Where We Work
Where can a CU Denver MURP degree take you?
We have compiled a list of where many of our alumni work around the U.S. and their job titles.
Discover what you can do with a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from CU Denver.
Master of Urban and Regional Planning
Master of Urban and Regional Planning
The Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) Program at CU Denver is one of the top planning programs in the US. Our fully accredited program uses Colorado as our classroom to engage in real-world, experiential learning opportunities and interact with planning and design practitioners and the community.
We seek diverse students who share our passion for social justice and fostering healthy communities, regional sustainability, and equitable urbanism.
Program Overview
We believe that successful city-building requires expertise, breadth, interdisciplinary understanding, and creativity. As part of the Urban and Regional Planning Department, our program looks beyond traditional professional silos and instead centers on issues at the forefront of planning practice. Our three
program Pillars—Healthy Communities, Equitable Urbanism, and Regional Sustainability—form the basis of our research, instruction, and community outreach.
We encourage all students to follow their passion and develop expertise in the areas that matter most to them. Thus, we offer a unique, self-directed elective curriculum that allows students to understand the breadth of the planning field while gaining the technical
expertise demanded by the profession.
Our world-class faculty includes some of the most respected researchers in the planning field, and our award-winning planning practitioners bring a wealth of experience to the classroom. All of our faculty make teaching a top priority.
Our presence in the College of Architecture and Planning ensures that our approach to planning education has a strong connection to design, and our location in the heart of downtown Denver presents our students with endless opportunities to learn what it takes to create amazing cities.
Community Impact
Meet Kellsie Forfar-Jones, MURP '21
Public Engagement Planner for the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG)
Program Hallmarks
Program Faculty
Urban and Regional Planning Faculty
Curriculum
Our curriculum embodies our three Pillars, and makes the most of our geographic context and our unique program hallmarks. Our curriculum balances a strong, comprehensive core set of courses with a self-directed path through a wide range of elective choices. Read below to learn more about our program requirements, core courses, electives, and more.
The total number of credit hours required to earn the Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) degree is 54. To reach the 54 credit hour total, students must earn 36 credits by completing and passing the required core courses. Students must then earn an additional 18 credits by completing elective courses of their choice, with three (3) of those 18 consisting of an advanced skills/methods elective.
Across those 54 credits, students must also meet final course grade minimums and cumulative grade point average requirements (see the GPA Requirements and Grading Policy tab) in order to earn the MURP degree. The required 54 credits may be reduced in some cases for students who meet the requirements for advanced standing or who have transfer credits (see the Advanced Standing Credit Waiver tab).
To learn more about the required core courses and the overall total credit hour requirements for completing the MURP degree, please see the Credit Hour Requirements Section below.
In order to receive the MURP degree, a student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) for all courses that count toward the required 54 credit hours must be 3.00 or higher. A student’s cumulative GPA may drop below 3.00 during their time in the MURP program, but ultimately the student’s cumulative GPA must be 3.00 or higher in order to graduate with the MURP degree. Students who fail to meet a 3.00 cumulative GPA will be put on probation. After two semesters on probation a student will be subject to suspension.
For all courses taken as part of the MURP program, a student must receive a final grade of C minus (C-) or higher in order for that course to count toward the MURP 54 credit hour requirement. A student receiving a final grade in a core course below C- must retake the course in order to graduate.
It should be recognized that while students can get credit for courses where their grade is as low as a C-, each grade below a B (3.00) must be matched with a grade that is correspondingly higher than a B in another class to eventually meet the minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA threshold. As of the effective date of this policy, currently enrolled students who took a class under the previous grading policy and received a grade between C- and C+, thereby not obtaining credit for the class towards the degree, can now count that class towards the degree credit retroactively.
