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Founded in 1949 as part of the national initiative to develop capabilities in planning and development in post-war Canada, the oldest continuing planning

program in the country is housed in the Department of City Planning at the University of Manitoba. Throughout its his-tory the program has been an active participant on the urban scene, and - looking back over this period - the trends and currents that have characterised Canadian planning are well represented. In its early years the program concentrated on physical planning, reflecting both the nature of planning at the time and the design work of its founding director, Jo-seph Kostka. Over the years the program has contributed to planning thought and practice, supporting and shaping the movements that have improved human settlements by bringing scientific knowledge, social and ecological thinking and equity principles into the discipline. For more on our proud history we invite you to seek out our 50th anniversary commemorative publication from the Spring of 2000.

Situated in the Faculty of Architecture, the Department cooperates in the delivery of an undergraduate program in Environmental Design with three other professional gradu-ate programs: Architecture, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture. This Faculty context shapes the planning program in a number of ways. For example, there are many opportunities available to staff and students for working across disciplines. In course work and research projects, people with different backgrounds - including the design disciplines, social sciences, humanities and engineering - share their perspectives. Another Faculty influence is the emphasis on the studio as the focus for the graduate cur-riculum. At Manitoba, a studio consists of a series of prac-tical problem-solving situations arranged by the instructor

according to an educational agenda. The Masters of City Planning program involves three studios. The first fo-cuses on neighbourhood planning and is set primar-ily in the inner city. The second addresses planning problems at the regional scale, and the third relates to aboriginal issues. Where possible, the studios adopt a service-learning framework; that is, students provide use-ful services to communities outside the University while they develop their planning skills. Students also draw on

concepts and materials introduced in courses in planning theory, housing, ecological planning and other substantive areas as they progress through the series of studios.

Students come from across Canada and from every conti-nent to take the MCP degree. Their academic backgrounds are varied and their life experiences diverse. They are attracted to the relatively small class size and the close student - staff relationship that the program maintains, as well as curriculum opportunities. Students and staff are currently working with local partners in urban revitalisation, local economic development, municipal housing policy, community design and other areas.

The program has seven full-time staff members and draws on local practitioners for about 3 full-time equivalents of sessional instruction. Sheri Blake joined the Department in 1997, returning to Canada from her position at Temple University, Tokyo. Her work embraces community design and neighbourhood revitalisation, and she is a founding board member of the pioneering West Broadway Com-munity Development Corporation. Rae Bridgman, an urban anthropologist, arrived in 1998 from York University. Her nationally funded work on homelessness has earned

her several awards, and she has is currently finishing of a project on child-friendly city planning and design. Richard Milgrom joined the Department in 2005 – from the Metro-politan Design Center in Minneapolis, bringing experience as an architect, urban designer and community-based planning and design activist (including leadership roles in the Planners Network organization). Ian Skelton, a previ-ous Department Head, came to Manitoba in 1996 from the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Waterloo. His research and publications focus on social policy and hous-ing; he is also the editor of Canadian Policy and Planning. David van Vliet, one of Canada’s leading researchers and practitioners in sustainable community design, joined Manitoba in 1998. An invited associate of MILUNet, his documentation of case studies in northern Europe has achieved particular international acclaim. Ian Wight, the current Head, came to Manitoba in 1994 after extensive professional practice in Western Canada. Active in CIP and MPPI his interests include regional planning, ecological sustainability, placemaking and integral practice. The cur-rent Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, David Witty, also makes his Departmental home in City Planning. Author of the CIP Professional Practice Manual, specialising in urban

studiesgraduateFaculty of Graduate Studies

University of Manitoba500 University CentreWinnipeg, Manitoba

R3T 2N2 CANADA

Contact:

Department of City PlanningFaculty of ArchitectureUniversity of ManitobaWinnipeg, ManitobaCanada R3T 2N2

p: (204) 474- 8769f: (204) 474-7532

e: cityplanning@umanitoba.ca

web: http://www.umanitoba.ca/architecture/

cp

http://umanitoba.ca/graduate_studies

The University of Manitoba (est. 1877) is the largest, most comprehens ive and on ly research- in tens ive

post-secondary educational institution in Manitoba. The Univer-sity attracts the brightest students and Faculty from around the world. Located in the heart of Canada, Winnipeg is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the country with nearly 100 languages represented.

