City and Regional Planning M.R.P. (Ithaca)

Field of Study

City and Regional Planning

Program Description

The Master of Regional Planning is a multifaceted, trans-disciplinary program that prepares the next generation of change-makers for building more just, inclusive, sustainable, and joyful cities and communities. 

The M.R.P. is an accredited, two-year program that focuses on how cities and regions work, and how researchers and practitioners identify problems and their causes with an eye toward viable, lasting solutions. Critically, M.R.P. graduates learn how to develop processes, strategies, and designs that make meaningful impact and improve life in our cities and communities across the U.S. and around the world. 

Post-graduation, M.R.P. alumni work for local, regional, state, national, or international governments, community and environmental non-profit organizations, design, real estate, and technology firms, among other organizations and agencies. 

The M.R.P. has STEM designation, making international graduates eligible to extend their F-1 visas for up to three years for work in the United States.

The M.R.P. program normally requires four residence units, sixty credits, a set of core courses, and the completion of a satisfactory thesis, professional report, or research paper. At the discretion of the faculty, up to one residence unit and 15 credits may be granted, by petition after matriculation, for graduate work done elsewhere, including Cornell-supervised professional field experience.

The M.R.P. program offers many flexible pathways and students are able to gain a broad, interdisciplinary understanding of city and regional planning. They can also specialize in an area of their interest or select a concentration. The MRP program offers four concentrations.

• designing the city
• economic development planning: communities and regions
• international studies in planning
• land use and environmental planning

Concentrations are menus of options that help students in course selection. Selecting a concentration is not required. Many students craft their own area of specialization, given the flexibility of the MRP degree program. Read more.

Contact Information

Website: https://aap.cornell.edu/admissions/graduate/city-and-regional-planning
Email: crp_admissions@cornell.edu
Phone: 607 255-4376

Sibley Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY  14853

Concentrations by Subject

• designing the city (M.R.P. only)
• economic development planning: communities and regions (M.R.P. only)
• international studies in planning (M.R.P. only)
• land use and environmental planning (M.R.P. only)

Tuition

Visit the Graduate School's Tuition Rates page.

Application Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadlines:

Fall, Jan. 10; no spring admission

Requirements Summary:

Applicants to the Ph.D. program who do not hold an M.R.P. degree from a recognized program are required to first enroll in Cornell's M.R.P. program and to complete course work at least equivalent to that required for the first-year M.R.P. program. Applicants who hold a master's degree in a related field and who have had acceptable experience in planning practice will sometimes be considered for direct admission. Competence in basic analytical and research methods is required; this requirement may be fulfilled after entering the program.

• all Graduate School Requirements including the English Language Proficiency Requirement for all applicants
• two recommendations
• Resume/CV
• Note: GRE test scores are no longer required, nor accepted, for application to this program

Learning Outcomes