Program accreditation
Planning Accreditation Board
A cooperative arrangement with the University of Richmond School of Law makes it possible for students to receive a law degree (J.D.) and an urban and regional planning degree (M.U.R.P.) in four years rather than the five years ordinarily required.
The purpose of the program is to integrate the two professional curricula and to provide the expertise necessary to apply legal analytical skills and planning methods and analysis to urban and regional policy issues and problems. The dual degree program is designed to equip graduates for a variety of professional positions, including staff for legislative committees and government agencies and commissions, government legal staff, private consulting, neighborhood advocacy, directorships of planning and related agencies and executive aides to elected officials.
Refer to individual program pages for admission requirements, application deadlines, program goals, student learning outcomes, degree requirements, curriculum requirements and graduation requirements specific to the separate programs and concentrations.
Application process
Interested students must apply separately for and be admitted to the University of Richmond School of Law and the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program at VCU. Students will spend the entire first year in either the University of Richmond School of Law or the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, and the second year in the program not selected the first year. Twelve credit hours of the planning program will be applied toward meeting the graduation requirements of the law school, and 12 credit hours in the law school will be applied toward meeting requirements of the M.U.R.P. program.
Upon admission to the dual degree program, every student will be assigned an adviser in each program who will assist in planning a course of study that will include all of the required courses in each program plus such elective courses that will best serve the interests of the individual student.
Students deciding not to complete the dual degree program must meet all of the regular requirements of either the J.D. or M.U.R.P. to receive the degree of their choice.
Contact
Xueming (Jimmy) Chen, Ph.D.
Professor and program chair
xchen2@vcu.edu
(804) 828-1254
Additional contacts
Benjamin Teresa, Ph.D.
Assistant professor and assistant program chair
bfteresa@vcu.edu
(804) 828-8297
Wilder School recruitment
wsrecruit@vcu.edu
(804) 827-0364
Program website: wilder.vcu.edu/academic/urban/grad.html