This 24-month program is designed to continuously anticipate and respond to the world’s rapidly changing urban, regional, and global environments. The program provides foundational knowledge, skills, and attitudes that professional planners need to enter and succeed in the workplace. Graduates from MCRP work in a wide range of exciting and influential jobs in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. In recent years, 95% of the graduates from the MCRP program have secured planning-related employment within one year of graduation.
MCRP is the only master’s degree in Planning accredited in both Canada (by the Professional Standards Board of the Canadian Institute of Planners) and the United States (by the Planning Accreditation Board of the American Planning Association). This dual accreditation, with its broader curriculum and employment eligibility, means graduates are qualified to work as planners in Canada, the U.S., and any other country that recognizes Canadian and American planning accreditation.
Update for 2022/2023 academic year
SCARP has updated MCRP's course requirements for all future cohorts, to keep pace with a rapidly-changing world and the range of problems that planners try to solve. The updated program addresses some of the biggest challenges facing society today, including climate change, systemic injustice, and planning for more resilient communities; as well as ongoing efforts to repair relationships with Indigenous people and decolonize planning in Canada. The new program structure is in effect as of the 2022/2023 cohort. Students enrolled in September 2021 will not be held to the updated requirements, and can proceed as per their established program plan.
Curriculum
The curriculum describes professional planning practice, the process and institutional arrangements for planning, planning’s ideological basis, and the role and ethical responsibility of planners.
The program also offers:
- Opportunities for students with narrow disciplinary training to broaden their knowledge, in order to better assume responsibilities in planning and management
- Opportunities for students with a generalist background to acquire greater disciplinary rigour in a planning-related topical area of their choice
- Flexibility within a structured format to design a program of studies to satisfy individual needs
- Formal coursework, studio experience, and internship alike
Concentrations
A concentration is a specific area of emphasis within the program. You are not required to declare a concentration; they are an optional tool to help you customize your school experience. Declaring a concentration will inform the types of classes you will take to fulfill the requirements for your degree. A concentration will also help inform potential employers about your specific area of interest and expertise.
As of the 2022/2023 academic year, SCARP's only official concentration option is Indigenous Community Planning (ICP). You may speak to your Faculty Advisor regarding the prospect of a custom concentration, suited to your needs and interests.
Please select the version of the Program as per your enrollment year.
Program Structure
- 30 credits in required courses, tailored to the evolving demands of the planning profession
- 18 credits of elective courses you select based on interests and professional aspirations
- A second-year 2-term studio course that integrates theories and methods covered throughout the curriculum into a single team-based project, with a real client or community group
- Internship experience and mentorship opportunities with local planning practitioners
Code | Credits | Description | Required for
| Required for
| Required for
|
PLAN 508 | 3 | Foundations of Planning Theory and History | x | x | x |
PLAN 509 | 2 | Urbanism as a Global Way of Life | x | x | x |
PLAN 510 | 2 | Environment and Sustainability Concepts for Planning Practice | x | x | x |
PLAN 521 | 3 | Quantitative Skills for Planners | x | x | x |
PLAN 522 | 2 | Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis | x | x | x |
PLAN 523 | 2 | The Profession of Planning | x | x | x |
PLAN 524 | 2 | Legal Concepts for Professional Planning | x | x | x |
PLAN 525 | 2 | Planning Practice Methods | x | x | x |
PLAN 526 | 6 | Selected Topics in Experiential Learning: The Planning Studio | x | x | x |
PLAN 527 | 3 | Internship | x | x | x |
PLAN 528A | 3 | Capstone Professional Report | x | x | |
PLAN 528B | 6 | Capstone Professional Report - Indigenous Community Planning | x | ||
PLAN 503 | 3 | Strategic Planning for Community Economic Development | x | ||
PLAN 517 | 3 | Theory and Methods of Urban Design | x | ||
PLAN 533 | 3 | Indigenous Community Planning: Ways of Being & Knowing | x | ||
PLAN 553 | 3 | Indigenous Law and Governance | x | ||
PLAN 587A | 3 | Urban Design | x | ||
PLAN 587B | 3 | Urban Design Studio | x | ||
PLAN 595 | 3 | Negotiation, Facilitation, and Mediation: Principle & Practices | x | ||
TOTAL CREDITS (not including elective requirements): | 30 | 45 | 42 |
Electives
Electives can be courses within SCARP or in other departments that relate to the student’s interests. No more than 6 elective credits may be at the undergraduate (300/400) level.
Year 1 Term 1 | Year 1 Term 2 | Year 1 Summer | Year 2 Term 1 | Year 2 Term 2 | Year 2 Summer |
PLAN 508 | PLAN 509 | PLAN 527 | PLAN 523 | PLAN528 (optional) | PLAN 528A |
PLAN 510 | PLAN 522 | PLAN 526 | PLAN 526 (continued) | ||
PLAN 521 | PLAN 524 | ||||
PLAN 525 |
Students in the Indigenous Community Planning (ICP) concentration complete a modified set of general MCRP requirements plus a set of ICP-specific requirements.
