Urban Studies
Area
Employer
Information/Strategies
Government
- Demography
- Social Statistics
- Public Administration
- Policy Analysis
- Research
- Community Development
- Program Development
- Human Services
- City Planning
- Law Enforcement
- Federal departments and agencies such as:
- Departments of Agriculture, Education, Interior, Commerce, Defense
- Health and Human Services
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Aging
- State and local government
- Planning and development commissions
- National, state, or local parks or recreation departments
- Housing authorities
- Transportation departments
- Social service agencies
- Peace Corps and Americorps
- Supplement curriculum with coursework in statistics and social research. Consider obtaining a minor in political science, public administration, or other relevant field.
- Develop exceptional computer, communication, and research skills.
- Complete an internship with the federal government.
- Seek leadership roles in relevant campus or community organizations.
- Develop a specialty such as aging, family, criminal justice, or healthcare.
- Become familiar with the government application process. Utilize applicable websites and seek assistance from your college career center.
- There are a large number of specialized agencies within the federal government. Do extensive research to find the area that best fits your interests.
- Earn a graduate degree to qualify for more job opportunities.
Regional and Urban Planning
- Transportation
- Demography
- Housing
- Community Development
- Historic Preservation
- Urban Design
- Urban Renewal
- Environmental/Regulatory Issues
- Economic Development
- Land Use
- Research Design
- Program Development
- Federal, state, and local government
- Architecture firms
- Engineering firms
- Local planning agencies
- Real estate and development contractors
- Investment companies
- Transportation agencies
- Zoning administration
- Utility companies
- Non-profit organizations
- Historical restoration or preservation agencies
- Neighborhood revitalization initiatives
- International development organizations
- Enhance curriculum with courses in business, social sciences, and statistics.
- Earn a graduate degree in urban or regional planning from an accredited planning program.
- Gain experience through internships with employers of interest.
- Develop strong computer skills.
- Learn another language to communicate with diverse community members or to work abroad.
- Plan to work corroboratively with a wide array of professionals and local citizens.
- Understand that most planners work for local governments.
Nonprofit
- Administration/Management
- Fund Raising/Development
- Public Relations
- Policy Analysis
- Research
- Grant Writing
- Community Development
- Advocacy
- Programming
- Direct Service:
- Counseling Case
- Management
- Community service agencies
- Advocacy groups
- Federal, state, and local government
- United Way agencies
- Religiously-affiliated service organizations
- Private foundations
- Adoption and child care agencies
- Nursing homes and retirement communities
- Hospitals and wellness centers
- Halfway houses
- Vocational services
- Educational information services
- Gain experience and develop helping skills through volunteer positions.
- Spend summers working at camps, The Y, or other social service agencies.
- Work with diverse populations to get exposure to multi-cultural issues. Learn a second language in order to interact with non-English speakers and increase marketability.
- Develop excellent communication skills. Concentrate course work in an area of interest such as youth, gerontology, or poverty.
- Serve as a peer mentor, resident assistant, or other student leader.
- Investigate term of service or service corps positions as a way to gain entry into the field.
- Earn a master’s degree in social work, counseling, or other related field to increase employment opportunities.
- Most states require licensure or certification for positions involving the direct provision of therapeutic services to clients.
- Research organizations’ values to find a good fit with yours. Become knowledgeable about and committed to the work you plan to do.
Business
- Real Estate:
- Construction
- Management
- Development
- Sales
- Leasing
- Management
- Sales
- Human Resources
- Underwriting and Claims Management
- Real estate firms
- Rental properties
- Construction and development companies
- Insurance firms
- Retail stores
- Banks
- Staffing agencies
- Manufacturing companies
- Credit management companies and organizations
- Service industries
- Healthcare organizations
- Earn a minor in business or supplement curriculum with courses in accounting, finance, and management.
- Gain business experience through part-time jobs, summer work, and internships.
- Develop excellent computer skills. Learn to use software applications such as spread sheets, databases, and word processing.
- Hone written and oral communication skills.
- Join related professional associations.
- Seek leadership roles in student organizations.
Education
- Teaching
- Research
- Administration
- Student Affairs
- Student Activities
- Leadership Development
- Admissions
- Orientation
- Career Services
- Residence Life
- Multi-cultural Affairs
- Study Abroad
- International Student Services
- Academic Affairs
- Academic Support Services
- Advising, Educational Advancement Programs
- Honors Programs
- Library Sciences
- Colleges and universities
- Vocational-technical educational programs
- Adult education providers
- Earn a graduate degree for post-secondary teaching.
- Assist a professor with research and take extra courses in research and statistics.
- Develop exceptional written and oral communication and interpersonal skills.
- Secure strong personal recommendations, particularly from professors, and maintain a high GPA.
- Earn a master’s degree in a specialized area e.g., College Student Personnel, Higher Education Administration, or Library and Information Sciences to work in other roles at post-secondary institutions.
- Seek campus leadership positions such as peer mentor, orientation leader, or resident assistant.
Social Science Research
- Data Analysis
- Demography
- Market Research
- Information Sourcing
- Universities
- Government agencies
- Research institutes
- Non-profit organizations
- Private industries
- Advertising and marketing firms
- Consulting organizations
- Information brokers
- Newspapers, magazines, news agencies
- Public opinion research polls
- Develop exceptional quantitative, statistical, and writing skills through coursework and research projects.
- Learn to use statistics software packages as well as database and spreadsheet programs.
- Volunteer to help a professor with research or complete an independent study.
- Gain experience working on teams.
- Network with professionals working in areas of interest.
- Consider earning a graduate degree in one of the social sciences, statistics, or related field to qualify for more positions.
General Information and Strategies
- Urban Studies is an interdisciplinary program that draws upon fields such as sociology, economics, and political science.
- Consider earning a second major or minor in another field of interest.
- Many transferable skills such as analytical, organizational, research, interpersonal, computer, leadership, teamwork, and oral/written communication are associated with the urban studies degree.
- Internships, part-time jobs, summer jobs, and/or volunteer experiences are critical for gaining experience and developing a career path.
- An undergraduate degree is sufficient for entry-level positions in business, non-profit, and government sectors, however a graduate degree is likely to be more desirable in a competitive market.
- An undergraduate degree in urban studies is good preparation for graduate or professional education in law, planning, architecture, business, public policy, social sciences, and other related fields. Research pre-requisites for graduate or professional programs of interest.
- To enhance graduate or professional school opportunities, maintain a high grade point average, secure strong faculty recommendations, join student or professional organizations, and gain relevant experience outside of the classroom through work, internship, volunteer, and research opportunities.
- A Ph.D. is required for teaching at four-year universities.
- Conduct informational interviews with professionals working in areas of interest.
