The Individual Study Plan is a living document that all students in Community, Environment and Planning major create at the beginning of the junior year in order to be intentional in our education and make the most out of a flexible major. The ISP is updated throughout the junior and senior years in order to reflect changes in educational goals and interests.
Quarterly Course Plan Fall 2017 CEP 301 The Idea of Community (5) “Theories of community and communal rights and responsibilities. Experience building a learning community within major. Explores struggles for community in every sector of life.” This course has provided me with a foundational understanding of community. Throughout the course I read the ideas of many political philosophers, from Plato and Aristotle to more modern thinkers, and learn about how they thought about community, the purpose of community, and how it functions.
CEP 300 CEP Retreat (1) At retreat twice a year, I help to develop the major and gain leadership skills that will be essential to being successful in CEP while reflecting on my experiences.
CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1) Weekly governance provides me with an opportunity to gain skills and experience with direct action and deliberation, and working on the Community Engagement Committee allows me to work in a group to engage CEP with the broader community.
GEOG 277 Geography of Cities (5) - Diversity “Explores economic, cultural, social and political dynamics of cities - their location, functions, and internal structure, including economic activities, housing, and social geography. Topics include economic restructuring; suburbanization and urban sprawl; urban planning; inner-city gentrification; and how issues of class, race, and gender are embedded in the geographies of cities.” This course has taught me about the geographical aspects of cities, such as how people move and interact in cities and the urban social structures and processes that affect urban planning and the built environment.
L ARCH 300 Introductory Landscape Architecture Design Studio (6) - Methods “Introduction to history and environmental influences in field while developing design and graphic skills. Site analyses and drawing to convey design concepts. Relationship of visual perception to drawing, role of values in design, verbal communication, and behavioral analysis of design process.” Through this class I have gained valuable design skills to create more meaningful public spaces, as well as developed my verbal and visual communication skills.
Winter 2018 CEP 302 Environmental Response (5) “Explores issues of environmental crisis and societal responses. Readings and reflective analysis from broad selection of authoritative sources to develop grounded perspective in ecological literacy and consciousness. Concurrently, experiential education in challenges and practical responses to building sustainable society through participation in community-based environmental effort.”As a core course in CEP, I will learn about environmental planning and responses to ecological issues, which will further my knowledge in sustainability and planning.
CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1) Weekly governance provides me with an opportunity to gain skills and experience with direct action and deliberation. Working on the Community Engagement Committee allows me to work in a group to engage CEP with the broader community.
GEOG 461 Urban Geographic Information Systems (5) - Methods “Use of geographic information systems to investigate urban/regional issues; focus on transportation, land-use and environmental issues; all urban change problems considered. GIS data processing strategies. Problem definition for GIS processing. Data collection, geocoding issues. Data structuring strategies.” Urban Geographic Information Systems helped me further my skills in GIS to be able to spatially analyze urban issues. It provided me with the opportunity to understand issues related to urban planning, such as transportation, land-use, and environmental issues, in a way that is different from my theory-based classes.
GEOG 205 Our Global Environment: Physical and Human Dimensions (5) “Explores environmental systems using a geographic perspective that emphasizes spatial patterns of phenomena, relationships between different places, and interconnections between people and environment. Evaluates causes, consequences, and solutions to environmental problems. Topics include climate, atmosphere, water, ecosystems, and soils.” As a requirement for my geography major as well as fulfilling my last General Education requirement, this course taught me more about environmental problems through a geographic perspective. I learned more about how people and the environment are connected, which supplements the community and environment aspects of CEP.
ESRM 300 Principles of Sustainability (2) - Methods “Overview of principles of sustainability, including discussion of current literature, presentation, and discussion with practitioners, and methods for balancing social, economic, and ecological consequences of proposed policies and actions. Students develop a plan to further their studies in natural resources and environmental sustainability.” This course provided a basis for understanding the principles of sustainability. In order to make cities more sustainable, it is important to understand the social, economic, and ecological consequences of policies that affect sustainability.
Spring 2018 CEP 303 Social Structures and Processes (5) “Investigates use of formal and informal social structures and processes within context of community and environment. Looks at patterns and institutions of social organization and relationships among different sectors. Issues of interrelatedness, citizenship, knowledge, and communication.” This CEP core course furthered my knowledge of social structures and processes. This course taught me more about the community and environmental aspects of these structures and processes, which is essential in understanding how cities function and how people interact with cities.
CEP 300 CEP Retreat (1) At retreat twice a year, I helped to develop the major and gain leadership skills that will be essential to being successful in CEP while reflecting on my experiences.
CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1) Weekly governance provides me with an opportunity to gain skills and experience with direct action and deliberation. Working on the Community Engagement Committee allows me to work in a group to engage CEP with the broader community.
L ARCH 363 Ecological Design and Planning (3) - Methods “Introduction to landscape ecological theory applied to urban environments. Comparison of different vocabularies used to describe landscape structure and function, from the fields of landscape design, urban design, and biology. Discussion of design theories that have sought to re-center landscape planning and design around the goal of achieving ecological sustainability.” As a methods course and a requirement for my minor, I learned more about ecological design and how to design landscape and urban spaces with sustainability in mind. This class taught me more about the environment and how urban design relates to ideas of sustainability.