Year 1 Term 1 | Year 1 Term 2 | Year 1 Summer | Year 2 Term 1 | Year 2 Term 2 | Year 2 Summer |
PLAN 508 | PLAN 509 | PLAN 527A | PLAN 523 | ||
PLAN 510 | PLAN 522 | PLAN 526/PLAN528B | PLAN 526/PLAN 528B | ||
PLAN 521 | PLAN 524 | PLAN 503 | |||
PLAN 525 | PLAN 553 | ||||
PLAN 533 | PLAN 595 |
YEAR 1 TERM 1 | YEAR 1 TERM 2 | YEAR 1 SUMMER | YEAR 2 TERM 1 | YEAR 2 TERM 2 | YEAR 2 SUMMER |
PLAN 508 | PLAN 509 | PLAN 527A | PLAN 523 | PLAN 528A | PLAN 528A |
PLAN 510 | PLAN 522 | PLAN 587B | PLAN 526 | PLAN 526 (continued) | |
PLAN 521 | PLAN 524 | ||||
PLAN 525 | PLAN 587A | ||||
PLAN 517 |
For more information regarding course dates and times, please visit the UBC Course Schedule.
In the second year of the MCRP program, students are expected to complete the Capstone as the final requirement for their program. The major purpose of the Capstone is to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate the breadth of their planning education and synthesize their knowledge of planning. The Capstone serves as a culmination of the MCRP degree program, allowing students to articulate and demonstrate the competency they have developed in their chosen focus area, through synthesis and/or application of the knowledge, skills, and capabilities they have gained in the program. It is expected that students will be able to use the Capstone output to demonstrate their professional competency to potential employers.
Please note that the Capstone Project, through the course PLAN 528A, fulfills the Synthesis and Application of Knowledge to Practice skills component as established and required for program accreditation by the Canadian planning accreditation body, the Professional Standards Board (PSB).
Format
The Capstone can take a range of forms, as this flexibility allows students to define a Capstone that will best meet their individual educational objectives. Options include:
1. Professional Research Report
The product of the Capstone may be a professional report in which the student investigates a well-defined, practical planning-related question or problem. In this case, the student demonstrates competency by defining an applied problem in his/her chosen focus area and conducting appropriate research to address it. Further details are provided below. Reports should not exceed 30 pages (at 1.5 spacing) in length including executive summary, tables, figures, and references. This is roughly equivalent to a word-count limit of 7,000 words. Appendices may be added and are not counted in this page limit.
2. Professional Portfolio
The product of the Capstone course may be a portfolio of work produced during the MCRP degree program (e.g., from courses, internship, and/or studio) accompanied by a synthesis report. In this option, the student demonstrates competency through articulating a chosen focus area, reflecting on his/her explorations in the context of the pieces of work, and synthesizing various strands of thought into a cohesive, integrated approach to planning. The portfolio should include information to contextualize each piece of work, such as goals, outputs, and the specific role of the student in the case of team projects. The synthesis report should integrate knowledge developed in several learning environments at SCARP. The synthesis report should be approximately 5 to 10 pages in length (at 1.5 spacing), not exceeding 3,000 words.
Examples of the professional research report option include:
- An internship extension report – A written report that builds on the student's internship experience. This could involve, for example, analyzing data that had been collected during the internship.
- A studio extension report – A written report that builds on the student's studio experience. This could involve addressing a problem that is related to but outside the scope of the client-defined studio project.
- An independent research report – A professional report that involves independent research outside the scope of courses, internship, or studio. The report may be undertaken for a real or hypothetical client. In some cases, it may be appropriate to conduct time-intensive activities that exceed the expectations of the 3-credit Capstone course; for example, a student may need to conduct a thorough literature review in an area where courses were not available. In these cases, a student may choose to take a Directed Study course (PLAN 550, 3 credits) in conjunction with the Capstone, particularly if this helps with meeting the 48-credit MCRP requirement.
3. Alternative form
With the approval of the Faculty Advisor, a student may complete the Capstone in an alternative form, such as a film, other multi-media product, or website. The Capstone product must be commensurate with the portfolio or research report options in terms of general content and depth of exploration, and must be accompanied by a paper of approximately 5 to 10 pages in length (at 1.5 spacing), not exceeding 3,000 words.
Course Credit
MCRP students will receive 3 credits for completing the Capstone Project via the registration in PLAN 528A. Please note that PLAN 528A is a MCRP Program Requirement and students must be registered in the course to complete their MCRP program (Exception: MCRP students in the Indigenous Community Planning (ICP) concentration). Information on the course, PLAN 528A may be found in the Course Outline.
