Urban Studies is an interdisciplinary approach to understanding cities, including their historical, social, cultural, economic and political contexts and processes. It includes both theoretical or descriptive approaches to the city and urban life and applied or practical approaches to urban planning, historic preservation and urban policy making. Urban studies also addresses urban problems including housing, education, suburbanization, segregation, gentrification, crime, public space, and others. Urban studies recognizes that cities are distinctive places to live and work and that urban life produces particular opportunities and issues.
The Urban Studies minor allows University of Mary Washington students to explore the particular dynamics of cities from an interdisciplinary framework. It emphasizes breadth. Students interested in obtaining a minor in Urban Studies should contact the program director or one of the affiliated faculty.
Minor Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following introductory classes: | 3 | |
| Planning History and Practice | ||
| Introduction to Planning | ||
| Cities | ||
| Select one of the following capstone classes: 1 | 3-4 | |
| Public Sociology | ||
| Laboratory in Preservation Planning | ||
| Senior Seminar in Geography 2 | ||
| Select four electives in two different disciplines, with at least three at the 300-level or beyond 3 | 12-13 | |
| Total Credits | 18-20 | |
- 1
Students can fulfill the capstone requirement with a 3-credit independent study or a 3-credit senior or honors thesis with the approval of the instructor and the Director of the program.
- 2
Only specific GEOG 490 courses count. These include GEOG 490U (Policing the Planet), 490W (Revanchist City, Rebel City), and 490X (Suburbs)
- 3
One 3-credit Individual Study course may be substituted for one of the elective courses with the approval of the instructor and the Director of the minor program. One 3-credit internship can be substituted for one of the elective courses with the approval of a faculty sponsor and the Director of the minor program. One 3-credit study abroad class can be substituted for one of the elective courses with the approval of a faculty sponsor and the Director of the minor program.
Electives for Urban Studies Minor
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AMST 203 | American Protest | 3 |
| ANTH 211 | Race in Global Perspective | 3 |
| ANTH 309 | Anthropology of Art | 3 |
| ANTH 344 | Urban Theory & Ethnography | 3 |
| ARTH 311 | Roman Art | 3 |
| ARTH 355 | Modern Architecture | 3 |
| CLAS 103 | Ideas and Culture: The Ancient Greek World | 3 |
| CLAS 105 | Ideas and Culture: The Ancient Roman World | 3 |
| CLAS 302 | Democracy and Revolution in Ancient Athens | 3 |
| CLAS 318 | Ancient Slavery and Its Legacy | 3 |
| CLAS 390 | The Ancient City | 3 |
| ECON 351C | Poverty, Affluence, and Equality | 3 |
| ECON 352 | Labor Economics | 3 |
| EESC 326 | Pollution Prevention Planning | 3 |
| EESC 330 | Environmental Regulations | 3 |
| GEOG 231 | Introduction to Planning | 3 |
| GEOG 236 | Globalization and Local Development | 3 |
| GEOG 237 | Cities | 3 |
| GEOG 331 | Race and Place in America | 3 |
| GEOG 337 | The Nature of Cities | 3 |
| GEOG 490 | Senior Seminar in Geography 2 | 3 |
| HISP 209 | Planning History and Practice | 3 |
| HISP 324 | Urban Design | 3 |
| HISP 469 | Laboratory in Preservation Planning | 3 |
| HISP 470 | Historic Preservation Abroad | 3 |
| HIST 308 | US Labor History | 3 |
| HIST 310 | US Urban History | 3 |
| SOCG 313 | Urban Sociology | 3 |
| SOCG 336 | Community Power | 3 |
| SOCG 475 | Public Sociology | 4 |
Additional classes from American Studies, Anthropology, Geography, Historic Preservation, History, Sociology, and other disciplines will count with the approval of the Program Coordinator.