The MURP program uses the University’s standard 4.00 grading letter and point system:
A 4.00 points A- 3.70 points B+ 3.30 points
B 3.00 points B- 2.70 points C+ 2.30 points
C 2.00 points C- 1.70 points D+ 1.30 points
D 1.00 points D- 0.70 points F 0.00 points
These statements describe the expectations associated with letter grades awarded for MURP program assignments and courses:
“A” grade range: Exceptional scholarship and superior work products that significantly exceed stated requirements in scope and/or quality
“B” grade range: Commendable scholarship and accomplished work products that somewhat exceed stated requirements in scope and/or quality
“C” grade range: Satisfactory scholarship and work products that almost meet stated requirements in scope and/or quality
“D” grade range: Inadequate scholarship and inferior work products that clearly fail to meet stated requirements in scope and/or quality
“F” grade: Unacceptable scholarship and work product
Students may substitute a MURP core course with an elective course of their choosing when at least one of the following conditions has been met:
- The student has significant professional planning work experience equivalent to the core course being substituted, or
- The student has completed an undergraduate or graduate planning course (minimum grade of B-) that substantially covered the equivalent material of the core course being substituted.
A Core Course Substitution does NOT reduce the total number of credits required to receive the MURP degree, and no more than nine (9) credits of core courses may be substituted per student.
To apply, complete the online Course Waiver Request Form. If you have any questions about the form, please contact your academic advisor.
If you propose to substitute a core course based on having previously completed an equivalent planning class, you must submit a syllabus for the course and a copy of your transcripts (unofficial is fine) showing that you received a B- or better in the course. If your core course substitution request is based on substantial professional planning work experience, you must submit your resume and a thorough description of the relevant job position and duties.
All Core Course Substitutions must be approved by the Department Chair or Associate Chair. The core courses that are not eligible for substitution are Planning Project Studio and Planning Capstone/Thesis.
Students may receive advanced standing and waive up to nine (9) credits of MURP core or elective courses if they have previously completed graduate-level planning courses (minimum grade of B-) that substantially covered the equivalent MURP course material.
An Advanced Standing Credit Waiver does not require a substitute course and does reduce the number of total credits required to receive the MURP degree.
To apply, complete the online Course Waiver Request Form. If you have any questions about the form, please contact your academic advisor.
To receive an Advanced Standing Credit Waiver for a MURP course, you must submit a syllabus for the previously completed graduate-level planning course and a copy of your transcripts showing that you received a grade of B- or better in the course.
All Advanced Standing Credit Waivers must be approved by the Department Chair or Associate Chair. The core courses that are not eligible for an Advanced Standing Credit Waiver are Planning Project Studio and Planning Capstone/Thesis.
Credit Hour Requirements
Course Sequence and Prerequisites
Generally, the 5000-series core courses should be completed first because they provide foundational knowledge, skills, and values that are important to successfully completing the 6000-series core and elective courses. While most electives are taken in the second year, students have the opportunity to take elective courses during their first year in the program.
The following tables show the typical two-year course sequence and prerequisites.
Core Courses
The MURP program’s core courses provide students with a comprehensive survey of the planning field and the foundational knowledge, skills, and values important to the profession. The core courses have been carefully designed to fully comply with the Planning Accreditation Board’s required educational outcomes. Click on the course below to read the full description.
Core Studios
Planning Workshop (URPL 5060) and Planning Project Studio (URPL 6000) are the two core studio courses. These courses are a key part of the hands-on, real-world focus of the MURP program. This section provides more details on these unique core courses.
Planning Workshop is the introductory physical planning course offered each spring that allows you to use your previously acquired planning knowledge and skills in a hands-on collaborative setting to learn the long-range planning process and the fundamentals of physical planning and design.
You will learn the basics of creating a long-range plan through a sequence of exercises mirroring the stages in the planning process, beginning with an assessment of an area’s existing conditions and characteristics through site visits and field work and by gathering and analyzing land use, transportation, environmental, economic, and demographic data, maps, plans, and reports. With this information, you will learn how to evaluate an area’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and constraints in order to formulate a vision and primary goals for the area. This leads to the concept planning stage, where you will engage in the iterative process of developing concept plans and physical interventions to implement the vision and goals, and hone your skills in communicating your plans through various media and graphical techniques.
You will also develop critical physical planning and design skills through exercises that focus on place analysis (qualitative and quantitative place elements and placemaking principles), master planning (neighborhood/district urban form elements, characteristics, and layouts), and site planning (development programs, site elements and attributes, and spatial allocations and configurations). You will learn how to produce these physical plans and designs at different geographic scales, using various illustrative techniques and conventions, with both manual and digital tools. Throughout these exercises, you will also experience how zoning and other development and design regulations inform and constrain your plans and designs, providing you with a realistic understanding of, and practice with, physical planning and site design in various urban and suburban contexts.
You will learn the basics of creating a long-range plan through a sequence of exercises mirroring the stages in the planning process, beginning with an assessment of an area’s existing conditions and characteristics through site visits and field work and by gathering and analyzing land use, transportation, environmental, economic, and demographic data, maps, plans, and reports. With this information, you will learn how to evaluate an area’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and constraints in order to formulate a vision and primary goals for the area. This leads to the concept planning stage, where you will engage in the iterative process of developing concept plans and physical interventions to implement the vision and goals, and hone your skills in communicating your plans through various media and graphical techniques.
You will also develop critical physical planning and design skills through exercises that focus on place analysis (qualitative and quantitative place elements and placemaking principles), master planning (neighborhood/district urban form elements, characteristics, and layouts), and site planning (development programs, site elements and attributes, and spatial allocations and configurations). You will learn how to produce these physical plans and designs at different geographic scales, using various illustrative techniques and conventions, with both manual and digital tools. Throughout these exercises, you will also experience how zoning and other development and design regulations inform and constrain your plans and designs, providing you with a realistic understanding of, and practice with, physical planning and site design in various urban and suburban contexts.
Planning Project Studio is the MURP program’s advanced studio course. This studio requires you and your classmates to work together as a “planning consultant team” to complete a single planning project or study from beginning to end for a real-world client. It is expected that you will have already gained the core planning knowledge, skills, and values from your experience in Planning Workshop and other MURP courses to be successful in this studio. Consequently, the emphasis in Planning Project Studio is on putting everything together to complete a substantial deliverable for the client.
The studio will emulate the typical planning consultant/client experience, including: refining the project scope and schedule with the client; establishing guiding principles and expected outcomes; conducting case studies and existing plans background research; gathering and analyzing existing conditions data and performing a SWOC assessment; formulating alternative plan concepts; identifying and refining the preferred alternative; and preparing and presenting the final plan. Emphasis is also placed on professionalism, project management, team-building and collaboration, public engagement, and other aspects of the real-world planning consultant realm.
At least three sections of Planning Project Studio are offered each academic year: one (sometimes two) Study Abroad sections during the summer that travel to international locations (recent Study Abroad studios have gone to Greece, Turkey, and Spain); one section during the summer that is anchored partly in Denver and partly in a mountain or rural community (recent Colorado studios have gone to Dillon, Leadville, and Chaffee County), and at least one section during the fall that focuses on an urban issue in the Denver area (recent local studios have studied the 5280 Trail and the Auraria Campus’s proposed Innovation District). These options provide you with the opportunity to enroll in a Planning Project Studio section that is aligned with your interests and schedule. However, as each studio section is limited in size, there is no guarantee you will be able to enroll in your preferred section. A balloting process will be used when necessary.
The studio will emulate the typical planning consultant/client experience, including: refining the project scope and schedule with the client; establishing guiding principles and expected outcomes; conducting case studies and existing plans background research; gathering and analyzing existing conditions data and performing a SWOC assessment; formulating alternative plan concepts; identifying and refining the preferred alternative; and preparing and presenting the final plan. Emphasis is also placed on professionalism, project management, team-building and collaboration, public engagement, and other aspects of the real-world planning consultant realm.
At least three sections of Planning Project Studio are offered each academic year: one (sometimes two) Study Abroad sections during the summer that travel to international locations (recent Study Abroad studios have gone to Greece, Turkey, and Spain); one section during the summer that is anchored partly in Denver and partly in a mountain or rural community (recent Colorado studios have gone to Dillon, Leadville, and Chaffee County), and at least one section during the fall that focuses on an urban issue in the Denver area (recent local studios have studied the 5280 Trail and the Auraria Campus’s proposed Innovation District). These options provide you with the opportunity to enroll in a Planning Project Studio section that is aligned with your interests and schedule. However, as each studio section is limited in size, there is no guarantee you will be able to enroll in your preferred section. A balloting process will be used when necessary.
