UNC Department of City and Regional Planning

What UNC Department of City and Regional Planning does

The UNC Department of City and Regional Planning is an academic unit within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, founded in 1946 as the seventh planning program in the United States and the first in the US South. It is housed in the historic New East Building (constructed 1859) and currently operates with 20 full-time faculty, roughly half of whom were hired since 2017. The department's core products are the Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP), a 51-credit-hour PAB-accredited professional degree, a PhD program with 20-25 students in residence, and an undergraduate minor in Urban Studies. Curriculum is organized around four specialization areas plus three newer tracks (Natural Hazards Planning, Urban Design, and Real Estate Development), and the department publishes the long-running Carolina Planning Journal (since 1975) and is associated with the textbook "Urban Land Use Planning" across six editions.

The department's research and outreach portfolio is anchored by the Center for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS), which was integrated into the department in 2021, and by a cross-registration network with Duke University, NC State University, and NC Central University that gives students access to courses across four Triangle-area research universities. Approximately 50% of PhD graduates enter faculty positions at research universities and roughly 20% work outside the US or on multinational projects, reflecting a globally distributed alumni network that spans all inhabited continents.

As a state-funded academic department, the unit is not a commercial enterprise. It is financed through a combination of University of North Carolina system appropriations, tuition, externally sponsored research grants, and philanthropic donations to the university foundation. It is currently ranked the 5th best graduate planning program in the United States by Planetizen, is preparing for its 80th anniversary in 2026, and is investing in a multi-phase facility renovation of its New East Building space across 2020, 2025, and 2026-2027.

Name

UNC Department of City and Regional Planning

Legal name

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Website

https://planning.unc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Department of City and Regional Planning at UNC Chapel Hill, founded in 1946 and ranked 5th nationally by Planetizen, offers the MCRP professional degree, a PhD program, and an Urban Studies minor, serving graduate and undergraduate students preparing for careers in urban planning, research, policy, and academia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Urban and Regional Planning

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Educational Services (611)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHADAE

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Community & Junior Colleges

SECONDARYEDAAALAG

Architecture, Planning & Surveying (AIA, Planning, Land Surveyor CE)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Professional Licensure & Continuing Professional Education (CE/CPE)

SECONDARYBPAHAKAD

Urban Planning & Master Planning

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

SECONDARYBPAIANAD

Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Housing, Urban Planning & Community Development

Keywords

• Urban planning education
• Graduate planning programs
• City and regional planning
• Transportation planning research
• Housing policy studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Chapel Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and University Funding: Public university department funded through UNC Chapel Hill appropriations, student tuition, research grants, and donor contributions

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The UNC Department of City and Regional Planning delivers graduate and undergraduate academic programs in city and regional planning, led by 20 full-time faculty from a base in the social sciences. Its core offerings are the two-year Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) professional degree (51 credit hours), a PhD program for academic and applied research careers (20-25 students in residence), and an undergraduate Minor in Urban Studies. Supplemental offerings include the peer-reviewed Carolina Planning Journal (since 1975) and the research activities of the Center for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS), integrated into the department since 2021.

Product overview

The UNC Department of City and Regional Planning offers a portfolio of academic programs as its core offerings: the Master's Program (MCRP) is a two-year professional degree requiring 51 credits with five specialization tracks (Economic Development, Housing & Community Development, Land Use & Environmental Planning, and Transportation Planning) plus three optional cross-cutting tracks (Natural Hazards, Design, and Real Estate). The PhD Program provides advanced research training for academic and policy careers. The Undergraduate Minor offers an entry point for students across disciplines. The department also publishes the Carolina Planning Journal (since 1975) and houses the Center for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS), now integrated into the department. This is a traditional academic program structure, not a commercial product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carolina Planning Journal: Academic journal published by the department since 1975 covering urban and regional planning topics.
• Program on Chinese Cities
• Master's Program (MCRP)
• PhD Program
• Undergraduate Minor in Urban Studies

