Master of Science in Urban Studies

Menomonee River Valley, with US Bank Building to the north partically obscured by fog

The Master of Science in Urban Studies is one of the oldest graduate programs at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Created in the early 1960's with a grant from the Ford Foundation, the establishment of the program was a key element in the emergence of UWM as a major urban research university. The Urban Studies master's degree is both "academic" and "professional," offering students a liberal arts approach to the understanding of the operation of urban social processes and their implications, and a set of research and policy tools designed to equip the urban policymaker for success in his or her career. Since its inception, the Urban Studies M.S. Program has graduated over 500 students.

Admission

Applicants to the Urban Studies Master's Program must meet Graduate School requirements and those established by the Urban Studies faculty. For a complete guide to the Graduate School application process, and UWM Graduate School and Urban Studies requirements please visit the following pages in the Graduate School Bulletin...

Graduate School Bulletin

Prospective Students Information and Application Process

Urban Studies Degree Requirements

Courses Offered

All applications to the Master's Program are reviewed by the Student Affairs committee, which include five USP faculty members and one graduate student in the Master's Program. In evaluating applications, committee members assess all components of the application carefully.

First, they take note of an applicant's grade point average and examine the transcript to determine if the applicant has strong foundations in history and the social sciences. They also determine if the applicant has taken at least one course each in economics and statistical analysis. If committee members believe an applicant has weak preparation in some areas but that in other ways she or he shows much academic promise, they may admit the applicant to the program with the stipulation that the student take courses to make up the deficiencies.

Second, committee members assess the applicant's scores on the Graduate Record Examination. Although this exam is not required, it is strongly recommended because it provides additional evidence of an applicant's ability to succeed in graduate study.

Third, they decide if the two (or more) letters of recommendation from former or current teachers strongly attest to the applicant's likelihood of achievement in this rigorous academic program. In furnishing these letters please submit both the approved USP Letter of Recommendation Form (PDF 5K or html) and an attached letter from each recommender, and send to:

Advisor
Master's Program in Urban Studies
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Bolton Hall, Room 768
P. O. Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53201

Fourth, committee members evaluate the applicant's statement of purpose. Does the applicant have a clear and informed understanding of what urban studies is and of how this program could be helpful to the applicant and to society? What urban issues seem most urgent? What books and articles has the applicant found most inspiring and challenging? Why, in short, does the applicant want a master's degree in Urban Studies?

Finally, the committee examines any other evidence-such as papers or published articles-that provide evidence of an applicant's academic ability in general, and of her or his concern about urban issues in particular.

Application Forms

Letter of Recommendation (PDF 5K or html)
Fellowship and Financial Assistance Information (PDF 23K)
(The above form is mandatory. Your application will not be
complete without it.)

Degree Requirements

The program requires 30 graduate credits. The five-course core curriculum establishes a common base of knowledge and research skills. On completing the core, students have two options. They may either secure a generalist degree, requiring 15 additional credits in elective courses, or they may specialize in an area of concentration in consultation with the MS Program Coordinator in an area such as urban economic development, health care policy, or urban social structure. The specialist option requires 15 credits in specified courses beyond the core.

All students conclude the program with a capstone requirement in the form of a master's thesis or paper. The master's paper/thesis option can encompass an internship in a local government setting, nonprofit agency, or business. Students who elect to write a master's thesis may earn up to 3 credits toward the MS degree.

Urban Studies Programs Guidelines for Master's Papers

MS/MLIS Coordinated Degree Program

In cooperation with the School of Library and Information Science, Urban Studies Programs offers a MS/MLIS program to prepare students for positions as urban information specialists. Students in this program concurrently pursue a MS in Urban Studies and a MLIS degree. Prerequisite to the award of either degree in this program is the simultaneous award of its counterpart degree. To obtain information from the School of Information Studies, or call (414)229-4707.

The Faculty
Faculty in Urban Studies have earned their doctorates at some of the nation's most prestigious universities. Faculty members are generally drawn from social sciences departments, chiefly from Sociology and History but also including faculty from the departments of Political Science and Geography. Areas of expertise are diverse, consistent with the program's goal of providing students with a range of possible specializations. For information on USP faculty members, please visit the faculty page.

The Students
The program is designed to serve both the recent college graduate, particularly with a social science undergraduate background, the part-time returning student already well established in a career, and the individual wishing to change careers. Courses are generally offered after 4:30 pm, and most meet once a week in order to accommodate the demanding lives of adult students. Student are encouraged to frame the 12 credits they devote to their areas of emphasis to maximize their future professional goals. In addition to variation in professional backgrounds and career goals, Urban Studies master's students are highly diverse in terms of age, sex, race, and ethnicity. To access web sites of USP please go to the Graduate Student page.

Intellectual Climate
USP students enjoy a wide array of intellectual opportunities in the program and throughout the campus. They range from individual mentoring by the faculty, to opportunities to enroll in classes in other disciplines, to public programming on campus and in Milwaukee. The Program offers an annual Lecture Seminar Series, bringing distinguished speakers from around the nation to give public addresses and meet informally with students. USP students themselves organize a Student Forum each spring at which students choose a theme and keynote speaker, present their work, and participate in panel discussions. In addition, there are countless opportunities to attend urban-related lectures, events, and programs sponsored by other units on the UWM campus. USP uses its electronic mail system to keep students informed of major events, administrative deadlines, and job, internship, and fellowship opportunities.

