Graduate Certificate in Planning Studies – Urban and Regional Planning, UH Mānoa

The Graduate Certificate in Planning Studies allows students pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree in a related field to become acquainted with planning skills and activities. Students enrolled in graduate programs in architecture, economics, engineering, geography, political science, public health, social work, and sociology are among those eligible. Students are encouraged to use the certificate program to increase their competence in planning as it relates to their major area of study. The individual student’s program can be designed so as to build upon his/her educational background and professional interests.

Planning Studies certificate students are required to take five courses offered by the Department and complete the requirements for a master’s degree in their area of study. The three required courses are:

PLAN 600 Public Policy and Planning Theory
PLAN 601 Planning Methods
PLAN 751 Planning Practicum (6 credits)

The remaining two courses are to be selected from among the following courses by the certificate student in consultation with the faculty member responsible for directing the Planning Studies Certificate Program:

PLAN 603 Economic Analysis for Urban and Regional Planning;
PLAN 610 Community Planning and Social Policy;
PLAN 620 Environmental Policies and Programs;
PLAN 630 Urban and Regional Planning in Asia;
or PLAN 640 Land Use Policies and Programs;
An elective planning course

View full course descriptions and class availability.

Successful completion of the program leads to a master’s or doctoral degree in the student’s chosen field and a Certificate in Planning Studies. The Certificate is awarded in the same semester in which the candidate receives his/her master’s or doctoral degree. If a student subsequently pursues the MURP degree, he/she will be requested to turn in the Certificate in Planning Studies at the time the MURP degree is awarded.

A student accepted in one of the affiliated or related master’s or doctoral degree programs and interested in admission to the certificate program should:

Arrange for an interview with the faculty member responsible for directing the Planning Studies Certificate Program, and;
File an application for admission as soon as possible.

Application Procedures

Application to the Graduate Certificate Program in Planning Studies program proceeds through two channels. A portion of the application material is submitted directly to the Graduate Division, which reviews all graduate study applications and sends those meeting basic criteria to the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. The applicant then sends the remaining application material to idurp@hawaii.edu or uploads it onto the Supplemental Uploader.

For a list of application forms and deadlines, please refer to UHM’s Graduate Division page for the Department of Urban and Regional Planning.

Prospective Students

Please reference the Graduate Admissions Application General Information and Instructions for more detailed directions, especially if you are an international student, as you will need visa documents (I-20 form for F1 student visa).

To apply for admission, a student must first submit an online application to the Office of Graduate Education.

Current UHM Graduate Students

To apply for admission, submit a completed Concurrent Graduate Certificate Application Form and application fee to the Graduate Division. This form is the only document you will need to submit.

Application Deadline

The deadline for receipt of application materials is March 1 for admission in the following fall semester and September 1 for admission in the following spring semester. Application materials, including all relevant forms, may be obtained from the Department or online by clicking on the links below. Official notification of admission or denial is issued by the Graduate Division, not by the Department.