JLH-Campus-Scenes

Urban Studies (Minor)

The Urban Studies Minor provides students with an interdisciplinary consideration of the diverse social, cultural, economic, political, and spatial issues con-fronting contemporary American cities. The goal of the minor is to enhance students’ career opportunities in a variety of fields including urban and regional planning, urban design, public administration, law, real estate, economic development, non-profit management, social work, social justice advocacy, and education. The minor also helps to equip students to contribute meaningfully to public life and discourse in cities.

Courses that explore the societal context in which cities operate introduce students to urban studies and ensure that they have a foundation in the social sciences. Courses focusing on urban places and processes help students understand how cites work as well as their history and geography. Finally, students choose one or two elective courses to explore a specialized topic or to gain practical experience through an internship, research, or training in civic engagement. Several courses in the minor take advantage of Valpo’s location on the fringe of the Chicago Region to provide first-hand experiences of urban places and processes through field trips to Chicago. 

The urban studies minor requires a minimum of 16 credit hours.

Urban Context

Familiarize yourself with the social and political context of urban issues by choosing one course in introductory economics, human geography, sociology, social work, or political science.

Urban Places and Processes

Take two courses that help you to understand cities and the forces that shape them. Courses may Include Urban Geography, Urban and Regional Planning, History of Chicago, and State and Local Politics in the United States.

Electives

Earn four elective credits in specialized topics in urban economics, geography, political science, or sociology and/or gain practical experience through an internship, independent study, research, or training in civic engagement.

Gretchen Buggeln
Professor of Humanities & Art History
Email: Gretchen.Buggeln@valpo.edu

Jennifer Hora
Associate Professor of Political Science
Email: Jennifer.Hora@valpo.edu

Michael Longan (coordinator)
Professor of Geography
Email:  Mike.Longan@valpo.edu

Lissa Yogan
Professor of Sociology and Criminology
Email: Lissa.Yogan@valpo.edu