Students are not permitted to register for PLAN 528A. Instead, this is initiated by the Graduate Administrator, who registers the student upon receiving the Capstone Selection form and Outline, approved and signed by the student’s Faculty Advisor. Registration in PLAN 528A continues until completion of the Capstone.
Supervision
Even though the student’s Capstone Project is considered an independent research project, their Capstone Project is supervised by their assigned Faculty Advisor. Faculty Advisors advise students regarding all phases of the Capstone, including which Capstone option to pursue:
- For the Capstone Project option, the Faculty Advisor advises on topic selection, project design, data collection and analysis, and finalizing the report.
- For the Capstone Portfolio option, the Faculty Advisor advises on the selection, representation and synthesis of course outputs and the development of the portfolio narrative.
Students are expected to meet with their Faculty Advisor in their second year to discuss their Capstone topic and format. This procedure is formalized by completing a Capstone Selection form. The Faculty Advisor must indicate their agreement to oversee the Capstone by signing the student's Capstone form. The form and outline (as appropriate; one page is adequate) must be submitted to the Graduate Administrator to initiate registration in the Capstone course, PLAN 528A.
Students submit a final copy of their Capstone to their Faculty Advisor by the set deadline and a grade is communicated to the Graduate Administrator for the student’s academic record.
Completed Capstone Projects:
Capstone professional reports completed by our graduated MCRP students who received a final grade within the A to A+ range may be found in UBC's digital repository, cIRcle.
Due to confidentiality reasons, Capstone professional reports completed by our graduated MCRP students in the Indigenous Community Planning concentration are not publicly available.
Capstone professional portfolios completed by our graduated MCRP students who received a final grade within the A to A+ range may be found here.
Review of Relevant Links:
Program Structure
- 42 credits in required courses, tailored to the evolving demands of the planning profession
- 18 credits of elective courses you select based on interests and professional aspirations
- A second-year 2-term studio course that integrates theories and methods covered throughout the curriculum into a single team-based project, with a real client or community group
- Internship experience and mentorship opportunities with local planning practitioners
Code | Credits | Description | Required for MCRP? | Required for MCRP-ICP? |
---|---|---|---|---|
PLAN 500 | 3 | Comparative Perspectives on Planning History and Futures | X | X |
PLAN 501 | 3 | Reconciliation and Planning | X | |
PLAN 502 | 3 | Sustainability and Resilience in Planning | X | X |
PLAN 504 | 3 | Urban Design and Visual Representation | X | X |
PLAN 505 | 3 | Planning Theory, Values, and Ethics | X | X |
PLAN 506 | 3 | Information and Analysis in Planning | X | X |
PLAN 507 | 3 | Engagement and Facilitation for Planners | X | X |
PLAN 511 | 3 | The Legal and Institutional Context of Planning | X | X |
PLAN 512 | 3 | Urban Economics, Infrastructure, and Real Estate Issues in Planning | X | |
PLAN 513 | 3 | Making and Implementing Community and Regional Plans | X | |
PLAN 514 | 3 | Indigenous Planning: Ways of Being, Knowing, and Doing | X | |
PLAN 515 | 3 | Indigenous Law, Governance, and Community Planning | X | |
PLAN 516 | 3 | Planning for Community Economic Development | X | |
PLAN 540 | 6 | Planning Praxis | X | |
PLAN 541 | 6 | Planning Studio | X | |
PLAN 543 | 12 | Indigenous Community Planning Practicum | X | |
TOTAL CREDITS (not including elective requirements): | 42 | 42 | ||
ELECTIVE COURSES (no more than 6 credits may be at the undergraduate level, i.e., 300/400): | 18 | 18 | ||
TOTAL CREDITS: | 60 | 60 |
Electives can be courses within SCARP or in other departments that relate to the student’s interests. No more than 6 credits of undergraduate-level (300-400) courses will count towards your MCRP program
Please note:
- Some courses require you contact the course instructor and/or department offering the course for permission to be registered
- Course offering and availability are subject to change by the School offering the course.
