Department of Urban and Public Affairs

What is Urban and Public Affairs?

Urban and Public Affairs explores how cities work – and how they can work better. Our department examines the forces shaping urban life, from economic systems and public policy to environmental pressures, social equity and community well-being, through an interdisciplinary lens that spans the social sciences.

Since launching our urban studies bachelor's degree in 2020, we've built a program that treats cities and sustainability as interconnected systems. Our faculty bring expertise from across disciplines, and you'll round out your perspective with coursework beyond the department. Louisville itself becomes your classroom – a place where you work directly with communities and put theory into practice, backed by applied research through our Center for Land Use and Environmental Responsibility (CLUER).

You'll build the analytical thinking, civic awareness and cross-sector adaptability that employers value. A required internship gives you hands-on experience and professional connections early, and by graduation you'll be ready to shape the future as an urban planner, sustainability coordinator, transportation analyst, community developer, conservation scientist – or in countless other roles improving cities and lives.

Career Prospects

Where Vision Meets Action to Transform Communities

Urban and Public Affairs trains the next generation of city planners, public administrators, sustainability analysts, nonprofit leaders and policy makers — the professionals who design and manage the systems that make communities work. Since launching the Urban Studies bachelor's degree in 2020, UofL's department has built a direct pipeline into Louisville's planning, government and civic sector, while preparing students for nationally competitive careers and graduate programs.

Urban and regional planners — the core professional credential in this field — earned a median annual wage of $83,720 in May 2024. Social and community service managers, another major pathway, are projected to grow 6% through 2034 with approximately 18,600 openings per year. The department's MPA program, fully accredited by NASPAA, opens doors to public administration leadership at the state, federal and nonprofit levels. And for students drawn to sustainability, renewable energy is one of the fastest-growing industry sectors in the U.S. economy through 2034.

Whether you're entering the workforce with a bachelor's degree, pursuing the MPA, or continuing to planning or urban policy doctoral programs, your Urban and Public Affairs degree connects policy knowledge to real community impact.

Explore Career Pathways in Urban and Public Affairs