明尼蘇達大學雙城分校

Urban studies are an explicitly cross-disciplinary major rooted in College of Liberal Arts but accepting courses from a diversity of undergraduate colleges. The program offers students a mix of academic, hands-on, experiential and skill-based coursework focused on a common theme of urban social/cultural issues, urban political economy and planning, urban infrastructure and environment or international urban issues. Through required urban studies coursework students are exposed to local practitioners who teach courses based around their areas of expertise such as: homeless youth, public-private partnerships, transit development, or housing in an international perspective. These local practitioners expose students to the diverse careers that can come from a degree on urban studies. Students are encouraged to study abroad.

Students who major in urban studies come to understand the way cities work and use the vast resources of the Twin Cities to explore their interests. All students complete one required 140 hour internship as part of their exploration of careers they might pursue. Finding an internship is great practice for a job hunt. With the vast local network of alumnus of the program, there are many internship possibilities each term.

The program offers one-on-one advising and students come to know one another through shared classes and through the student group: Minnesota Urban Studies Student Association

Post graduation some students go on to graduate school in fields as diverse as social work, law, finance, geography, and medicine. Other students elect to spend their post-graduate year in a service based organization such as Teach for America, Peace Corps, Reading Corps, Americorps etc. The majority go on to get some on-the-job experience.

Urban studies gives students a breadth of knowledge and the knowledge of how to be engaged in urban issues often leading to long-term careers in public service.