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Degree Requirements 2023-2024

Urban Studies Major

A total of 11 courses, with the following required courses. A minimum GPA of 2.00 in the core courses is required for the major.

Core Courses:

  • SOC/URB 111 – City Life: Introduction to Urban Sociology
  • POL/URB 122 – Social Justice in Urban America
  • ECO 113 – Principles of Microeconomics
  • SOC/URB 381 – City and Regional Planning
  • SOC/URB 399 – Internship
  • URB 492 – The City and the Environment Keystone
  • One of SOC 362 or POL 483
    • SOC 362 – Statistical Analysis
    • POL 483 – Political Statistics and Methodology
  • One of SOC 363 or POL 484
    • SOC 363 – Research Methods
    • POL 484 – Political Analysis
  • One of the following:
    • ART/HIS 249/349 – The Designed Environment
    • HIS 316 – Nature, Cities, and Justice: U.S. Urban Environmental History
  • And two additional urban-related electives. For electives, please see the following list, which is not exhaustive. Please consult the Director of Urban Studies for other elective possibilities that suit your career interests, including off-campus study, ACTC courses, and/or study abroad.
    • ART 243 – History of Architecture to 1750
    • ART 244 – History of Architecture after 1750
    • ART/HIS 249/349 – The Designed Environment
    • ECO 365 – Environmental Economics
    • ENV 100 – Environmental Connections
    • GEOG225 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (Macalester)
    • GEOG241 Urban Geography (Macalester)
    • GEOG321 Geographic Information Systems (St. Thomas)
    • HIS 316 – Nature, Cities, and Justice: U.S. Urban Environmental History
    • POL 241 – Environmental and River Politics
    • POL 325 – Politics and Public Policy
    • SOC 265 – Race, Class and Gender
    • SOC 349 – Organizations and Society: Understanding Nonprofits and Corporations
    • SOC 380 – Disaster and Resilience
    • URB 199 – Internship
    • URB 295 – Special Topic
    • URB 299 – Directed Study
    • URB 395 – Special Topic

Students who are thinking of careers in urban planning are highly encouraged to take courses in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at Macalester College (Geography 225, 363 and 365) or at the University of St. Thomas (Geography 221, 321 and 322).

Graduation Skills

Graduation skills in Critical Thinking (CT), Speaking (S), Quantitative Reasoning (QR), and Writing (W) are embedded throughout the core courses and are met by completing the Urban Studies major.

Transfer students must consult the Director of Urban Studies about potential adjustments in their course requirements to fulfill these skills.

Urban Studies Minor

A total of five courses including:

  • SOC/URB 111 – City Life: Introduction to Urban Sociology
  • POL/URB 122 – Social Justice in Urban America
  • SOC/URB 381 – City and Regional Planning
  • One of the following:
    • HIS 316 – Nature, Cities, and Justice: U.S. Urban Environmental History
    • ART/HIS 249/349 – The Designed Environment
    • SOC 380 – Disaster and Resilience
    • URB 492 – The City and Environment Keystone
  • And an approved Urban Studies Elective (see list above).

Off-Campus Study and Study Abroad

Off-campus study is highly recommended for Urban Studies majors. Urban Studies faculty frequently lead short-term study abroad courses over the winter break and summer. Please check the Center for Global Education and Experience (CGEE) and ask Urban Studies faculty about upcoming short-term abroad courses in the major.

Please see the program websites, CGEE and the Director of the Urban Studies Program for completing Urban Studies coursework in off-campus programs.


For a complete list of courses and descriptions, see the Course Description Search.