The objective of the School is to educate and prepare professional urban planners and analysts to lead in the public and the private sectors, equipping them with the necessary intellectual and practical skills. Professional training is provided at the graduate level, leading to the degree of Master of Urban Planning (M.U.P.). The School also offers two research degrees: a Master of Science in Urban Planning, Policy and Design or a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).
Upon completion of the two-year program, M.U.P. graduates are expected to have acquired basic planning skills, a broad understanding of urban issues, and specialised knowledge in a field of their own choice. We also offer formal specialisations in Transportation Planning and in Urban Development and Urban Design, details of which are provided on the Programs page.
The M.U.P. program offered by the School is fully recognised by the Ordre des urbanistes du Québec (OUQ) and the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) by way of Canada's Professional Standards Board (PSB). Graduates of the program can become full members of these professional organisations once they have met their respective internship requirements. The School is also an associate member of the U.S.-based Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP); its students can become Student Members of the American Planning Association (APA).
The M.Sc. program prepares students as researchers, analysts, and professionals in the realm of urban planning. It can also lead to further graduate studies.
The Ph.D. program is designed to prepare students for positions of intellectual responsibility within the area of urban planning, policy, and urban studies, with a focus on applied and policy-relevant research.