Focuses on the theoretical foundations of urbanization, urban change, and city building, with particular attention on global urban growth, history of contemporary urbanization, urban planning, governance, built form, and economic development. These topics are explored through a multidisciplinary lens, with an emphasis on understanding urban transitions over time and their meaning for contemporary urban experience.

How do power and dominance consolidate in urban settings? How do individuals and communities contest this consolidation, and claim spaces and rights in the city? These questions will be taken up through a range of critical approaches, including Indigenous, critical race feminist, political economy, queer, and anarchist perspectives. Students will have the opportunity to carry out interview-based research on an issue of equality and social justice that matters to them.

A prominent thesis in the fields of planning and economic geography is that the presence of creative occupations in a city correlates positively with the overall health of urban regions. This course will investigate the nature of this link from theoretical and empirical perspectives and examine its potential usefulness in a planning/policy context.

This course provides students an opportunity to craft and initiate an Urban Studies capstone research project. Students will gain knowledge, experience and insight in utilizing qualitative research methods including interviewing, focus groups, observational analysis and other techniques. Seminars and assignments focus on the application of qualitative methods to each student’s selected urban research question.

Designed to allow strong students in the Major and Specialist programs to extend a piece of urban research under the supervision of a faculty member from any aligned department. Choice of ‘H’ or ‘Y’ session pursuant to the scope of the research envisioned, the proposed supervisor’s assessment of depth of the inquiry, and the approval of the program director. Proposals, including a letter from an agreeable supervisor should be submitted to the program director by June 1 for a Fall or Year session course and by November 1 for a Spring session course. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

A method of studying city issues that combines readings, seminar discussions, and field trips with an 8 hour / week internship in the office of a municipal politician, local government, or non-profit organization. Readings focus on community development, urban planning, economic development and local governance. Students must fill out a ballot for the course (available by contacting the Urban Studies Program Office) by June 1st. Enrolment in this course is competitive and at the discretion of the Urban Studies Director and/or course instructor.

Overview of how planning tools and practice shape the built form of cities. This course introduces twentieth century physical planning within its historical, social, legal, and political contexts. Community and urban design issues are addressed at local and regional scales and in both central cities and suburbs. The focus is on Toronto and the Canadian experience, with comparative examples from other countries, primarily the United States. Transportation costs: $20.