The Planning Accreditation Board requires this information be posted for the Master of Urban Planning and Development program.
Student Achievement
Ben Campbell
Director of Commercial and Industrial Development, West Park Kamms Neighborhood Development, 2019 MUPD Capstone Studio
“West Park Kamms Neighborhood Development (WPKND) is the nonprofit, community development corporation serving Ward 17 in Cleveland’s West Park neighborhood. Our mission is to facilitate the development and promotion of the West Park area. In co-ordination with our partners, we engage with residents, businesses, institutions, and visitors in elevating the quality of life in our community. Our core values coincide with many of the principles espoused in the Levin College of Urban Affairs' planning curriculum, including diversity, sustainability, community involvement and teamwork. Two of our most important goals are retaining a multigenerational and multicultural base of people in our community and retaining and attracting a healthy mix of business enterprises such as restaurants, pubs, general retail and other product and service companies. We were therefore pleased to serve as the client for this year's planning capstone studio project, in which the students prepared a redevelopment plan for the eastern portion of West Park.
As the students heard from speakers who shared their expertise on the area and then began preparation of the Plan, a common theme of linkages arose. These connections included improving neighborhood access to the West Park Rapid Station, linking the surrounding residential neighborhoods to an improved and more attractive Lorain Avenue commercial corridor, and making the area more welcoming for existing and new residents alike. On behalf of West Park Kamms Neighborhood Development, I want to thank your students on a timely and comprehensive plan entitled “Connecting West Park”. The students were responsible for undertaking research, developing graphics and maps, conducting surveys and interviews, developing a final report and developing a web site for the project. We were very pleased with the quality and quantity of the students' work, and particularly appreciated the students agreeing to do two final presentations, one at the College and one in the West Park neighborhood. WPKND, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and the owners of many vacant and underutilized properties the students identified along the Lorain Avenue corridor will find value in the students' demographic and historic research, survey results and redevelopment ideas as we consider our options for the eastern portion of West Park.”
Andrew R. Thomas
Executive-in-Residence, Energy Policy Center, Cleveland State University
Client, 2018 MUPD Capstone Studio
"The Energy Policy Center collaborated with graduate planning students to develop a strategy for deploying a microgrid in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Microgrids use local generation, storage and smart control devices to island the system off of the main grid during weather and other disturbances, thereby ensuring electricity delivery reliability. The capstone project supported a feasibility study commissioned by the Cleveland Foundation and undertaken by experts from Cleveland State University, Case Western Reserve University, Cuyahoga County and the City of Cleveland. The students used a wide range of skills to develop system deployment models, including identification of land use strategies, business structures, cost and finance models, regulatory policy and potential customers (including surveys). Importantly, the students provided valuable economic development and fiscal analysis to the project. The research was presented to the Cleveland Foundation, Cuyahoga County, the City of Cleveland and other stake holders, and ultimately incorporated into a series of reports. The capstone research has been very useful for understanding the opportunity for the County and the City to position the region for leadership in the future data-based economy and in environmental sustainability."
Jeff Markley
Bainbridge Township Board of Trustees
Partner, 2017 MUPD Capstone Studio
“On behalf of the Bainbridge Township Board of Trustees, thank you for a very informative and enlightening research project on the Geauga Lake property. The students’ presentations were well-done and nicely rehearsed, allowing for an efficient and educational experience for all who were in attendance. The Board very much appreciated the hard work, dedication, interest, and passion your students demonstrated and it truly shows in the final work product. It is our sincere hope that the future owner(s) of that property will be as interested in the research findings as we are and utilize your students’ information for the good of the property and the two communities of Bainbridge and Aurora!”
Deanna Bremer Fisher
Executive Director, FutureHeights and Publisher, Heights Observer
Client, 2016 MUPD Capstone Studio
"FutureHeights was delighted to work with Viking Planners on a Revitalization Plan for the Cedar Lee Business District. The students conducted thorough research and worked with a variety of stakeholders to give us several potential new initiatives that will help us revitalize the district. Cedar Lee is currently going through a $3.3 million streetscape project that will include new crosswalks, lighting and bicycle amenities. Cleveland Heights High School, which is located at the intersection of Cedar and Lee Roads, is also going through a comprehensive renovation. The work that the students completed will enable us to work with our partners to seek funding for branding, marketing and other streetscape amenities, as well as attract private investment for several potential development sites. The study has enabled us and our partners to view the district in a new light. This is what urban planning looks like!"
MUPD Exit Survey Results
Exit surveys of graduating MUPD classes consistently show significant improvements for the students between entering the program and upon graduation in all of the Planning Accreditation Board’s knowledge, skills, and values requirements for accredited urban planning programs. According to recent MUPD graduates, the best aspects of the MUPD program are connections to Northeast Ohio’s professional planning community, engaged learning opportunities, knowledgeable and engaged faculty, affordability and location in downtown Cleveland.
| 2019-2020 Tuition and Fees | |
|---|---|
| In State Residents, per full-time academic year | $ 13,352 |
| Out of State Residents, per full-time academic year | $ 22,846 |
See http://www.csuohio.edu/treasury-services/tuition-and-fees for more information.
| Student Retention Rate | Percent |
|---|---|
| Percentage of students who began studies in fall 2018 and continued into fall 2019 | 90% |
| Student Graduation Rate | Percent |
|---|---|
| Percentage of students graduating within 4 years, entering class of 2015 | 69%* |
| Number of Degrees Awarded | |
|---|---|
| Number of degrees awarded for the 2018 - 2019 Academic Year | 14 |
| AICP Certification | Percent |
|---|---|
| Percentage of master’s graduates taking the AICP exam within 5 years who pass, graduating class of 2013 | 66% |
| Employment | Percent |
|---|---|
| Percentage of fulltime graduates obtaining professional planning, planning-related or other positions within 12 months of graduation, graduating class of 2018 | 100% |
*Another 14% ultimately obtained a different graduate degree from the Levin College of Urban Affairs
Additional Graduate Employment Data
Almost half of the 50 MUPD graduates from AY 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 responded to an employment survey. Of those respondents, 23 were employed, 22 in planning or planning-related jobs. Seventeen graduates from AY 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and 2013-2014 responded to a five-year post-graduation employment survey. Of those respondents, 12 (71%) were employed in planning or planning-related jobs and one was pursuing an advanced degree in planning.
Alumni Satisfaction with Job Preparation
2013: Of 21 alumni surveyed, 8 responded: 5 were satisfied, 3 were dissatisfied.
2012: Of 15 alumni surveyed, 10 responded: 6 were satisfied, 4 were dissatisfied.
Employer Satisfaction with Graduates
In 2014, ten Cleveland-area employers of various types were surveyed about their satisfaction with MUPD graduates whom they have hired. Of the half that responded, four were "Very Satisfied" and one was "Satisfied" with the preparation/training of the MUPD graduates. All were "Very Satisfied" with the job performance of the MUPD graduates.