Planning Capstone/Planning Thesis
Planning Capstone is a six-credit, project-oriented, one-semester course that results in a substantial deliverable upon completion. The Capstone option is best suited for students who wish to pursue a career as a professional planner after graduation.
Alternatives
Within the Planning Capstone option are two alternatives: Independent Project and Small-Group Project.
If a student chooses the Planning Capstone > Independent Project path, he or she will work individually to complete a significant planning project or study for a real-world client. If a student chooses the Planning Capstone > Small-Group Project path, he or she must team up with one or two other students—forming a project team of no more than three people—to complete a significant planning project or study for a real-world client. However, each student must be individually responsible for a clearly defined component of the group project as each student will be graded independently for his or her work.
Requirements
During the semester before enrolling in Planning Capstone, students will be required to:
- Attend a mandatory Capstone Orientation to receive instruction and guidance on project planning and management
- Determine if they will be working independently or as part of a small group,
- Identify their Capstone client and project topic, and
- Begin preparing a detailed project prospectus (work plan, schedule, methodology, and deliverables).
Students must have a completed and approved project prospectus by the first week of their Capstone semester. Students may identify their own Planning Capstone client and project topic or they may select from a list of Capstone clients/projects that have been pre-arranged and approved by the MURP faculty.
During the Planning Capstone semester, students complete their project work while maintaining regular contact with their Capstone faculty advisor and client to ensure sufficient progress and work quality, as well as periodically meeting with other Capstone students to discuss common issues and challenges, share experiences, and receive continued instruction and guidance from the Capstone faculty on project management and methodologies. The Planning Capstone semester concludes with the submission of all deliverables and a formal presentation to the client.
Additional Info
For more information about Planning Capstone, students may request a copy of the Planning Capstone Handbook. Students will automatically receive a copy of the Handbook at the Capstone Orientation in the fall.
Planning Thesis comprises a pair of three-credit courses (A and B) taken over two semesters that together constitute a six-credit effort. The thesis option is most appropriate for outstanding MURP students who are considering pursuing a Ph.D. or a research-oriented career after graduation.
Research Guidelines
While the thesis should address an aspect of urban and regional planning, it may be qualitative or quantitative in design, and directed toward the discovery of new facts, the development of theory or frameworks, or an investigation of an existing body of knowledge. The thesis document usually includes an abstract, a literature review that delineates the problem of interest or a gap in existing knowledge, a statement of research objectives, an explanation of the research design and methods, a report of the results of the research, and a discussion of the findings and their implications for planning.
Advisor and Committee Approval
The thesis is undertaken with the guidance and approval of a three-person thesis committee, including a Thesis Advisor who must be a full-time member of the MURP faculty who holds a professional degree or Ph.D. Students interested in pursuing the thesis option must complete and submit the Planning Thesis Proposal to their intended Thesis Advisor. Students must have their project approved by their Thesis Advisor prior to the course drop deadline in the Planning Thesis A semester. If the proposal is not approved, or the student’s prior academic performance is not deemed adequate for participation in the thesis option, the student would enroll in Planning Capstone instead. Once the Thesis Advisor approves the proposal, the student must enroll in the Planning Thesis course using a Special Processing Form that is signed by their Thesis Advisor and submitted to their academic advisor.
Thesis Courses
During the Planning Thesis A (URPL 6920) semester, students identify their research question and study design, work on their literature review, and begin their research. If human subjects research is involved, e.g. through interviews, surveys, focus groups, etc., students should work with their Thesis Advisor to submit their application to the Colorado Multiple Institutions Review Board during Thesis A.
