The Georgia Tech Master of Science in Urban Design (MSUD) is officially designated as a STEM-accredited degree program by the Board of Regents of Georgia. The STEM designation, which refers to the academic disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, will further benefit highly skilled international students who want to continue to gain work experience in their field of study in the United States following graduation. 

Under the OPT (Optional Practical Training) program, international students who graduate from colleges and universities in the United States are able to remain in the country and receive training through work experience for up to 12 months. Students who graduate from a designated STEM degree program can remain for an additional 24 months on the F-1 STEM OPT extension. 

“This designation helps capture the value of the integration of so many different technological, social, and ecological aspects of our urban design program,” said Ellen Dunham-Jones, director of the MSUD program. 

Georgia Tech has been a leader in urban design education since 1969. In addition to the MSUD, housed in the School of Architecture, students can specialize in urban design in the Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) degree or can pursue the M.Arch/MCRP dual degree. All three emphasize a culture of collaboration linking requisite knowledge and expertise across fields of architecture, planning, landscape, and engineering to propose integrated and implementable solutions to the design of urban areas.

The MSUD is the most studio-centric of the three programs with a specific focus on preparing students to produce detailed drawings integrating the design of public infrastructure, public spaces and the subdivision of private land. The MSUD is also distinguished by its exclusive focus on redeveloping our least sustainable areas into more resilient, more equitable, and more prosperous places.

We invite you to Watch the 2019 MSUD Virtual Open House. Applications are open now and the deadline to apply is January 15, 2019.