The combined degree program is intended to help civil engineering, geography, environmental studies and kinesiology and health studies students who want an accelerated professional degree in urban and regional planning. This combined degree program makes it possible for these students to finish their Bachelors and MPL degrees in less time than it would take by pursuing the degrees independently.
Other combined degrees are in discussion with other engineering departments.
School of Urban and Regional Planning and Department of Civil Engineering Combined Degree Program
Background
The combined degree program is intended to help engineering students who want a fast-track second professional degree in urban and regional planning. The combined degree program makes it possible for civil engineering students to finish their B.Sc. and M.PL. degrees in less time than it would take by pursuing the degrees independently.
Civil engineering and city planning have been closely related fields for a very long time. Engineers tend to focus on the design, construction and environmental impact of large projects while planners consider their location, the rationale for building them, and their contribution to social welfare. It is quite natural, therefore, to consider the integration of the two related fields. Indeed, most city planners up until the late 1960s were either civil engineers or architects. Today city and regional planning is a much broader field and people with different backgrounds are needed for the different work that is done by planners. The multi-disciplinary dimensions of city planning provide students with a breadth of options to pursue in their studies.
Having both the engineering and planning degrees offers the practical advantage of increasing professional qualifications that will broaden employment prospects. People with both degrees may pursue careers in municipal or provincial governments as well as in consulting practice. The skills gained by taking both programs will prepare graduates for work in municipal engineering, public utilities, transportation, environmental infrastructure and urban development. A number of planning graduates who have civil engineering backgrounds have found responsible and rewarding positions in municipal governments, public utilities and consulting practices across Canada.
The combined degree program allows students to finish the M.PL. degree requirements in about 15 months after receiving their engineering degree provided they take two of their engineering electives in planning and an additional two planning courses while they are still in the civil engineering program.
Academic Requirements
Eligible students from Civil Engineering can get a Master of Planning degree by extending their studies 15 months instead of the usual two years. Successful applicants to the fast-track program will be expected to have taken four Planning courses (all half-term courses) during their fourth year in Civil Engineering:
- Two SURP courses would be taken as technical electives as part of the civil engineering program.
- Two other SURP courses would be taken as "courses additional to program". This increase in your fourth-year workload can help you save one academic year in the Master's degree program.
- There will be no extra fees because the number of courses per term (five as part of civil program plus one "course additional to program") is within the band prescribed for standard fees.
Candidates who are accepted into the program may need to take summer courses on campus in a related field followed by two intensive terms of coursework. Their Master's report can be an extension of their undergraduate thesis. Professors in the School of Urban and Regional Planning can help you refine your engineering thesis topic. It would be ideal to do the engineering part of the thesis for the engineering degree and then continue the work as a professional report in the School of Urban and Regional Planning.
The combined program is suited to highly-motivated students who have approximately first-class standing (A-; 80% average; 3.7 GPA) in the last year of study. The combination of planning and engineering skill will be especially useful for those hoping to work in public utilities, city or municipal engineering, transportation, environmental infrastructure and urban development.
Possible Thesis/Master's Report Topics
- Urban development and storm runoff
- Flood plain mapping and implications on property values
- Lake carrying capacity for shore-line development
- Development densities and their implications on infrastructure
- Environmental assessments
- Landfills and the NIMBY syndrome
- "New Urbanism" and infrastructure needs, especially roads
- Water pricing
- Demand management of environmental infrastructure such as water and sewer
- Transit-supportive land use planning in a suburban setting
- Alternative municipal infrastructure development standards
- Transportation planning for pedestrians / Pedestrians and urban design
- Traffic engineering for bicycle commuting
- Traffic engineering for New Urbanism
- The historical evolution of Canadian suburban road standards
- The historical evolution of CMHC site planning standards for infrastructure
Have a Question?
If you think you might be interested, please contact Professor David Gordon (533-6000 ext.77063) about the program. Making the decision early offers the advantage of letting you select a fourth-year thesis topic that can be continued in the Planning program.
