Master's in City Planning
School of Public Affairs Graduate Program Info Sessions
Ready to take the next step in your career? Join the School of Public Affairs at SDSU to learn how our MPA, MSCJC, MCP, and JD+MPA programs can help you make an impact in your community and beyond. Attend one of our upcoming info sessions—in person or on Zoom—and discover which path is right for you!
Program Overview
The Master of City Planning (MCP) Program was inaugurated in the Fall of 1968 and has since graduated over 400 students who have secured positions in planning agencies at all levels of government, in private and public institutions concerned with planning and urban affairs, and in academic and research institutions.
SDSU's City Planning masters degree program is fully accredited by the national Planning Accreditation Board, and a member of the American Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP): an academic consortium of more than 100 planning schools offering advanced degrees in planning across North America. As an accredited master's degree program, maintaining our accreditation requires that our students demonstrate their competence as professional planners, and commitment to the values and ethics within our field. Learn more about the Planning Accreditation Board, and its high academic standards for member schools in performance, integrity and quality of trained planners.
MCP Mission
Our mission is to provide graduate students with the knowledge, specialized skills, and professional experience to creatively engage in problem-solving and in the practice of urban and regional planning in public policy contexts; and to equip them with the skills and techniques that will enable them to assume effective, ethical leadership roles in the field of planning. The program also emphasizes an understanding of the broader international context of planning and how regions can respond to or help shape trends into the future.
The program provides the opportunity for students to engage in a wide range of field-based education through an interdisciplinary set of courses. It fosters mutual learning through a participatory experience that emphasizes academic excellence, sound professional preparation, and ethical conduct, with an emphasis on working in the public interest. The program seeks to impart an understanding of the spatial and physical dimensions of planning and design; the challenges of sustainability, livability, environment, mobility, and social equity in shaping policy choices; and the techniques and process of community-building.
Program Information
- Program Structure: For information about the program structure, please view the handbook for the program.
- List of Courses: For a list of courses, please visit the course catalog.
- Presentation Slides: For an overview of the program, please review the presentation slides from the 2024 orientation.
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Culminating Experience: For more information on the Capstone Project or Thesis option please visit the Culminating Experience Guide.
Tuition and Fees
For more information on tuition and fees, please visit the Office of Financial Aid's page for graduate and doctoral students and the SDSU Bursar's Office. The Bursar’s page provides information on basic tuition, in-state tuition, out-of-state, and international student fees.
Additionally, for scholarships, please visit the Aztec Scholarships page and the School of Public Affairs Scholarships page.
Master's in City Planning Program Links
MCP Degree RequirementsSteps to Apply
- Complete the University Online Application via Cal State Apply – Must be completed by February 1.
- All applicants must fill out the application on Cal State Apply and pay the required fee.
- A SDSUid Number will then be assigned which allows tracking of application status online.
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Send official transcripts Graduate Admissions – Must be received by February 15.
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For colleges/universities that provide an option to send transcripts either electronically or by mail, electronic is preferred. If you are required to provide an email address when ordering an electronic transcript for SDSU, please use [email protected].
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If your school does not send electronic transcripts, then they can mail the official transcript. To be considered official, transcripts must be received in a sealed/stamped school issued envelope.Graduate AdmissionsSan Diego State University5500 Campanile DriveSan Diego, CA 92182-8225
Please Note: When you send us mail, please include the last four digitsof the ZIP code to ensure your mail arrives to the correct office.
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- Complete the Program Online Application via Slate – Must be completed by March 1.
- Within 72 hours of submitting your Cal State Apply application, you will receive an email with a personalized link to Slate to complete your program application.
- Applicants must upload all program documents in Slate. Do not send application documents directly to advisors or the coordinator.
The following documents must be submitted via Slate:
- Personal Statement (500 words): Discuss your background and general interest in the field, your reasons for choosing the program, and your professional aspirations or special areas of interest.
- Current Résumé
- Unofficial Transcripts: Reminder: Official transcripts must be sent to Graduate Admissions (see Step 2), but you are also required to upload unofficial transcripts in Slate.
- Two Letters of Recommendation: Applicants will enter recommender information in Slate, and recommenders will receive a link to confidentially upload their letters.
International applicants are welcome and encouraged to apply.
For international applicants, please follow the same steps as those listed for U.S. applicants when applying to our graduate program. In addition, please visit the following pages for further information:
- International Graduate Students Admissions Page – for details on applying to the university as an international student and other related information.
- The International Admissions Office - to schedule a time to meet with an international admissions advisor.
For more information, contact:
