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| The Urban and Regional Planning graduate program in the College of Environmental Design is ranked among the best in the nation. |
Cal Poly Pomona's Urban and Regional Planning graduate program has been selected as one of the best in the nation by Planetizen, the leading online publication for the urban planning, design and development community.
When compared with prominent Ivy Leagues, private and public institutions around the nation, Cal Poly Pomona's Urban and Regional Planning graduate program received outstanding rankings in a variety of categories including program reputation, cost and diversity.
Cal Poly Pomona ranked second in the nation among programs without a Ph.D. When weighed side by side with universities that also grant doctorate degrees, Cal Poly Pomona ranked seventh in the Western United States.
The publication also asked those who are practicing urban planning their opinions of graduate programs for the Top 25 According to Practitioners list. Practitioners rank Cal Poly Pomona 21st in the nation.
Aside from a strong academic program, Cal Poly Pomona also boasts the most diverse student body in the United States according to Planetizen.
In addition, the university's program is among the most affordable in the nation. In the Best by Tuition and Financial Aid category, it was fifth among universities with a resident tuition less than $6,500. Among universities with nonresident tuition under $15,000, it was third. The university is also ninth in the nation in the Lowest Tuition (based on nonresident rates) category. In determining best graduate programs by Financial Aid per Student (as proportion of tuition), Cal Poly Pomona ranked third.
“The Department of Urban and Regional Planning is delighted that its innovative master's program has been recognized,” said Dr. Richard Willson, department chair. Willson added that he is particularly proud that this is “the only program in the top 25 that also offers its core courses in the evening, allowing students to work in planning while attaining their degree.”
Planetizen evaluated urban planning programs across the country and in Canada for the 2009 edition of the Planetizen Guide to Graduate Urban Planning Programs.
Planetizen's rankings are based on a combination of statistical and opinion data. To gather statistical data, Planetizen sent surveys to more than 100 institutions with master's programs in urban planning, requesting data on such measures as incoming student GPA, faculty publications and financial aid. To gather opinion data about programs, it sent surveys to a selected sample of planning educators and practitioners and asked them to rate master's programs in urban planning on a scale of 1 to 7.
For more information about Planetizen, visit www.planetizen.com.