During the Planning Thesis B (URPL 6925) semester, students complete their research and write the bulk of the thesis. Throughout, thesis students will meet regularly with their committee members to ensure sufficient progress and work quality. To graduate, the completed thesis must be successfully defended in an Oral Examination before the Thesis Committee, formatted according to department guidelines, and submitted to the university by the official deadline.
Thesis students should request a copy of the MURP Thesis Handbook from Jenny Steffel Johnson.
Elective Courses
Whereas the MURP core courses offer a broad survey of related planning topics to provide foundational knowledge, skills, and values, the elective courses offer a more intensive investigation into a diverse array of planning and design topics.
Click the link below to find brief descriptions of the MURP program’s elective courses that are regularly offered once a year in the Fall and Spring semesters, as well as elective courses that are intermittently offered—usually once every two years.
Disclaimer: All courses listed are subject to change given student interest, faculty availability, and other considerations. Additional electives will also be periodically offered as Special Topics courses. Not counting cross-listed courses (those provided by a different program but assigned a URPL course number), students may take up to two elective courses from other CU Denver programs and departments as qualifying MURP electives. We recommend consulting with your faculty advisor about these course decisions.
Elective Courses Regularly Offered - FALL
Please note: Courses an asterisk (*) are offered by other programs within the College or University but are cross-listed with a URPL course number as approved MURP courses. Courses with a double asterisk (**) are approved as advanced skills/methods electives.
Elective Courses Regularly Offered - SPRING
Please note: Courses with an asterisk (*) are offered by other programs within the College or University but are cross-listed with a URPL course number as approved MURP courses. Courses with a double asterisk (**) are approved as advanced skills/methods electives.
Elective Courses Regularly Offered - Summer
GIS for Urban Planning and Visualization for Planning are offered in the Fall and Summer semesters.
Cross-Listed Elective Courses
These courses focus on planning-related topics within disciplines such as urban design, landscape architecture, public administration, business, and civil engineering.
Potential Focus Areas
Through our self-directed elective curriculum, students have the ability to craft a MURP degree suited to their career goals and personal interests. Students may choose any combination of elective courses, whether oriented towards a traditional planning field such as “Transportation Planning,” a customized emphasis on a unique planning niche, or a general survey of diverse planning topics (i.e. no specialization at all). Students are not required to identify or pursue any type of planning specialization unless they want to
(specializations do not appear on transcripts). Ultimately, students may choose whichever combination of elective courses they desire.
However, for those students who may want to focus their electives on a specific aspect of planning, we've identified below six common planning “focus areas” and a selection of MURP elective courses that would provide excellent coverage of each focus area. Again, these are not prescribed or required, just suggested combinations of electives related to each focus area for students who may be interested. Additional relevant courses may also be found within and outside of the MURP program.
The most helpful resource for assisting students in choosing their self-directed path through the MURP program is the planning faculty. Students should not hesitate to reach out to any faculty member for advice about which electives to take or any topic relating to the MURP program or careers in planning. For more information, see Advising.
| Introductory Electives | Advanced Skills/Methods Electives | Specialized Electives |
| URPL 6555 Transportation, Land Use, and Environment | URPL 6230 Urban Data Science | URPL 6235 Environmental Justice |
| URPL 6560 Transit, Pedestrian, and Bicycle Planning | URPL 6250 GIS for Urban Planning | URPL 6260 Advanced Geospatial Methods |
| URPL 6550 Transportation Planning and Policy | ||
| URPL 6600 Regional Growth and Equity |
Notes:
- Only one advanced skills/methods elective is necessary to meet the requirement.
- URPL 6260 - Advanced Geospatial Methods would be an effective specialized elective under any focus area.
- URPL 6800 - Special Topics courses are routinely offered by the MURP program that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area.
- Students may discover courses offered by other programs in the university that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area. Consult with your faculty advisor.
| Introductory Electives | Advanced Skills/Methods Electives | Specialized Electives |
| URPL 6400 Community Development | URPL 6265 Visualization for Planning | URPL 6355 Urban Redevelopment Strategies |
| URPL 6650 International Development Planning | URPL 6455 Real Estate Development and Finance | URPL 6405 Urban Housing |
| URPL 6600 Regional Growth and Equity | ||
| URPL 6615 Small Town, Rural, and Tourism Planning |
Notes:
- Only one advanced skills/methods elective is necessary to meet the requirement.
