The Undergraduate Certificate in Urban Studies draws from classes in sociology, geography, history, political science, economics, urban studies, and urban planning to explore issues related to cities, suburban communities and metropolitan regions such as transportation, education, housing, population shifts, crime, discrimination, and more.
Certificates are similar to minors in terms of credit requirements but draw on coursework from multiple fields of study rather than from a single department.
Eligibility
The Urban Studies Undergraduate Certificate program is open to all students seeking a bachelor's degree from UWM, to students who previously have received a bachelor's degree from UWM or any other accredited college or university, and to those who do not plan to pursue a college or university degree (non-degree students) but who have a strong interest in this subject. To be admitted to the University as non-degree students, individuals must meet regular University admission requirements. Students currently involved in baccalaureate studies who complete the requirements of the program successfully will be awarded the certificate at the time of graduation. Post-baccalaureate and non-degree students will receive the certificate upon successful completion of the program requirements.
Requirements
- Completion of 18 credits in approved urban studies courses with a minimum GPA of 2.500.
- Completion of URB STD 250 (Exploring the Urban Environment), URB STD 193 (First-Year Seminar), or URB STD 360 (Perspectives on the Urban Scene).
- Of the 18 credits:
- 6 must be in the humanities;
- 6 in the social sciences; and
- 9 must be at the 300 level or above taken in residence at UWM. It is recommended that the student also complete one course in the natural sciences.
- No more than 9 credits from any one department outside Urban Studies may count toward the certificate.
- A maximum of 6 credits in independent study may be taken. In the senior year, a student may plan an independent study course to synthesize previous work in urban studies.
- An internship in URB STD 289 or URB STD 489 is recommended highly.
- While students may elect courses outside the College of Letters and Science to count toward the certificate, at least 12 credits must be completed in L&S courses, at least 6 of these at the 300 level or above.
- Credits earned at other institutions in equivalent urban studies programs and accepted by UWM as transfer credits may count in partial fulfillment of the certificate requirements.
Urban Studies Approved Courses
The following courses in the College of Letters and Science are approved to count toward the Urban Studies Certificate. Each semester, the Advisory Committee will review and approve variable content course sections for the Certificate. Contact the Urban Studies Program for the most current list of approved courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFRIC 300 | Urban Violence | 3 |
| AFRIC 319 | African American Urban History | 3 |
| AFRIC 341 | Black Politics and City Government | 3 |
| AFRIC 372 | African-American Literary Movements: The Harlem Renaissance | 3 |
| ANTHRO 431 | Cities and Culture | 3 |
| ARCH 584 | Urban Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 360 | Modern Architecture II: The Rise of Modern Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 361 | Modern Architecture III: Contemporary Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 412 | Cities and Sanctuaries of Ancient Greece | 3 |
| ARTHIST 425 | The Age of Pilgrimage and Crusade: Romanesque Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 426 | The Age of the Great Cathedrals: Gothic Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 431 | Renaissance Architecture in Italy | 3 |
| ARTHIST 458 | A Comparative History of Architecture and Urbanism: | 3 |
| ARTHIST 459 | American Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 462 | Frank Lloyd Wright | 3 |
| COMPLIT 230 | Literature and Society: | 3 |
| COMPLIT 232 | Literature and Politics: | 3 |
| CRM JST 370 | Criminal Justice Administration | 3 |
| DANCE 370 | World Movement Traditions: (Hip Hop) | 2-3 |
| ED POL 113 | The Milwaukee Community | 3 |
| ED POL 114 | Community Problems | 3 |
| ED POL 203 | Communities and Neighborhoods in America | 3 |
| ED POL 500 | Sociology and Policy of Urban Communities and Schools | 3 |
| ED POL 507 | Action Research on Milwaukee Institutions | 3 |
| ENGLISH 248 | Literature and Contemporary Life: (Mapping the City) | 3 |
| ENGLISH 394 | Theories of Mass Culture: | 3 |
| GEOG 114 | Geography of Race in the United States | 3 |
| GEOG 140 | Our Urban Environment: Introduction to Urban Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 297 | Study Abroad: (Urban Environmental Changes in Guatemala) | 1-12 |
| GEOG 443 | Cities of the World: Comparative Urban Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 497 | Study Abroad: (Urban Environmental Changes in Guatemala) | 1-12 |
| GEOG 520 | Physical Geography of the City | 3 |
| GEOG 540 | Globalization and the City | 3 |
| GEOG 564 | Urban Environmental Change and Social Justice | 3 |
| GERMAN 484 | Seminar on Themes and Motifs in German Literature: (Cities of the German-Speaking World or Stories from Urban Landscapes of Ireland and Germany) | 3 |
| GLOBAL 321 | The Global City in History | 3 |
| GLOBAL 421 | Cities in the Global Economy | 3 |
| HIST 192 | First-Year Seminar: (Living in Ancient Rome or The Burbs: History of American Suburbs) | 3 |
| HIST 200 | Historical Roots of Contemporary Issues: (Making of the American Ghetto) | 3 |
| HIST 303 | A History of Greek Civilization: The Greek City-State | 3 |
| HIST 307 | A History of Rome: The Republic | 3 |
| HIST 308 | A History of Rome: The Empire | 3 |
| HIST 371 | Topics in European History: (Rome in the Age of Constantine – Society and Culture) | 3 |
| HIST 404 | Topics in American History: (Big City Life Viewed Through HBO’s 'The Wire') | 3 |
| HIST 436 | Immigrant America Since 1880 | 3 |
| HIST 440 | History of the American Working Classes | 3 |
| HIST 450 | Growth of Metropolitan Milwaukee | 3 |
| HIST 460 | The History of Poverty in America | 3 |
| HIST 463 | History of the American City | 3 |
| HIST 595 | The Quantitative Analysis of Historical Data | 3 |
| HIST 600 | Seminar in History: (American Suburban History or Milwaukee and the World) | 3 |
| LINGUIS 432 | Urban Dialects | 3 |
| PHILOS 237 | Technology, Values, and Society | 3 |
| PHILOS 355 | Political Philosophy | 3 |
| POL SCI 213 | Urban Government and Politics | 3 |
| POL SCI 387 | Topics in American Politics: (Municipal Finance) | 3 |
| POL SCI 450 | Urban Political Problems | 3 |
| POL SCI 452 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| SOC WRK 306 | Introduction to Social Welfare Policy | 3 |
| SOC WRK 630 | Families and Poverty | 2-3 |
| SOCIOL 224 | Race and Ethnicity in the United States | 3 |
| SOCIOL 323 | Perspectives on Latino Communities | 3 |
| SOCIOL 324 | Race and Ethnicity in Global Contexts | 3 |
| SOCIOL 325 | Social Change | 3 |
| SOCIOL 330 | Economy and Society | 3 |
| SOCIOL 350 | Environmental Sociology | 3 |
| SOCIOL 377 | Urbanism and Urbanization | 3 |
| SOCIOL 495 | Seminar in Sociology: (International Urban Sociology) | 3 |
| SOCIOL 610 | Reproduction of Minority Communities | 3 |
| THEATRE 305 | The Theatrical Experience: (Out and About in Milwaukee) | 3 |
| URBPLAN | All U and U/G courses | |
| URB STD | All U and U/G courses | |
| WGS 489 | Internship in Women's and Gender Studies | 1-3 |