Some recommended electives outside of SCARP
Offered Where | Code | Course Name | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
At other UBC depts | ANTH 540A | Advanced Seminar - Sacred Geography | |
APBI 361 | Key Indicators of Agroecosystem Sustainability | ||
BAPA 580 | Topics in Policy Analysis | ||
BAUL 500 | Real Estate Markets | ||
CIVL 598P | Pedestrian and Bicycle Facility Design | ||
COM 486X | Urban Resilience | ||
CONS 528 | Social Science Research Methods and Design for Natural Resource Management | 3 | |
FISH 506F | Traditional Ecological Knowledge in the Fisheries Management - Current Topics in Fisheries | ||
FISH 506G | Economic Foundations oof Environmental Policies | ||
FNIS 501A | Indigenous Theory and Method(ologies) | 3 | |
FRST 522 | Social, Community, and Indigenous Forestry | 4 | |
FRST 551 | Landscape Planning for Sustainability | ||
GEOG 535 | International Migration and Settlement | ||
GEOG 560A | Economic Geography | ||
GPP 507 | Environmental Law and Policy Frameworks | 3 | |
GPP 541 | Policy Dimensions of Energy Systems | ||
GPP 543 | Sustainable Water Systems | ||
GPP 544 | Economic Foundations of Environmental Policies | 3 | |
GPP 581 | Behavioural Foundations for Public Policy | ||
GPP 582 | Public Engagement in Policy Decisions | ||
GPP 584 | Policy Responses to Global Climate Change | ||
GPP 591A | Designed Leadership for Change | 3 | |
GPP 591C | Lind Initiative Seminar | 3 | |
GPP 591D | Special Topics in Public Policy | 3 | |
GPP 591N | Power and Practice | 3 | |
GRSJ 415 | Critical Racial and Anti-Colonial Feminist Approaches | ||
GRSJ 511 | Difficult Knowledge: Ethics and Pracis of Research in Challenging Settings | ||
LARC 553 | Green Network Planning | ||
LARC 582 | AutoCAD Workflow for Landscape Architecture Construction | ||
RES 520 | Climate Change: Science, Technology, and Sustainable Development | ||
SOCI 423 | Sociology of Food | ||
SOCI 425 | Urban Sociology | ||
SOCI 540 | Social Inequality | ||
SOIL 516 | Urban Watershed Management | ||
SOIL 518 | Water in International Development | ||
SOWK 44C /529A 001 | Communities, Social Development, and Community Organizing | 3 | |
SPPH 552 | Risk and Communication in Public Health | ||
UDES 505 | Urban Design as Public Policy: Policymaking for a Sustainable Region | ||
UFOR 495 | Biodiversity in Urban Areas | ||
URSY 510 | Urban Systems and Society | ||
URSY 520 | Urban Systems Planning and Analysis | ||
URSY 550 | Infrastructure Asset Management | ||
Courses can be taken at other universities through the Western Deans' agreement. | |||
SFU | REM 606 | Indigenous People and Co-Management | |
REM 607 | Indigenous Governance and Resource Relationships |
Year 1 Term 1 | Year 1 Term 2 | Year 1 Summer | Year 2 Term 1 | Year 2 Term 2 | Year 2 Summer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLAN 500 | PLAN 505 | PLAN 512 | |||
PLAN 501 | PLAN 506 | PLAN 513 | |||
PLAN 502 | PLAN 507 | ||||
PLAN 504 | PLAN 511 | -----PLAN 541----- | |||
-------------------PLAN 540------------------ | |||||
Elective(s) | Elective(s) | Elective(s) | Elective(s) | Elective(s) | Elective(s) |
Year 1 Term 1 | Year 1 Term 2 | Year 1 Summer | Year 2 Term 1 | Year 2 Term 2 | Year 2 Summer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLAN 500 | PLAN 505 | PLAN 516 | PLAN 511 | ||
PLAN 502 | PLAN 506 | -----PLAN 543----- | |||
PLAN 504 | PLAN 507 | ||||
PLAN 514 | PLAN 515 | ||||
Elective(s) | Elective(s) | Elective(s) | Elective(s) | Elective(s) | Elective(s) |
For more information regarding course dates and times, please visit the UBC Course Schedule.
- MCRP students are assessed a Program Fee for full-time studies according to the Specialized Master’s Degree Programs schedule as noted in the UBC Calendar. The Program Fee shown below is calculated for a full academic year (Winter and Summer Sessions; September through August).
Program Session | Domestic Fee (Per Installment/Term) | International Fee (Per Installment/Term) |
2020 Summer or 2020 Winter | $3,522.44 | $7,307.24 |
2019 Summer or 2019 Winter | $3,453.38 | $7,236.98 |
2018 Summer or 2018 Winter | $3,385.67 | $7,167.39 |
- You are required to pay a total of 6 installments of the Program Fee (6 terms over 24 months) regardless of whether or not you complete your program earlier.
-As of your graduation you no longer have student status. As a result, in the event you complete your program early, you will no longer be eligible to access any funding from awards or student loans to pay for outstanding installments. It is your responsibility to make necessary academic and financial plans. You can contact your Enrolment Services advisor for more information. - You are assessed the Program Fee three times a year, payable in September, January and May through the UBC Student Service Centre.
- In addition to the Program Fee, all UBC students are assessed Student Fees to help cover the costs of resources available to students. Some student fees of particular importance to graduate students
- The UBC Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS) provides information about the cost of living in Vancouver for prospective students.
Awards, before you enrol
Awards prospective students are eligible to apply for include: