Ball State University

About Ball State University

We excel at providing students with hands-on studio-based education, mentorship opportunities with faculty and alumni, and an excellent grounding in the technical skills and theory that shapes a planning approach to problem solving. We believe that planners are practical idealists, seeking to make cities, towns and rural places more resilient, socially just, aesthetically enjoyable, and democratic. Students in our program are immersed in the challenges and opportunities facing mid-western cities, often partnering with local units of government to create plans, conduct research, or engage in development projects. Our graduates work in all 50 states and around the world.

Points of Distinction

We boast a 96% job placement rate in the Planning fields because of our strength in professional development through portfolio reviews, mock interviews and internship program, along with our active alumni network. Students gain experience and knowledge through strong faculty engagement in academic and professional planning issues, many studio classes (3 grad, 5 undergrad), a field study each year, and class projects that strengthen relationships with communities. Bachelors: Common first year with architecture and landscape architecture. Masters: Dual degree opportunities in Urban Design, Historic Preservation and more. Real Estate Development: minor and grad certificate, taught by practitioners.

Degrees & Programs

Master's Degree
Degree Name	Masters of Urban and Regional Planning
Degree accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board:	Yes
Minimum GPA	3.0
Minimum GRE	GRE not required
Minimum TOEFL	79
Minimum IELTS	6.5
Year this program started	1975
In-state tuition per year	$8,118
Out-of-state tuition per year	$22,194
Application deadline	Two weeks before the start of each term for domestic students. International students should consult Ball State admissions web pages for deadline information and assistance.
Financial aid and scholarship deadline	March 1 for priority consideration for fall graduate assistantships.
Students in program	15-20
Full-time equivalent student:faculty ratio	9:1

Bachelor's Degree
Degree Name	Bachelor of Urban Planning and Development
Degree accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board:	Yes
Minimum GPA	Admission into the college's common first-year program uses a holistic assessment. The average GPA at admission is 3.7
Minimum ACT	test optional; average score is 25
Minimum SAT	test optional; average score is 1280
In-state tuition per year	$8,688
Out-of-state tuition per year	$26,696
Application deadline	Rolling admission until maximum capacity is reached. Students must apply to both the university and to the Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning. Applying before Dec. 31 is highly recommended.
Financial aid and scholarship deadline	December 1 is the cutoff for priority consideration for the following fall term.
Students in program	Close to 200 students are admitted into the college's first-year program each year. Students choose a major -- urban planning, architecture, or landscape architecture -- at the end of their first year of common studies. The planning department itself has about 50 undergraduate students in total.
Full-time equivalent student:faculty ratio	12:1