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The Master of Regional Planning in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning and the Master of Architecture Program in the Department of Art, Architecture, and Art History offer a dual degree program for students to earn a dual Master of Regional Planning/Master of Architecture degree within three years of full-time study.  The professions of planning and architecture are intertwined in numerous ways. Many positions in the municipal as well as private sector can best be filled by persons who possess the joint knowledge and skills of plan and design review.  While there is a strong relationship between architecture and planning in most other parts of the world, the connection has historically been much less institutionally strong in the United States. This dual degree program is one of only a handful in the nation. Students will spend two semesters of full-time study in each program, dividing remaining coursework between the two programs. The MArch core is designed to provide students with a strong technical foundation and intensive studio and skill training, applicable to a wide variety of design issues.  The MRP core is based on combining theoretical, historical, social, political, and technical dimensions of planning practice with emphasis on practice through studio and service to nearby communities. The three-year dual degree program  offers students a rich educational experience in many areas of design and planning, including sustainable development, site plan analysis and implementation, community-based design and planning, information technology and other new tools and techniques (e.g., GIS, LEED, etc.). The MRP/MArch degree program will provide its graduates with comprehensive education for professional careers in policy, planning, design and development in the public, nonprofit and private sectors.  Students must apply to, and be admitted to both programs, and must meet satisfactory academic progress requirements for each program.  Prior to admission, students are encouraged to complete introductory courses in design skills and techniques to prepare them for the MArch curriculum, and may be required to complete a preparatory year of study at UMass prior to the start of the dual degree program.

Additional information regarding M.R.P. program options is available in the Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning section of this Bulletin.

Additional information regarding M.Arch. program options is available in the Architecture and Design section of this Bulletin.