Master of Urban Design

The Master of Urban Design [m.U.D.] in Sustainable Urbanism is a post-baccalaureate Urban Design degree program within the College of Architecture and Design (CoAD).  The m.U.D. is a 34 Credit Hour Master Degree which builds on existing courses, can be completed in three (3) semesters, welcomes students with diverse undergraduate degrees and backgrounds, and features a pedagogical and research emphasis that builds upon the University’s commitment to its urban and suburban context.  The m.U.D. is designed to develop a body of knowledge, skills, and experience in Urban Design with a focus on Sustainable Urbanism - a balanced and holistic systems approach to design and policy initiatives that addresses the complex environmental, economic, and social forces that effect global City + Regional form.

Why Lawrence Tech’s Master of Urban Design?

Lawrence Tech’s Master of Urban Design extends the expanding field of sustainability in architecture to the scale and context of cities and the regional environment. We look “beyond the building,” beyond the architectural aspects of current notions of sustainable design, and beyond the popularity of narrowly focused rating systems and single issues, such as energy.  Our holistic, integrated approach encompasses design, policy initiatives, and the complex environmental, economic, and social forces that affect city and regional form.

Located in regional Detroit and at the heart of the Great Lakes region, the program offers one of the most unique urban contexts for exploring sustainable urbanism.  You will be taught by a diverse faculty with impressive urban design credentials and extensive global and local connections.  You choose either a studio or thesis track, and have the flexibility to focus your study in cities of the Great Lakes region, across North America, or internationally.  You have opportunities to collaborate with faculty through research and teaching assistantships in areas such as urban spatial analysis, geodesign, blue-green-gray+white infrastructure, urban agriculture, community outreach and development, among others.

The Master of Urban Design program is designed to develop advanced knowledge, skills, abilities and experience in the growing field of sustainable urbanism.  Our graduates will:

• Know and become passionate about Cities!  As urbanists, we believe that cities are the most desirable place for human habitation: at their best – they are beautiful, equitable, and sustainable!  Students will acquire and articulate (through written, visual and oral communication skills) knowledge of cities and their respective regions and participate in the process of making sustainable places. Students will explore a variety of cities and their social, economic, and environmental systems – all within the context of sustainability - working at the scale of the city and region.

• Conceive of, Design and implement Sustainability at the Urban/Regional Scale!  Our focus is Sustainable Urbanism.  Our approach extends the expanding field of sustainability in architecture to the scale and context of cities and the regional environment. Students employ research, problem solving skills and awareness of emerging sustainable systems to create responsive and integrative urban design process and design recommendations for the urbanized environment.

• Become Leaders in the discipline/profession! Through coursework, students will lead design, development, and policy teams in the process and development of conceptual designs, design drawings, construction, policy, investment, and management of urban projects for sustainable urbanism in a global market.  Students will engage both theorists and practitioners and their professional associations and will graduate with experience in the principles and practices of sustainable urbanism.
  
  

Graduates with a degree in Urban Design can pursue careers as designers, planners, managers, and policy makers in the public, private, and non-governmental organization sectors.

Master of Urban Design - Curriculum
Master of Urban Design - Admission Requirements
Master of Urban Design in Sustainable Urbanism  

For more information, please contact the Program Coordinator:
Professor Constance Bodurow
cbodurow@ltu.edu 

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