UNIVERSITY SETTING
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY is a dynamic coeducational, comprehensive research institution located in the port city of Norfolk, Virginia. Norfolk is among seven major cities which make up Hampton Roads, population 1.6 million. Each city has a city-manager form of governance and several have received national recognition for innovative management. Federal, state and local governments represent 32 percent of the region's total employment. Hampton Roads has the largest Naval Base in the world. The Army and Air Force each have a major presence and NASA, NOAA, and the Coast Guard has field staffs located here. Hampton Roads is also the home of the Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory.
Situated on 185 acres, which are bounded on two sides by the Elizabeth and Lafayette rivers, the campus is an eclectic blend of old and new. The northern section, where the original campus is located, consists of shaded brick walkways and stately buildings, while the southern end showcases newer academic buildings which line an eight-acre lawn. Two residence halls, Whitehurst and Rogers, have waterfront views.
Old Dominion had its formal beginnings in 1930 and has grown rapidly into an independent, state-assisted institution with more than 22,000 students and over 94,515 alumni in all 50 states and 76 countries.
Today, there are 67 baccalaureate programs, 65 master's programs, two certificates of advanced study and 26 doctoral programs. In addition, the University is organized into six colleges - the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business and Public Administration, the Darden College of Education, the College of Engineering and Technology, the College of Health Sciences, and the College of Sciences.
One of Virginia's leading research institutions, Old Dominion boasts research grants and contracts valued at $50 million annually. The University is also a leading recipient of NASA funding for research projects and its faculty use three percent of all supercomputer time in the nation.
MASTER OF URBAN STUDIES
The Master of Urban Studies program is designed to meet the need for public and nonprofit sector administrators, analysts, and evaluators who have been exposed to multidisciplinary perspective of urban problems and processes. The program offers a curriculum that introduces students to the study of the urban environment and provides students with conceptual tools in urban public management as well as basic urban data analysis and program analysis research skills.
The Master of Urban Studies degree is offered by the Department for Urban Studies and Public Administration of the College of Business and Public Administration. The Department offers a broad selection of courses in urban studies and public administration to which students may add approved electives offered by other departments in the College of Business and Public Administration - courses in economics, management, marketing, finance, and management information systems. Urban studies students may also take courses in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice and other academic departments offering graduate courses relevant to urban affairs.
The Master of Urban Studies program has been offered at Old Dominion since 1974.
PROGRAM OF STUDY
Curriculum
The curriculum consists of thirty-six credit hours (eleven courses) and a three credit hour directed research. Courses are required in the following categories:
- Six core courses that all students must complete - 18 hours
- Five specialization courses determined and selected by the student in conjunction with the Graduate Program Director - 15 hours
- Urban Capstone Project - 3hours
The Core Module
The following courses are required of all urban studies students. These core courses introduce the field of urban studies and demonstrate analytical and research approaches that focus on the urban environment. (eighteen semester hours)
URBN 607 Urban Research Methods (Prerequisite: URBN 410)
URBN 690 Introduction to Urban Studies
URBN 701Urban Policy and Evaluation
URBN 704 Methods of Program Evaluation
URBN 705 Urban Law and Public Policy
ECON 545 Urban Economics
-or-URBN 708 Urban and Regional Economic Development
-or- URBN 702 Urban Resource Allocation
The Specialization Module
The Urban Services program offers specializations in two specific areas. In addition, students may design and select a five course individual specialization area which is appropriate for their particular career goals in the public or not-for-profit sector. Individual specialization areas must be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor or the MUS Graduate Program Director. Students may select appropriate elective courses within other departments of College of Business and Public Administration or in other Colleges within the University.
The following is a listing of recommended area courses for each of the two specializations. (fifteen semester hours)
Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation
PADM 603 Environment of Public Administration
URBN 611 Urban Services Administration
PADM 671 Public Budgeting and Financial Management
PADM 672 Public Financial Management
PADM 743 Total Quality Leadership
PADM 754 Advanced Public Program Evaluation
PADM 757 Advanced Public Research and Decision Making Methods
With permission of the Graduate Program Director, students may take appropriate courses from other colleges and disciplines within the University.
Community Services and Planning
PADM 603 Environment of Public Administration
URBN 632 Environmental Planning
PADM 633 Methods of Urban Planning
URBN 634 Regional Planning
URBB 711 Urban Services Administration
PADM 730 Theories of Conflict Resolution and Problem Solving
PADM 781 Intergovernmental Management
With permission of the Graduate Program Director, students may take appropriate courses from other colleges and disciplines.
The Capstone Project: URBN 685
All urban studies students must complete a significant independent study project under the supervision of a faculty advisor as the capstone experience of the degree program. (three credit hours)
Internship/Field Experience
Practical professional experience in a public or nonprofit agency setting is an important asset for all urban studies students. A formal internship is strongly recommended for students who lack significant experience in a public or non-profit agency. Internships give students the opportunity to gain professional level experience in a government or non-profit agency and provide agencies with the services of graduate students with high potential for future achievement. MUS students have the opportunity to earn three semester credits for internships and apply thee credits to any specialization area they have chosen. The URBN 693 Internship/Field Experience course is a 300 hour public service experience in an approved agency.
ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
The Department faculty welcomes applicants who have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
Admission to the program is competitive and is granted only to those who show ability and likely success in graduate study. The applicant must meet the University's general requirement - overall grade point average of 2.8 on a four point scale.
The decision to admit an applicant to the Master's program is based on a balanced review of the application package as submitted by the prospective student.
THE APPLICATION PACKAGE
The Old Dominion University Graduate Application Package may be received by calling (757) 683-3961. This package includes all forms necessary to apply to the Master of Urban Studies program. To be considered for admission, applicants must submit the following:
- An official transcript of all previous college work.
- A written statement describing how your experience in work and other settings, and your choice of graduate study in urban studies, will lead to achieving your career goals. 1000 word maximum length.
- Two letters of recommendation (forms provided) from academic sources or employment supervisors
- All applicants are required to submit an acceptable score on the GRE or GMAT examinations.
- Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit an acceptable score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
FINANCIAL ASSITANCE
Financial aid is available to graduate students at Old Dominion University. Financial aid may be available in the form of university fellowships, tuition grants, and research assistantships. The MPA/MUS programs offer four graduate research assistantships available each semester. Research assistantships offer stipends and research assistants pay the in-state tuition rate. In addition to the financial aid offered by the university, graduate students may be eligible for aid and student loans administered by other agencies. For information about part-time employment, scholarships, and student loans, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about the Master of Urban Studies program, please contact:
Old Dominion University
MUS Graduate Program Director
2084 Constant Hall
College of Business and Public Administration
Norfolk, VA 23529
Phone: (757) 683-3961
For more information and forms concerning application, contact:
Old Dominion University
Admissions Office
Norfolk, VA 23529
Phone: (757) 683-3685
(800) 348-7926
For more information concerning financial aid, contact:
Old Dominion University
Office of Student Financial Aid
Norfolk, VA 23529
Phone: (757) 683-3683
For more information about on-campus housing, contact:
Old Dominion University
Director of Housing Operations
Norfolk, VA 23529
Phone: (757) 683-4290
Brochure in PDF Format
