SDG Detail

F&ES 985 Capstone: Urban, Suburban, and Regional Planning Practice

Postgraduate course

Project description

This capstone course provides an opportunity for students to apply the theory of practice developed in F&ES 817 to a real-world, local project for a public- or civic-sector client as part of an interdisciplinary student team. One or two teams of four or five students each work together, focusing on a critical neighborhood of New Haven or a nearby municipality. The emphasis in each location is on identifying and overcoming the tensions and conflicts between economic, social, and environmental objectives to develop a balanced strategy for the neighborhood that meets stakeholders� goals within the context of overarching regional, national, and even global challenges and opportunities (e.g., climate change and demographic shifts). Toward that end, students are exposed to the detailed process of local government and decision-making as well as techniques used by city planners to collect and assess data and utilize that information coupled with stakeholder engagement to develop tools to help the community achieve its vision. With a focus on interdisciplinary problem solving and the collective project management resulting in a client-driven work product, students learn valuable skills for their future careers.