Urban Studies Certificate

Degrees Offered:
None. A certificate in urban studies is offered.

Coordinators:
Laura Khoury, Ph.D. Director
Kenneth French, Ph.D. Co-Director

Program Overview

Urban studies is an undergraduate interdisciplinary certificate program that is housed in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and is open to all students. It is designed to provide students with an education in the analysis of urban patterns, processes, and issues; provide an understanding of the economic, social, cultural, political and spatial phenomena of urban areas, and how these various aspects of urban areas developed. The certificate offers students the opportunity to supplement their studies with a focus on the problems and potentials of the urban world; and provides interdisciplinary training in order to produce a comprehensive and coherent understanding of urban life. In sum, the learning goals are:

1. Students will gain knowledge of the dynamics of city patterns and urban life.
2. Students will learn to engage in reasoned response to changing urban problems and policies.
3. Students will develop their professional and civic involvement skills to improve the quality of urban life.
4. Students will demonstrate knowledge of applied research practices they can apply to help the Kenosha/Racine communities.

Requirements for Urban Studies Certificate (15 credits)

Group A: Prerequisites (6 credits) Students must take both of the following:

• GEOG 360: Urban Geography 3 cr
• SOCA 355: Urbanism and Urbanization 3 cr

Note: Both have prerequisites at the 100 level.

Group B: Electives (6 credits)

Students must take two of the following courses with each course from a different department.
Choose from the following:

• GEOG 330: Population Geography 3 cr

OR

• SOCA 358: Introduction to Population Studies 3 cr



• ECON 304: Economics of Urban Problems 3 cr
• GEOG 340: Political Geography 3 cr
• GEOG 375: Geography of Transportation 3 cr
• HIST 325: Mayhem and the Metropolis 3 cr
• HIST 341: The Urbanization of the United States 3 cr
• SOCA 323: Institutional Racism in America 3 cr
• SOCA 362: Migration and Immigration 3 cr
• SOCA 373: Bureaucracy in Modern Society 3 cr
• SOCA 379: Society and Environment 3 cr

Note: Prerequisites apply in specific departments

Group C: Practicum (3 Credits)

Students must take one course that fulfills a hands-on practical experience, such as an internship or independent study in any related department. Approval of the practicum experience by the Program Director is necessary.
Possible options include:

• ANTH 491: Anthropological Fieldwork 3 cr
• GEOG 495: Internship in Geography 3 cr
• HIST 336: Poverty in American History 3 cr
• SOCA 406: Advanced Program Evaluation 3 cr
• SOCA 492: Internship in Sociology/Anthropology 3 cr
• ECON, GEOG, HIST, or SOCA 499 3 cr

Other practicum courses besides those listed above might fulfill this requirement. Courses that include an experiential project concerning urban issues will be considered. Approval is needed.

Any student who can provide evidence of work experience in public, private, and non-profit organizations committed to the larger urban community might have this requirement waived (with approval). If a waiver is granted then a third course from Group B electives is required.

The Certificate will be awarded to those students completing the five certificate courses with a GPA of 2.5 or better.