Urban Studies and Planning
College of Health and Social Sciences
Dean: Dr. Alvin Alvarez
School of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement
Director: Jasper Rubin
Urban Studies and Planning Program
HSS 210
Phone: (415) 338-1178
Fax: (415) 405-0771
Website: http://dusp.sfsu.edu/
Program Coordinator: Elizabeth Brown
Program Scope
The Department of Urban Studies and Planning offers two programs: The Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and Planning and a Minor in Urban Studies and Planning. The B.A. is designed to prepare students for a wide range of urban planning and policy careers. The minor is designed to complement a wide range of SF State majors by offering students an opportunity to develop competence in urban planning and policy. The major and the minor are founded upon the conviction that urban universities have unique opportunities as well as responsibilities to help shape the future of city life.
Career Outlook
The USP program has been fortunate in attracting talented and motivated students whose central concern is to make our cities more livable, humane, and sustainable. These students have made important contributions as interns and researchers and as alumni; they have gone on to work as planners, analysts, and managers in private, non-profit, and public organizations throughout the region and beyond. Urban studies and planning alumni are employed in planning departments, housing and community development corporations, transportation planning agencies, health and social service organizations, private consulting firms, environmental organizations, real estate firms, general public management positions, and political organizations. The network of contacts maintained by the department with alumni provides solid evidence of the job opportunities available to Urban Studies and Planning graduates and their continuing contributions to the larger community and offers an invaluable resource to new graduates as they begin their job search.
A copy of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning Advising Handbook and further information about the major and minor can be found on the department’s website at http://dusp.sfsu.edu/
Professor
AYSE PAMUK (2000), Professor of Urban Studies and Planning; B.C.P. (1984), Middle East Technical University; M.S. (1987), Aegean University; M.C.P. (1989), Ph.D. (1994), University of California, Berkeley.
RAQUEL RIVERA PINDERHUGES (1992), Professor of Urban Studies and Planning; B.A. (1979), City University of New York; M.A. (1983), Ph.D. (1987), Graduate Center of New York.
Associate Professor
M. JASPER RUBIN (2007), Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning; B.A. (1988), University of Wisconsin-Madison; M.A. (1995) University of Maryland; Ph.D. (2003), University of Maryland.
TONY SPARKS (2012), Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning; B.A. (1998), University of Washington; M.A. (2002), Claremont Graduate University; Ph.D. (2009), University of Washington.
Lecturer
Silverman
USP 200 Changing Cities (Units: 3)
Changing cities in a global world. Multi-disciplinary social science perspectives on city life. Social, cultural, and ethnic diversity. Metropolitan regions. Strategies for creating social justice and environmental sustainability. Experiencing the city.
(This course is offered as USP 200 and SOC 200. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- D1: Social Sciences
- Social Justice
USP 400 Dynamics of the American City (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: GE Areas A1, A2, A3, B4, and E; or consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as USP 400 and HIST 489. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
- UD-D: Social Sciences
- Social Justice
USP 401GW Seminar in Urban Studies and Planning - GWAR (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Urban Studies and Planning majors and minors; GE Area A2; or consent of the instructor.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
- Graduation Writing Assessment
USP 402 Introduction to Planning History and Theory (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 432 Urban Geography (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
(This course is offered as GEOG 432 and USP 432. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
- Environmental Sustainability
- Global Perspectives
USP 433 Urban Transportation (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as GEOG 433 and USP 433. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 456 Urban Community Organizing and Citizen Action (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Social Work and Urban Studies and Planning majors; S W 400, S W 401, S W 402; or consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as S W 456 and USP 456. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 470 City in a Global Society (Units: 4)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; completion of GE Areas A and B4.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 475 Selected Issues in Urban Studies (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 480 Introduction to Urban Policy and Analysis (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
(This course is offered as PLSI 480 and USP 480. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 485 San Francisco Political Issues (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
(This course is offered as PLSI 475 and USP 485. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 492 Research Methods (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing.
(This course is offered as USP 492 and PLSI 492. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 493 Data Analysis (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: PLSI 492/USP 492 or equivalent.
(This course is offered as PLSI 493 and USP 493. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 512 Urban Politics and Community Power (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as PLSI 512 and USP 512. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 513 Politics, Law, and the Urban Environment (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as USP 513, GEOG 668, and PLSI 513. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 514 Sustainable Development in Cities (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
- Environmental Sustainability
- Social Justice
USP 515 Environmental Justice: Race, Poverty, and the Environment (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as USP 515 and GEOG 667. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
- Environmental Sustainability
- Global Perspectives
- Social Justice
USP 530 Alternative Urban Futures (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 535 Urban Economics (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as ECON 535 and USP 535. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 555 Urban Anthropology (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; USP 400 or one course in cultural anthropology.
(This course is offered as ANTH 555 and USP 555. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 557 Ethnography of Urban Inequality (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
(This course is offered as ANTH 557 and USP 557. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 560 Urban Poverty and Policy (Units: 4)
Prerequisites: GE Areas A1, A2, A3, and B4 or consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as USP 560 and PLSI 560. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
- UD-D: Social Sciences
- Social Justice
USP 565 Social Policy and Family Systems (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 570 Urban Health Policy (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
(This course is offered as USP 570, LABR 570, and PLSI 570. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 580 Housing Policy and Planning (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: GE Areas A1, A2, A3, and B4 or consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as USP 580 and PLSI 580. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
- UD-D: Social Sciences
- Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
- Global Perspectives
- Social Justice
USP 603 Public Service Internships (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; concurrent enrollment in PLSI 604; consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as PLSI 603 and USP 603. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 604 Internship Seminar (Unit: 1)
Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; concurrent enrollment in PLSI 603.
(This course is offered as PLSI 604 and USP 604. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 651 San Francisco Bay Area Environmental Issues (Units: 4)
Prerequisites: GE Areas A1, A2, A3, and B4 or consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as GEOG 651 and USP 651. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
- UD-B: Physical Life Science
- Environmental Sustainability
USP 652 Environmental Impact Analysis (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: GEOG 205 or ENVS 224 or consent of the instructor.
(This course is offered as GEOG 652 and USP 652. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 658 Land-Use Planning (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
(This course is offered as GEOG 658 and USP 658. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 680 Senior Seminar (Units: 4)
Prerequisites: Senior Urban Studies majors; USP 401GW, USP 603, USP 604, USP 658 or USP 480, USP 492, and USP 493; or consent of the instructor.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 681 Senior Thesis (Units: 4)
Prerequisites: Restricted to senior Urban Studies and Planning majors and minors; USP 401GW, USP 492, USP 493, USP 480 or USP 658, USP 604, or consent of the instructor.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 685 Projects in the Teaching of Urban Studies (Units: 1-4)
Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor and completion of course (or equivalent) in which student will be assisting.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 686 Field Work in Urban Studies (Units: 1-4)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division
USP 699 Independent Study (Units: 1-4)
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
Course Attributes:
- Upper-Division