Master of Arts in Urban Planning

Trinity College’s master of arts in urban planning gives those who are planning a career in urban planning and those already working in the field the tools and skills needed to succeed as town and city planners or as policy specialists.

At a Glance

Graduates work in fields including urban, transportation, and environmental planning; policy analysis; government; law; and nonprofits.

Our curriculum meets the American Planning Association’s Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) standard.

You can complete the degree in two years; as a full-time student; three to four years as a part-time student.

Total cost to you is $36,000 (excluding fees), based on 2025-26 tuition rates.

Submit your application by August 1 for fall start and December 15 for spring start. The program does not have a summer start.

About the Program

Trinity’s master of arts in urban planning (M.A.U.P.) provides students with a thorough knowledge of basic urban planning principles and values, qualitative and quantitative skills, and diverse research methodologies. As a premier liberal arts college in a city, Trinity has a curriculum that embodies a global ethos that moves from Hartford outward, to Connecticut, the New England region, the United States, and the world. We embrace this ethos alongside allied fields such as American studies, history, public policy, and urban studies, with curricular goals aimed at the creation and implementation of plans, the enhancement of oral and graphic communication, and an emphasis on leadership and ethics.

Our curriculum is designed to meet the American Planning Association’s Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) standard to teach “students the essential knowledge, skills, and values central to the planning profession.” We are the perfect place for those who are planning a career in urban planning and those who are already working in city or town planning offices around the capital region or as urban policy specialists in local government. Trinity College is Connecticut’s only higher education institution with a master’s program in urban planning. Trinity’s unique position in Hartford, the capital city of Connecticut, provides students with many potential avenues for working with state and city government in urban planning and urban policy related projects and research.

The M.A.U.P. program requires 10 course credits, including three (3) core courses, three (3) required courses, three (3) courses toward a concentration, and a thesis or final project. Projects tend to emphasize the urbanization process, planning, and policies in the Hartford region.

For those interested specifically in policy, the public policy graduate program offers a graduate certificate in urban planning.

Next Step: Start Your Application

As a premier liberal arts college in a city, our curriculum embodies a global ethos that moves from Hartford outward, to Connecticut, the New England region, the U.S., and the world.

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Starting Fall 2025

The Curriculum

The master of arts in urban planning consists of 10 course credits. Students must take three (3) core courses, three (3) required courses, three (3) courses toward a concentration, and a thesis or final project.

See the Trinity College Bulletin for detailed course descriptions.

Master of Arts in Urban Studies Requirements
Core Courses (3)	URST 833. Introduction to Urban Planning (Required for all students), and Two of the three courses below: URST 802. Global Cities PBPL/URST 869. Leadership in the Policy Arena PBPL/URST 860. Public Management
Required Courses (3)	Methods Requirement: URST 820. Urban Research Methods Practicum Requirement: URST 874. Public Policy Practicum Global Studio: URST 803. Urban Planning Global Studi0
Courses in Concentration (3)	Students complete a three-course sequence or concentration of related courses from among the following: URST 801. Community Development Strategies URST 805. Meds, Eds, Slot Machines and Stadiums URST 815. Urban South Asia URST 819. Affordable Housing Policies URST 821. Geographies of Transport URST 831. Reshaping Global Urbanization URST 859. Latinx Urban Activism URST 940. Independent Study URST 953. Research Project The course above among the three core course options that is not taken as a core course can also be taken as part of the concentration.
Capstone Course	URST 954, 955 or 956. Thesis, or URST 953. Research Project