The Department of City and Regional Planning (DCRP) and the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning (LAEP) jointly offer a program of study with an emphasis in urban design and environmental planning. The program is intended for exceptionally qualified students who have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in city and regional planning, landscape architecture, architecture, or a related field. Successful completion leads to the degrees of Master of City Planning (M.C.P.) and Master of Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.). Depending on the student’s undergraduate degree, the program can be completed in three or four years.

The concurrent program combines a common framework of theory and method while permitting specialization in one of two areas: environmental planning or urban design. The common core includes history and theory of the development of urban areas; basic characteristics of land, water, and climate and how they relate to development and conservation; social and environmental spatial concepts; environmental measurement, including physical, social, and psychological measures; economic values associated with land conservation and development; and infrastructure. In addition to the common core, students must also complete an option core, an area of specialization, and a thesis or professional project.

The environmental planning option emphasizes training in the planning process, development economics, political institutions and law, and regulatory policy and administration. It aims to educate students to apply this training to decisions about the appropriate use of land and natural resources. Environmental planning candidates should have a basic knowledge of ecological principles relevant to planning and design, as well as competence in graphic communication skills. An undergraduate degree in the natural sciences, landscape architecture, or planning is typically required for admission to the concurrent program in environmental planning.

The urban design option focuses on the design and planning of the physical environment in ways that best respond to people’s needs, values, and aspirations. Course work consists of design, theory, history, survey and measurement, and implementation. Urban design candidates should have competence in basic design, landscape materials, and graphic communication skills. Typically an undergraduate degree in environmental design, architecture, or landscape architecture is required for admission to the concurrent program in urban design.

Admissions for External Applicants

Application Instructions

• Select the "M.C.P./M.L.A. Fall 2012" application on the Graduate Division Application for Admission.
• Submit all application materials required on the Graduate Division Application for Admission and on both the DCRP Graduate Admissions website and the LAEP Graduate Admissions website.
   

Admissions for Current UC Berkeley Students

Current M.L.A. students at UC Berkeley students are eligible to apply after their first semester at UCB and prior to their last year (or last two semesters) of their current program. Current UCB students who apply to the concurrent degree program must be enrolled in a minimum of two DCRP courses while applying (or have taken DCRP courses in the past).

Application Instructions

• Select the "M.C.P./M.L.A. Fall 2012" application on the Graduate Division Application for Admission.
• Upload one electronic letter of recommendation from a current UC Berkeley faculty member.
• Enter two academic or professional references — references do not need to submit letters of recommendation.
• Upload unofficial graduate school transcript.
• Email a copy of your admissions file (from your graduate student services department) to the department to which you are applying:
  DCRP ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or LAEP ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ).