Master of Urban Design

Focused on envisioning the future, our urban design program sits at the intersection of data analytics and urban design with the goal of training professionals capable of creatively and technically leveraging computational tools in design processes. The program develops an innovative curriculum to introduce our students to modern analytical and visualization technologies, such as Geographic Information System (GIS), Extended Reality (XR), 3D Procedural Modeling, Geodesign, and Scenario Analysis to enable our students to better understand, design, and serve our cities.

The reimagined program begins with the city of Charlotte – a city experiencing rapid growth, increased density, and expansion of its public transit system.

As the home to the national headquarters of many companies in the banking, manufacturing, energy, and financial services sectors, the city is also home to deep disparities in wealth, socio-economic mobility, and environmental justice. Charlotte has become an ideal laboratory for gaining a deeper understanding of urban design interventions in creating vibrant, resilient and memorable urban places.

The urban design program folds Charlotte’s urban challenges into the core of its design pedagogy. Our studio-­based classes focus on both tactical insertions within urban ecosystems and high-level master planning solutions.

Program faculty and students actively engage with community stakeholders through our design studios, community planning workshop course, and other coursework that closely aligns with research work by affiliated faculty in City Building Lab.

The School of Architecture’s City.Building.Lab is a hub for action-based research and community engagement in the area of urban design. The City.Building.Lab (CBL) is the public outreach and research arm of the Master of Urban Design Program located at UNC Charlotte’s Dubois Center in the heart of Uptown Charlotte. CBL foregrounds common research interests of its affiliated faculty members focused on the ways that cities are shaped over time. It simultaneously encompasses a wide range of initiatives while also supporting the University’s urban research mission.

Program Manager of the Charlotte Urban Design Center

“There is no way that I would be where I am without my urban design degree. It helps you make sense of the best a city has to offer and how to replicate that in a contemporary environment. In my opinion, there is immense value in being able to speak a design language. My MUD degree and the skills I gained through the program have opened doors that I never thought were possible.”

Associate Urban Designer and Planner with the City of Charlotte

“My urban design degree taught me how to effectively work in a team and learn from my peers. At the City of Charlotte, and with any employer, teamwork is an essential part of the job. After working on projects alone for most of undergrad, I found that I learned just as much from my classmates with different academic and cultural backgrounds as I did from the professors.”

Urban Designer for Lake Flato Architects in Austin, TX

“My degree allowed me to apply for jobs confidently, knowing that I had a basic understanding of the fundamentals in urban design. I now work as an Urban Designer for Lake Flato Architects in Austin, TX. We work on projects ranging from master planning dense urban districts to site planning luxury resorts.”

Architect at Studio G Architects, Inc., Boston, MA

“UNC Charlotte allowed me to develop my design sense, my design self. It was here I learned to look at cities differently, to pay attention to details and patterns of scale, texture, and depth. I learned about how space can make you feel differently, depending on how its designed. I learned to see how buildings and design can have an impact on place, both good and bad. UNC Charlotte gave me the ability to travel, explore, and process my own interests and design sensibilities. I feel its important to do that before you dive into work, where you are working for others’ interests and budgets. I carried the skills I learned here into all of my next jobs and projects, being able to see the bigger picture and more details, alike.”