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2009-2010 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Master of Regional and Community Planning (M.R.C.P.)
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 Return to: Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning
Head:
Dan W. Donelin, FASLA, AICP
Director of graduate studies:
Claude A. Keithley, AICP
Graduate Faculty:
Vernon P. Deines, (Emeritus) Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh.
Claude A. Keithley, MArch and MRCP, Kansas State University.
John W. Keller, Ph.D., Rutgers State University of New Jersey.
Larry Lawhon, Ph.D., URP, Texas A & M University.
Sheri Smith, Ph.D., Texas A & M University.
Ray B. Weisenburger, MRP, Cornell University.
La Barbara J. Wigfall, MRCP, Harvard University.
Program Description
The Kansas State University Graduate School and the Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning offers a 150 credit hour non-Baccalaureate Master of Regional and Community Planning degree and a 48 credit hour post-Baccalaureate program leading to the degree Master of Regional and Community Planning. The non-Baccalaureate program can be completed within ten semesters of course work and a recommended summer internship between the eighth and ninth semester. The post-Baccalaureate program can be completed within four semesters of course work, with a recommended internship between the second and third semester. International students are required to obtain a 1 credit hour internship during this period to obtain their MRCP degree. The post-Baccalaureate MRCP program is fully accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board of the American Planning Association and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.
The primary mission of the MRCP program is to educate young professional planners to become directors or managers of community development / city planning departments, economic development agencies, housing or related departments and agencies in cities, small communities, counties and regions. Some graduates may use the same educational background to become directors of planning or related activities in private consulting firms and research organizations, while others may enter the field of real estate development and a host of related disciplines.
The major objective of the program is to integrate the concept of comprehensive community development planning in an environmental context with considerations for social, economic, cultural and political issues in the community while recognizing the importance of financial management, private enterprise-government relations, and citizen participation in community decision making. Core courses reflect the impact of these key concerns on traditional planning activities, while exploring related ethical issues in depth.
With a firm educational foundation in basic planning and analytical techniques, management, human relations, and ethics, today’s MRCP graduate will have the skills and judgment to become tomorrow’s successful practicing planner.
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Non-Baccalaureate Master of Regional and Community Planning
Study leading to the five-year non-Baccalaureate Master of Regional and Community Planning degree requires a minimum of 150 credit hours, of which a minimum of 48 credit hours are graduate level credit hours, plus a recommended internship in planning experience. Support courses are offered within the College of Architecture, Planning and Design, as well as well as from other colleges within the university. Students entering the College of Architecture, Planning and Design will typically complete the first year of the Environmental Design program, during which they will elect to enter one of the four available degree programs (Master of Architecture, Master of Interior Architecture and Product Design, Master of Landscape Architecture, and Master of Regional and Community Planning) or another program offered in other colleges. Transfer students may apply for entry into the MRCP program at any time. First semester (15 credit hours)
- ENVD 203 - Survey of the Design Professions (1)
- MATH 100 - College Algebra (3)
- COMM 105 - Public Speaking 1A (2)
- Humanities/Design elective* (3)
- Social Science/History elective* (3)
- Social Science/Sociology elective* (3)
Second semester (16 credit hours)
- ENGL 100 - Expository Writing 1 (3)
- Humanities/Design elective* (3)
- Social Science/History elective* (3)
- Free elective* (3)
- Natural Science elective with lab* (4)
Recommended courses
While the third through sixth semester of study may vary by student and by time of entry into the MRCP program, the following courses provide a recommended path that encompasses the university general education requirements (UGE) and supporting courses which provide an entre’ to the breadth of the planning profession: Third semester (15 credit hours)
- PLAN 315 - Introduction to Planning (3)
- Humanities Elective* (3)
- Social Science/History Elective* (3)
- Social Science/Economics Elective* (3)
