Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science
Nature of the Program
Environmental and Community Planning provides you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to help shape your community, region, the state and the world. You’ll also gain a deeper understanding of the natural environment, the built environment and human engagement with the environment.
Upon graduation, you’ll have expertise in both the analysis and the synthesis of the physical, social, political and economic issues that shape development. The curriculum emphasizes project-based and place-based learning in an interdisciplinary environment. Participation with communities and individuals in envisioning their future is a key component of the planning process. This approach allows you to see how different environments and situations exist, operate and interact in real-life settings. You'll learn to make informed decisions related to alternative futures in community and environmental development and management.
Admissions
- First-Time Freshman are admitted directly into the Environmental and Community Planning major.
- Students transferring from another major within WVU are directly admitted into the Environmental and Community Planning major if they are in good academic standing (2.0 or higher GPA)
- Students transferring from another institution are directly admitted to the Environmental and Community Planning major if they are in good academic standing (2.0 or higher GPA)
Admission Requirements 2024-2025
The Admission Requirements above will be the same for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
Major Code: 0737
Degree Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
University Requirements | 46 | |
Environmental and Community Planning Major Requirements | 74 | |
Total Hours | 120 |
University Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
Outstanding GEF Requirements 8 | 6 | |
ANRD 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
General Electives | 39 | |
Total Hours | 46 |
Environmental and Community Planning Major Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Minimum grade of C- is required in all coursework | ||
ENGL 101 & ENGL 102 | Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research (GEF 1) | 6 |
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
Select one of the following (GEF 2): | 4 | |
Environmental Biology and Environmental Biology Laboratory | ||
Digital Earth and Digital Earth Laboratory | ||
STAT 111 | Understanding Statistics (GEF 3) | 3 |
DSGN 280 | Sustainable Design and Development (GEF 4) | 3 |
COMM 104 | Fundamentals of Public Communication (GEF 5) | 3 |
LARC 212 | History of Landscape Architecture (GEF 6) | 3 |
DSGN 140 | Sustainable Living (GEF 7) | 3 |
AGEE 220 | Group Organization and Leadership (GEF 8) | 3 |
LARC 105 | Introduction to Landscape Architecture, Environmental Design and Planning | 3 |
LARC 120S | Landscape Architectural Drawing Studio | 3 |
LARC 224 | Digital Design Graphics for Landscape Architecture | 2 |
LARC 350 | Landscape Architectural Design 2 | 1 |
LARC 350S | Landscape Architectural Design 2 Studio | 3 |
LARC 351 | Landscape Architectural Design 3 | 1 |
LARC 351S | Landscape Architectural Design 3 Studio | 3 |
LARC 448 | Design Analysis | 2 |
LARC 450 | Advanced Landscape Architectural Design 1 (fulfills Writing and Communication Skills requirement) | 1 |
LARC 450S | Advanced Landscape Architectural Design 1 Studio | 4 |
LARC 451 | Advanced Landscape Architectural Design 2 | 1 |
LARC 451S | Advanced Landscape Architectural Design 2 Studio | 4 |
LARC 465 | Regional Design | 3 |
or LARC 466 | Introduction to Urban Design Issues | |
LARC 484 | Professional Practice | 3 |
DSM 410 | The Global Context for Design | 3 |
RESM 440 & 440L | Foundations of Applied Geographic Information Systems and Foundations of Applied Geographic Information Systems Laboratory | 3 |
RESM 450 | Land Use Planning Law | 3 |
RESM 455 | Practice of Land Use Planning | 3 |
Total Hours | 74 |
Suggested Plan of Study
First Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | LARC 212 (GEF 6) | 3 |
LARC 105 | 3 | COMM 104 (GEF 5) | 3 |
LARC 120S | 3 | LARC 224 | 2 |
DSGN 140 (GEF 7) | 3 | STAT 111 (GEF 3) | 3 |
ANRD 191 | 1 | Elective | 3 |
Elective | 3 | ||
16 | 14 | ||
Second Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | RESM 440 & 440L | 3 |
DSGN 280 (GEF 4) | 3 | AGEE 220 (GEF 8) | 3 |
Select one of the following (GEF 2): | 4 | GEF 8 | 3 |
Elective | 6 | ||
GEF 8 | 3 | ||
Elective | 2 | ||
15 | 15 | ||
Third Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
RESM 455 | 3 | LARC 351 | 1 |
LARC 350 | 1 | LARC 351S | 3 |
LARC 350S | 3 | LARC 448 | 2 |
Elective | 9 | LARC 484 | 3 |
Elective | 5 | ||
16 | 14 | ||
Fourth Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
LARC 450 | 1 | DSM 410 | 3 |
LARC 450S | 4 | LARC 451 | 1 |
LARC 466 or 465 | 3 | LARC 451S | 4 |
Elective | 7 | RESM 450 | 3 |
Elective | 4 | ||
15 | 15 | ||
Total credit hours: 120 |
Major Learning Outcomes
Environmental and Community Planning
- To provide students with a base of knowledge, skills, and abilities to be ready for professional positions or graduate education in planning.
- To provide students an understanding of planning theory and principles.
- To develop students’ skills to undertake and interpret research on planning and related topics.
- To develop students’ ability to apply knowledge of planning to issues related to development.
- To develop students’ ability to solve real-world problems in varied situations and/or for varied constituencies.
- To develop students’ skills in communicating planning issues effectively to community residents, in oral, graphic and written form.
- To prepare students to be future professionals in the field of planning.