Geography & Geology

Student Satisfaction and Achievement in the Undergraduate Urban and Regional Planning Program

View the EMU catalog and description of the Urban and Regional Planning Program.

• What Students Say About the Urban and Regional Planning Program

  The mission of the Eastern Michigan University Urban and Regional Planning Program is to facilitate learning and the educational experience in preparing students to engage in careers in urban, regional, and community planning and related areas. The undergraduate Urban and Regional Planning Program provides a complete and balanced program for planning students that focuses on the application of planning principles and practices across a range of endeavors. The program's major emphasis is on teaching and the individual mentoring of students in pursuit of planning knowledge. Opportunities are available for students to engage in relevant research, professional activities, internships and community service. The program is particularly regarded for educating students who are well-prepared to begin professional planning careers immediately upon graduation.

  The program regularly surveys its students to gain opinions on the quality of their educational experience. The most recent survey was conducted in 2012, and 67% of program majors responded.

  Student Opinion Survey

  • The curriculum covers the topics necessary to prepare me for a career in planning: 78% agree, overall rating of 3.96
  • I am able to specialize in a planning field/minor of interest to me: 81% agree, overall rating of 4.19
  • Planning coursework incorporates opportunities for community engagement: 74% agree, overall rating of 3.92
  • The faculty is knowledgeable in a range of planning related fields: 85% agree, overall rating of 4.35
  • Information is available on opportunities for student internships and/or jobs after graduation: 83% agree, overall rating of 4.2

  *Overall rating is scaled 1–5.

  Overall approximately 80% of program students feel that the Urban and Regional Planning Program prepares them to enter into professional planning practice and related fields.

Student Achievement

The mission of the Eastern Michigan University Urban and Regional Planning Program is to prepare students to engage in careers in urban planning and related areas. The program is structured to emphasize the practical application of planning knowledge and skills in addressing community planning concerns.

Effective communication is a fundamental applied skill that the program routinely assesses through three advanced courses that together constitute a focused, culminating experience. Students are evaluated across a range of written, oral and graphic assignments rated on a five-point scale:

• Five-Point Scale

  • Five: Able to appropriately present complex planning matters to a variety of audiences in a clear and concise manner, adept at integrating high-quality graphics with both oral and written presentations
  • Four: May fall slightly short in one of the four areas assessed (complex information, variety of audiences, clear and concise, integration of graphics), but ability is more than adequate in all areas
  • Three: Able to present necessary planning information clearly and concisely to variety of audiences, graphics may not always be well integrated
  • Two: Able to present basic planning information to most audiences, may be lacking in clarity, graphics not well integrated and may be of uneven quality
  • One: Basic skills are evident, but marginally so; work may be academically passable, but below program and professional standards

Composite Scores

*Data are incomplete

The regulatory environment for developing and administering plans is another area that the program assesses through a variety of assignments. Students must show an understanding of land division processes, zoning requirements and environmental regulations as these relate to community planning efforts.

Students are evaluated across a number of written assignments, oral presentations and exams in three advanced courses using a five-point scale:

• Five-Point Scale

  • Five: Fully understands and is able to explain complex planning, subdivision, zoning and environmental requirements to a variety of audiences in a clear and concise manner
  • Four: May fall slightly short in one of the four areas assessed (plan development, subdivision, zoning, environmental regulations), but ability is more than adequate in all areas
  • Three: Understands and is able to present necessary information clearly and concisely to variety of audiences; various aspects may not always be well integrated
  • Two: May lack understanding of some details, but able to present basic information to most audiences; information may be lacking in clarity, concepts may not be well integrated or presentation of information may be of uneven quality
  • One: Basic skills are evident, but marginally so; work may be academically passable, but below program and professional standards

Composite Scores

Professional Certification

Although not required for planning practice, many urban planners do become professionally certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Among the requirements for AICP certification are a minimum of three years of qualified professional work and passage of a rigorous exam. According to the most recent exam results released by the AICP (through January 2021), graduates of the EMU undergraduate Urban and Regional Planning Program have enjoyed a 100% passage rate on the exam from 1999 (the first year graduates of the program were eligible for the AICP exam) through 2015. The national average is a 75% pass rate.

