The School of Planning and Public Affairs encourages student involvement with the profession and practitioners in a variety of ways during the two-year program. This involvement is an essential component of a student's preparation for a professional career.

Program seminar

A required course during the first semester, Program Seminar introduces students to essential professional skills they will need and use in their careers through presentations by visiting professionals who introduce students to a diversity of issues and illustrate how these skills are used in professional practice.

Capstone project

In this required, yearlong course, teams of students work on real-world projects for city or county governments, intergovernmental agencies, and nonprofit community organizations in Iowa. Each team must work with the client agency throughout the year to develop a plan, policy proposal, or management action steps in a professional report that is presented to that agency at the end of the spring semester. This is done in tandem with the University’s Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC), which has been providing public consultation to communities in Iowa for over a decade. 

The capstone project is a unique opportunity to apply knowledge gained in classes to current community issues while drawing on faculty support, advice, and critiques to improve the quality of the work. Students find their final reports are important as evidence of their ability to produce professional-quality work when applying for jobs.

Adjunct faculty and practice courses

The curriculum regularly includes two to four courses on various aspects of professional practice taught by adjunct faculty who are professionals with many years of experience.

Student participation in conferences

The program supports student participation in state, regional, and national conferences sponsored by the American Planning Association (APA) and public affairs-related professional groups. These conferences are a valuable means of learning about diverse issues currently engaging the profession.