Urban and Environmental Planning, MUEP

Application Instructions

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

1. graduate admission application and application fee
2. official transcripts
3. personal statement
4. resume
5. proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information

An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

The personal statement should be no longer than 600 words and must address the applicant's:

1. interest in planning
2. academic or professional background and, if appropriate, preparation for the selected area of specialty (This may include written samples or a portfolio, but they are not required.)
3. educational objectives
4. career goals, including how a master's degree in urban and environmental planning from the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning will help them achieve those goals

Letters of recommendation are not required for admission into the MUEP program. However, prospective students are encouraged to submit up to three letters of recommendation to strengthen their application or provide necessary context to the application. Recommenders may include professional supervisors, colleagues or academic supervisors (e.g., former professors and instructors) who can speak to the applicant's academic or professional experiences and qualifications to pursue a graduate degree.

Examples of situations in which applicants may consider submitting recommenders include:

1. returning students (more than five years after completing undergraduate degree)
2. students with a cumulative GPA between 2.50 and 3.00
3. students with a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field
4. students pursuing a career change from an unrelated field

Deadlines

Applications received or completed after the dates below may be reviewed only if space is available in the program.

In-Person:

All application materials must be received on or before January 15 to be considered for funding. Incomplete applications are not guaranteed to be reviewed. Please allow sufficient time for submission and processing of relevant test scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation.

Applications received after January 15 will be considered on a rolling basis until the program is full or the start of the Fall semester.

 Online: 

• Fall 2025 Deadline: August 8, 2025
• Spring 2026 Deadline: December 12, 2025

Funding