Admission to the master's program
The Program seeks students whose varied backgrounds, experiences, and education reflect the variety and richness of contemporary society. In addition to a good undergraduate record and GRE scores, students should have good writing skills and the ability to communicate effectively. Preference is given to applicants who demonstrate a serious commitment to the field of planning. Generally speaking, we seek students with undergraduate GPAs of 3.00 or higher (on a 4-point scale) and with GRE scores of 500 or above on each of the three exam areas, verbal, quantitative, and analytical. We also weigh a student's work and life experiences into our admission decision, so that numerical measures are only a part of the overall decision.
The Program has been successful in promoting a diverse student body. In recent years, about 40 percent of students have been women, 20 percent students of color, and 10 percent international. Graduates from all of the 50 states and many foreign countries have enrolled in the Program, though the Southeastern states are most heavily represented. While most come with degrees in the social sciences, students with backgrounds in the natural sciences, design, engineering, and humanities also enroll. Frequently, graduates of the program remain in the Southeast because of the region's rapid growth, demand for graduates, and attractive living conditions, but alumni can be found throughout the United States and across the world.
City and Regional Planning students are typically involved in extra curricular activities. An active Student Planning Association (SPA) allows students to explore the professional side of planning through activities and planned speaking events. The SPA is the student link to the state and national planning organizations, the Georgia Planning Association (GPA) and the American Planning Association (APA). The SPA helps afford students the opportunity to attend professional conferences sponsored by GPA and APA. Several of our students have been actively involved in student governance on campus and most students volunteer their time to departmental activities such as our Spring Open House, Fall reception, and our Thanksgiving potluck dinner.
Application is made through the Georgia Tech Graduate Admissions office.