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Course Requirements for the Minor
Course Descriptions for the Urban Studies Minor
What can a Minor in Urban Studies do for you?
Links to UNC Charlotte Colleges and Departments
participating in the Urban Studies Minor
Questions?
Urban Studies Courses for Summer
and Fall 2008
Urban Studies Merit Scholarship
Course Requirements
for the Urban Studies Minor A Minor in Urban Studies requires completion of 18 hours taken
from the following courses:
ANTH 2125 (Urban Anthropology);
ARCH 1100 (History of American Architecture);
GEOG 2165 (Patterns of World Urbanization);
GEOG 3100 (City and Region);
GEOG 4205 (Internal Structure of the City);
HIST 3214 (Urban South);
HIST 3280 (Blacks in Urban America);
HIST 3281 (American Cities);
POLS 3121/GEOG 3110 (Urban Politics/Urban Political Geography);
SOCY 4125 (Urban Sociology);
URBS 2200 (Introduction to Urban Studies);
URBS 3050 (Topics in Urban Studies).
Students may also select from URBS 3801 (Urban Studies Independent
Study) or URBS 4401 (Urban Studies Internship) and count up to
9 hours of other courses that have a significant urban focus with
prior permission of the Director of the Urban Studies
Minor - Dr. Heather Smith, McEniry 444, Department of
Geography and Earth Sciences, heatsmit@uncc.edu
(704) 687-5989.
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Course Descriptions
for Core Courses in the Urban Studies Minor ANTH 2125. Urban Anthropology. (3) Cross-cultural
analysis of urban life; rise of early cities; rural-urban differences;
migration; ethnicity, urban poverty; effects of urban life on
kinship systems; modernization.
ARCH 1100. History of American Architecture.
(3) Prerequisite: No major in Architecture. American architecture
from ca.1600 to the present with a focus on the cultural and environmental
forces shaping American architecture.
GEOG 2165. Patterns of World Urbanization. (3)
Introduction to cities of the world including examination of cities
within different culture areas as well as the internal structure
of different cities within the context of traditional and innovative
theories of development geography.
GEOG 3100. The City and Its Region. (3) Study
of the regional system of cities in terms of their size, spacing,
historical evolution, functional relationships and future prospects.
GEOG 3110. Urban Political Geography. (3) Spatial
organization of metropolitan America. How metropolitan residents
organize space into territorial units and the human, social and
political ramifications of that organization. Spatial consequences
of the most common modes of political, administrative and territorial
organization. Cross listed with POLS 3121.
GEOG 4205. Internal Structure of the City. (3)
Integrative study of the spatial structure of cities with emphasis
on land use patterns and models, transportation systems, residential
concentrations, commercial activities and manufacturing zones.
HIST 3214. The Urban South. (3) Development of
the Southern city from the colonial period to the present with
emphasis on the agricultural base of urban life, the biracial
character, and early economic dependence upon the North.
HIST 3280. Blacks in Urban America. (3) African-Americans
have been part of the urban scene since the colonizing of the
Americas. The course will examine the ways in which their presence
in cities has both exemplified and contradicted the understanding
of both urban development and race relations in America from colonial
times to the present.
HIST 3281. American Cities. (3) U.S. urban history.
The city as a physical place, as a socio-political environment
and as a cultural center. Emphasis on the social developments
caused by urbanization.
POLS 3121. Urban Politics. (3) Analysis of the
political processes in the nation's metropolitan areas and the
adjustments and responses of the U.S. governmental system to cope
with the urban area. Cross listed with GEOG 3110.
SOCY 4125. Urban Sociology. (3) Prerequisite:
SOCY 1101 or consent of the instructor. Cross cultural analysis
of urban development, social structure, ecology, demographic composition,
and social problems.
URBS 2200. Introduction to Urban Studies. (3)
A survey course exploring the diverse perspectives and experience
of North American Cities. Lectures and discussions will focus
on the development, organization, function, and meaning of urban
areas, as well as the multiple and complex relationships that
exist between cities and the people who live and work within them.
URBS 3050. Topics in Urban Studies. (3) Timely
and important areas of scholarship and application relevant to
urban studies. May be repeated for credit as topics vary with
prior permission from Director of the Urban Studies Minor.
