The graduate studies program at Trinity College, in partnership with the urban studies program, masters in public policy program, and Center for Urban and Global Studies, will launch a graduate certificate in urban planning for the fall 2020 semester. This program will be the first graduate program in urban planning in Connecticut. In a field where a graduate degree has become the professional standard, the lack of a graduate planning program is hurting the state’s ability to recruit qualified planning professionals. The new certificate at urban planning is a step toward educating planning professionals in Connecticut.
The vast majority of Connecticut, save for parts of Windham and Litchfield counties, is urban, according to measures from the Office of Management and Budget and the Economic Research Service Rural-Urban Commuting Areas. [1] In a highly urbanized state, urban planners are essential to the social and economic strength of the state. Urban planners write zoning codes, plan for climate resilience, preserve open space, foster economic development, work toward more diverse and inclusive communities, and much more.
With no planning program in state, Connecticut municipalities are having trouble finding planners. Some towns have had to post position vacancies multiple times in order to attract qualified candidates, while others are getting more flexible about the candidates they consider for planning positions.
The new graduate certificate in urban planning at Trinity is a step toward filling this gap. The four-course certificate can be earned as a stand-alone certificate or as part of a master’s degree at Trinity, with public policy lending itself as a close complement to the certificate, though a master’s in American studies is an available option. Course topics within the certificate include urban planning, global cities, geographies of transport, policy leadership, public management and practicums in research and policy.
Though the need for a full master’s degree in urban planning persists, the new certificate at Trinity offers an option for students and professionals who want to gain competency in planning and policy while studying in state.
View more information about the certificate on the graduate studies website: https://www.trincoll.edu/graduate-studies/certificates/urban-planning
[1] https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/DataFiles/53180/25561_CT.pdf?v=0