Products and services

• Master's Program (MCRP) Two-year professional Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) degree program requiring 51 graduate credit hours, including core courses, specialization courses, a capstone workshop, and a master's project. Designed for students pursuing leadership positions in the planning profession.
• PhD Program Advanced academic degree program preparing students for careers in teaching and applied research at universities, governments, and other organizations. Trains students in urban and regional social theory, research design, and mixed-methods research techniques, with 20-25 students in residence at any given time.
• Undergraduate Minor in Urban Studies Minor in Urban Studies requiring 15 credits including PLAN 246/256, PLAN 247/257, and PLAN electives. Allows undergraduates from across UNC Chapel Hill to explore urban and regional issues through a planning framework, with many courses eligible to fulfill general education requirements.
• Economic Development Specialization One of four specialization areas in the MCRP program focusing on urban revitalization, economic development strategies, and sustainable economic growth.
• Housing & Community Development Specialization One of four specialization areas in the MCRP program focusing on housing policy, community development, and equitable housing access.
• Land Use & Environmental Planning Specialization One of four specialization areas in the MCRP program covering land use planning, zoning, and environmental planning with a focus on sustainability and environmental quality.
• Transportation Planning Specialization One of four specialization areas in the MCRP program focusing on transportation systems, multimodal transportation planning, and mobility solutions.
• Carolina Planning Journal Peer-reviewed academic journal published by the department since 1975, covering urban and regional planning topics and providing publishing opportunities for faculty and students.
• Center for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS) Community-engaged research center originally established in 1957 as a stand-alone unit, integrated into the Department in 2021, continuing a tradition of community-engaged scholarship in urban and regional research.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5th among Graduate Planning Programs (Planetizen ranking)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNC Center for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Formerly a stand-alone research center (1957-2021) now shifted into the Department; continues CURS' tradition of community-engaged scholarship focusing on urban and regional research
• Duke UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents may take courses in any department at Duke as part of the four-university network available to Carolina Planning students
• North Carolina State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of four-university network; students may take courses in any department at NC State as part of their interdisciplinary studies
• North Carolina Central UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of four-university network available to Carolina Planning students for interdisciplinary coursework
• Program on Chinese CitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational visiting scholar program established 2008, hosting scholars from China and fostering global research exchange
• Carolina Planning JournalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic journal published since 1975, providing publishing opportunities for faculty and students
• UNC Data Science ProgramscoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration with University's data science programs to expand urban analytics education, equipping students with cutting-edge tools for data-driven planning

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs (Urban and Regional Planning): The University of Minnesota's Humphrey School houses a planning program offering MURP and PhD degrees. It is a direct peer as a long-standing public university planning program with overlapping specializations in urban and regional planning.
• University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design (City Planning): Penn's Department of City Planning in the Weitzman School offers MCP and PhD programs. It is a direct peer to UNC DCRP, providing graduate planning education within a leading research university with comparable curriculum depth and specializations.
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Urban and Regional Planning: UIUC's Department of Urban and Regional Planning offers MUP and PhD programs. It is a direct peer as a leading public university planning program with PAB accreditation and comparable curriculum offerings in land use, transportation, and community development.
• Georgia Tech School of City and Regional Planning: Georgia Tech's School of City and Regional Planning offers MS and PhD degrees in city and regional planning, with emphases including transportation and land use. It is a direct peer as another leading public university planning program in the Southeast US with overlapping faculty research interests.
• UC Berkeley Department of City and Regional Planning: UC Berkeley's DCRP is a long-standing public university planning program offering MCP and PhD degrees. It is a direct peer to UNC DCRP as one of the flagship public-university planning schools in the United States, frequently ranked in the top 5 nationally.
• MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning: MIT's graduate planning department offers MCP and PhD programs focused on urban planning, urban science, and policy. It is the most prominent direct peer to UNC DCRP, both offering PAB-accredited master's programs in city and regional planning at top-ranked research universities.
• Cornell University Department of City and Regional Planning: Cornell's Department of City and Regional Planning offers MCRP and PhD programs. It is a direct peer to UNC DCRP as a university-based planning program with PAB accreditation and a comparable academic structure.
• Columbia University GSAPP (Urban Planning): Columbia's GSAPP offers MS in Urban Planning with specializations similar to UNC's (housing, transportation, economic development). It is a direct peer as a top-ranked graduate planning program at a private research university serving the same applicant pool.
• University of Michigan Taubman College (Urban and Regional Planning): University of Michigan's Urban and Regional Planning program offers MURP and PhD degrees. It is a direct peer as a top-ranked public university planning program with comparable specializations in land use, housing, and transportation planning.
• University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy (Urban Planning): USC's Sol Price School offers an MPL (Master of Planning) degree with specializations in housing, transportation, and economic development. It is a direct peer as a top-ranked private university planning program serving similar professional planning students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carolina-planning

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UNC Department of City and Regional Planning