- URPL 6260 - Advanced Geospatial Methods would be an effective specialized elective under any focus area.
- URPL 6800 - Special Topics courses are routinely offered by the MURP program that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area.
- Students may discover courses offered by other programs in the university that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area. Consult with your faculty advisor.
| Introductory Electives | Advanced Skills/Methods Electives | Specialized Electives |
| URPL 6200 Land Development Regulations | URPL 6210 Planning Engagement | URPL 6350 City Design Fundamentals |
| URPL 6355 Urban Redevelopment Strategies | URPL 6265 Visualization for Planning | URPL 6397 - Design Policy, Process, and Regulation |
| URPL 6400 Community Development | ||
| URPL 6405 Urban Housing |
Notes:
- Only one advanced skills/methods elective is necessary to meet the requirement.
- URPL 6260 - Advanced Geospatial Methods would be an effective specialized elective under any focus area.
- URPL 6800 - Special Topics courses are routinely offered by the MURP program that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area.
- Students may discover courses offered by other programs in the university that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area. Consult with your faculty advisor.
| Introductory Electives | Advanced Skills/Methods Electives | Specialized Electives |
| URPL 6500 Environmental Planning and Management | URPL 6230 Urban Data Science | URPL 6205 Plan Making |
| URPL 6555 Transportation, Land Use, and Environment | URPL 6250 GIS for Urban Planning | URPL 6235 Environmental Justice |
| URPL 6260 Advanced Geo-Spatial Methods | URPL 6365 Parks and Public Spaces | |
| URPL 6615 Small Town, Rural, and Tourism Planning | ||
| URPL 6645 Disaster and Climate Change Planning |
Notes:
- Only one advanced skills/methods elective is necessary to meet the requirement.
- URPL 6260 - Advanced Geospatial Methods would be an effective specialized elective under any focus area.
- URPL 6800 - Special Topics courses are routinely offered by the MURP program that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area.
- Students may discover courses offered by other programs in the university that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area. Consult with your faculty advisor.
| Introductory Electives | Advanced Skills/Methods Electives | Specialized Electives |
| URPL 6350 City Design Fundamentals | URPL 6210 Planning Engagement | URPL 6365 Parks and Public Spaces |
| URPL 6200 Land Development Regulations | URPL 6265 Visualization for Planning | URPL 6397 Design Policy, Process, and Regulations |
| URPL 6398 Design Practice | ||
| URPL 6555 Transportation, Land Use, and Environment |
Notes:
- Only one advanced skills/methods elective is necessary to meet the requirement.
- URPL 6260 - Advanced Geospatial Methods would be an effective specialized elective under any focus area.
- URPL 6800 - Special Topics courses are routinely offered by the MURP program that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area.
- Students may discover courses offered by other programs in the university that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area. Consult with your faculty advisor.
| Introductory Electives | Advanced Skills/Methods Electives | Specialized Electives |
| URPL 6300 Community/Environmental Health Planning |
URPL 6225 Urban Policy Analytics |
URPL 6365 Parks and Public Spaces |
| URPL 6400 Community Development |
URPL 6250 GIS for Urban Planning |
URPL 6410 Social Justice in Planning |
| URPL 6560 Transit, Pedestrian, and Bicycle Planning |
||
| URPL 6645 Disaster and Climate Change Planning |
Notes:
- Only one advanced skills/methods elective is necessary to meet the requirement.
- URPL 6260 - Advanced Geospatial Methods would be an effective specialized elective under any focus area.
- URPL 6800 - Special Topics courses are routinely offered by the MURP program that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area.
- Students may discover courses offered by other programs in the university that may be effective specialized electives under a focus area. Consult with your faculty advisor.
