is centered on researching and designing alternative forms of urbanism for a range of real-world conditions, from dense post-industrial cities in the inner Bay Area to small towns on the rural/urban periphery.
In courses led by Berkeley faculty from across disciplines, you’ll develop a deep understanding of cities and the forces that shape them. After three intensive semesters of courses and studios, you’ll be prepared to take what you’ve learned in the context of California and apply it anywhere in the world.
About the Master of Urban Design
Berkeley MUD is a one-year STEM-designated program for anyone with a prior professional degree in architecture, landscape architecture, or city planning who wants to learn advanced skills and tackle urgent urban design issues. In our program, you’ll engage with sites at urban, suburban, and territorial scales, all requiring inventive design strategies supported by research and analysis and grounded in economic, political, and social contexts.
Over the course of three semesters — summer, fall, spring — you’ll learn to work effectively in teams across a large range of scales and develop a deep understanding of urban places and the social interactions that shape them. The program culminates in the thesis studio in the spring semester, where you realize an advanced design project based on your own passions and concerns.
“At Berkeley, we understand that urban design transcends physical planning — it is about envisioning and fostering the social and emotional fabrics of urban life.”
Why Berkeley
As a UC Berkeley graduate student, you will be studying at the number one public university in the United States alongside the brightest and most passionate students from across the globe. Berkeley’s environment of critical inquiry, discovery, and innovation is informed by a deep commitment to contributing to a better world.
California is the ideal laboratory for creating new forms of socially and environmentally resilient urbanism. With a diverse population of 40 million, who live in megacities and small rural towns — and everything in between —California offers boundless opportunities. Always at the cutting edge, California is at the forefront of progressive policies and innovative solutions to meet the challenges of a changing climate and rising socioeconomic inequality.
Faculty
Working with multidisciplinary College of Environmental Design faculty — from architecture, landscape architecture, and city planning — as well as with practicing designers equips you with a range of analytic and design tools.
Student Work
“The program provides us with the tools to pursue a courageous future that advocates for spatial equity and resilience. We envision ourselves contributing to city development and inclusive design within government, private firms, and nonprofits.”
Careers
Students who graduate from Berkeley’s Master of Urban Design program take the lessons they learned in California and apply them in other parts of the country — and the world — that are also seeking sustainable forms of human-centered urban development. You can find our alums working at large and small firms and municipal agencies, heading their own practices, teaching, and starting nonprofits.
NEWS
HOW TO APPLY
- Review university admissions requirements on the Graduate Division website and program admissions requirements below
- Gather materials:
- Unofficial transcripts for each prior college or university attended
- Statement of Purpose. Please respond to the prompt included below and on the Architecture Program Page portion of the application. For general tips on writing the Statement of Purpose, please see Writing the Statement of Purpose on the UC Berkeley Graduate Division website.
- Personal Statement. Please respond to the prompt included below and on the Architecture Program Page portion of the application. For general tips on writing a Personal History Statement, please see the Personal Statement Guide on the UC Berkeley Graduate Division website.
- Contact information for three recommenders
- Resume/CV
- Evidence of English language proficiency, if applicable. For waiver eligibility, visit the Graduate Division website. Please note, Architecture requires a TOEFL score of 100. Our IELTS score requirement is the same as the Graduate Division’s
- Portfolio
- List of relevant publications or presentations
- List of honors/awards
- URL of website where your work is published, if applicable
- Start your application on the Graduate Division website. You do not have to complete the entire application at one time: we recommend you start your application and review it as soon as possible.
- Scroll down and select program.
- Follow the instructions in the application.
- Pay the application fee.
- Submit application. Allow yourself at least one hour prior to the deadline to submit your application. Late applications or changes to the application after the deadline will NOT be accepted.
- After submitting your application, you will receive an email from UC Berkeley’s Graduate Admissions Office confirming your submission.
- We strongly encourage you to log back into your application to monitor the status of materials received/processed, such as fee waivers, test scores, and recommendations.
Only online applications (including letters of recommendation) are accepted. All documents, regardless of language of instruction, must be translated into the English language. Transcripts, diplomas, and certificates should be provided in the original language of instruction AND in English. Transcripts must show your full name, degree conferral date, and degree.
