Undergraduate Degree
BA in Environmental Planning and Design (BAEPD)
Create stronger communities. Shape more just and sustainable futures.
The Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Planning and Design prepares students to address the social, economic, environmental, and design challenges facing communities today. Through hands-on projects, community-based learning, and interdisciplinary coursework, students learn how places are planned, how change happens, and how to turn ideas into action.
Grounded in the cultures, histories, and landscapes of New Mexico and the Southwest, the program combines planning, placemaking, community development, Indigenous perspectives, environmental stewardship, and public engagement. Students build practical skills in research, GIS, graphic communication, policy analysis, and collaborative problem-solving while exploring pathways for social and environmental change.
Graduates pursue careers in planning, community development, sustainability, public service, advocacy, design, and nonprofit organizations, or continue into graduate study through our accelerated BAEPD-MCRP pathway.
Why Choose BAEPD?
- Small classes and personalized mentoring
- Hands-on projects with real communities
- Strong focus on social and environmental justice
- Unique strengths in Indigenous planning and placemaking
- Flexible curriculum that supports study abroad, minors, and career exploration
- Accelerated 5-year pathway to the MCRP degree
- Master of Community and Regional Planning (MCRP)
Undergraduate Minor
The program offers an undergraduate minor in Community & Regional Planning. CRP courses focus on the intersections of people with the natural and built environments with the intent of effecting positive change. Students in the CRP minor will enhance their ability to engage with planning and social change from a community-based perspective.
