What is urban studies at New College?

Students in Urban Studies draw on multiple disciplines from across the curriculum in order to understand the social, political economic, cultural and ecological processes of growth and decline that have shaped the structure and development of human settlements, from rural villages and small towns to big cities and metropolitan regions.

The focus of urban studies is the city, but this is not as narrow as it might seem. As a field, urban studies covers the history and development of forms of human settlement from rural villages and small towns to sprawling metropolitan regions and contemporary global “mega-cities.” To understand the city as a form of human settlement, it is necessary to understand the history and processes of urban growth (and decline); the patterns of urban vs. suburban development; the politics, economics and sociology of the way we create and occupy the built landscape; the contested nature of the city as a site of inequalities of class, race and gender; and the relationship of the built environment to the underlying natural systems of the planet.

For an area of concentration in Urban Studies, students design a multidisciplinary program of course work that includes a core introduction to urban issues, tools for urban analysis, and foundational work in disciplines related to the student’s particular interests and career aspirations. Advisers work closely with students to explore career possibilities and craft a coherent and focused program, oriented towards a career path.