Master of Arts (M.A.) in Urban Affairs
The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Urban Affairs is an interdisciplinary degree program focusing on the multiple factors that affect how cities work and the problems that they face – such as economic growth or decline, globalization and immigration, the impact of diversity on communities, or the impact of the housing market on neighborhood stability. The curriculum brings together viewpoints and analytical tools from multiple fields to provide different perspectives on the causes of urban problems and their possible solutions. The Urban Affairs program at Loyola is a two-year professional degree, focused on training students to assume leadership roles in government, non-profit organizations, or business. Part-time students would typically finish in three years. Internships or capstone policy clinics are available for students to apply the skills developed in the program and gain work-related experience. Students also may have an opportunity to work with Loyola's Center for Urban Research and Learning (CURL) or Center for Urban Environmental Research and Policy (CUERP) on various research projects.
Degree Requirements
Required Coursework: The M.A. in Urban Affairs degree program requires 37 hours of coursework—11 three-credit courses, plus a four-credit internship or capstone experience.
Perspectives on urban areas. Students take at least two of the following four courses (Total 6 credits):
- HIST 460. Urban America or HIST 492 U.S. Local History
- PLSC 410. Urban Politics or PLSC 419 Managing Urban Government
- SOCL 462 The Urban Metropolis
- ECON 320. Urban Economics (prerequisites apply)
Concentrations: Students develop more detailed knowledge in one area of urban studies with at least two classes in a related field. Examples of classes in two of our more common concentrations are listed below. Other concentrations may be developed in consultation with the program director. (Total 6 credits)
Economic Issues and Job Growth.
Social Issues.
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PHIL 407. Ethics and Economic Justice
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SOWK 502. Ethnicity, Race and Culture
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SOCL 428. Poverty and Social Welfare
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HIST 455. Immigration and Ethnicity
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SOWK 713. Nonprofit Organizations
Analytical Tools. (Total 9 credits) Students must one introductory statistics courses and two other tools courses. Several typical options are listed below. Other courses may be accepted with permission of the program director.
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SOCL 414. Statistical Methods of Analysis I (required)
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SOCL 412. Qualitative Methods in Social Research
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MPP 501. Program Evaluation
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MPP 401. Policy Analysis
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SOCL 418. Demography
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MPP 403. Public Budgeting and Finance
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SOCL 415. Statistical Methods of Analysis II
Electives: (Total 9 credits). Electives can be fulfilled with additional classes from the set of core courses listed above. Students can also take courses offered in many other departments across the university, including criminal justice, economics, education, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology and social work.
Internship or Capstone: (Total 4 credits). An internship is recommended for students without professional work experience prior to enrollment in the program. A capstone project or policy clinic is recommended for those with relevant work experience.
