Students select a planning program that best meets their needs. Some students will select a school because it is cost effective while others will select a school that combines foundational practices of the profession in ways that appeal to them. Some students will select a school that is accredited, while others will select a school that is not accredited because it satisfies other criteria that are important to them, such as being close to home and whose graduates go on to have successful careers.

Accredited Schools

Accreditation is a system for acknowledging educational institutions and professional programs that meet certain standards and practices for performance, integrity, and quality. This recognition is extended primarily through nongovernmental, voluntary associations, utilizing routine external evaluations and evidence presented by accredited programs. 

The Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) accredits planning programs in the United States that offer a bachelor’s or master’s degree in planning. The PAB’s standards are developed with input from the stakeholders in the planning community and its sponsoring organizations: the American Planning Association (APA); APA’s American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP); and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), the host of this directory.

In the U.S., 78 universities in 40* states have master’s in planning programs accredited by the  PAB, enrolling about 4,800 students, including about 15% international students.

There are also 16 accredited bachelor’s degree programs in the U.S. Thirteen of these are at schools that also offer master’s degrees. There are about 1,100 students in these programs. Schools with both bachelor’s and master’s programs in planning offer opportunities for accelerated master’s degrees.

In Canada, 17 universities in seven** provinces have master’s in planning programs accredited by the Professional Standards Board (PBS) for the Planning Profession in Canada.

There are 7 accredited bachelor’s degree programs in Canada. Five of these are at schools that offer master’s degrees. Like in the U.S., schools with both bachelor’s and master’s programs in planning offer opportunities for accelerated master’s degrees.

Degree titles

Master’s programs have many variations in their names, such as Master of Urban Planning, Master of Urban and Regional Planning, Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning, Master of Community Planning, Master of City and Regional Planning, and Master of Urban Planning and Policy. Generally, since programs must adhere to the national accreditation standards, names do not greatly influence the nature of the program. Names often reflect the program’s origin or the school or college within which it is located.

At the undergraduate level, there is also variation in the names of programs, such as a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning and a Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Planning. Depending on the school, there are opportunities to minor in related fields, such as sustainability, geography, or environmental science.

At the undergraduate level, there is also variation in the names of programs, such as a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning and a Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Planning. Depending on the school, there are opportunities to minor in related fields, such as sustainability, geography, or environmental science.

Locations within schools and colleges

Programs are housed in several types of schools and colleges, broadly grouped into four areas: art and/or design, environment, policy, and liberal arts and sciences. In many, but not all cases, the nature of the school or college may influence a school’s orientation, with some having more emphasis on planning and policy analysis, resource management, central city planning, rural planning, international planning, or sustainability planning, while others have more courses in urban design, architecture, and landscape architecture. Schools typically offer electives in all planning areas either within their programs or through partnerships across their campus with programs in other departments, schools, or colleges.

Duration of program

In the U.S., most Master’s degrees require the completion of 48 credits. There are accelerated Master’s programs, though this generally requires you to have completed an undergraduate planning degree from the same university. In Canada, the Master’s degree normally requires two years of study. There are also accelerated programs that require an undergraduate planning degree and a specified number of years of work experience as a planner.

Dual Degrees and graduate certificates

Some programs offer dual degree programs allowing you to complete two master’s degrees with fewer credits than if you did them separately. Common dual degrees include those with master’s in public health, civil engineering, public policy, public administration, business administration, law, social work, architecture, and landscape architecture. Many schools also offer graduate certificate programs in fields such as geographic information systems, real estate, and sustainability.

* Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Arkansas, West Virginia, Vermont, and Maine do not have PAB accredited planning programs.  

** New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon do not have PBS accredited planning programs.