Master of Urban Design

The Master of Urban Design (MUD) is a new 3-semester, 45-credit hour, post-professional non-accredited degree program at the UVA School of Architecture that addresses contemporary questions of urbanization. Recognizing the urban as a dynamic, evolving construct and a space of collective citizenry, the city for us is a verb — rooted in action and participation, complexity and potential. Defined as a bridge discipline and a critical catalytic link across different professions, Urban Design at UVA draws together and transcends the traditional disciplines of Architecture, Urban Planning, and Landscape Architecture to address current urban challenges, to serve broad community needs, and to participate in the dynamics of the urban condition. The breadth and depth of our interdisciplinary faculty expertise teach students to push disciplinary boundaries while providing a strong mission-focused foundation, across scholarship, design, technology, society, and practice.

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***We are currently not accepting graduate applications for Fall 2024 for the Master of Urban Design Program (1.5 year post-professional degree), including dual degree applicants.***

Why Study Urban Design at UVA?

Urban Design Now

We are living in a critical moment in human history. With most of the world’s population now living in urban areas and an expected substantial increase of the world’s urban population by 2050, urban design is at the center of addressing so many of today’s most pressing spatial, economic, environmental, and social challenges. From rapid population growth and mass urbanization to environmental degradation and the impacts of climate change, from questions of social justice and urban inequities to housing affordability and accessibility to shared public space, urban designers are leaders and change-makers who are envisioning and shaping sustainable, just, and resilient urban environments for our future. 

AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO ENACT POSITIVE CHANGE

The post-professional Master of Urban Design program at the UVA School of Architecture embodies an in-depth interdisciplinary and multi-scale approach and takes advantage of the School’s existing expertise to synthesize knowledge and skills drawn from all our disciplines, and grounded in spatial literacy. Our students are part of a collaborative community of internationally recognized faculty and an energetic, talented, and culturally diverse student body. The program prepares graduates as future leaders, critical scholars, innovative urban designers, and mission-focused change-makers who develop advanced skills and knowledge to address the contemporary challenges of our constructed environments.

CATALYZED BY PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH

Linked to the Next Cities Institute, our students are directly engaged with urban design research projects that provide opportunities to apply theory and experimentation in specific conditions and contexts. Our research-focused program gives our students a chance to participate in the dynamic conditions of the urban as active citizens — to work with community members and to learn from their lived experience. Our work is diverse, in scope and geography, with projects in India, Brazil, the Arctic, China, and many other global sites, that address the paradigm shifts of planetary urbanization, environmental degradation, and the digital revolution.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

We welcome students from diverse academic backgrounds and professional experiences with a desire to make a positive impact on the built environment. As a student, you have the opportunity to take advantage of UVA’s strong history as a renowned research university, with nationally and internationally ranked programs, distinguished faculty, and robust resources.

The Master of Urban Design program welcomes applicants with a professional degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and/or Urban Planning. Applicants with a 4-year non-professional degree in Architecture or Landscape Architecture and experience in design practice can be admitted based on portfolio review and by the decision of the Urban Design admission committee.

The diverse scholarly and professional backgrounds of our students and faculty enrich our educational environment in the post-professional MUD program. Applicants with a previous Urban Design Certificate from UVA and a degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or Urban and Environmental Planning from UVA are eligible for advanced placement.

MUD: 45 CREDITS

The 1.5 year, post-professional Master in Urban Design [MUD] is 45 credits. Students complete 15 credits per semester, starting in the fall semester. Graduates with a previous Urban Design Certificate from UVA are accepted with advanced standing and can complete the program in 1 year, completing a curriculum of 30 credits.