Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and Planning Roadmap
120 Total Units Required
Minimum Number of Units in the Major: 43
This roadmap is a suggested plan of study and does not replace meeting with an advisor. Please note that students may need to adjust the actual sequence of courses based on course availability. Please consult an advisor in your major program for further guidance.
| First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 114 | Writing the First Year: Finding Your Voice (A2) 1 | 3 |
| GE Area A 2 | 3 | |
| GE Area C | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 3 | 6 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| GE Area A | 3 | |
| GE Area B: Quantitative Reasoning (B4) 4 | 3 | |
| GE Area C | 3 | |
| GE Area D | 3 | |
| GE Area E | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| GE Area B: Physical Science (B1) and Laboratory Science (B3) 5 | 3-4 | |
| GE Area C | 3 | |
| GE Area D | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective – Take Two 3 | 6 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| GE Area B: Life Science (B2) and Laboratory Science (B3) 5 | 3-4 | |
| GE Area F ± | 3 | |
| U.S. and California Government | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective – Take Two 3 | 6 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Fifth Semester | ||
| USP 401GW | Seminar in Urban Studies and Planning - GWAR (Major Core) | 3 |
| USP/PLSI 492 | Research Methods (Major Core) | 4 |
| Major Elective (20-22 units total) On Advisement - Take One or Two 6 | 4-6 | |
| GE Area UD-D: Upper-Division Social Sciences | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 3 | 2 | |
| Units | 16-18 | |
| Sixth Semester | ||
| USP/PLSI 493 | Data Analysis (Major Core) | 4 |
| Major Elective (20-22 units total) On Advisement - Take Two or Three 6 | 8 | |
| GE Area UD-C: Upper-Division Arts and/or Humanities | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Seventh Semester | ||
| Select One (Major Core) | 4 | |
| Introduction to Urban Policy and Analysis | ||
| Land-Use Planning | ||
| USP 603 & USP 604 |
Public Service Internships and Internship Seminar (Major Core) |
4 |
| GE Area UD-B: Upper-Division Physical and/or Life Sciences | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Units | 14 | |
| Eighth Semester | ||
| Select One (Major Core): | 4 | |
| Senior Seminar | ||
| Senior Thesis | ||
| Major Elective (20-22 units total) On Advisement - Take Two or Three 6 | 8 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Total Units | 120-124 | |
- 1
ENG 114 can only be taken if you complete Directed Self-Placement (DSP) and select ENG 114; if you choose ENG 104/ENG 105 through DSP you will satisfy A2 upon successful completion of ENG 105 in the second semester; multilingual students may be advised into alternative English courses.
- 2
To avoid taking additional units, it is recommended that you meet the SF State Studies (AERM, GP, ES, SJ) requirements within your GE or major.
- 3
Complementary Studies
Students completing a Bachelors of Arts in Urban Studies and Planning must complete 12 units in complementary courses bearing a prefix other than USP, and not cross-listed with USP. The units used to satisfy Complementary Studies may be in a minor (or a partial minor if the minor requires more than 12 units), a foreign language, or a coherent group of courses from the following departments/college: Political Science, Geography, History, Sociology, Environmental Studies, Economics, and the departments in the College of Ethnic Studies. All Complementary Studies units must be approved by an advisor in the major.Any courses with prefixes other than USP or cross-listed with USP that can be counted toward the major can also count toward the Complementary Studies Requirement.
- 4
To determine the best B4 course option, students should complete the online advising activity at mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
- 5
Consider taking a class combined with a laboratory or a separate lab to fulfill B3 if not already satisfied.
- 6
Electives (20-22 units)
GEOG 435 Geography of Global Transportation (4 units)
USP 400/HIST 489 Dynamics of the American City (3 units) (UD-D, SJ)
USP 402 Introduction to Planning History and Theory (3 units)
USP 432/GEOG 432 Urban Geography (4 units) (ES, GP)
USP 433/GEOG 433 Urban Transportation (4 units)
USP 456/S W 456 Urban Community Organizing and Citizen Action (3 units)
USP 470/SOC 480 City in a Global Society (4 units)
USP 480/PLSI 480 Introduction to Urban Policy and Analysis (4 units)
USP 485/PLSI 475 San Francisco Political Issues (4 units)
USP 512/PLSI 512 Urban Politics and Community Power (4 units)
USP 513/PLSI 513/GEOG 668 Politics, Law, and the Urban Environment (4 units)
USP 514 Sustainable Development in Cities (4 units) (ES, SJ)
USP 515/GEOG 667 Environmental Justice: Race, Poverty, and the Environment (4 units) (ES, GP, SJ)
USP 530 Alternative Urban Futures (3 units)
USP 535/ECON 535 Urban Economics (3 units)
USP 555/ANTH 555 Urban Anthropology (3 units)
USP 560/PLSI 560 Urban Poverty and Policy (4 units) (UD-D, SJ)
USP 565 Social Policy and Family Systems (4 units)
USP 570/LABR 570/PLSI 570 Urban Health Policy (3 units)
USP 580/PLSI 580 Housing Policy and Planning (3 units) (UD-D, AERM, GP, SJ)
USP 652/GEOG 652 Environmental Impact Analysis (4 units)
USP 658/GEOG 658 Land-Use Planning (4 units)
USP 685 Projects in the Teaching of Urban Studies (1-4 units)
USP 686 Field Work in Urban Studies (1-4 units)
USP 699 Independent Study (1-4 units)
- ±
Given catalog rights, fall 2023 transfer students do not need to complete an Area F course.