- LAR 440 - Natural Systems and Site Analysis (3)
Fourth semester (16 credit hours)
- ENGL 200 - Expository Writing II (3)
- LAR 322 - Environmental Issues & Ethics (3)
- Statistcs Elective* (3)
- Literature/Communications Elective* (3)
- Social Science/Geography Elective* (3)
Fifth semester (15 credit hours)
- GEOG 302 - Cartography/Thematic Mapping (3)
- Natural Science Elective* (3)
- Design/Resource Elective* (3)
- Social Science/Political Science Elective (3)
Sixth semester (14 credit hours)
- Social Science/Political Science Elective* (3)
Choose one from the following:
Seventh semester (15 credit hours)
Eighth semester (14 credit hours)
Ninth semester (16 credit hours)
- Civil Engineering/Transportation Planning Elective (3)
- Electives (3-6)
Tenth semester (14 credit hours)
- PLAN 899 - Research (Thesis) (3)
or
- PLAN 899 - Research (Master’s Report/Capstone Project) (2)
- Electives (8-9)
Total Credits Required for the Non-Baccalaureate MRCP Degree (150 hours)
General Notes:
*At least 18 credit hours of the undergraduate electives must be university general education (UGE) elective credits, of which at least 6 must be in courses numbered 300 or above. Of these 18 UGE credits, 3 must be taken within the College of Architecture, Planning and Design. None, however, can be in the student’s major field. No more than 2 UGE courses may be taken in a single discipline. UGE courses must be taken at K-State. Transfer credits may reduce the number of lower level UGE courses required (see sliding scale at http://www.k-state.edu/uge/aboutuge/policies.htm#transcredit). Students who participate in study abroad programs approved by K-State will meet UGE credit at the 300 level upon successful completion of the program.
There are numerous other elective courses offered in the various colleges which support the planning professions and are acceptable as electives on an interest and case by case basis, with the approval of the planning faculty.
During the Sixth Semester, the student will apply for graduate school admission in the Master’s of Regional and Community Planning program, and the seventh through tenth semesters in the Non-Baccalaureate MRCP program will be similar to that of the Post Baccalaureate MRCP program described below, with the following exceptions. Students who have taken PLAN 315 (Introduction to Planning) will not be required to take the PLAN 715 (Planning Principles and Process), and the Non-Baccalaureate students will have additional elective courses to include on their programs of study, for a minimum of 14-15 credit hours per semester. (Post-Baccalaureate MRCP students will average 12 credit hours per semester.) Post-Baccalaureate Master of Regional and Community Planning
Study leading to the two-year Post-Baccalaureate Master of Regional and Community Planning degree, requires a minimum of 48 graduate credit hours, plus a recommended internship in planning experience. (International students seeking the MRCP degree are required to complete a 1 credit hour Internship, increasing their degree requirements to 49 credit hours.) Support courses are offered throughout the university, subject to the approval of the faculty.
The Post-Baccalaureate Master of Regional and Community Planning degree requires 35 core credit hours minimum and 12 specialization credit hours minimum. One (1) credit hour in PLAN 805, Internship in Planning, usually taken during the summer between the first and second year of course work, is recommended, and may be added to the program of study, above the 48 credit hour minimum. International students are required to complete a 1 credit hour Internship during the program, increasing their Program of Study requirements to 49 credit hours. The core course work required for the Post-Baccalaureate MRCP degree is noted below: The Post-Baccalaureate MRCP “Core”:
Total MRCP “Core” (35 credit hours)
Additional requirements
Students entering the program without a design background or equivalent knowledge should consider including the following course in their Program of Study as an elective for the MRCP degree Recommended courses
Recommended course sequencing for the Post-Baccalaureate MRCP degree is as follows: First semester (12 credit hours)
Second semester (12 credit hours)
Third semester (13 credit hours)
- Civil Engineering/Transportation Planning Elective (3)
Fourth semester (11 credit hours)
- PLAN 899 - Research (Thesis) (3)
or
- PLAN 899 - Research (Master’s Report/Capstone Project) (2)
- Electives (3-6)
Total credits required for the post-baccalaureate MRCP degree (48 hours)
(International Students will be required to complete an additional 1 cr hr of Internship in Planning)
A program of study must be filed by all graduate students pursuing a master’s degree. The program of study is a planning document developed by the student, the major professor, and the supervisory committee, which outlines the course work that the student must complete in order to develop adequate expertise in “planning” and be awarded the MRCP degree.
