RIT Introduces Undergraduate Program in Urban and Community Studies

More than 75 percent of United States residents and nearly half the world’s population work, live and raise families in metropolitan areas. Recognizing the prominence of city life, Rochester Institute of Technology has introduced an undergraduate degree in Urban and Community Studies.

“This program is very unique because RIT’s emphasis on science and technology allows students to draw from scientific research and apply it to urban issues,” says Dr. Murli Sinha, Department Chair of Sociology and Anthropology.

Within the program, students will focus on identifying and analyzing key issues in urban planning and investigating the impacts of globalization. They will also develop the skills needed to assess key urban and regional inequalities and problems.

Former Rochester Mayor Bill Johnson will be working with all students in the program by teaching the core course, Rochester: People, Politics, Planning, in which students will gain an understanding of the City\'s social order within various historical and social contexts.

Co-operative learning experiences are also required within the Urban and Community Studies program to compliment in-class instruction. Outside of the classroom, students will have the opportunity to work in the field at an active lab in the City of Rochester.

The Urban and Community Studies program also offers a 4+1 option, allowing students to obtain a master’s degree in Public Policy through one additional year of study.

For more information about the Urban and Community Studies program, contact Dr. Murli Sinha at (585) 475-2896 or by email at MMSGSS@rit.edu