COURSE CURRICULUM

Waterloo’s Planning program offers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the tools to shape sustainable and inclusive communities. Spanning 12.5 units, the program blends foundational knowledge with practical skills across diverse areas of planning. Students begin with core courses such as Urbanization Today, Introduction to Environmental Studies, and Planning Governance and Administration, grounding them in urban theory and environmental context. Skills-based courses like Visual Communication and Design, Spatial and Demographic Analysis, and GIS ensure students can interpret and present complex data. The curriculum also includes Transportation and Housing, Municipal Finance, and Planning to Confront Climate Change, reflecting the program’s systems-based approach to real-world challenges. Legal, ethical, and policy components such as Canadian Environmental Law, Municipal Law, Policy Analysis, and Conflict and Negotiation prepare students for the regulatory landscape of planning. Unique electives in Equity and Public Interest, Accessibility, Indigenous Planning, and Cultural Diversity offer pathways to explore social justice and inclusion in community development. Culminating in a capstone Integrated Planning Project, students synthesize their learning in a real-world context. With its interdisciplinary structure, the Planning program develops analytical, design, and communication skills, preparing graduates for meaningful roles in government, consulting, non-profits, or graduate studies in planning, law, or public policy.