University of Nebraska at Omaha
courses.
Academic Program. The Urban Studies program consists of 37 hours, or 12 courses. Eight courses are required of all students:
UBNS 8000 Seminar in Urban Studies
PA 8120 Research Methods
PA 8010 The Public Economy
UBNS 8020 Race, Ethnicity and American Urban Culture
UBNS 8200 Community Organizing and Development
GEOG 8056 Geographic Information Systems I
UBNS 8060 Introduction to Urban Planning
PA 8990 (UBNS section) Capstone Project
- PA 8990 is to be taken in the final semester of coursework.
View the official current course descriptions
from the UNO on-line catalog.
Electives. Students select four elective courses from those listed below. In particular circumstances, other electives may be accepted by the Director of Urban Studies. Many electives include course prerequisites; Urban Studies courses or undergraduate preparation may fulfill those requirements, as determined by the Director of Urban Studies. Electives are intended to give students knowledge and skills that prepare them to manage projects and organizations. Electives currently offered online and approved for Urban Studies students are listed below.
Note: Click on a course name to view a sample syllabi, if available. Please note that these syllabi are generic and should not be considered the final syllabi for any specific term or section of this course. Contact the instructor with any questions.
PA 8050 Public Administration and Democracy
PA 8090 Organization Theory and Behavior
PA 8110 Managing Information in the Public Sector
PA 8300 Policy Design and Implementation
PA 8320 Public Policy Evaluation
PA 8410 Public Human Resource Management
PA 8436 Municipal Administration
PA 8470 Administrative Ethics and Leadership
PA 8480 Public Financial Administration
PA 8530 Strategic Planning and Management
PA 8550 Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector
Thesis Option. A thesis option is available for students who wish to explore a particular aspect of urban affairs in depth, or who want to prepare for advanced graduate work. Students choosing the thesis option do not take PA 8990, the capstone seminar, but instead take 6 credit hours of UBNS 8980, Thesis, engaging in a major research project. This results in addition of 3 credit hours to the student's overall program. Please contact the director of the Urban Studies program for more information.
Internship. Students who have not had at least two years full-time professional experience in the public or nonprofit sector (experience must have been in the sector of the student’s primary future career interest) will complete an internship. The internship is given as a supervised course of three credit hours in addition to the 37 hours required in the Urban Studies program. The internship is taken following completion of preparatory coursework as determined by the Director of the Urban Studies program.
Course Schedule. Required courses are offered on the following schedule:
| UBNS 8000 | Seminar in Urban Studies | faa, odd year |
| PA 8120 | Research Methods | fall, spring |
| PA 8010 | The Public Economy | fall, spring |
| UBNS 8020 | Race, Ethnicity, Culture | spring, even year |
| GEOG 8056 | Geographic Info. Systems I | fall, spring |
| UBNS 8060 | Introduction to Urban Planning | spring, odd year |
| UBNS 8200 | Community Organizing and Development | fall, even year |
| PA 8990 | Capstone Project | fall, spring |
Student Quality of Work Standards. Quality of work standards for Urban Studies students are set by UNO Graduate Studies. Please see the Quality of Work Standards.
School of Public Administration Grade Appeals Process
For more information, please contact:
Meagan Van Gelder, Ph.D., Academic Program Coordinator
Phone: (402) 554.3480
E-mail: mvangelder@unomaha.edu
Fax: (402) 554.2682