Academics
Faculty to Student Ratio
Retention and Graduation Rates
AICP Exam Pass Rate
Master’s Program
This two-year professional program teaches the theory, skills, and decision-making techniques needed for positions of leadership in the planning profession.
Dual-Degree
Dual-degrees with other graduate programs at UNC and NCSU allow students to become proficient in multiple fields.
Certificates
Graduate students may earn certificates by completing extra credits.
PhD Program
This advanced academic degree prepares students to teach and perform applied research at universities, governments, and other organizations.
Undergraduate Minor
A minor in Urban Studies and Planning allows undergraduates to explore urban and regional issues through a planning framework.
4 Distinguished Educator Awards for Lifetime Scholarship
Programs, Centers & Institutes
Substantial research is being conducted at the following research centers by DCRP faculty and doctoral students. Students have many opportunities to become involved in research and community engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Search for classes without logging in.
Check the registrar’s calendars
Registration is typically in early April for the fall semester and in early November for the spring.
First, identify the course you want to take.
- Search for a course at Duke.
- Search the NCSU schedule.
- You must register for graduate-level courses.
- Duke 500-level and above
- NCSU 500 and 700 level
Then, contact the instructor of the course and request permission to register.
Contact your academic advisor at UNC. They will have to sign the Inter-Institutional Approval Form.
Turn the completed form in to Student Services.
After you turn your form in to Student Services, it will be sent to the Graduate School for approval, then to the UNC registrar, and finally to the registrar at the institution where you want to take a course. The registrar at the host institution will sign you up for the class. This process typically takes a few weeks.
First, make sure your instructor at Duke/NCSU has entered the grades for the course. The easiest way to do this is to log in to DukeHub at Duke or MyPack Portal at NCSU and check there. If your grade is not posted there, contact your instructor.
UNC and its partner institutions share grade reports daily during the grading period. It usually takes a few days (sometimes a few weeks) for grades from Duke and NCSU to post to your UNC transcript. If you are taking a course outside UNC during your last semester, it is important that you monitor the grade closely and alert Student Services of any delays. Grades will be converted to the UNC Graduate Grading scale (H/P/L) when posted to your UNC transcript.
Master’s students are required to complete a law requirement, which usually involves taking a course at the law school. (Please check your specialization requirements). First, contact the instructor of the law course you want to take and request permission to register. Once you have permission from the instructor, contact the Law School registrar, and they will register you for the course. Note that the Law School is on a different academic calendar, so grades from Law courses take longer to post to your UNC transcript. If you are taking a law course during your last semester at UNC, please let the instructor know. You may have a graduation hold that lasts after the official commencement day, but it will be lifted once the law grade posts.
The department offers a one credit internship course (PLAN 793) every semester, including the summer semester. Please contact Student Services to register for internship credit. Students are required to submit a scope of work early on in the semester, have it approved by their supervisor, and then submit a critical evaluation of the experience at the end of the semester.
In general, Curricular Practical Training (CPT) approval is required for international students to work outside the university (including internships). To accomplish this, please follow the instructions provided by the Office of International Students and Scholar Services.
You will need to register for internship credits (PLAN 793) to complete the CPT application. Please contact Student Services to register for internship credit. Note that there are restrictions on how many internship and professional development credits can count toward your degree.
First, identify the faculty member whose research interests align with your desired independent study topic. Work with the faculty member to create a course plan. Then, complete the Independent Study Learning Contract. Attach a syllabus, reading list, assessments, and any other supporting documentation. Submit the completed form and supporting materials to Student Services. Once the Department Chair has approved the course, Student Services will contact you about registering for the independent study credits (PLAN 896).
Note that you cannot register for independent study credits after the first week of classes. If you want to take an independent study course, please plan ahead to get all the approvals before the first week of the semester.
A load of 16 or more credits per semester is considered a course overload, which require approval from the Graduate School. Please complete this form to request approval from your advisor.
You can add through your ConnectCarolina Student Center until mid-January for spring and late August for fall. You can drop through yourConnectCarolina Student Center until mid-October for the fall and mid-April for spring. The exact dates vary, so check the registrar’s calendars to find out the drop/add deadline for the current semester calendar.
If the deadline to add/drop a course using yourConnectCarolina Student Center has passed, then a paper form is required. Please contact Student Services for the paper form.
The most common hold is a cashier’s hold. If you are a TA/RA and your appointment funds your tuition, then you should defer payment. For help with this, please contact the cashier. For any other type of hold, contact Student Services.
You must establish residency in the state of North Carolina to qualify for in-state tuition rates. For tuition purposes, a resident is a “person who has: (1) established domicile in North Carolina, and (2) maintained that domicile for a period of at least 12 months prior to his or her classification as a resident for tuition purposes.”
To get the process started, you must submit an online residency application.
The deadlines for residency applications vary by semester. To find out the deadlines for the current and upcoming semesters, check the registrar’s residency deadline calendar.
- Make an appointment for a one-on-one consultation with the Graduate Funding Info Center.
- Search the funding database.
The New East Building has three rooms that can be reserved for members affiliated with the department. Follow the links below to check room availability:
New East 101 (Conference Room) – Tables seat up to 6 (COVID capacity), with additional seating along the side of the room. Contains ONYEN login supported computer and large screen TV monitor.
New East 211 (Chapin Reading Room) – This room can be arranged to seat up to 14 people (COVID capacity). Contains a pull-down screen, laptop and built-in projector.
New East 308 (Student Interview Room) – Individual students can reserve this room. Contains a phone, desk and chair.
After checking availability, contact the department to reserve the room.
For other spaces, the registrar’s office manages classroom space and reservations. You can request a room reservation from the registrar directly.
If you are looking for a classroom with specific features, you can search and view room features on the Classroom Hotline site.