What is urban planning?

Urban planning is a set of processes for managing the development and design of cities and their surrounding areas. Some of the issues that factor into urban planning include efficient land use, transportation, maintaining clean air and water, economic opportunities, and education. Urban planners have to balance forward-thinking with historic preservation, and they work with multiple municipal agencies to achieve their goals. They also consider the needs of multiple constituencies in their work. You'll see urban planning at work throughout the world, and cultures have practiced it in one form or another since ancient times.

Why study urban planning?

Urban planning is an important discipline because urban planners explore the issues that face our cities today and attempt to address them. If you have a passion for your city—large or small—you can make a difference by studying urban planning and putting it into practice. Your work is different from that of an architect, because you're not looking at the city as a whole rather than particular structures. Urban planning involves big picture thinking and looks at issues that will affect the city not just today but also in the future.

What are typical careers in the field of urban planning?

There are opportunities to use your urban planning knowledge in historic preservation and conservation jobs, and many municipalities have departments that handle planning and strategy for the future. Urban planning is a wide discipline, so you might consider looking at other industries that are similar to planning and preservation. Landscape architects, land developers, and transportation boards often have job openings for urban planners. Look for jobs with nonprofits that advocate for better urban planning or for particular environmental causes. If you're passionate about a particular neighborhood or historic estate, you may be able to turn that calling into a career as well.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn urban planning?

Online courses on Coursera about urban planning provide you with the opportunity to learn about green cities, public health, sustainability, and geographic information system (GIS) mapping and spatial analysis. You might discover the principles of successfully managing smart urban infrastructures as well as connecting cities and nature through innovation. Learn about international urban planning concepts too, such as urban planning for cities in Africa, global environmental management, and mitigating climate change in developing countries through online courses on Coursera.

What are the benefits of taking an online Urban Planning course?

Online Urban Planning courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Urban Planning skills. Choose from a wide range of Urban Planning courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Urban Planning courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Urban Planning, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Urban Planning Courses - Learn Urban Planning Online

Explore the Urban Planning Course Catalog

Status: Free Trial
Johns Hopkins University
Sustainable Cities
Skills you'll gain: Architectural Design, Sustainable Development, Stormwater Management, Building Codes, Community Development, Land Development, Sustainable Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Transportation Operations, Civil Engineering, Case Studies, Environmental Engineering, Building Design, Land Management, Sustainable Design, Sustainable Technologies, Water Sustainability, Environmental Science, Water Resources, Growth Strategies
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
452 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Johns Hopkins University
Sustainable Regional Principles, Planning and Transportation
Skills you'll gain: Sustainable Development, Transportation Operations, Case Studies, Land Management, Sustainable Design, Growth Strategies, Community Development, Geographic Information Systems, Stakeholder Engagement
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
185 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Preview
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Smart Cities – Management of Smart Urban Infrastructures
Skills you'll gain: Transportation Operations, Governance, Technical Management, Systems Thinking, Emerging Technologies, Technology Strategies, Innovation, Infrastructure Architecture, Internet Of Things, Digital Transformation, Data Management, Sustainable Development
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.9K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Preview
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
African cities : An Introduction to Urban Planning
Skills you'll gain: Governance, Climate Change Adaptation, Land Management, Community Development, Environmental Issue, Sustainable Development, Economic Development, Transportation Operations, Finance
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
19 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Preview
University of Amsterdam
Reclaiming the Street for Livable Urban Spaces
Skills you'll gain: Action Oriented, Community Organizing, Strategic Planning, Community Development, Change Management, Systems Thinking, Sustainable Development, Transportation Operations, Innovation, Advocacy, Experimentation, Policy Analysis, Case Studies, Environmental Issue
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
83 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Preview
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Management of Urban Infrastructures – part 1
Skills you'll gain: Energy and Utilities, Case Studies, Transportation Management, Electrical Power, Facility Management, Water Sustainability, Operations Management, Civil Engineering, Stakeholder Management, Sustainable Development, Project Management, Environmental Issue, Socioeconomics
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
797 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

What brings you to Coursera today?

Start my career

Change my career

Grow in my current role

Explore topics outside of work

Status: Preview
University of Toronto
The City and You: Find Your Best Place
Skills you'll gain: Community Development, Socioeconomics, Crisis Management, Creativity, Cultural Diversity, Social Sciences, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Decision Making, Economic Development, Demography, Economics, International Relations
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
157 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Lund University
Sustainable Cities and Communities
Skills you'll gain: Sustainable Development, Climate Change Adaptation, Sustainable Design, Sustainable Technologies, Community Development, Governance, Socioeconomics, Water Sustainability, Sustainable Business, Systems Thinking, Environmental Resource Management, Environmental Issue, Environmental Science, Climate Change Mitigation, Case Studies, Water Resources, Multimedia, Business Modeling, Innovation, Stakeholder Engagement
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
3K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Lund University
Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities
Skills you'll gain: Sustainable Development, Sustainable Design, Sustainable Technologies, Community Development, Environmental Issue, Governance, Systems Thinking, Climate Change Mitigation, Case Studies, Stakeholder Engagement
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
2.5K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Columbia University
Construction Management
Skills you'll gain: Project Schedules, Construction Management, Construction Estimating, Project Finance, Cost Estimation, Punch Work, Construction, Project Risk Management, Bidding, Building Information Modeling, Scheduling, Cost Control, Environment Health And Safety, Project Closure, Lean Methodologies, Timelines, Real Estate, Finance, Business Transformation, Innovation
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
9.5K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Status: AI skills
Google
Google Project Management
Skills you'll gain: Quality Management, Project Management Life Cycle, Requirements Analysis, Project Scoping, Project Closure, Project Management, Project Planning, Agile Project Management, Continuous Improvement Process, Project Controls, Backlogs, Milestones (Project Management), Project Risk Management, Stakeholder Analysis, Quality Assessment, Team Management, Agile Methodology, Change Management, Interviewing Skills, Professional Development
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
135K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Financial Planning for Young Adults
Skills you'll gain: Financial Planning, Investments, Budgeting, Risk Management, Goal Setting, Cash Management, Finance, Smart Goals, Insurance, Financial Management, Credit Risk
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.4K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months