Course Library
Browse our library of planning courses
Urban Agriculture
Urban farming is becoming more popular around the state of California, taking many forms along the way, as documented in this film produced by experts from the University of California and the Cal State University system in cooperation with local organizations.
City Dreamers
The film "City Dreamers," directed by Joseph Hillel and released in 2018, tells the story of four women designers who worked to shape North American cities throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers and black ink to create plans that are detailed and expressive enough to use both in academic and professional presentations.
The Pruitt-Igoe Myth
The 2011 documentary film, “The Myth of Pruitt-Igoe,” documents the rapid rise and fall of a housing complex in St. Louis that became a symbol for the failure of public housing policy in the late 20th century.
Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City
“Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City” tells the story of Daniel Burnham’s life and achievements, as one of the most influential architects and planners in American history.
Urbanized
This film surveys some of the most pressing challenges of contemporary urbanism, while also presenting some of the most ambitious ideas for addressing those challenges. In Urbanized, the ideas don't always require the most famous architects and financing from the richest people in the world. According to Urbanized, ambition can be self-taught, community-based, and balanced with nature.
The Future of Cities After COVID-19
This virtual panel discussion focuses on the potential for the COVID-19 pandemic to influence the development, demographic, and environmental trends of the future. Speakers: Allison Arieff, William Fulton, Scott Frazier, and Mariela Alfonzo. Moderator: James Brasuell.
The Human Scale
The Human Scale juxtaposes the urban experiences of cities across the World to raise questions about the costs of modernity and to argue in favor of city planning that reclaims the public realm for social life. This new approach to planning is measured by walking distances, social interactions, and social inclusion, rather than vehicle speeds and parking spaces.
The YIMBY Movement: Opportunities and Challenges for Planners
Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) is a relatively new movement, but YIMBYs are quickly gaining political power and numbers. This course discusses the origins, goals, and tactics of the YIMBY movement.
Introduction to Smart Cities
This course explores the characteristics and the challenges of smart cities, as well as the potential opportunities for smart cities within the design and planning fields. This course also discusses the drivers and the essential technologies in a smart city.
Transportation Planning: Making Transportation Plans—Rationality and Politics
This course explains the major forms of planning applicable to transportation, including rational comprehensive planning, strategic planning, policy analysis, incremental planning, advocacy planning, and communicative planning.
Introduction to City Planning 3: Midcentury Modern (1940-1979)
This course explores the central role of planning in envisioning cities in the middle 20th century. World War II and the Cold War re-ordered power and politics in new ways. The tragic destruction and loss of World War II gave transformed into exciting opportunities for planners to try new things, in new ways.
Transportation Planning: Effects on the Environment, Health, and Social Justice
This course discusses the local and global impacts of transportation systems and the mitigation of those impacts. The course also identifies prospects for change, as achieved by technology, transportation management, and pricing.
Conceptual Drawing for Planners
In this course, we will learn effective ways of drawing as a means to communicate design ideas and explore digital tools that support traditional drawing.
Regulatory Implications of Tiny Homes
In this course we will define a tiny home and explore the history and appeal of this seemingly recent movement. The course touches on challenges associated with the legal development and regulation of this alternative residential option.
Mobile Drawing Apps for Planners
This course explores three affordable mobile drawing apps and how each might facilitate the planner’s creative process.
Creating a Low-Carbon, Resilient City
This course introduces strategies for achieving low-carbon, resilient communities.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accounting for Cities
Greenhouse gas emissions accounting is a core tool for developing, implementing, and monitoring climate actions and strategies. This course provides a basic overview of concepts that can be supplemented with training in specific software.
Urban Sustainability Appraisal Tools for Planned Neighborhoods and Landscapes
This course is the third in a four-part series on urban sustainability appraisal tools as collaboration platforms and sustainability accelerators for communities.
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.