Urban Affairs, BA

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Urban Affairs (no concentration)
Nonprofit Management Concentration
Urban Management Concentration
Urban Planning Concentration

Program Description:

Urban Affairs

Urban Affairs is an interdisciplinary program offering a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Students learn about the urban environment as a complex system. They study theories and practices of urban development processes from an interdisciplinary perspective. The program develops core competencies that include quantitative and qualitative analysis, effective communications, systems thinking, and consensus building and teamwork. The program is designed to prepare students for junior- or entry-level positions in local government and nonprofit organizations or to embark on a graduate program.

Interested students may apply for admission after meeting college admission requirements. Majors are required to complete a common core of courses and a concentration in one of three areas: Urban Management, Urban Planning, or Nonprofit Management..

Urban Affairs students are required to participate in the department’s internship program. The internship is designed to complement class work and give students experience in the professional work environment. Students interested in the internship should contact the departmental coordinator of the program or their advisor. Students currently working in a related field may have the internship requirement waived.

For further information about the program and admission criteria and procedures, students should contact the Department of Urban Affairs and Geography.

Program Requirements:

I. Wright State Core: 38 Hours

Element 1: Communication: 6 Hours

Element 2: Mathematics: 3 Hours

Element 3: Global Traditions: 6 Hours

Element 4: Arts and Humanities: 3 Hours

Element 5: Social Sciences: 6 Hours

Element 6: Natural Sciences: 8 Hours

Additional Core Courses: 6 Hours

II. Departmental Requirements: 36 Hours

Core Courses: 15 Hours

URS 3000 - Foundations of Urban Affairs Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 3300 - Ethics in Public Service Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 3450 - Public Administration Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4270 - Public Policy Analysis Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4990 - Applied Research Project Credit Hour(s): 3

Urban Affairs (no concentration): 3 Hours

URS 3100 - The American City Credit Hour(s): 3

Elective Courses: 18 Hours

Six Electives selected from:

URS 3200 - Community/Regional Planning I Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 3210 - Metropolitan Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 3460 - Public Personnel Administration Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4200 - Public Management Strategies Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4210 - Public Leadership and Change Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4230 - Public Budgeting Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4240 - Public Sector Labor Relations Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4260 - Public Administration in a Global Society Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4280 - Criminal Justice Organization and Management Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4290 - Issues in Urban Management Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4300 - Nonprofit Administration Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4310 - Philanthropy and Grantmaking Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4320 - Managing Volunteer Organizations Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4330 - Strategic Planning Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4340 - Fundraising and Grant Writing Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4390 - Issues in Nonprofit Administration Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4400 - Community and Regional Planning II Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4410 - Cities and Technology Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4420 - Public Safety Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4430 - Administrative Law Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4450 - Community Development: Principles and Practice Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4460 - Transportation Principles Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4480 - Public Works Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4490 - Issues in Metropolitan Development Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 4500 - Issues in Metropolitan Planning Credit Hour(s): 3
EC 4400 - Regional and Urban Economics Credit Hour(s): 3
GEO 4410 - Cartography Credit Hour(s): 4
GEO 4430 - Geographic Information Systems Credit Hour(s): 4
GEO 4440 - Advanced GIS Applications Credit Hour(s): 4

III. Related Requirements:

IV. Foreign Language and Research Methods: 18 Hours

Foreign Language: 12 Hours

Through 2020 level (1010, 1020, 2010, 2020) of one language:

Spanish, French, German, Greek, Latin, Chinese, Russian, Italian, Japanese, American Sign Language or other.

Methods of Inquiry

PHL 3000 - Critical Thinking Credit Hour(s): 3
URS 3980 - Quantitative Research Methods Credit Hour(s): 3

V. Electives: 30 Hours

Total: 122 Hours

Graduation Planning Strategy

The Graduation Planning Strategy (GPS) has been created to illustrate one option to complete degree requirements within a particular time frame. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to adjust this plan based on credit already earned, individual needs or curricular changes that may not be reflected in this year’s catalog.