Career Opportunities
Students earning the MS degree will be prepared for a number of positions in government, nonprofit and private settings. Over the past decade, over half of USP MS Program graduates have secured employment in the public sector, while remaining students pursued careers in nonprofit, often community-based organizations. A number of MS Program graduates also have gone on to more advanced graduate study, many in the USP PhD Program.

Master's Program Core Curriculum

UrbStd 921 -- RESEARCH METHODS IN URBAN AFFAIRS

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the basic theory and methods of urban social science research. Topics include the scientific method, measurement and scaling, reliability and validity, methods of data collection and analysis, and the structure and development of research designs. We will explore various research methods, and will do assignments to illustrate both the practical and theoretical issues involved in research.

Substantive Courses
You may take three of the four substantive courses:

UrbStd 901 -- SEMINAR: URBAN SOCIAL STRUCTURE

The study of urbanization has been continually concerned with describing and accounting for the emergence, growth, and transformation of cities, understanding the consequences of urbanization in organizing and changing group, individual, and symbolic relationships, and assessing the trajectories of historic and current social trends for the purposes of speculating and projecting city futures.

This seminar is a comprehensive survey and analysis of topics relevant to studying the linkages among institutionalization, social and cultural patterns, and the future of American urban structures. This seminar will explore the literature of these structural and institutional perspectives for the purposes of understanding the theoretical issues, the research and methodological possibilities, the implications of these for social policy, and the carry over to graduate student research interests. Possible topics to be examined in this seminar include: Structural, Organizational, and Institutional Perspectives of the City; The Political and Economical Reorganization of Cities in Global and National Perspectives; Urban Disadvantage, Poverty, and Underclass; Racial Problems in Metropolitan areas as Institutional Problems; Redevelopment and Decline in Housing; Service Delivery Controversies: Privatism vs. Public; Urban Education; Crime and Criminal Justice.

UrbStd 913 -- SEMINAR IN URBAN POLITICAL PROCESS

Analysis of the forces and processes that shape urban political life, with particular emphasis on patterns of government, political culture, power structures, and civil participation in urban and metropolitan communities.

UrbStd 945 -- THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE CITY

The course will focus on the changing nature of urban areas from a spatial perspective. The context will range from downtown revitalization to the character of neighborhood well-being.

Emphasis will be directed toward an explanation of the changing spatial demographic structure of urban places and the economic and social forces which support change. A select number of urban problem areas will be examined within an urban spatial network.

UrbStd 971 -- SEMINAR IN AMERICAN URBAN HISTORY

This seminar will examine the historical background of a number of urban policy issues of contemporary significance. We will explore the approaches to urban policy taken during various periods, seeking to understand how we have historically approached urban problems in this country and how knowledge of urban history can inform contemporary analysis of urban policy choices. The course focuses on such policy areas as housing, urban development and land use, language use, social welfare, education, and fiscal management. Written work in the course will consist of a research paper on the historical background of an urban policy area to be chosen by the student.

Quantitative Analysis Courses
Any one of the following three courses will satisfy the requirement in quantitative analysis:

UrbStd 731 -- QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS IN URBAN RESEARCH:
This course uses the application of various quantitative measures to problems in urban research, including analysis of spatial distributions, quantitative modeling, and regional forecasting for socio-economic urban systems.

Soc 760 -- ADVANCED STATISTICAL METHODS IN SOCIOLOGY:
Review of elementary statistics. Probability theory and its applications. Multivariate analysis. Nonparametric statistical inference. Measurement theory. Selected statistical models for hypothesis testing and theory construction.

His 595 -- THE QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF HISTORICAL DATA:
Statistical methods and the computer in analysis of historical problems: statistics through regression; use of social science computer package; special techniques for handling historical data.

Other USP Courses

For a complete listing of all Urban Studies courses, please review the Graduate School Bulletin. Go to Courses to view upcoming USP semester course offerings and course descriptions obtained from the teaching faculty.

International Students
For international students please obtain information and application materials from the Center of International Education, Mitchell Hall, room 138, P.O. Box 340, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201.

Deadlines
To be assured of consideration by the USP Student Affairs Committee in time to begin the semester that you wish, you must have filed your Graduate School application by these dates:

Fall and Summer Semester: February 1st
Spring Semester: December 1st

Fellowship and Financial Aid Opportunities
Students admitted into the Program are eligible to compete for a variety of types of financial aid. The Program offers a number of teaching and project assistantships that are awarded for the upcoming academic year. To notify USP of your interest, please return the Financial Assistance Form to the Urban Studies Office, Bolton 768 (deadlines on the form). For information concerning Graduate fellowships and nonresident tuition remission scholarships, please obtain information from Graduate School Fellowship Office at (414) 229-6267.

Information
If you have questions on the Master's Program, please contact the advisor or Joseph Rodriguez. If you would like application materials mailed to you, please contact Carrie Beranek, Urban Studies Program administrative assistant.

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Last Updated: February 14, 2008