During the last semester of study, students will be required to complete either a comprehensive examination and to submit a specialization paper in their area of expertise according to program guidelines or complete a master’s report (2 credit hours) or thesis (6 credit hours) and provide an oral defense of the research. One (1) credit hour of PLAN 880, Topics in Planning, under their major professor, is awarded for the specialization paper. No credit is given for the Comprehensive Examination per graduate school guidelines. Students will be expected to discuss their specialization paper with their designated committee at the completion of the Comprehensive Exam session. Work on the specialization paper/Master’s Report/Thesis usually begins in the third semester to ensure timely completion. An option exists for the student to enroll in PLAN 898 Thesis Proposal Writing for 3 credit hours if the thesis route to completion is selected. At various times throughout the program, students will be given mini-components of a traditional comprehensive exam to determine progress in synthesizing concepts and methods. The Analysis Diagnostic will be administered at the completion of PLAN 802 and 632 for the purpose of insuring a good grasp of the use and interpretation of analytical techniques developed in the methods / computer applications sequence of courses. Specializations in the planning curriculum:
The specialized course work, or emphasis areas, may be in any one of two regular specializations listed, or, in the case of uniquely qualified students, a larger range of independent specializations designed by the student’s academic advisor and committee. The specialization strengths in the department are as follows, with recommended courses listed for consideration under each specialization title: 1. Specialization in community planning and development
Suggested for the Community Planning and Development Specialization Electives: (Select 12 credit hours from the Selected Electives list below) Recommended courses
Suggest a minimum of 6 credit hours from the above listing of elective specialization courses and 6 credit hours from the following list of Emphasis Area Electives: Emphasis area electives in the community planning and development specialization
Rural planning emphasis:
- GEOG 555 - Urban and Rural Geography (3)
Total specialization hours (6 credits)
Total emphasis area hours (6 credits)
Total core hours (35 credits)
Total hours MRCP (48 credits minimum)
2. Specialization in regional resource planning and management
Suggested for the Regional Resource Planning Specialization: (Select 12 credit hours minimum from the following list of electives) General: (suggested 3 credit hours minimum)
Contextual: (suggested 3 credit hours minimum)
Resource economics: (suggested 3 credit hours minimum)
Techniques: (suggested 3 credit hours minimum)
Total suggested electives: (12 credit hours minimum)
Emphasis areas:
The student may select from any of the above listings for this specialization in regional resource planning and management or from the courses listed as available in the specialization in community planning and development option to build their own emphasis area. Total emphasis area hours (12 credits)
Total core hours (35 credits)
Specialization paper/report/thesis (1-6 credit hours)
Total hours MRCP (48 credits minimum)
3. “Design your own” track
Students who have demonstrated a prior professional career or who have an academic interest in a specific planning related profession may negotiate other specializations in planning, using tracks and other external courses within the university. Independent specializations require formal coordination with one or more programs or Colleges, and require coordination between the student, major professor and external committee members. Proposals for a non-traditional or non-advertised specialization interest must be submitted to the RCP faculty for approval at a general RCP faculty meeting. The minimum credit hours associated with this “design your own” track is 12 credit hours above the designated 35 credit hour planning “core”. Either a Masters Report or Thesis in this particular option may be required by the faculty as a demonstration of proficiency in the selected and approved specialization area.
Some courses in the core and specialization curricula may be waived by the faculty based upon a case by case review of a student’s upper-division undergraduate work, prior graduate work, and professional practice. Waiver is not a routine occurrence, however, and it does not reduce the total credit hours of course work required for the MRCP degree. Requests for course waivers based on prior experience or training is the responsibility of the student, forwarding such to the program director. Admission Requirements:
Non-Baccalaureate MRCP program:
Students applying for the Non-Baccalaureate MRCP program during their second semester of study, must have a minimum of a 2.500 cumulative GPA. Students in this program will apply for Graduate School admission during their sixth semester, and must meet graduate school admission standards. Students who have not completed an undergraduate statistics course prior to the completition of their sixth semester will be required to enroll in either STAT 330 Elementary Statistics for the Social Sciences or STAT 702 Statistics for the Social Sciences during their seventh semester.
Post-Baccalaureate MRCP program:
Entering students are required to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Applicants with undergraduate degrees in administration, agriculture, architecture, business, construction science, economics, ecology, education, engineering, geology, geography, government, human ecology, landscape architecture, pre-law, planning, political science and sociology, and who meet the requirements of the Graduate School for admission, are fully acceptable for graduate study in planning. Applicants with other academic backgrounds may be accepted upon recommendation of the program faculty and subject to such conditions as the faculty may impose. Prerequisites for admission include satisfactory completion of an elementary statistics course or equivalent (or inclusion of a graduate level statistics course in the program of study), and evidence of an understanding of the American political system and government.
