2024-2025 Catalog

Requirements

Major

Students majoring in Urban and Environmental Policy are required to take the following introductory courses:

ECON 101Principles of Economics I

4 units

POLS 101American Politics and Public Policy

4 units

UEP 101Environment and Society

4 units

An alternative Economics course may be used as a substitute with approval from the department chair. The course substitution must be filed the Registrar's Office using the Transfer Credit & Course Substitution Form.

Upper Division Coursework

Students majoring in UEP are required to take the following upper division courses:

UEP 300Environmental Law and Policy

4 units

UEP 301/POLS 301Urban Policy and Politics

4 units

UEP 305Urban Data Analysis

4 units

UEP 310Community Organizing and Leadership

4 units

UEP 311Community Internship

4 units

UEP 410Controversies in Policy and Politics

4 units

UEP 411Applied Public Policy Practicum

4 units

Methods

UEP majors are required to take at least one methods course. Students may choose from among the following: UEP 304 (Qualitative Methods), UEP 305 (Urban Data Analysis), or UEP 150 (Geographic Information Systems/Spatial Statistics). Each of these has a focus on approaches that center community questions in asking/answering urban and environmental questions. In addition, for students who are interested in pathways that center quantitative methods, we encourage taking UEP 150 and UEP 305 for a grounding in both, one of which would count as your UEP elective and the other towards a methods requirement:. For those interested in mixed methods approaches, we encourage both UEP 304 and UEP 305 or UEP 150. In some cases, students may take POLS 300 (Research Methods in Politics and Public Policy) or other methods course(s) with permission of the UEP department Chair. You must complete this methods requirement before enrolling in the UEP 410/411 senior comprehensive requirement.

UEP 305Urban Data Analysis

4 units

UEP 150Geographic Information Science I

4 units

Additional Electives

Majors are required to complete two additional electives (minimum 8 units). All courses offered within the UEP department will fulfill the elective requirement (click here for the complete list). Students may also choose one of these two courses from the approved UEP electives listed below outside of the UEP department. A study abroad course may count as the one outside course, as approved by the department chair.

UEP electives cannot be double counted to satisfy other minor and major requirements. Double counting electives will be allowed only by Petition for Special Consideration. Students are required to obtain approval from the adviser and the department chair.

ECON 301Environmental Economics and Policy

4 units

ECON 322Economics of Sustainable Development

4 units

ECON 324The Economics of Immigration

4 units

ECON 328Economics of Race and Gender

4 units

PHIL 231Environmental and Animal Ethics

4 units

POLS 206Race and American Politics

4 units

POLS 207Los Angeles Politics

4 units

POLS 208Movements for Social Justice

4 units

POLS 260Community Law Internship

4 units

RELS 242Environmental Ethics and Religion

4 units

SOC 250Race and Ethnicity in American Society

4 units

UEP 150Geographic Information Science I

4 units

Honors in the Major

Students are required to have an overall grade point average of 3.50. Contact the department chair for more information and specific requirements.

Minor

Introductory Courses

POLS 101American Politics and Public Policy

4 units

UEP 101Environment and Society

4 units

Additional electives:

​Students are required to successfully complete three additional courses (minimum 12 units) within the UEP program. Students may complete one of these courses outside of the department, selected from the approved UEP electives listed above ("Additional Electives").