Course Library
Browse our library of planning courses
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process. The first course introduces the software you’ll use to create analytical maps, 3D models, and 2D graphic designs.
Multi-Family Property Valuation Case Study for Planners
This course will take planners through a case study multi-family property valuation. The course will build upon previous course topics of time discounting, internal rate of return, net operating income, lease structures, debt payments, and risk assessment.
Property Cash Flow Analysis for Planners
This course will introduce planners to property cash flow analysis, which provides the foundation for real estate pro forma analysis.
Time Value of Money for Planners
This course will introduce planners to the concept of time value of money that will provide the foundation for real estate pro forma analysis.
The DIY Form-Based Code: Publishing and Expanding
In this fourth and final course of the DIY Form-Based Code series, learn to visually communicate publishable form-based code by using SketchUp and InDesign.
The DIY Form-Based Code: Testing and Refining
This third of four courses from the "DIY Form-Based Code" series shows how to use Excel and SketchUp to generate randomization tests, modeling, and refinements for a draft version of a form-based code.
The DIY Form-Based Code: Research and Development
Covering concepts critical to developing the foundation for a code, this course takes a a tour through the creation of a code for the hypothetical city of Wrightville.
Creating Interactive iPlans with iBooks Author
This course provides an introduction to the basic functions of Apple iBooks Author and demonstrates how the program can be used to develop interactive documents such as interactive iPlans.
AutoCAD for Site Planning
This course establishes a workflow for an illustrative site plan, including how to represent existing conditions and create detailed plans for specific areas within a larger project. Building on AutoCAD 101, learn to draw more complex plans using aerial imagery, photography, and hand-drawn sketches as the base layer.
Geoanalysis with ArcGIS and Google Earth
Combining ArcGIS and Google Earth allows for a convenient, powerful way to create and share professional, accurate spatial visualizations of geographical analysis to a wide audience. This course explores how to prep shape files for ingestion into Google Earth, share city data with the public, and aid in pre-visualizing via geo-referencing around potential development sites.
Build A WordPress Website
This ‘bootcamp’ course will help you develop a website layout using a self-hosted version of the popular content management system WordPress in under an hour. Learn to create and publish posts and pages, change the look of the site by using different themes, and manage the navigation, menus, and other content, such as as contributed modules and an image gallery.
SketchUp for Planners - Intermediate Part 3
Combining SketchUp and Adobe Creative Suite, this course demonstrates how to use SketchUp together with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign to create illustrative and informative photo simulations, perspective views, sections and site plans.
InDesign for Planners - An Introduction
Adobe InDesign is widely recognized among design professionals as the premier document layout software, with a number of valuable applications for urban planning. This course gives you a step-by-step introduction to the basic tools of InDesign CS6.
InDesign for Planners - Intermediate
Adobe InDesign is widely recognized among design professionals as the premier document layout software, with a number of valuable applications for urban planning. This course builds upon the Introduction to InDesign course, giving you step-by-step instructions on some of the more complex tools that come with InDesign CS6.
GIS Walkability Modeling
As the field of planning continues to trend toward multi-modal, sustainable transportation practices, tools to model or analyze the walkability of a given area have grown in number and complexity. In this course, students will learn how to apply ArcMap and the Spatial Analyst extension to model walkability. The course assumes students have a working knowledge of GIS and basic familiarity with Spatial Analyst.
InDesign for Planners - Advanced
Adobe InDesign is widely recognized among design professionals as the premier document layout software, with a number of valuable applications for urban planning. This course builds upon the Introduction and Intermediate InDesign courses, giving you step-by-step instructions on my advanced features of InDesign CS6, all built around designing and composing a longer report/plan.
Working with Census.gov 2: Topics, Programs, Products
This second of four courses delves deeper into the Census 'architecture'. In course 2 of "Working with Census.gov", Dr. Chris Williamson, a.k.a. Dr. Data, provides an overview on the federally mandated topics that lead to programs which ultimately produce products for the public. Course 2 also delves into such tricky topics as Census data table analysis and gives insider tips and goodies from a Census Bureau veteran.
Working with Census.gov 3: Interacting with the Data
This third of four courses takes you into a series of live demonstrations and in-depth explanations and visuals from the Census.gov and American FactFiner websites. The course covers a comprehensive navigation of the pages, tools and interactive databases that form the expansive Census website and publicly accessible data stores and produced information.
Introductory Population Analysis with Excel
Whether you're new to population analysis or just need a refresher, this course offers a comprehensive overview of the steps necessary to conduct analysis and develop projections using publicly available data. The course reviews Census data and builds skills, such as population projection, cohort survival, and concentration calculations that are essential for every professional in the planning and design community.
Introductory Housing Analysis with Excel
Planners play a crucial role in making housing more affordable and livable. In this course, you will learn about basic market principles, how to judge housing needs, and how to meet that housing need through affordable housing—all the data and analysis skills needed to estimate housing needs.