Environmental Design
Department of Urban and Regional Planning
School of Architecture and Planning
116 Hayes Hall
South Campus
Buffalo, NY 14214-3087
Phone: 716.829.2133
Fax: 716.829.3256
Web: www.ap.buffalo.edu/planning
Kathryn A. Foster
Chair
R. J. Multari
Director of Undergraduate Advisement
About the Department
The Department of Urban and Regional Planning offers a brealih of general knowledge through its degree programs on understanding urban and built environments, and teaches skills in information analysis, computing, and written and graphical communication. In aulition, the department offers specialized courses in land use, community development, facilities management, local government policy, economic development, environmental affairs, real estate development, urban design, and geographic information systems. The environmental design program utilizes the dynamic bi-national Buffalo-Niagara region as a laboratory for planning, design, and action.
Founded in 1969, the Department of Urban and Regional Planning has evolved to offer a number of degree programs, including an undergraduate pre-professional major and minor in environmental design, in aulition to a professionally accredited master of urban planning (M.U.P.) degree.
Special Features
Environmental design students in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning have the opportunity for applied research activities through affiliations with:
- UB Center for Urban Studies
- UB Urban Design Project
- UB Institute for Local Governance and Regional Growth
- UB Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access
Aulitional School of Architecture and Planning resources include:
- Architecture and Planning Library
- Computing Resource Laboratories
- Design Studios and Workshops
- Visual Resources Center
- Dyett Exhibition Hall
- Annual Lecture Series
Degrees Offered
Undergraduate: B.A., Minor
Combined: M.Arch./M.U.P.
Graduate: M.U.P.
About Our Degrees
We live in times in which our urban and built environments are undergoing unprecedented change. The bachelor of arts and minor in environmental design provide students with the skills to understand, analyze, and solve problems associated with such change, with a view toward economic vitality, social fairness, and the design of sustainable environments. Environmental designers apply knowledge of social and behavioral science to plan and design environments that affect, and are affected by, human behavior. The degree offers an interdisciplinary, pre-professional course of study that is grounded in the traditions of the liberal arts and distinguished by active intervention and experience in community and regional environments through classroom activity, fieldwork, workshops, and internships.
Acceptance Criteria - B.A.
Minimum GPA of 2.0 overall.
Minimum GPA of 2.5 in PD 120 and PD 212.
Minimum completion of 24 credit hours.
Acceptance Criteria - Minor
Minimum GPA of 2.0.
Minimum “B-” in PD 120 or PD 212.
Acceptance Information
Deadlines: Rolling
Number of applicants (2004-2005): 50
Number of accepted majors (2004-2005): 40
Total number of majors currently enrolled: 86
The School of Architecture and Planning has an open admission policy that actively encourages applications from protected groups and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or veteran status. Admission is competitive; applicants are reviewed according to the admission criteria. Acceptance of students in the preprofessional, professional, and postprofessional programs is determined on the basis of the applicants’ qualifications and experience. Courses and programs offered by the School of Architecture and Planning may include an instructional technology fee.
Degree Requirements
Please see the Undergraduate Catalog.
Transfer Policy
Courses completed at other colleges and universities are not automatically accepted by the Department of Urban and Regional Planning as fulfilling undergraduate requirements. While select courses taken elsewhere may be accepted, determination is made by an evaluation of the student’s transcripts, course content, contact hours, and grades earned. A minimum course grade of B- (GPA of 2.67 on a 4.0 scale) is required for articulation to courses offered by the School of Architecture and Planning. Actual placement in the undergraduate pre-professional environmental design program is made after this evaluation is completed. No more than 12 credits of transfer coursework may be applied toward major requirements, and no more than 6 credits of transfer coursework may be applied toward minor requirements. Student transcript evaluations are conducted by the School of Architecture and Planning’s Office of Undergraduate Advisement.
About Our Courses
Suggested Introductory Courses
PD 120 Introduction to Urban Studies
PD 212 Urban and Environmental Planning
The typical class size for:
Freshman/sophomore introductory courses is: 155
Upper level/advanced courses is: 30
For course descriptions, please see the Undergraduate Catalog.
About Our Faculty
Senior faculty from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning teach many courses in the undergraduate environmental design program. In aulition, some courses are taught by professional urban planners, public officials, environmental designers, and community developers. Visit our Web site to learn more about the department’s faculty.
Special Academic Opportunities
Experiential learning is available through 6-credit workshop courses.
Independent study and internships are available through the Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
Study Abroad Opportunities exist in Costa Rica and in Cuba.
Dual-listed courses with the graduate urban planning program are available to seniors.