Admission to Graduate School may be in one of three categories: full standing, provisional or probational. Recommendations regarding an applicant’s qualifications and admission are made to the Graduate School by the faculty of the graduate program in regional and community planning. Final decisions regarding admission are made by the dean of the Graduate School. Admission in full standing requires a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (“B” average) in the last two years of undergraduate work in an institution whose requirements for the bachelor’s degree are equivalent to those of Kansas State University. Applicants with GPA’s between 2.65 - 2.99 will be considered for probational admission provided there is evidence that the applicant has the ability to do satisfactory graduate work. Provisional admission may be granted to applicants who have subject deficiencies in undergraduate preparation or if there is uncertainty in evaluating the transcripts. Normally, deficiencies will be made up by enrolling in courses for undergraduate credit. A statistics deficiency may be completed by enrolling in Stat 702 (Statistics for Social Science, or equivalent) for graduate credit and be counted toward the required 48 credit hour minimum for the MRCP degree.
International applicants are required to take the TOEFL exam and submit results to the department for evaluation. TOEFL scores of 600 (250 via on-line evaluation) are required for entry into the graduate program in regional and community planning and a score above 620 (260 via on-line evaluation) is required for consideration of financial aid. The GRE is recommended, however is not required for admission to the program. Financial Assistance for graduate study:
A limited number of 0.4 time teaching and research assistantships are typically available to incoming and continuing students in the program on a competitive basis. Students entering the post- baccalaureate MRCP program and students in the non-baccalaureate MRCP program who have completed 120 credit hours of the program are eligible for consideration of receipt of these teaching and research assistantships. In addition, HUD funding is generally sought and received for minority and economically disadvantaged American students as a financial aid package designed to increase minority involvement in the planning profession in the United States. All international students who are awarded financial aid in the form of a Graduate Teaching Assistant must pass the Test of Spoken English (TSE), administered by the KSU English Language Program at Kansas State University prior to the start of the Fall and Spring semesters.
For further information on financial aid, interested students should contact the Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning, as well as the Office of Student Financial Aid, located in Fairchild Hall. Some scholarships are available to qualified applicants. Internships and responsibilities:
Graduate students in the MRCP program should consider assignment to a planning staff for a period of at least eight weeks (full time equivalent), and supervision by a professional planner with periodic reports of activities to the planning faculty. It is recommended that students enroll in no more than one credit hour for this experience regardless of the duration of the internship should they wish credit for this work shown on their Program of Study. Doing so will increase the Program of Study requirements for the MRCP degree to 49 credit hours. International students are required to enroll in one credit hour of internship credit, increasing their Program of Study requirements to 49 credit hours for the MRCP degree. Career Opportunities:
Graduates who possess the masters degree in regional and community planning are typically employed by cities, regions, or state planning agencies, in the various community planning and/or development departments. Since “planning” is a management degree, the opportunities for planning positions or planning related positions are limitless, both in the public/private realm and in geographical area of coverage and interests. Opportunities abound in the areas of city planning, regional planning, neighborhood planning, transportation planning, community economic development agencies, city management, health planning, social planning, housing departments, area agencies on aging, resource planning and a preservation of ecosystems and the environment, urban design and historic preservation agencies, geographic information system analysts, demographic analysts, research and market analysis agencies, policy analysts, private consulting organizations (architects, engineers, and land planners), land development, developers and real estate appraisers, non-profit information dispersion agencies, land use law firms, etc. Planning as a profession deals with not only current problems in the provision of our quality of life, to the future problems and growth management to insure that the future contains a “better” quality of life for future generations. Through “planning” is the promise and hope of a better tomorrow. To not only participate in the process, but to make things happen for future generations, the planning profession is poised to lead the way. Planning is a “change element” in evaluating alternative outcomes and in directing the course of future actions to insure the controlled progress of humanity, both in the social, political, economic and physical aspects of life. The masters degree in regional and community planning is but one of the keys to understanding the past and managing the future on Planet Earth. |
Return to: Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning
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