URBS 3801. Independent Study. (1-3) Prerequisites:
URBS 2200, declared Urban Studies Minor with Junior or Senior
standing, a GPA of at least 2.0, permission of supervising instructor
and Director of Urban Studies Minor. Area of study beyond the
scope of current offerings to be devised by student and faculty
member. May be repeated. Three hours of URBS 3801 may be used
toward the URBS minor with prior approval of the Director of Urban
Studies Minor.
URBS 4401. Internship in Urban Studies. (3) Prerequisites:
URBS 2200, declared Urban Studies minor with Junior or Senior
standing, a GPA of at least 2.0 and permission of Director of
Urban Studies Minor. Students work 8-10 hours per week (total
120 hours per semester) for 3 credit hours in an approved research
or in-service placement relevant to urban studies. Specific content
of internship based on a contract between the student, supervising
professor, and community/corporate organization. Course may not
be repeated for credit. (Pass/No Credit)
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What Can
An Urban Studies Minor Do For You? Prepares students for careers in the Public, Private
and Non-profit sectors.
A minor in urban studies provides an excellent foundation for
students interested in pursuing careers such as architecture,
land-use or community planning, law, public policy and administration,
education, law enforcement, community organizing, transportation,
housing and commercial development, real estate, political service,
social work, journalism and research.
Broadens students’ range of analytical tools.
Students who minor in urban studies will have the opportunity
to explore cities through multiple lenses of analysis. A course
in architecture exposes students to an urban design perspective;
a course in urban politics engages the student in questions of
public policy and public service provision and courses in geography
address issues of urban planning and spatial analysis. Courses
in history provide temporal context and historical insight while
courses in sociology and anthropology introduce students to the
social dynamics and cultural complexity of urban life.
Facilitates exposure to both traditional academic and
applied analysis.
Course work in urban history, sociology and anthropology introduces
students to theory development and evaluation and builds skills
of critical thinking and analysis. Course work in architecture,
politics and geography additionally emphasizes the ways in which
urban practitioners identify and work to solve urban problems
and challenges.
Allows students to become both generalists and specialists.
A major in history or anthropology or sociology, for example,
provides students’ with a broad based social science liberal
arts degree, while a minor in urban studies allows further specialization
in cities.
Deepens students’ appreciation and understanding
of urban problems and promise.
Housing, homelessness, sustainable development, urban design,
architecture, transportation, poverty, urban health, crime, local
government, architectural history, urban sprawl, race relations,
urban history, economic restructuring, urban revitalization and
growth management are examples of issues explored in the courses
offered within the urban studies minor.
Prepares students for both professional and civic roles
in the improvement of the quality of urban life.
The interdisciplinary focus of the urban studies minor prepares
students to better understand and be able to effectively address,
as both professionals and citizens, the many challenges presented
by the rapid pace of urban change in the 21st Century.
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Links to Participating
Colleges and Departments Anthropology: http://www.anthropology.uncc.edu/
Arts and Sciences: http://www.coas.uncc.edu/
Architecture: http://www.coa.uncc.edu/
Geography and Earth Sciences: http://www.geoearth.uncc.edu/
History: http://www.history.uncc.edu/
Political Science: http://www.politicalscience.uncc.edu/
Sociology: http://www.sociology.uncc.edu/
Links to Resources and Urban Related Websites
UNC Charlotte Office of Education Abroad: http://www.edabroad.uncc.edu/
UNC Charlotte Urban Institute: http://www.ui.uncc.edu/
Urban Studies, an International Journal for Research in Urban
and Regional Studies: http://www.gla.ac.uk/urbanstudiesjournal/
Urban Affairs Association: http://www.udel.edu/uaa/
Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program: http://www.brook.edu/metro/metro.htm
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Should you have any questions, or wish to enroll in the Urban
Studies Minor contact:
Dr. Heather Smith, Director Urban Studies Minor
444 McEniry, Department of Geography and Earth Sciences
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 29223-0001
Phone: 704-687-5989
Fax: 704-687-5966
Email: heatsmit@uncc.edu
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