Master of Science in Planning - Economic Development Planning

The Department of Geography and Planning offers facilities for research leading to the Master of Science in Planning (MScPl) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. Faculty work involves social, economic, cultural, and other vital considerations. In spatial scale, it ranges from the design of individual communities to policy planning at the national level to international development. Planning specializations include land use, transportation, urban design, social policy, public health, economic development, international development, and the environment. The Planning Program offers a fully accredited Master’s degree to suit the needs of students intent on working as planners or pursuing doctoral studies in planning or related fields.The Program also requires that students demonstrate a B (or higher) average in their first-year grades and submit a Plan of Study upon the completion of a Summer Internship before admission into the second year of course work.This concentration is concerned with policies and programs that improve livelihoods, create wealth, and increase economic opportunity. Economic development planners work at multiple spatial scales – from the local to the transnational – and in the public, private, and non-profitsocial sectors. They are expected to be able to assess how socio-economic, political, and technological forces produce disparities in employment and investment between sectors and locations, and to recommend contextually appropriate strategies in response. These include traditional approaches, such as workforce development programs, incentives, business improvement areas, cluster strategies, and innovation ecosystem development, as well as heterodox community economic development models, from anchor institution strategies to the incubation of community and worker-owned enterprises.

Students are admitted under the general regulations of the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto. The requirements include:bachelor’s degree, or its equivalent, with high academic standingdegree in planning, geography or social science, or a closely related field is acceptabledegrees in the life sciences, humanities, or professional programs, provided this preparation includes significant coursework in the social sciences prior to entry (normally equivalent to at least five courses)We view professional planning or related experience favourably during the admissions process and encourage applications from those belonging to groups that are currently underrepresented in the academic and professional worlds of planning. The application process includes submission of a statement of intent, transcripts, three confidential reference letters (at least two from university instructors), samples of the applicant’s written work (where appropriate), and a curriculum vitae.minimum academic standing as indicateddue to limited enrolment capacity, meeting minimum standards does not guarantee admissionminimum requirement is a B+ average in the final year (3.3 on a 4.0 grade point scale) of a Bachelor’s Degree