Declaring a Major or Minor
Students wishing to declare a major or minor in Urban Studies must first meet with someone in the Urban Studies office to discuss their planned course of study. Prior to the meeting, please familiarize yourself with the information provided below. Students may schedule a meeting by writing to urbs@sas.upenn.edu or use Calendly to make an in-person or Zoom appointment with Julia McWilliams, URBS Co-Director: calendly.com/mcjulia-upenn
After the meeting, students will then fill out the “Declare/Update Field of Study Form,” which can be accessed through Path Forms.
A minor in Urban Studies consists of six course units:
- One Urban Studies course from the themes of either History of Cities or Comparative and Theoretical Dimensions. You can find a list of courses by theme by clicking here.
- Three Urban Studies electives. One of these can be a relevant course outside of Urban Studies which must be approved by your minor advisor.
- Fieldwork - URBS 3000 (a 2 cu course offered every spring semester). Note: consider Fieldwork as 2 of the courses that you take that semester.
Because this minor requires an credit-bearing, unpaid internship (URBS 3000), it is advised that students formally declare no later than the beginning of junior year. You will be formally admitted to the minor only after receiving approval from the Urban Studies program advisor.