Assessing the Preparation of Undergraduate Planners for the Demands of Entry-Level Planning Positions

Abstract

More than thirty-five undergraduate urban planning programs exist in relative obscurity. This article uses survey data to explore skills their faculty, and planning managers hiring entry-level planners, deem the most important. Planning practitioners and educators agree that generic skills are important for entry-level positions; however, planning educators place greater importance on specialized skills for entry-level positions than practitioners do. Planning practitioners also report that entry-level job applicants with no more than a bachelor’s degree in planning do not meet their proficiency expectations for the generic skills. These findings suggest that planning educators need to review their pedagogical approach to planning education.