The University of Iowa planning program has thrived for over 50 years, and our alumni have made important contributions to planning - in "traditional" government positions, in private sector development and consulting firms, and in the nonprofit sector. The faculty at Iowa is committed to providing an excellent teaching environment for students. Our faculty/student ratio is outstanding at six students per faculty member.

Faculty are responsive to student needs - current students and alumni often tell us that faculty-student interaction in Urban and Regional Planning is more typical of a small liberal arts college than a major research institution: informal, relaxed and friendly. But unlike small colleges, we have the student and faculty resources of a large Tier-I research university.

The master's degree in planning at the University of Iowa is fully accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board. Our graduates’ pass rate on the AICP exam is one of the highest rates in the nation. And according to the Planetizen 2023 rankings of master’s programs in urban and regional planning, ours is the 16th best nationwide and top in programs with less than 55 students. We're ranked 2nd in the Midwest and are the country's fifth most selective. Among planning schools in small cities, ours is rank 2nd. We're third in master’s programs without a Ph.D. We also rank ninth in programs within a public university.

The planning program's vision is to promote just and inclusive human settlements in which economic development, environmental enhancement, and social justice jointly contribute to sustainability, resilience, and quality of life at all scales from local to global. Within this context, our mission is to educate professional planners who will be responsible future leaders and decision-makers into the 21^st century.

The 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.

Students come from a wide variety of undergraduate majors and professional backgrounds but possess qualities which show potential for success in graduate school and in the planning field. The graduate students come from all over the U.S. and from countries around the world, and typically include one or two Fulbright students each year. Here is what some of our students have to say about the program.

The accredited planning program at Iowa has an excellent reputation, an extensive and active alumni network, and competitive and well prepared graduates. The curriculum includes both the practical and analytic skills planners need to be successful, and the Sustainable Communities Lab courses give students “real world” planning experience. The School’s own career services coordinator works closely with students providing individualized career assistance and with internship and job searches.

Graduate-to-graduate:

• Higher Education and Student Affairs
• option to pursue combined degrees other than the formalized ones (popular choices include law, social work and public health)

Undergraduate-to-graduate (U2G):

     Open to those in any undergraduate major.

     Previously formalized U2G options are available for those in:

• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Policy and Planning
• Plus, opportunity to pursue U2G programs outside the formalized ones

• Economic Development
• Housing and Community Development
• Land Use and Environmental Planning
• Transportation Planning

While a thesis is not required, as a capstone course Sustainable Communities Lab reflects the time, commitment, and importance commonly associated with a thesis. It should therefore be treated as if it were a thesis. Those wanting to do a traditional thesis may do so in addition to the Sustainable Communities Labs.

Introductory statistics and microeconomics