PLANNING ORIENTATION SEMINAR
Introduction to the field of planning and orientation to graduate study in urban and regional planning at UW-Madison. Explore planning as a tool for problem solving, planning and social change, the multiple roles in which planners find themselves, useful skills and perspectives, and areas of planning practice. Addresses core values, sustainability, equity and social justice, professional skills, and the role of plans in relation to policies and programs.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Graduate/professional standing Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain the purpose and meaning of planning: why planning is undertaken by communities and what impact it is expected to have. Audience: Graduate 2. Interpret relationships between past, present, and future in planning. Audience: Graduate 3. Recognize and articulate the core values of planning (e.g., equity and social justice, public interest, sustainability, healthy and prosperous communities, diversity, democratic engagement, transparency) and their application in planning practice. Audience: Graduate 4. Understand and analyze interconnected roles of officials, stakeholders, and community members in participation and governance for planned change. Audience: Graduate 5. Develop capacity and a conceptual foundation for evaluating and critiquing planning process and applications. Audience: Graduate 6. Apply sustainability frameworks to analyze challenges and opportunities in urban and regional planning. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain the purpose and meaning of planning: why planning is undertaken by communities and what impact it is expected to have. Audience: Graduate 2. Interpret relationships between past, present, and future in planning. Audience: Graduate 3. Recognize and articulate the core values of planning (e.g., equity and social justice, public interest, sustainability, healthy and prosperous communities, diversity, democratic engagement, transparency) and their application in planning practice. Audience: Graduate 4. Understand and analyze interconnected roles of officials, stakeholders, and community members in participation and governance for planned change. Audience: Graduate 5. Develop capacity and a conceptual foundation for evaluating and critiquing planning process and applications. Audience: Graduate 6. Apply sustainability frameworks to analyze challenges and opportunities in urban and regional planning. Audience: Graduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027