GEOG 445 Geography of Housing (5) “Focuses on the geography of housing, especially in the United States. Topics include: the American dream of homeownership; housing affordability and differential access to home ownership; homelessness; the history of public housing; housing demography; residential mobility and neighborhood change, and discrimination in the housing market.” This class is a requirement for my geography major. I learned more about housing, accessibility in the housing market, neighborhoods, and mobility. This knowledge is important for urban planning and increasing and improving housing for cities.
URBDP 480 Planning as a Profession (1) This course will provide me with a better understanding of the field I want to pursue, and will help me to understand what skills to develop and steps to take in order to achieve my career goals.
Fall 2018 CEP 460 Planning in Context (5) “Examines theory against backdrop of practice for broad historical understanding of social, political, environmental planning. Critique from viewpoints, e.g., planning history, ethics, ecofeminism, environmental justice, class and capitalism, planning and global economy. Develop personalized history reflecting individual experience, professional experience, and philosophical heritage of planning profession.” Practical applications of planning theory will be very valuable for my future goals. I have developed a better understanding of planning from various viewpoints that has taught me more about the profession.
CEP 300 CEP Retreat (1) At retreat twice a year, I help to develop the major and gain leadership skills that are essential to being successful in CEP while reflecting on my experiences.
CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1) Weekly governance provides me with an opportunity to gain skills and experience with direct action and deliberation, and working on the Program Events and Student Engagement Committee allows me to work in a group to engage CEP with the broader community.
ARCH 410 Introduction to Architectural Photography (3) “Basic elements and processes of architectural photography to include camera controls, exposure technique, photo processing, and fundamental principles of photographing architecture. Student must provide own 35 mm (or larger) camera with manual operating controls.” This course has taught me how to think about the built environment in a more artistic/creative way, rather from just a analytical/planning perspective.
CEP 490 Senior Project Prep Seminar I: Research and Project Scoping (1-3) Discussed further in the Senior Project section of this document.
CEP 446 Internship (5, max. 10) Discussed further in the Internship section of this document.
Winter 2019 CEP 461 Ethics and Identity (5) “Examination of personal, societal, vocational, environmental, planning ethics. Readings and discourse on ethical foundations for public life. Individual and group readings on values, human potential. Develops understanding of ecological context, moral responsibility, self-awareness. Constructs positive, diverse view of humanity, environment regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, beliefs.” This course has taught me about the ethics involved in planning and life in general. I have learned a lot about moral responsibility that will provide useful in my future career and throughout my life when making decisions.
CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1) Weekly governance provides me with an opportunity to gain skills and experience with direct action and deliberation, and working on the Program Events and Student Engagement Committee allows me to work in a group to engage CEP with the broader community.
CEP 491 Senior Project Prep Seminar II: Methods and Actualization (1-3) Focuses on implementing the senior project/capstone, including revisions and updates as seen fit. Discussed further in the Senior Project section of this document.
GEOG 317 Geographic Information and Spatial Analysis (5) - Methods “Integrates geographic information systems and spatial data analysis, emphasizing the appropriate selection of methods, procedures for research design, and interpretation of findings. Topics include descriptive and inferential methods, spatial patterns and statistics, and correlation and spatial autocorrelation. Applications use SPSS and ArcMap software.” As a methods requirement for my geography major, this course has taught me more quantitative skills and how to conduct quantitative-based spatial analysis in GIS. These technical skills have been helpful for teaching me how to apply my theory-based knowledge in a data-driven context.
Spring 2019 CEP 462 Community and Environment (5) “Capstone quarter merges core seminars, disciplinary courses in major, community field experiences for mastery of personal knowledge and skills. Reflection and synthesis of themes in major; engagement with contemporary issues. Compares theoretical definitions of community and environment with individual philosophies and knowledge within thoughtful, applied context.” This capstone course will help me to synthesize all of the courses I have taken over the past two years, and to learn more about the connection between community and the environment.
CEP 300 CEP Retreat (1) At retreat twice a year, I will help develop the major and gain leadership skills that will be essential to being successful in CEP while reflecting on my experiences.
CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1) Weekly governance provides me with an opportunity to gain skills and experience with direct action and deliberation, and working on Program Events and Student Engagement Committee allows me to work in a group to engage CEP with the broader community.
L ARCH 322 (3) “Traditional ways plants are used in landscape design. Composition and design characteristics of plant materials. Technical considerations for selection, climate, cultural suitability, availability, costs, and maintenance.” This course has taught me more about how to think abstractly when designing a built environment. I have also learned more about ecology and plants that will provide useful in more design-oriented planning settings, and has also helped me to understand more abstract ways of thinking.
B E 498 Special Projects (1) Widescreen: Film, Design, and the Built Environment. This course has exposed me to more artistic and creative expressions of the built environment. This has helped me to better understand cities from an abstract or fictional point of view, and to better understand how people in cities may deal with disasters.
GEN ST 297 (1) "BE REAL: MINDFULNESS PRACTICES FOR WELL-BEING" INCREASE YOUR AWARENESS, HONE YOUR FOCUS, AMPLIFY YOUR PERSONAL WELL- BEING AND SHARPEN YOUR MIND.” This course has taught me about how to manage stress and be more mindful. I have learned a lot of mindfulness and meditation practices that will help me be more aware and conscious of my emotions and stress, which will help me to make more mindful decisions and care for my mental health.