City Planner

[SeierTapt]

http://batch1.csd.uwm.edu/SARUP/planning/About_career.htm I've lately become pretty interested in this career. The school I'm transfering to in the Fall(Texas State) happens to have one of the best Geography departments, in which the City Planning major is housed, in the country. Any comments on this kind of job path?

[Claverhouse]

coffeezombie's one.


Claverhouse :ph34r:

[coffeezombie]

I do it professionally. Is that a bachelor's degree program? If you can, try to find one that is accredited by the ACSP, so you can get your AICP certification sooner. (lots of acronyms, just look them up).

[Crazy]

Looks pretty interesting to me.

[coffeezombie]

It's okay. If you do it for a governmental entity, you have to be willing to put up with politics, but working for the government is pretty cushy overall. Working in the private sector is not as political, but you have to put up with stricter employers. Personally I'll take the cushy government job.

[mancroft]

I did Geography at Uni and thought about town planning but did teaching instead. Sucker. My first year roommate did TP and is now Head of Planning for Shropshire.

I'd go for it if I were you. You could do a lot worse.

[SeierTapt]

I do it professionally. Is that a bachelor's degree program? If you can, try to find one that is accredited by the ACSP, so you can get your AICP certification sooner. (lots of acronyms, just look them up).

Yes, it's a bachelors program but I plan on getting a masters eventually. The bachelors program I'd be going into isn't certified, but then again the only certified programs in this state are 3 masters programs. What kind of things do you actually do during the average work day?

[coffeezombie]

Yes, it's a bachelors program but I plan on getting a masters eventually. The bachelors program I'd be going into isn't certified, but then again the only certified programs in this state are 3 masters programs. What kind of things do you actually do during the average work day?
All kinds of things. In larger municipalities, you'll get pigeonholed into doing one thing, but the main kinds of planning are "current planning," which is like handling rezoning cases, long-range planning, which is writing land use/infrastructure plans for the future, transportation planning, which is obvious, economic development planning, environmental planning, urban design, which is a bit like a mix between architecture and planning, etc.

I do all kinds except for the urban design, myself. I can't draw worth a lick, although I'm okay with GIS.

[jread]

http://batch1.csd.uwm.edu/SARUP/planning/About_career.htm I've lately become pretty interested in this career. The school I'm transfering to in the Fall(Texas State) happens to have one of the best Geography departments, in which the City Planning major is housed, in the country. Any comments on this kind of job path?

I've wrestled with urban planning for years now. I truly am interested in it but I can't make myself fully commit.

Right now I'm in GIS (where I've been for 8 years) and it's kind of the bastard child between planning/geography and computer technology. I find myself being more suited to the tech. side although I LOVE demographic analysis and urban design. Perhaps a combo is the way to go.

Texas State has a good program. I did my GIS coursework there and I know some of the planning grads. Their master's in Land/Area Development is a nice and well-rounded planning degree. You could also go for a Master's of Public Administration with a concentration in urban planning once you finish your undergrad degree. I know someone doing this exact same thing at the moment.

What has mainly pushed me away from planning is just how political it is. You are thrown into the death pool of citizens on a regular basis and you will have to "sell" your ideas and make them heard. You have to be quick to respond to criticism or to people who are trying to make you look bad. You also deal with the frustration of creating a wonderful plan, only to have it squashed by some politician who doesn't want that bigger road through their neighborhood.

I think that a position in longterm planning, especially demographic research would be the best fit for an INTP. I also know some transportation planners who really love their jobs. It's all statistical analysis and modeling.... very, very cool job. Also, Urban Design, which was mentioned by CZ, is a very exciting field. You get to be an architect and really create the look and feel of the place.

I recommend visiting the best planning forum on the internet if you want to learn everything in the world about the profession: http://www.cyburbia.org/forums/

There are also some Texas State grads on there who could give you some insight.

[SeierTapt]

Whoa, that forum you suggested is awesome. Thanks...