Dear prospective student,

Welcome to 2008, the 35th anniversary of our unique department

How can we improve the quality of human life, now and into the future?

How can we do this in a just and equitable manner?

How can we do this while living within the limits of supporting ecosystems?

Have you have ever thought about one, two, or all of these three critical sustainability challenges? If so a UEP education is definitely for you!

We are an engaged community of students, alumni, scholars, staff and practitioners. Our goal is the education of a new generation of leaders, "practical visionaries" who will contribute to the development of more just and sustainable communities. A key step toward this is making our institutions more responsive to child, adult and ultimately community wellbeing by helping them understand, empathize with and respond to the social, economic and environmental needs of individuals and communities.

We offer two graduate programs in public policy and planning. You can study for our master of arts (M.A.) degree in urban and environmental policy and planning which is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board, or you can study for our master of public policy (M.P.P.) degree. Both degrees equip public-spirited individuals for rewarding careers in government, nonprofit organizations, citizen advocacy groups, and the private sector.

At UEP, we are justly proud of our flexible curriculum which is built around a set of six core values and a set of competencies based on three areas: knowledge, skills, and policy and planning in practice. We recognize the need for the policy and planning specialist, the person who wants to plan for landscape, ecological or watershed management, or develop child and/or family or other social welfare policies. However, we also recognize the inextricable interconnections between and across different policy and planning areas whether your interest is primarily environmental or social, urban or rural, local or global. Accordingly, your choice of classes can be narrower (on the public policy and planning challenges in one policy or planning area) or broader (on sustainable development which looks at these issues and their interrelationships as a whole), depending ultimately on your goals.

Whatever your interest or goal, a UEP education emphasizes the following core values:

An appreciation of the inextricable linkages between social, economic and environmental issues and the ability to make policy and planning recommendations accordingly;

An appreciation of the role of values in policy formation and planning and the ethical/social responsibility of policy and planning professionals to act accordingly;

An appreciation of the deeply embedded nature of gender, age, race, class, dis/ability, culture and sexual orientation in all aspects of public policy and planning;

An appreciation of the centrality of spatial, social and environmental justice to all aspects of public policy and planning;

An appreciation of the need to understand the role of individual and community rights and responsibilities in public policy and planning;

An appreciation of the need to move society toward the development of sustainable communities where there is a high quality of human life; delivered in a just and equitable manner while respecting the limits of supporting ecosystems.

Please enjoy our website and contact us if you need further information.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Julian Agyeman Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair