Urban Ecology (BS)

Urban Ecology is an interdisciplinary field concerned with the interrelationships among social, environmental, and economic systems, with the goal of enhancing the vitality and sustainability of places and communities. The University of Utah’s Urban Ecology program is designed to respond to problems and opportunities that exist in cities, suburbs, small towns, and rural places for example, environmental management, fragile landscape protection, recreation and tourism, public lands planning, rapid population growth, regional transportation, energy production, and sprawl.

Students of the Urban Ecology program will take classes in urban ecology, planning, field studies, economics, law and social justice; they can also choose from a variety of electives topics, such as green infrastructure, sustainable development, community leadership and cities in literature. In their senior year, students will do an internship and take on a real world problem in the Ecological Planning Workshop.

Career Opportunities

The undergraduate program in Urban Ecology will prepare students for professional careers in environmental and sustainability planning, public health, public policy, and community development and planning. U graduates have used analytical and technical skills to pursue work as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysts, planning consultants, conservationist, community organizers, environmental outreach, and project engineers. With further education, Urban Ecology graduates can pursue a career in architecture, law, real estate development, social work, urban design, urban & regional planning.

Admission Requirements

Dept. of City and Metropolitan Planning

Minimum Major Hours: 56

Design Foundations:
- The Design Foundations program provides pre-major students with cross-disciplinary design-related literacy and skills in a supportive, cohort-based learning environment.
- In their first year, Design Foundations students work together in three courses—Design Contexts (DES 2630), Design Ecologies (CMP 2010), and Design Foundations Workshop (ARCH 2630).
- During their second year, students explore in greater depth one of three streams of inquiry—design, urban ecology, or architecture--preparing them for entering one of the college's three undergraduate majors.
In prior to beginning studies in Urban Ecology, students should have satisfied...
- Lower Division Writing Requirement (WR2)
- American Institutions Requirement (AI)
- Quantitative Reasoning Requirements (QA&QB)
- most of the Intellectual Explorations (IE)
Transfer students should have complete, or nearly completed their general education requirements. Those interested in majoring in Urban Ecology must meet with an Academic Advisor to declare.

More information

Graduation Requirements

Students must maintain a minimum 2.70 culmulative GPA

Required Courses

*Total Credit: 42

Design Foundations Courses:

ARCH 2630 - Design Foundations Workshop 3 Credits
DES 2630 - Design Contexts 3 Credits
CMP 2010 - Design Ecologies 3 Credits

Complete the Following:

CMP 3100 - Planning Theory and Practice 3 Credits
CMP 3200 - Ecology of Human Settlements 3 Credits
CMP 3270 - Visual and Oral Communication 3 Credits
CMP 3400 - Economy of Cities 3 Credits
CMP 4010 - Field Studies in Urban Ecology I 3 Credits
CMP 4020 - Field Studies in Urban Ecology II 3 Credits
CMP 4260 - Land, Law & Culture 3 Credits
CMP 4280 - Ecological Planning Workshop 3 Credits
CMP 4450 - GIS for Urban Ecologists 3 Credits
CMP 4600 - The Just City 3 Credits
CMP 4954 - Internship in Urban Ecology 3 Credits

Elective Courses

*Total Credit: 15-23

Urban Ecology majors are required to take a minimum of 18 credits of electives.
Electives must be 3000 level and above. Approved elective courses and further details for Urban Ecology major can be found in the link: Elective Courses for Urban Ecology Major

4 + 1 Program

BS/BA Urban Ecology + MCMP

The BS/BA + MCMP is a “4+1” program through which eligible students complete both a bachelor’s in Urban Ecology and a Master of City & Metropolitan Planning (MCMP) in five years. The BS/BA in Urban Ecology involves the study of the relationships between humans and nature in urban environments, emphasizing the interrelationships among social, environmental, and economic systems, while the Master of City & Metropolitan Planning focuses on the key competencies of technical literacy, ethical inquiry, inclusive community engagement, ecological thinking, and physical planning and design. The 4+1 program combines the strengths of both programs, preparing students to think ecologically in guiding the growth and development of cities and regions both locally and globally.

4 +1 Program Admission

Students seeking to take advantage of the 4+1 program must first meet current University of Utah undergraduate admission standards, be accepted into the BS/BA Urban Ecology major and be in good standing within the major.

BS/BA Urban Ecology students who want to enter the 4+1 program must apply for admission during the spring semester of their junior year (i.e., after the completion of 75 undergraduate credit hours). To be admitted, applicants must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.4 and demonstrated excellent performance in at least six of the BS/BA Urban Ecology required core courses.

Learn More

4 +1 Requirement

Students admitted into the 4+1 program will work with an academic advisor to carefully plan out their program of study for the 4th and 5th years.

Students spend their senior year completing the requirements for the BS/BA Urban Ecology degree including three MCMP core courses (at the 5000-level) that count as BS/BA Urban Ecology electives. Students then move on in their fifth year to take an additional 30 graduate-level credit hours, satisfying the remaining MCMP core requirements, plus six credit hours of 6000-level electives.

Students completing these requirements receive two degrees: Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Ecology and the Master of City & Metropolitan Planning Degree, simultaneously.

Minor Requirements

Minimum minor hours: 18

Admission Requirements

Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and in-major GPA of 2.7 or higher and complete CMP2010 with C or better to be admitted to the minor.
To enter the minor, a student must first consult with an City & Metropolitan Planning advisor (advisor@arch.utah.edu) for review and approval of the courses to be used.
To see if you meet the requirements, contact one of the Academic Advisors:

Book an Appointment

Graduation Requirements

Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.70.

Planning Core Courses (complete all)

CMP 2010- Design Ecologies 3 Credits
CMP 3100 - Planning Theory and Practice 3 Credits
CMP 3101- Honors People and Place 3 Credits
CMP 3200 - Ecology of Human Settlements 3 Credits
CMP 4260 - Land, Law & Culture 3 Credits

Elective Courses

Complete at least one of the listed courses in the link and see the further details:
Elective Courses for Urban Ecology Minor

U Asia Campus

The Student Experience

Career Opportunities

Admission Requirements

Minimum Major Hours: 56

Graduation Requirements

Required Courses

*Total Credit: 42

Elective Courses

*Total Credit: 15-23

4 + 1 Program

4 +1 Program Admission

4 +1 Requirement

Minor Requirements

Admission Requirements

Graduation Requirements

Elective Courses

Want to Declare a Major?

Book an Appointment

Your academic advisor can provide invaluable assistance with major/minor declaration, courses and registration, research opportunities, internships, and more. Book an appointment through the button below if you need any help with your major.