Urban and Regional Science program overview

The mission of the Ph.D. program in Urban and Regional Sciences is to develop scholars of distinguishing excellence in landscape, urban and environmental planning.

The goals of the program include creating a flagship doctoral program, based on a solid core curriculum and providing expertise in area of specialization that applies to planning, design, and/or land development problems of community, regional, national or international habitat systems. In educating professionals for research, education, and scholarship in the fields of planning, landscape architecture, and land development the program provides expertise in the research process and its application to planning, design, and/or land development issues.

The program accepts students interested in studying in one of its five concentration areas: transportation, sustainability, hazards management, health systems planning and policy, and community development and housing.

Urban and Regional Science students are participating in four research centers in the college, including the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center, the Center for Housing and Urban Development, the Center for Health Systems and Design, and the Historic Resources Imaging Laboratory. These centers continue to unite the students and faculty in active research communities. The next generation of researchers, in their respective fields, is being introduced to researchers throughout the world in related areas.

Urban and Regional Science curriculum

Students in the Urban and Regional Science program are required to take courses in four areas: research, analytic, theory, and specialty. The research, analytic, and theory areas each consist of three courses – two required of all students, as noted below, and one in the student’s area of specialization. Beyond these courses students are also required to take three to four courses in their area of specialization.

Research Area
CARC 601. Foundations
CARC 602. Methods
- Specialty Methods Course: e.g., ECON 655, GEOG 611, LAND 640, PLAN 604, PLAN 613, PHSB 605, RELM 635, SOCI 623, SOCI 624, or SOCI 633

Analytic Area
URSC 641. Analytic Methods in Landscape & Urban Research I
URSC 642. Analytic Methods in Landscape & Urban Research II
- Specialty Analytic Course: e.g., EDAD 690, PSYC 607, PSYC 671, PSYC 672, PSYC 673, or EPSY 690 or any STAT course the URSC committee approves

Theory Area
URSC 631. Foundations of Planning Thought
URSC 632. Structure and Functions of Cities and Regions
- Specialty Theory Course: e.g., ARCH 675, LAND 645, LDEV 673, LDEV 677, PLAN 631, PLAN 649, PLAN 664, POLS 646, RLEM 602, or SOCI 622

Urban and Regional Science courses

Course Listings:

PLAN...[more]      CARC...[more]     URSC...[Not Listed in the graduate catalog yet]

Please visit following links for further information:
2005 – 2006 Graduate Catalog
2005-2006 Academic Calendar

Urban and Regional Science faculty

George Rogers, Program Coordinator

Professors

Information for the Students

List of students, and profiles...[more]

Admission to the Urban and Regional Science program

Download application

Applications for admission to Texas A&M University can be downloaded from Office of Admissions and Records Web site

Mail appropriate documentation to the university

To apply, applicants must mail a completed application, official transcripts from all universities and/or colleges attended, Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score and application fee -- $50 for domestic applicants and $75 for international applicants -- to the following address.
Graduate Admissions
Texas A&M University
P.O Box 40001
College Station, Texas 77842-4001
USA
Please note: Include an e-mail address with each item submitted to Texas A&M University. DO NOT send portfolio, letters of recommendation and statement of purpose to the university address (listed directly above). GRE scores will not be waived!

Mail appropriate documents to the respective department

Mail three letters of recommendation, resume and statement of purpose to the following address.

Please note: DO NOT send application, GRE scores, TOEFL score, and application fee to the college address (listed directly above). Include an e-mail address with each item submitted to Texas A&M University.

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban and Regional Science
Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77845-3137

Important considerations

Sending application materials to the wrong address will delay the application review process.

Include an e-mail address with each item submitted to Texas A&M University.

Applications will not be processed by the TAMU Admissions Office until the application fee and all requested information -- GRE, TOEFL, transcripts, etc. -- has been received.

Applications cannot be reviewed without all necessary information: transcripts, GRE scores, TOEFL score, letters of recommendation and statement of purpose.

The application fee cannot be waived or paid for by the department.

GRE scores will not be waived.

Applicants may check their application status online at the Office of Admissions and Records Web site

Application deadlines

Fall semester - March 1

International students and those seeking financial assistance and fellowships should submit all application materials to the Admissions Office by January 1 for fall entry.

The Ph.D. program does not accept applications for Spring admission.

For program information, please contact the graduate program coordinator for the Doctor of Urban and Regional Science (URSC Program Brochure)

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban and Regional Science
Dr. George O. Rogers
rogers@archmail.tamu.edu
(979) 845-7284
Room: Langford A 308

Financing Education

Your education is an investment of your time and money. At this time in your life it is likely the largest investment you will make. The University’s Department of Student Financial Aid offers information regarding applying for financial aid, finding a job on or off campus, managing your finances, and other resources designed to help you achieve your goal of attaining a graduate degree.

Urban and Regional Science scholarships and fellowships

Scholarships and fellowships are available at the University, College, Department, and Program level. Please see the University’s Department of Student Financial Aid for information regarding University-level scholarships. Information about other scholarships and fellowships can be found below.

Department Scholarships

URSC – Wolfgang Roeseler Scholarship in Urban and Regional Science
Funds donated by Eva Roeseler in memory of her husband, Wolfgang Roeseler; to be awarded to a US citizen who is an outstanding and worthy Ph.D Candidate in the Urban and Regional Science Program.

URSC – Jesus Hinojosa Endowed Scholarship in Urban Planning
Established by George Rogers; awarded to a student in good standing pursuing a graduate degree from the department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning.
$1,000 Scholarship

College-Wide Scholarship

Rotates to every department in the College of Architecture.

Undergraduate or Graduate student - R. Joseph Reeves Endowed Memorial Scholarship - Endowed by the Roy T. Reeves Family Trust; awarded to a graduate or undergraduate student in the College of Architecture in good academic standing.

Colonel James E. Ray '63 Endowed Scholarship - Established by alumni, colleagues and friends to recognize the accomplishments of Colonel James E. Ray '63; awarded on a rotating basis to a full-time student in one of the three College of Architecture departments. The award is based on academic achievement, extracurricular activities and financial need.

Resources for Students...[more]

Urban and Regional Science career information

More graduates are going into academic positions than ever before. Placement in universities and international universities continues to improve. In 2004, the proportion of graduates known to be in academic settings increased to 40 to 45 percent. Since the visit in 2001 we have placed graduates at seven academic settings in the U.S and four internationally. The domestic universities include University of Texas at Arlington, Brigham Young University, Kansas State University, University of Arkansas, and Texas A&M University.

Urban and Regional Science student organization

The Urban and Regional Science Student Organization (URSSO) provides a supportive atmosphere for Ph.D. students in the program. They arrange presentations by faculty and students on research subjects as well as topics related to academia in general. Social events are also part of the student organization’s purview...[more]

Urban and Regional Science links

Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning
Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture

Urban and Regional Science Program-Related Achievements

As noted in the chart below, an increasing number of graduates from the URSC program are going on to positions at universities. These positions are at a wide variety of universities around the nation and around the world including Brigham Young University, The University of Texas at Arlington, King Abdulaziz University, Andong National University, and National Taiwan University of Science.

Some graduates opt to work in strictly research positions such as at the Texas Transportation Institute or for private consulting or law firms. A graduate of the program, Dr. Katherine Turnbull, is presently the Associate Director at the nationally recognized Texas Transportation Institute.