Winnipeg’s climate of four contrasting seasons provides a multitude of outdoor activities to be explored. The campus is fully networked, and hosts over 40 Research Centres and Institutes. The 13 branch Research Library Facility ensures all of the information you need for your studies is at your fingertips. Access to reasonably-priced on- and off-campus housing makes the U of M one of the most af-fordable universities to study at in Canada.

The University of Manitoba (U of M) attracts exceptional scholars to its 18 Faculties and 4 Schools and provides a world-class educa-tion in the Social, Medical, Natural and Applied Sciences, as well as Engineering, the Arts and Humanities. Programming in over 80 disciplines at the graduate level lead to 82 Master’s degrees and 51 Ph.D.’s including: business management, engineering, agricultural and nutritional sciences, social sciences and humanities, education, physical and earth sciences, medical and life sciences and exciting

interdisciplinary opportunities. International students at the U of M have exclusive graduate funding opportunities available throughout their graduate program including entrance scholarships, bursaries and graduate fellowships.

An aerial view of the Fort Garry campus of the University of Manitoba, situated on a bow of the Red River.

About the University of Manitoba

design, and particularly interested in aboriginal outreach projects, he began his current appointment in 2002.

Our program enjoys close linkages with the Manitoba Professional Planners Institute (MPPI), whose members serve on thesis and program review committees, share experiences as guest lecturers, and support the program in many other ways. MPPI is active in the student internship that takes place in the summer between the two years of Masters study. We have a newly re-launched mentorship program to support and advise students as they map out their ap-proaches to planning careers.

The program prepares students for work in a variety of planning fields by offering learning opportunities in planning theory and practice. Our mission is to strengthen the capacity of planning to enhance the ecological sustainability, social equity and aesthetic qualities of hu-man settlements. The Master of City Planning degree is recognised by the Canadian Institute of Planners. Graduates are eligible for full Membership status in this professional institute after two years of relevant professional experience.

The Master of City Planning is a two-year combined academic and professional program of study that is directed by four premises:

1. The focus of the program is the fundamental concern for the built form of the city and region, including the natural and social elements of the environment;

2. Our professional outlook is based on the belief that students registering in the program do so with the expectation of making their careers in planning or in related fields. The program places an emphasis on professional practice and responsibilities, and the skills necessary to translate knowledge into effective action;

3. Planning is regarded as a multidimensional and interdisciplin-ary activity. The program explores the links between multifaceted planning issues and seeks solutions that are ecologically and technically appropriate, socially just and environmentally sustain-able; and,

4. The program values scholarship as having lasting value for a planning career. An emphasis is placed on fostering intellectual integrity and clarity of thought and expression. The curriculum provides a thorough grounding in historical historical and theoreti-cal aspects of planning thought and practice, including research methods, current social and political theory, and contemporary urban and regional issues.

Students from Canada and abroad attend our program, bringing with them a multiplicity of backgrounds, including the humanities, the natural, social, and applied sciences and the design disciplines. This diversity fosters a very rich educational experience. With a relatively small incoming class each year, students benefit from close personal interaction with members of the faculty and practitioners.

The program allows students to develop their unique skills and abili-ties in exploring the many challenges facing planning.

Over the years our students have received numerous fellowships and scholarships, including the Commonwealth Scholarship, CIDA Fellowships, SSHRCC Scholarships, Transport Fellowship, Student-ship in Northern Studies, Maxwell Starkman Travel Scholarship, G. Clarence Elliot Fellowships, and The University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships. Entrance Scholarships are provided by the E.H.Price Foundation.