"Make no little plans, they have no magic." (Chicago Planner, Daniel Burnham, 1846-1912)
Why become a planner?
Planners use critical thinking, strong written and oral communication, technical skills, and community engagement to help create livable cities and towns and to promote environmentally healthy communities across the rural-urban spectrum. Specialty areas include affordable housing, vibrant public spaces, transportation and land use, and equitable access to community services.
Planning at 日韩无码
Recent graduates of geography, Environmental Sciences, and other disciplines have gone into planning jobs and Master鈥檚 programs in the field. Careful course selection from the areas identified below, and taking advantage of internship and study abroad opportunities, will provide 日韩无码 students with a robust planning curriculum. Faculty support and advising is available through the geography department.
Urban and regional planning
鈥淐ities have the capability of providing something for everyday, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.鈥 鈥 Jane Jacobs
Cities and towns are complex centers of cultural exchange and critical hubs for innovation and advancement. Urban and regional planning plays a vital role in the social and economic prosperity of a city/town/region and overall quality of life. As growth continues to be concentrated around urban cores, new challenges arise. Dense urban development tends to be energy-efficient and inspires city planners to develop sustainable cities of the future. Planning is a multidisciplinary field that encompasses a wide range of positions.
Regional planning in rural Vermont: A unique perspective
Vermont鈥檚 natural beauty, resources, and rural characteristics make it a unique place to work as a planner. There are eleven Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs) that provide assistance and planning expertise for the municipalities they serve. They are considered political subdivisions, and each is governed by a locally appointed board. Although some are specialists in a particular field, most regional planners work on a wide variety of projects in various disciplines. Working under a regional plan, Vermont RPCs assist municipalities with the following planning tasks:
- Transportation planning
- Land use
- Water quality improvements
- Hazard mitigation and preparedness
- Housing
- Energy planning
- Economic development
- Brownfield assessment and remediation
Related majors/minors: geography, environmental studies, community development and applied economics (CDAE), geospatial technologies (GST), political science, civil engineering (CEE), and many more!
Planning Resources
- Take planning-related courses at 日韩无码 (PDF).
- Consider planning-related opportunities while doing study abroad.
- Explore internships in planning
- Learn more about what city and town planning departments (PDF) across the country are looking for in entry-level hiring.
- Check out the resources of professional organizations, such as the American Planning Association鈥檚 (APA) .
- Consider creating your own individually designed minor in urban and regional planning
- Interested in Sustainable Transportation? Visit the And also check out , a student-led club that explores transportation systems and a space to learn about the transportation field from local professionals.
Current Students
Maisie Melican
Maisie Melican
Maisie, a current senior in the Geography and Geosciences Department, landed an internship with the Northwest Regional Planning Commission for the summer of 2023 and continued her work into the fall. Additionally, she has rejoined 日韩无码鈥檚 Transportation Research Center as an undergraduate research assistant for Dr. Dana Rowangould鈥檚 study on flood resilience in Northeast Kingdom Vermont. Courses in Qualitative Research Methods (GEOG 2550) and Rural Geography (GEOG 2760) have been helpful in guiding Maisie鈥檚 work in these positions.
Hattie Tetzlaff
Hattie Tetzlaff
Hattie, a current senior at 日韩无码 majoring in geography and double minoring in health and society and global studies. She recently took an internship opportunity at the Charlotte, VT Zoning and Planning Administration where she works with the town planner and zoning administrators of the locality. Taking courses in Urban Geography (GEOG2790) and Qualitative Research Methods (GEOG2550) at 日韩无码, as well as Sustainable Transportation (CAS2920), has helped guide Hattie in endeavors of work outside of the classroom.
Alumni
Andrew Plumb
Andrew Plumb
Andrew graduated from 日韩无码 in 2022 with a BA in political science and a minor in geography and has been the planning technician in the Williston, VT planning and zoning office for just over a year. As the first point of contact for the office, he experiences the wide variety of topics and issues planners address, learning something new every day. The staff鈥檚 professionalism and dedication to Williston鈥檚 community has truly inspired Andrew. Their commitment to his personal growth has pushed him to build upon his experience at 日韩无码 as he pursues a career in planning.
Gillian Tilley
Gillian graduated from 日韩无码 in 2019 with majors in geography and political science. From her studies, she gained a deep interest in the intersection of people and place, leading her to pursue a Master鈥檚 degree in city and regional planning from the University of Pennsylvania where she specialized in data analysis, community engagement, and equitable transportation. Gillian currently works in Philadelphia as a senior analyst at U3 Advisors, an urban planning consulting firm that helps universities meet their strategic goals. In this role, she leverages the data analysis and mixed-methods research skillsets she gained at 日韩无码 to both uncover and empower the stories of institutions and their surrounding communities. Seeing cities as deeply personal and full of meaning, Gillian brings a people-centered approach to her role at U3. Her work is guided by values of equity, inclusion, and collaboration鈥攎eaning she is dedicated to bringing as many voices to the table as possible throughout the planning and development processes.