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University of Southern California

Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies and Planning (BSUSP)

BSUSP Curriculum (2025 and Later)

To view course titles and descriptions, visit the USC Catalogue here.

Pre-major Requirements

Students must complete the pre-major requirements. A minimum grade of C, 2.0 (A=4.0), must be earned in each of the pre-major couress. All pre-major requirements must be taken for a letter grade. Pre-Major courses do not have to be completed prior to declaring the USP major. 

  • MATH 117 – Introduction to Mathematics for Business and Economics
  • PPD 203 – Economic Analysis for Public Policy (or ECON 203 – Principles of Microeconomics

Core Curriculum (36 units)

Includes 2-units of internship

  • PPD 227 Planning for the Future City – 4 units (Fall)
  • PPD 245g The Urban Context – 4 units (Fall, Spring)
  • PPD 300 Social Justice Issues in Public Policy and Urban Planning- 4 units (Fall, Spring)
  • PPD 301 PPD Practices: Internship Seminar – 2 units (Fall, Spring, Summer)
  • PPD 345 AI and Urban Planning- 2 units (Irregular)
  • PPD 346 Equitable Urban Design – 4 units (Irregular)
  • PPD 427L Geographic Information Systems and Planning Applications- 4 units (Spring)
  • PPD 430 Urban Informatics- 4 units (Fall)
  • RED 417 History of Planning and Development – 4 units (Fall or Spring)
  • RED 425 Designing Livable Communities- 4 units (Fall or Spring)

Urban Studies and Planning Core (20 units)

(16 units of specializations courses, 4 units of Price electives)

Select one of the following specializations:

  • Transforming Transportation 
  • Housing and Community Development
  • Climate Change and Urban Planning

For the first transforming transportation and housing and community development specializations, one course is required, and two additional courses are taken as part of the required specialization units. For the climate change specialization, students will select courses in consultation with their adviser.

Specialization 1: Transforming Transportation
Required:

PPD 360 Urban Transportation Planning and Policy Units: 4

Additional electives are selected in consultation with the adviser or selected from the below list:

PPD 348 Sustainable Infrastructure Units: 4
PPD 422 Transportation Data and Automation Units: 4
RED 351 Land Use Regulation Units: 4

Specialization 2: Housing and Community Development
Required:

PPD 439 Housing and Community Development Units: 4

Additional electives are selected in consultation with the adviser or selected from the below list:

PPD 347 Housing Affordability and Equity Units: 4
PPD 357 Government and Business Units: 4
PPD 414 Community Health Policy and Planning Units: 4
PPD 438 Local Economic Development Units: 4
RED 351 Land Use Regulation Units: 4
RED 362 Real Estate Development Fundamentals Units: 4

Specialization 3: Climate Change and Urban Planning

Courses are selected in consultation with the adviser:

PPD 344 Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development Units: 4
PPD 361 Sustainable Communities, Policy and Planning Units: 4
PPD 410 Comparative Urban Development Units: 4
PPD 478 Social Innovation Units: 4

Additional Requirements

Cross-cutting Topics Courses

Students will be required to take 4 units of cross-cutting topics courses (PPD 400), preferably in junior year after they have completed the core curriculum.

Capstone

All students will take 4 units of a capstone experience during their senior year. This may be fulfilled by taking PPD 431 Undergraduate Policy, Planning, and Development Studio (4) or PPD 497a Senior Thesis, PPD 497b Senior Thesis (2-2). Students wishing to enroll in PPD 497a, PPD 497b must have a 3.7 GPA in PPD courses and an overall 3.5 GPA.

Internships

PPD 301 – PPD Practices: Internship Seminar – 2-units (fall, spring, summer)
Urban Studies and Planning majors are required to complete 140 hours of internship by enrolling in PPD 301.

PPD 301 and the internship in a position provide numerous opportunities to develop and formulate future career goals, as well as to gain personal and professional experience while completing the undergraduate degree.

Honors

Price School honors are available at graduation to qualified PPD majors and result in a special designation of departmental honors on a student’s transcript. Achievement of PPD honors requires a 3.7 GPA in PPD major courses and a 3.5 overall GPA as well as nomination by the professor in the capstone experience. In addition, students must earn an A in their capstone course (PPD 497a, PPD 497b or PPD 431).

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