Independent Study Elective Course
Independent Study is a student self-directed learning experience with faculty oversight, guidance, and evaluation. Independent Study offers students an important opportunity to engage in research or creative activity in an area of inquiry not offered through regular courses, or in greater depth than offered in regular courses. Students who wish to pursue an Independent Study course must develop an Independent Study proposal and have it approved by the faculty member who has agreed to serve as their project advisor, prior to enrolling in the course. More information about the Independent Study option is available from the Planning faculty or, for current MURP students, on MURPspace.Internships
Internships are an important way for students to achieve hands-on, experiential learning. The difference between an internship and a part-time job is that an internship is specifically intended to be a learning experience. The school uses the Handshake platform to post internship and job openings but students are also encouraged to pursue opportunities through their own networking and research. CAP students also receive a biweekly email containing information about internships, part-time and full-time employment, and networking opportunities. Students who have been interested in having an internship during their time in the MURP program have not had difficulty finding one.
Our Director of Professional Development & Internships, Jen Skidmore, can assist students with their resumes, interview preparation, and other skills related to obtaining an internship.
Dual Degree Programs
The CU Denver MURP program believes that successful city-building requires expertise, breadth, interdisciplinary understanding, and creativity. Our program emphasizes thinking outside traditional professional silos and we encourage students to explore the planning profession by following a self-directed path and develop expertise in the areas that matter most to them.
In keeping with this spirit, the MURP program offers ten dual degree options. In order to pursue a dual degree, you must be accepted into both programs separately. You may choose to apply to another program to pursue a dual degree after you have entered the MURP program. Once admitted to a dual degree, you must complete the work for both degrees before you can graduate from either. Pursuing a dual degree provides a reduction in the number of credits required than you would need if you earned each degree separately, saving both time and money.
Travel Study Opportunities
Travel allows us to see and experience design perspectives from around the world. The College of Architecture and Planning offers a variety of study abroad opportunities each year. Additionally, CU Denver offers study abroad opportunities to students of all majors.
Tuition & Fees
The University of Colorado Denver has one of the most affordable tuition rates in Colorado. Our tuition and fees are set by the Board of Regents, the governing body of the University of Colorado. Tuition is based on student classification (undergraduate, graduate, academic program, resident or nonresident) and you can find out what rates will apply to your situation here.
All CAP Graduate Programs have WICHE-WRGP (Western Regional Graduate Program) status, which grants in-state resident tuition to students from 15 western states including California, Washington, Oregon and Arizona.
Student and Faculty Work
Explore MURP Projects From Students & Faculty
Living in Denver
Program News
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Your neighborhood may increase risk of hospitalization from respiratory diseases like COVID-19
Jul 13, 2023In a first-of-its-kind study that controlled for individuals’ biological factors, researchers found that people who lived in multi-family housing, or in areas with higher levels of air pollution and access to public transit, were at a higher risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 in the Denver metro area in 2020.Full story -
MURP Student Spotlight: Dina BleeckerOpens in a new window
Nov 30, 2034Dina Bleecker is currently finalizing her Master of Urban and Regional Planning capstone project, readying her to walk across the commencement stage on December 16. Dina shared some of her favorite experiences from her time in the College of Architecture and Planning and looks forward to continuing her capstone work as she takes her next steps forward.Opens in a new window Full story -
CAP Researchers Address Climate Change Solutions from the Ground UpOpens in a new window
Oct 30, 2023From creating supportive, nurturing structures for saplings in the LoDo Lab to preventing inequitable impacts from climate change by facilitating transformative, collaborative partnerships in the Community Collaborative Research Center, research in the College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) at CU Denver addresses today’s environmental challenges to create a healthier and more sustainable future.Opens in a new window Full story
Get Involved with MURP
MURP Alumni
As former students and now professionals, MURP alumni work throughout the US and abroad and maintain close ties to the MURP program through the MURP Alumni Association. MURP students have numerous opportunities to engage with MURP alumni, learn from their experience, and build relationships that will last a lifetime.
Connect with the MURP Alumni Association
Student Organizations
The College of Architecture and Planning supports several student organizations including three planning-specific groups—American Planning Association Student Chapter (APAS), WTS for transportation planning, and Planners Network.
