The Master in City and Regional Planning (MCRP) program at The Ohio State University trains students to become professional planners who apply knowledge and theory to practice, while introducing students to the latest developments in planning knowledge and techniques. This course of study occurs in the context of a university whose mission includes both the attainment of international distinction in education and scholarship and the traditional role of a land-grant university with a heritage of public service.
Students in the MCRP program do work that is connected to practice—including a required internship and client-based studio work. Most students pursue paid internship experiences throughout their two years in the program, made available through the program’s network of public, not-for-profit, and private sponsors.
The MCRP program emphasizes the leadership, vision, and skills to support equitable, sustainable, and efficient communities at the local, regional, national and international levels, with global concerns and perspectives integrated throughout. In support, we offer travel programs across the globe—Ghana, Taiwan, Europe, and Latin America.
The program affords students the ability to concentrate their work in an area of interest or pursue additional expertise through a graduate minor or dual degree, taking advantage of the MCRP’s position within a large and diverse university.
This program is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board.
Previous Education | To be considered for admission into the MCRP program, a bachelor’s or professional degree (in any discipline) from a department of approved standing and granted by an accredited college or university is required. There are currently no course prerequisites to be eligible for admission into the program, however, it is recommended that you have a basic knowledge of statistics, economics, math, and writing prior to starting the program.
GPA | In order to be considered for admission, applicants should generally have at least a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale, or a B average on another scale. If an applicant has taken undergraduate coursework at multiple institutions, the GPA will be combined into one overall undergraduate GPA. Graduate credit is calculated into a separate graduate GPA.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores | Official GRE scores are required only for applicants whose cumulative undergraduate GPA is below 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent on another scale. If an applicant does not meet the 3.0 minimum GPA requirement, the average of Quantitative and Verbal GRE scores should be over 50th percentile and Analytical Writing should be over 50th percentile as well.
English Proficiency Scores | Official TOEFL, IELTS or MELAB scores are required for any applicant whose native language is not English, and who has been educated primarily outside of the U.S. Exclusions and details can be found in the application instructions and Graduate Admissions FAQs. Target scores are as follows: 100 TOEFL IBT, 86 MELAB, or 7.5 IELTS. Valid test scores must be from within the last two years.