Master of City and Regional Planning

The mission of the Department of City and Regional Planning at UC Berkeley is to improve equity, the economy and the environment in neighborhoods, communities, cities, and metropolitan regions by creating knowledge and engagement through our teaching, research, and service. We aim to design and create cities, infrastructure, and public services that are sustainable, affordable, enjoyable, and accessible to all.

Wisely and successfully intervening in the public realm, whether locally, nationally, or globally, is a challenge. Our urban future is complex and rapidly changing. Resource scarcity and conflict, technological innovation, retrofitting of existing built environments, and social empowerment will alter the ways in which planning has conventionally been carried out.

We believe the planning academy has a special responsibility to always address social justice, equity, and ethics, to teach and research means of public participation, collective decision making, and advocacy, and to focus on reforming institutions, urban governance, policy, and planning practices to make these goals possible.

The two-year Master of City Planning (M.C.P.) program comprises a solid core of knowledge in the field of city and regional planning, including history and theory, planning skills and methods, planning law, and urban economics. The program offers the opportunity to specialize in one to two of the four concentration areas: Environmental Planning and Healthy Cities (EPHC), Housing, Community and Economic Development (HCED), Transportation Policy and Planning, and Urban Design.

Minimum requirements for admission include:

A 3.0 GPA for the last two years of undergraduate study,
Bachelor's degree from an accredited university,
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Official evidence of English language Proficiency (For applicants from countries in which the official language is not English) Other elements of your application that weigh heavy in the review process include your statemens (Statement of Purpose, Personal History Statment), letters of recommendation and work experience. Be sure to submit recommendations from individuals who know you well and can speak for the quality of your work. One or two recommendations should be submitted from people who are in position to appraise your depth of character and commitment, work effectiveness, ability to work with people and leadership potential on the job or in community activities. At least one should come from someone who can evaluate your performance in academic settings.
The two statements, as a unit, should clearly present why you are interested in a planning career, your goals, and what you hope to achieve in a Berkeley professional program. A bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution,
A grade point average of B or better (3.0),
If the applicant comes from a country or political entity (e.g., Quebec) where English is not the official language, adequate proficiency in English to do graduate work, as evidenced by a TOEFL score of at least 90 on the iBT test, 570 on the paper-and-pencil test, or an IELTS Band score of at least 7 on a 9-point scale (note that individual programs may set higher levels for any of these), and
Sufficient undergraduate training to do graduate work in the given field. Transcripts: Applicants may upload unofficial transcripts with your application for the departmental initial review. If the applicant is admitted, then official transcripts of all college-level work will be required. Letters of recommendation: Applicants may request online letters of recommendation through the online application system.