USP 535 Planning Methods II (Winter)

This course builds upon Planning Methods I (USP 533), with a focus on quantitative methods. Planners often need to develop, analyze, and interpret quantitative information. This course should help you perform quantitative analyses and be a critical consumer of such analyses performed by others. We will emphasize how to ask and answer planning questions with quantitative information and how to convey those answers to our audiences. Continuation of USP 533 foucsing on statisitics, forecasting, interpretation and presentation of data in the context of planning practice. Prerequsisites: USP 533

Registration limited to PSU MURP students.

USP 456/556 Urban Transportation: Problems and Policies (Spring)

An introduction to urban transportation policy from a historical and political perspective. Historical developments in transportation policy are traced from the early streetcar days up through the present. Federal, state, and local transportation policies are examined for their impact on urban spatial and economic development. An overview of current issues in transportation policy and planning includes transportation demand management strategies, transit-oriented design, road pricing, and alternative transportation modes. The intersection of environmental and transportation policy is also examined, as is the decision-making structure at the local, regional, and state level.

USP 570 Transportation and Land Use (Spring)

This course will examine the interactions of the transportation system with land use. We will be defining “land use” broadly to include many dimensions and scales of the built environment. We will only be looking at topics and issues where transportation and land use intersect. Other classes cover transportation and land use policy and planning more broadly and specifically, but separately, e.g. USP 556, 544, and 542. This course tries not to duplicate what is covered in those courses. The course is intended for second-year MURP and PhD students and assumes some previous coursework, including micro-economics (e.g. USP 515). Many of the readings will rely on quantitative analysis and one assignment will require statistical analysis. Therefore, a previous statistics course (e.g. USP 535 or 539) will be useful.

USP 407/507 Transportation Seminar (Fall, Winter, Spring)

This weekly seminar features a different speaker each week covering various topics in transportation research and practice. The seminar is open to the public. PSU students may take the seminar for one-unit credit. Course objectives:

• Introduce students to a variety of current transportation issues and topics;
• Provide an opportunity for students to interact with local professionals in the transportation field; and
• Provide a forum for students to present the results of their research.

Syllabus