The Department of Urban and Regional Planning gives a series of annual awards and prizes to honor undergraduate environmental design student excellence. These include:
- Dean’s Awards for Academic Performance to the continuing student (junior) with the highest grade point average
- Award of Academic Excellence to the graduating senior with the highest grade point average
- Chair’s Award for Excellence in Studio to the graduating senior who excelled in and contributed most to workshops and studios in the environmental design program
- R. Buckminster Fuller Award (biannually) to the graduating senior who is continuing on for graduate studies in the School of Architecture and Planning and who exemplifies attributes of creativity, inventiveness, and intellectual excellence
Extracurricular Activities
These include the Architecture & Planning Student Association and the Environmental Design Student Association. For information about either organization, call 716-829-2133, ext. 109.
See the UB Student Association.
Complementary Programs and Courses
Majors that Complement Environmental Design
- American Studies
- Anthropology
- Architecture
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- Political Science
- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary: Environmental Studies, Urban and Public Policy Studies
- Sociology
Minors that Complement Environmental Design
- American Studies
- Anthropology
- Architecture
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary: Environmental Studies
Courses Outside Environmental Design that Could Improve Employment Opportunities
Architecture, art, computer science, economics, environmental studies, geography, history, management information systems, political science, sociology, statistics, and American Studies.
Career Information
Environmental designers take knowledge provided by the social and behavioral sciences and apply those principles to the design of environments that affect, and are affected by, human behavior. While concerned about humanity’s use, misuse and abuse of the natural environment, they are also concerned about the environment which humans build - the "artificial" or designed spatial environment - and its ability to meet user's needs. More subtly, they are also concerned about the cultural, economic, political, and social environments. The purpose of the environmental designer is to gain better understanding of these environments, and then apply that knowledge to design improved environments.
UB's bachelor's and minor in environmental design provide students with the skills to understand, analyze, and solve problems associated with the unprecedented change in our urban and built environments, and provide a view to social fairness and the design of sustainable environments. The Bachelor’s degree offers an interdisciplinary, pre-professional course of study that is grounded in the traditions of the liberal arts and distinguished by active intervention and experience in community and regional environments.
Skills gained in this program include:
- Researching, analyzing & interpreting information during project work
- Verbal, written, and graphic communication skills, including the ability to give presentations
- Ability to conceptualize community and regional environments
- Project management
- The ability to define and aulress complex community and environmental problems
- An awareness of the multifaceted circumstances surrounding a design project, including cultural, environmental, physical, political, and social concerns
- Negotiation and conflict resolution
- Graphic design skills, including the ability to visually communicate ideas to others
- Creativity when aulressing complex community, environmental, and regional issues
- Computing skills
- Writing and editing skills
Career Choices
- Architecture
- Business administration
- Educational administration
- Environmental affairs
- Landscape architecture
- Law
- Public policy and administration
- Real estate
- Urban and regional planning
Work settings include:
- Architecture, planning, and engineering consulting firms
- Banks
- Development corporations (including community, economic, and industrial)
- Environmental organizations
- Government (local, state, federal)
- Information technology firms
- Nonprofit organizations
- Real estate agencies
Alumni in Environmental Design have found employment in the following fields:
- City, town, or village planning
- Community development
- Construction management
- Economic development
- Environmental planning
- Facilities management
- Geographic information systems
- Historic preservation
- Market research
- Real estate development
- Regional planning
- Urban development
What percentage of graduates goes on to find related employment?
30% directly after graduation
Salary Information
Salaries range greatly from one occupation, position, and work setting to another. According to the 2004-2005 U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, in federal, state, or local government, environmental designers with a bachelor’s degree and no experience could start at $23,442 to $29,307 per year, depending on their college records.
Post-undergraduate Opportunities
Both the major and minor in environmental design, offered by the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, aim to provide students with the versatility to succeed in a variety of fields. Graduates of the pre-professional undergraduate program have sound preparation for entry-level employment in urban planning, community design, environmental affairs, real estate or related fields; in town, city, county, or state government; and in nonprofit organizations, such as development corporations and housing or transportation agencies.
Environmental design graduates are prepared for graduate study in the professions or the social sciences, in fields such as urban and regional planning, architecture and landscape architecture, environmental affairs, geography, land and real estate development, law, political science, public policy and administration, educational administration, business administration, and public health.
Information gathered from graduates indicate one-third of environmental design alumni continue their post-baccalaureate studies at the University at Buffalo.
Formal system of tracking graduates?
Periodic mailings and an alumni survey are sent to graduates.
What percentage of graduates goes on to graduate school?
60%