Urban and Regional Planning Discipline

The Urban and Regional Planning Discipline is a hub of excellence in education, research and professional guidance in urban and regional planning. The Urban and Regional Planning Discipline (URPD) provides teaching, applied research and consulting on contemporary planning issues and informs government, the private sector and the community.  The overall aim of the discipline is to contribute to practical on the ground solutions to create more sustainable built, natural and social environments. The discipline is concerned with local, national and global considerations through planning, public policy and social collaboration. It has a focus on economics and governance to equip urban planners with a sound understanding of the challenges of implementation. The URDP is located in the planned national capital of Canberra providing a unique opportunity for research and training at both the local and national level.
 
URPD teaches courses with a multidisciplinary set of intellectual and practical tools to prepare students to enter the urban planning profession. The URPD planning course is accredited by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA). URPD combines introduction to planning theory and philosophy with emphasis on applied work and hands-on learning to qualify graduates to develop guidance for future growth and redevelopment of urban, suburban, and rural communities, to help local communities solve challenging economic, social and environmental problems during a period of significant change.

URPD is aimed at becoming the nation’s preeminent leader in urban and regional planning thought, creating progressive knowledge and applying it to teaching and practices. URPD employs collaborative, integrative approaches to urban and regional planning research that reveals the dynamics of communities, cities and regions and informs public policy and action. The cutting-edge research carried out by URPD includes city and metropolitan planning, coastal planning, climate change adaptation, economic development, and hazard and disaster management.
 
URPD is more than an academic discipline. URPD is committed to active engagement with industry, government and the community through informing, training and consulting on planning and development strategy including housing, transport, climate change, conservation, energy and resources, and social policy. The urban and regional planning profession lies at the heart of real-world issues that touch every citizen, every day. 

Staff Members within the Discipline Include:

Professor Barbara Norman (PhD) - Head of Discipline

Richard Hu (PhD) - Assistant Professor

Courses offered by the Discipline of Urban and Regional Planning