Urban planners play an important role in shaping our communities and the cities we live in, among our parks, streets and neighbours.
The University of Winnipeg has launched a new interdisciplinary Certificate in Urban and Community Planning (CUCP) to help urban dreamers envision improved communities and better cities – designed for students interested in urban issues or a career in city planning.
CUCP draws on courses from geography, urban and inner-city studies, environmental studies, history, Indigenous Studies, political science, and economics to help think of urban planning in a more comprehensive way.
Students interested in shaping more equitable cities must first understand the historical and contemporary socio-political contexts that have led to the inequities that exist in cities across the globe.
Dr. Shauna MacKinnon
This interdisciplinary view can help create more inclusive policies that can guide the growth and the improvement of our neighbourhoods, towns, and cities.
Designed as a terminal accreditation leading to graduate and professional programs in urban planning, the CUCP added to a student’s degree prepares them to further their studies in urban planning or community development.
“Similar to doing a ‘pre-med’ with a Bachelor of Science in biology which helps prepare you to go to med school, the CUCP is associated with geography, sociology, and environmental studies, and helps prepare you to further your studies in urban planning or community development,” shared Scott McCullough, Senior Research Associate of UWinnipeg’s Institute of Urban Studies (IUS).
An interdisciplinary approach
McCullough also emphasizes that the CUCP’s interdisciplinary approach draws on expertise across the university to give students a strong understanding of urban issues like housing, homelessness, downtown decline, development pressures, city growth, as well as the many ways that communities are working to solve the problems that concern students today. “Students want to help build a better world, and this is one pathway into a profession that can contribute to that,” noted McCullough.
The CUCP was created in partnership between the Departments of Geography, Urban and Inner City Studies, and the Institute of Urban Studies.
Dr. Shauna MacKinnon, Professor in the Department of Urban and Inner-City Studies contributed to the development of the CUCP, ensuring that students will be exposed to the rich history of urban and neighbourhood development in Winnipeg by taking courses at the University of Winnipeg’s Merchants Corner campus on Selkirk Ave.
“Students interested in shaping more equitable cities must first understand the historical and contemporary socio-political contexts that have led to the inequities that exist in cities across the globe,” said Dr. MacKinnon. “Learning about urban issues in Winnipeg’s North End, with its rich history of economic hardship, diversity, resistance, resilience and civic engagement, will prepare students interested in social justice-focused urban planning.”
The certificate is a credential, not a degree program. It is a credential additional to a degree in recognition of students completing electives they are already required to complete. It is another tool to help define their academics that can be applied in the field of urban planning or community development.
Potential students pursuing degrees outside of Geography or Urban and Inner City Studies are encouraged to consult with the departmental advisor for Urban and Community Planning (CUCP) on potential pathways to complete the certificate.
If you have questions or require more information on the CUCP please email Scott McCullough, Senior Research Associate of UWinnipeg’s Institute of Urban Studies at s.mccullough@uwinnipeg.ca.