Of those graduates who take the exam, 40% pass within five years of graduation, with the remainder taking one to four additional years to pass. Much of this additional time is spent gaining further planning experience or acquiring a master's degree.

• AICP Exam Pass Rates

  Percent of bachelor's graduates taking the AICP exam and passing within seven years of graduation:

  • Class of 2010: no exam takers
  • Class of 2011: 100%
  • Class of 2013: no exam takers
  • Class of 2015: 100%
  • Class of 2016: 50%

  View more information about the AICP and the certification process.

Student Retention and Graduation

The undergraduate Urban and Regional Planning Program is relatively small with about 30 majors working towards their baccalaureate degrees any given semester. Typically the program graduates seven to 10 students each year. Planning students that enter Eastern Michigan University as freshmen take an average of five years to graduate, while those who enter as transfer students generally take three years to complete all remaining degree requirements. 

•  2010–11

  • Total students: 55
  • Degrees awarded: 10 
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • New students: 22
  • Six-year graduation rate: 64%

•  2011–12

  • Total students: 47
  • Degrees awarded: 6
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • New students: 13
  • Six-year graduation rate: 31%

• 2012–13

  • Total students: 54
  • Degrees awarded: 17
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • New students: 15
  • Six-year graduation rate: 47%

• 2013–14

  • Total students: 37
  • Degrees awarded: 7
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • New students: 12
  • Six-year graduation rate: N/A

• 2014–15

  • Total students: 32
  • Degrees awarded: 7
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • New students: 9
  • Six-year graduation rate: N/A

• 2015–16

  • Total students: 29
  • Degrees awarded: 11
  • Retention rate: 44%
  • New students: 12
  • Six-year graduation rate: N/A

• 2016–17

  • Total students: 32
  • Degrees awarded: 7
  • Retention rate: 87.5%
  • New students: 11
  • Six-year graduation rate: N/A

• 2017–18

  • Total students: 33
  • Degrees awarded: 5
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • New students: 8
  • Six-year graduation rate: N/A

• 2018–19

  • Total students: N/A
  • Degrees awarded: 9
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • New students: N/A
  • Six-year graduation rate: N/A

• 2019–2020

  Total students: N/A
  Degrees awarded: 4
  Retention rate: 100%
  New students: N/A
  Six-year graduation rate: 50%

• 2020–2021

  Total students: DK
  Degrees awarded: 8
  Retention rate: 75%
  New students: DK
  Six-year graduation rate: 80%

Public Information

The Planning Accreditation Board requires this information be posted for the Undergraduate Urban and Regional Planning Program at Eastern Michigan University: download the current data [PDF].

• Post Graduation Employment Rates

  Based on a 2016 alumni survey, 38% of program graduates found work in urban planning or a closely related field, while another 13% found work that is somewhat related to planning or that makes use of the knowledge and skills they learned as planning majors. Approximately 28% are employed in fields unrelated to urban planning.

  Additionally, nearly 22% of program graduates go on to do graduate work in planning and related fields at a variety of universities such as the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Ohio State University, Lawrence Technological University, Portland State University and Morgan State University, in addition to Eastern Michigan University.

  The survey found that 23% of program graduates had a job offer prior to graduation and another 57% were employed within a year of graduation. The remaining 20% found employment, but took more than a year to do so.

• Cost of Attending Eastern Michigan University

  The Urban and Regional Program has no special fees associated with it beyond what it costs to attend the university. These costs are estimated (approximate average of lower and upper division courses) below for the 2021–2022 tuition and fees for the academic year for the typical urban and regional planning student taking 12 credit hours per semester.

  Tuition and Fees*

  • Michigan/Ohio residents: $13,950
  • Out-of-state : $13,950

  View more detailed information on EMU tuition and fees.

  *Subject to change.