About Student Projects
Students in the MURP program complete a number of projects throughout their studies that prepare
them for work in the planning field. While projects require research on the part of students, they
go beyond research to include analysis of findings from research, original data gathering,
statistical data analysis, GIS output, original photographs and graphics—all to answer a specific
question or solve a problem. Many projects are group projects, and the experiences of
working as a team member help students learn to work cooperatively; to plan and arrange meetings
both among themselves and with outside clients, neighborhood groups, elected officials, and other
parties that may be involved; to use each member's skills and talents to achieve a professional
product; and to learn from each other to develop skills that will be necessary in the future.
Courses which feature substantial group projects include Studio I, Urban Commercial Revitalization,
Historic Preservation Applications, and Sustainable Community Development.
Independent projects provide means for students to truly showcase their ideas and skills. Courses
that require individual projects include GIS Applications in Decision Analysis, Community
Socioeconomic Analysis using GIS, Urban Design Studio, and Adaptive Reuse of Buildings.
All projects, whether group or independent, and all classes in the program are intended to prepare
students for their final project, which may be a thesis as is traditional with many masters
programs, but in the MURP program is more commonly a complete plan for Studio II. The result of
this capstone course is a highly-professional project from beginning to end, and should be
approached by students as consultants, for that is what they will be while working on their
individual studios, producing sharp, insightful, helpful, realistic, and implementable solutions
to real planning issues. Studio II reinforces the fact that a MURP is a practical degree, and the
results of the course demonstrate that students are prepared to put into practice real skills for
an employer. It is a highly rewarding experience.
Students should consider the projects they complete as possibly writing samples for possible future
employers, and are encouraged to work on projects after final grading to incorporate instructor
comments into making them flawless examples of professional-quality work for portfolios.
