courses by theme

Urban Studies majors need to take at least one course from each area:

This list is not exhaustive; courses not listed may also be considered but must be approved by the Urban Studies advisor. Titles for topics courses and writing seminars vary and may fulfill a different theme depending on course content for the specific term. See your advisor.

History of Cities

URBS 011 (was 110) Crime & Punishment
URBS 103 /HIST 209 Industrial Metropolis
URBS 104 /HIST153 The Urban Crisis
URBS 121 (was 101) /ANTH121 Origins and Cultures of Cities
URBS 139 /ANTH139 Ancient Civilizations of the World
URBS 203 Intro to City Planning: Planning Urban Spaces
URBS 210 /HIST210 The City
URBS 220/HIST 214 Current Topics: Modern American Cities
URBS 236 /ANTH236/NELC246 Mesopotamia : Heartland of Cities
URBS 250 Urban Public Policy
URBS 255 /HIST255 Urban Neighborhoods
URBS 260 /HIST 206 World Cities : Cities in Chinese History
URBS 270 / AFRC272 Ethnicity
URBS 272 Architecture, Location, & Class in Philadelphia , 1780-1930
URBS 361 /HIST361 American Politics and Society
URBS 367 /HIST367 Philadelphia 1700-2000
URBS 404 Philanthropy and the City
URBS 420 /SOCI 420 Perspectives on American Poverty
URBS 440 /CPLN540 Intro. To City Planning: Past, Present, Future
URBS 450 Urban Redevelopment
URBS 455 /HIST455 Urban Social Structure
URBS 457 /SOCI435 Globalization and Comparative Urban Development
URBS 472 /AFRC472 Race and the City

ARTH 283 The Modern City

Comparative and Theoretical Dimensions

URBS 112 /SOCI011 Urban Sociology
URBS 121 (was 101)/ANTH121 Origins and Cultures of Cities URBS 139 /ANTH139 Ancient Civilizations of the World
URBS 122/ ANTH 107/ SAST 002 The City in South Asia
URBS 139/ANTH 139/ NELC 182 Ancient Civilizations of the World
URBS 160 (was 214) /SOCI006/AFRC006 Race & Ethnic Relations
URBS 178 (was 078) /AFRC 078/ HIST 214 Urban-University Community Relations
Faculty-Student Collaborative Action Seminar URBS 207 /ASAM205 Asian-American Community Fieldwork
URBS 210 /HIST210 The City
URBS 213 /ANTH303 Methods in Urban Ethnography
URBS 244 /COML254/GRMN244 Metropolis: Culture of the City
URBS 254 /ANTH252 Cultural Values in Modern America*
URBS 255 /ANTH355/AFRC255 Urban Neighborhoods
URBS 260 /HIST 206 World Cities: Cities in Chinese History
URBS 265 /SOCI007/WSTD007 Pop ulation and Society
URBS 266/SOCI 007/WSTD 007 Ethnicity & Migration
URBS 270 /ANTH371/AFRC272/ASAM271 Ethnicity
URBS 307 (was 207)/SAM 205 Asian American Community Fieldwork
URBS 360 /CPLN 560 Re-Imagining Philadelphia
URBS 405 /HIST405/AFRC405/RELS439 Religion, Social Justice and Urban Development
URBS 414/LALS 414 Memory & Urbanism in the Americas
URBS 455 /HIST455 Urban Social Structure
URBS 457 /SOCI435 Globalization and the Welfare State
URBS 463 /ENVS463 Brownfield Remediation
URBS 473 /SOCI473 Community Organizing: History & Theory
URBS 480 (URBS 540) Liberation and Ownership
URBS 507 Cities & Intellectuals

The Built Environment

URBS 203 Intro to City Planning: Planning Urban Spaces
URBS 204 Urban Law
URBS 205 Introduction to Environmental Design: Power of Place
URBS 206 /URBS506/CPLN620 Public Environment of Cities: Intro to the Urban Landscape
URBS 210 /HIST210 The City
URBS 226 /FNAR226 Photography of Urban Place
URBS 259 (was 429) Understanding the Post Industrial City
URBS 272 Architecture, Location, & Class in Philadelphia , 1780-1930
URBS 330 (was 230) GIS Applications in Social Science
URBS 349 /ARTH290 Process of Place-Making: Fostering Public Design
URBS 360 /CPLN560 Re-Imagining Philadelphia
URBS 410 /FNAR201/SWRK510/URBS510 Urban Community and the Arts
URBS 413 Sprawl: American Dream or Nightmare?
URBS 418/CPLN718 Transforming Neighborhoods
URBS 424 /LAW724 Local Government Law
URBS 430 /HIST 440 Spatial Analysis in Urban Studies
URBS 440 /CPLN540 Intro. To City Planning: Past, Present, Future
URBS 450 Urban Redevelopment
URBS 451 /GAFL569 The Politics of Housing & Community Development
URBS 452 Community Economic Development
URBS 463 /ENVS463 Brownfield Remediation
URBS 490 /CPLN590 Community Planning & Major Local Institutions
URBS 510/URBS 410 Urban Community and the Arts
URBS 712 /CPLN712 Inner City Revitalization

