Are you looking for a top-ranked planning school where you have good access to faculty? Are you looking to study planning in a progressive city led by planners who are addressing important social justice and environmental issues?

Iowa City Bike Rack

Are you looking to study planning in a leading public university? Are you looking to study planning in a walkable, bikeable community with a high quality of life? 

If so, then the University of Iowa’s Urban and Regional Planning program may be the place for you. Take a look at a recent aerial tour of our campus.

According to the Planetizen 2023 rankings of master’s programs in urban and regional planning ours is:

  • 16th best in the U.S.
  • Top in the nation among smaller planning programs with less than 55 students
  • 2nd in the Midwest
  • 2nd among planning schools in small cities
  • 3rd in master’s programs without a Ph.D.
  • 5th most selective
  • 9th in programs at a public university

Additionally, our graduates’ pass rate on the AICP exam is among the highest in the nation.

Hancher Auditorium

And Iowa City is frequently ranked among the top small to medium-sized cities in the nation. It has a four-STAR rating for its sustainability efforts and has been recognized as a bicycle friendly community. Iowa City is an UNESCO City of Literature in North America and is a lively place for the arts that includes renowned Hancher Auditorium.

A unique feature of our planning program is its designation as STEM-related under the U.S. Department of Education’s Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) coding. International students who graduate from a STEM-related field have the option to extend their Optional Practical Training (OPT) to an additional 24 months, allowing them to work in the U.S. for three years.

The Urban and Regional Planning program is committed to admitting a diverse student body and supporting a learning environment in which many values and perspectives contribute to the richness of the educational experience, to the field of planning, and to the communities we live and work in.

To learn more about our school and opportunities at Iowa, we invite you to schedule a campus visit with us, attend an Open House, or participate in our informational webinars. For more information we encourage you to contact:

Abbi Castle, Admissions Coordinator
319-335-2773