School of Urban and Regional Planning and Geography Department Combined Degree Program
Background
The combined degree program is intended to help geography students who want a fast-track professional degree in urban and regional planning. The combined degree program makes it possible for geography students to finish their BAH / BSCH and MPL. degrees in less time than it would take to pursue the degrees independently.
Geography and city planning are related fields. Geographers often consider the spatial implications of urban and regional issues and have a special focus on place. It is quite natural, therefore, to consider the integration of the two related fields. Today urban and regional planning is a broad field and people with different backgrounds are needed for the different work that is done by planners. The multi-disciplinary dimensions of urban planning provide students with a breadth of options to pursue in their studies.
Having both geography and planning degrees offers the practical advantage of increasing professional qualifications that will broaden employment prospects. The skills gained by taking both programs will prepare graduates for work in urban planning, GIS, transportation, environmental studies, social planning and urban development. Many planning graduates who have geography backgrounds have found responsible and rewarding positions in municipal or provincial governments, and consulting practices across Canada.
The combined degree program allows students to finish the M.PL. degree requirements in about 15 months after receiving their Geography degree provided they take two of their Geography electives in planning and an additional two planning courses while they are still in the Geography program.
Academic Requirements
The combined degree program is suited to highly motivated students who have at least a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5 in Geography courses in the previous year. The combination of planning and geography skills will be especially useful for those hoping to work in urban planning, GIS, transportation, environmental studies, social planning and urban development. Students are required to maintain at least a GPA of 3.50 in Geography courses and at least a GPA of 3.30 in Planning courses.
Description
Eligible students from Geography can get a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (M.Pl.) degree by extending their studies 15 months instead of the usual two years. Successful applicants to the fast-track program will be expected to have taken four Planning courses (all 3.0 units) during their third and/or fourth year in Geography:
- Two SURP courses would be taken as electives towards your Geography degree program*.
- Two other SURP courses would be taken as "courses additional to program鈥. This increase in your fourth-year workload can help save almost one academic year in the Master's degree program.
Students who are interested in this program should aim to complete at least 15.0 units of coursework per term throughout the duration of their program to maintain a manageable workload. Students taking GPHY 401, 402, 403, 415 may find it advantageous to develop a topic related to Urban and Regional Planning.
*If circumstances require you to withdraw/discontinue with this program then these courses will not be counted as electives in your Geography degree program.
Have a Question?
If you think you might be interested, please contact Professor John Meligrana (john.meligrana@queensu.ca )613-533-6000 ext. 77145) or Professor Ian Strachan (ian.strachan@queensu.ca (613-533-6033) about the program. Making the decision early offers the advantage of letting you select a fourth-year thesis topic that can be continued in the Planning program.
School of Urban and Regional Planning and School of Kinesiology and Health Studies Combined Degree Program
Background
The combined degree program is intended to help undergraduate Kinesiology and Health Studies students who want a fast-track to a graduate professional degree in urban and regional planning. The combined degree program makes it possible for undergraduate Kinesiology and Health Studies students to finish their BA/BSc and MPL degrees in less time than it would take to pursue the degrees independently.
Health and city planning are related fields that started to interact during the sanitation era of the early 20th century to control of infectious diseases, and in recent decades through the healthy communities movement. SKHS graduates often consider the health implications of urban and regional planning, by considering how local environmental conditions shape the prevalence and risk of health and social problems such as obesity, physical inactivity, respiratory diseases, social exclusion, food and housing insecurity, and poverty. Today, urban and regional planning is a broad professional field and people with different backgrounds are needed for the different work that is done by planners. The multi-disciplinary dimensions of urban planning provide students with a breadth of options to pursue in their studies.
Having both the kinesiology/health studies and planning degrees offers the practical advantage of increasing professional qualifications that will broaden employment prospects. The skills gained by taking both programs will prepare graduates for work in urban planning, health agencies, active transportation, environmental studies, social planning and urban development. Many planning graduates who have health backgrounds have found responsible and rewarding positions in municipal or provincial governments, and consulting practices across Canada.
The combined degree program allows students to finish the MPl degree requirements in about 15 months after receiving their undergraduate kinesiology or health studies degree, provided they take four graduate-level planning courses as part of their degree plan electives.
Academic Requirements
The combined program is suited to highly motivated students who have at least an 80% grade average in Kinesiology/Health Studies courses in the previous year. The combination of planning and health skills will be especially useful for those hoping to work in urban planning, public health, active transportation, environmental studies, social planning and urban development. Students are required to maintain at least an 鈥楢鈥 average in Health courses and at least a 鈥楤+鈥 in Planning courses.
Description
Eligible undergraduate students from SKHS can get a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MPl) degree by extending their studies 15 months instead of the usual two years. Successful applicants to the fast-track program will be expected to have taken four Planning courses (all half-term courses) during their third and/or fourth year in SKHS. These courses will count as electives in the Kinesiology/Health Studies degree plan.
This increase in your third and fourth-year workload can help save almost one academic year in the Master's degree program.
Students taking an Honours seminar in Health Studies may find it advantageous to develop a topic related to urban and regional planning.
Have a Question?
If you think you might be interested in the program, please contact:
- Anna van der Meulen (613-533-6000 ext. 74685; email: skhsug@queensu.ca)
- Professor Patricia Collins (613-533-6000 ext. 75060; email: patricia.collins@queensu.ca)
- Professor David Gordon, Director (613-533-6000 ext. 77063; email: david.gordon@queensu.ca)
School of Urban and Regional Planning and School of Environmental Studies Combined Degree Program
Background
The accelerated degree program is intended to help undergraduate Environmental Studies students who want a fast-track to a graduate professional degree in urban and regional planning. The accelerated degree program makes it possible for undergraduate Environmental Studies students to finish their BSc and Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MPL) degrees in less time than it would take to pursue the degrees independently.
City planning and environmental studies are related fields that started to interact in the early 20th century around the conservation movement and more recently around landscape ecology and healthy communities. SES graduates often consider the environmental implications of urban and regional problems and have a special focus on environmental issues such as sustainable development and climate change. It is quite natural, therefore, to consider the integration of the two related fields. Today, urban and regional planning is a broad professional field and people with different backgrounds are needed for the different work that is done by planners. The multi-disciplinary dimensions of urban planning provide students with a breadth of options to pursue in their studies within the Queen鈥檚 MPL degree, which is accredited by the Professional Standards Board of the Canadian Institute of Planners.
Having both the Environmental Studies and MPL degrees offers the practical advantage of increasing professional qualifications that will broaden employment prospects. The skills gained by taking both programs will prepare graduates for work in urban planning, health agencies, active transportation, environmental studies, social planning and urban development. Many planning graduates who have environmental backgrounds have found responsible and rewarding positions in municipal or provincial governments, and consulting practices across Canada.
The accelerated degree program allows students to finish the M.PL. degree requirements in about 15 months after receiving their BSc in Environmental Studies, provided they take four graduate-level planning courses as part of their degree plan electives.
Academic Requirements
The accelerated program is suited to highly motivated students who have at least an 80% grade average in Environmental Studies courses in the previous year. The combination of planning and environmental skills will be especially useful for those hoping to work in regional planning, conservation, environmental assessment, social planning and urban development. Students are required to maintain at least an 鈥楢鈥 average in SES courses and at least a 鈥楤+鈥 in Planning courses.
Description
Eligible students from the undergraduate Environmental Studies program in SES can get a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (M.Pl.) degree by extending their studies 15 months instead of the usual two years. Successful applicants to the fast-track program will be expected to have taken four Planning courses (all half-term courses) during their third and/or fourth year in SES. These courses will count as electives in the Environmental Studies degree plan
This increase in your third and fourth-year workload can help save almost one academic year in the Master's degree program. Students accepted into the combined degree program are required to submit a formal application to the Master of Urban and Regional Planning (M.Pl.) program as soon as the School of Graduate Studies admissions portal opens in the fall term of their fourth year.
Have a Question?
If you think you might be interested in the program, please contact Professor Allison Goebel (613-533-6000 ext. 77660; email: goebela@queensu.ca) or Professor David L.A. Gordon, Director (613-533-6000 ext. 77063; email: david.gordon@queensu.ca).