ARTH 283 The Modern City
CPLN 437 Housing Planning in Developing Countries

Urban Economics/Finance

URBS 010 (was 100) Homelessness and the Urban Crisis (freshman seminar)
URBS 103 /HIST209 Industrial Metropolis
URBS 250 Urban Public Policy
URBS 253/SOCI 254 Cities, Suburbs, and their Regions
URBS 402 The City and Homelessness
URBS 404 Philanthropy and the City
URBS 405 /HIST405/AFRC405/RELS439 Religion, Social Justice and Urban Development
URBS 450 Urban Redevelopment
URBS 451 /GAFL569 The Politics of Housing & Community Development
URBS 452 Community Economic Development
URBS 453 /543/CPLN545 Metropolitan Growth and Urban Poverty
URBS 454 /554/CPLN559 Info., Public Policy, and the Redevelopment of the City
URBS 480 (was URBS 540) Liberation and Ownership

ECON 030 Public Policy Analysis
ECON 231 Public Finance- prereq 101
ECON 232 Political Economy- prereq 101
FNCE 230/REAL230 Urban Financial Policy
REAL 206/PPMT206 Urban Public Policy & Private Development
REAL 215/FNCE215 Urban Real Estate Economics

Public Policy/Government

URBS 010 (was 100) Homelessness and the Urban Crisis (freshman seminar)
URBS 011 (was110) Crime and Punishment (freshman seminar)
URBS 104 /HIST153 The Urban Crisis
URBS 114 /AFRC112/SOCI112/WSTD114 Discrimination: Racial & Sexual Conflict
URBS 136/ PSCI136 Urban Politics in the US
URBS 137 /PSCI 139 Politics of Poverty & Development
URBS 160 (was 214) /SOCI006/AFAM006 Race & Ethnic Relations
URBS 178 (was 078) /AFRC 078/HIST 214 Urban-University Community Relations:
Faculty-Student Collaborative Action Seminar
URBS 201 Urban Health Systems
URBS 202 /EDUC202 Urban Education
URBS 203 Intro to City Planning: Planning Urban Spaces
URBS 204 Urban Law
URBS 208 /HIST208 Penn-West Philadelphia Summer Institute
URBS 210 /HIST 210 The City
URBS 211 /HIST204 Schools & Work
URBS 240 /EDUC240 Education in American Culture
URBS 250 Urban Public Policy
URBS 252 Urban Journalism
URBS 253/ SOCI254 Cities, Suburbs, and their Regions
URBS 255 /ANTH355/AFRC255 Urban Neighborhoods
URBS 264 /SOCI264 Poverty, Race, and Health
URBS 312 /ANTH312 Health in Urban Communities
URBS 320 /PSCI320/GAFL710 The Science of Politics: Who Gets Elected & Why
URBS 323 /EDUC323 Tutoring School: Theory & Practice
URBS 326/EDUC 326 Tutoring in Urban Public Schools: A Child Development Perspective
URBS 330 (was 230) GIS Applications in Social Science
URBS 402 The City and Homelessness
URBS 404 Philanthropy and the City
URBS 405 /HIST405/AFRC405/RELS439 Religion, Social Justice and Urban Development
URBS 408 / EDUC506/SOCI430 Community Activism and School Reform
URBS 409 /ANTH409/ANTH609 Anthropology & Policy
URBS 410 /FNAR20/SWRK510/URBS510 Urban Community and the Arts
URBS 412 Building a Non-Profit from the Ground Up
URBS 413 Sprawl: American Dream or Nightmare?
URBS 418 /CPLN718 Transforming Neighborhoods
URBS 420 Perspectives on American Poverty
URBS 422 Cities, Democracy & Citizenship
URBS 428 /CPLN528 Research Seminar 21 st Century Urbanism
URBS 430 /HIST 440 Spatial Analysis in Urban Studies
URBS 440 /CPLN540 Intro. To City Planning: Past, Present, Future
URBS 448 Neighborhood Displacement & Community Power
URBS 450 Urban Redevelopment
URBS 451 /GAFL 569 The Politics of Housing & Community Development
URBS 452 Community Economic Development
URBS 453 Metropolitan Growth and Urban Poverty
URBS 454 City Limits: The Impact of Urban Public Policy
URBS 457 /SOCI 435 Globalization and the Welfare State
URS 459 Philadelphia Politics
URBS 460/EDUC 545/ AFRC 460 School Reform Public Policy
URBS 463 /ENVS 463 Brownfield Remediation
URBS 472 Race and the City
URBS 473/SOCI473 Community Organizing: History & Theory

REAL 206/PPMT 206 Urban Public Management & Private Economic Development
ECON 030 Public Policy Analysis

Photo: Domenic Vitiello