University Catalog

Sustainable Urban Design

This is an archived copy of the 2023-2024 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.uta.edu/.

Advising:

BS SUD Academic Advisors

Director for Academic Affairs and Advising: Cheryl Donaldson

Admissions Requirements

BS SUD Program Director:  Diane Jones Allen, D. Eng, ASLA, PLA

Admission to the Sustainable Urban Design Basic Studies sequence is open to all students meeting the general requirements for entrance to the University.

Prospective Students Contact: James Brown, Academic Recruiter


Major Studies: Entrance Requirements

To declare a major entering the third year in Sustainable Urban Design, a student must meet the following requirements in order to enroll in upper-level UDES, LARC, ARCH, INTD, PLAN and PAPP courses:

  • The student will have completed the Sustainable Urban Design Basic Studies sequence with a grade of C or better within each course. 
  • The student will have completed the core curriculum required for the Sustainable Urban Design degree plan with grades of C or better within all Math and Physics courses. Exceptions regarding courses but not grades will be made only for the following situations:
  • If the student has not completed UDES 1301, the student must take it during the first (fall) semester of the third year instead of a prescribed elective.
  • If the student has not completed UDES 2303, the student must take it during the second (spring) semester of the third year.
  • If a student is transferring into the program from the B.S in Architecture program and has taken MATH 1327, credit will be given for that course, releasing the student from needing to take MATH 1301.
  • Have a minimum of a 2.8 GPA both overall at UT Arlington as well as within the Sustainable Urban Design Basic Studies sequence. 
  • Complete a Major Declaration form available from the Academic Advisor. Any of the above exceptions that have been granted must be noted on the form.

GPA requirements may change based on changes in the curriculum of the program. Qualified students must meet the GPA requirements that are in place at the time they fulfill all other requirements to declare their major.

To declare a major for a fall semester, qualified applicants will submit their request to declare a major in the Academic Advisor’s office at the completion of the spring semester of second year, by the program specified deadline.

Official records of coursework taken at other institutions or universities must be submitted to the advising office of the School of Architecture before a student can file a Major Declaration form. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that all coursework is transferred to the Office of Admissions at UT Arlington in a timely manner.

Upon entrance into the major studies programs, students will be required to maintain the minimum 2.8 GPAs both overall at UT Arlington and within the major to remain active and proceed within the program.

Programs Cohort

The undergraduate programs in the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Arlington are organized in a structured cohort format.

What Is a Cohort?

A cohort is a group of students that follows the same set schedule and progresses through a program together.  The sequential scheduling of the courses promotes an interactive learning environment and facilitates networking opportunities and career-strengthening relationships.

How Does It Work?

The program consists of a sequence of courses that takes a minimum of eight semesters to complete. The courses are offered in specific semesters (Fall and Spring) that require the students to complete the prior level before proceeding to the next level. If a student gets off-track in the cohort, she/he must wait until the missing course(s) are offered again.

How Are the Courses Sequenced?

The major courses must be taken as follows (Please note: For every year listed below, 'First Semester' is Fall and 'Second Semester' is Spring):

Sustainable Urban Design Students Cohort

How Are the Courses Sequenced?

First Year
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHours
ARCH 13013LARC 43003
UDES 13013UDES 23033
UNIV 1131 or 11011UDES 24414
 7 10
Second Year
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHours
PLAN 43563UDES 35515
UDES 24424 
 7 5
Third Year
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHours
LARC 43243PAPP 43073
PLAN 43203PLAN 43573
UDES 35525UDES 33043
 UDES 45515
 11 14
Fourth Year
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHours
LARC 43263UDES 44044
UDES 45525 
 8 4
Total Hours: 66

Special Academic Requirements

GPA Requirements: Upon admission to the major, all declared majors must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.8 both within the major and in the cumulative GPA to continue in the upper level program to satisfy requirements for graduation.

Grade Requirements: A grade of C or higher must be earned in each UDES and other CAPPA courses (ARCH, INTD, ESST, LARC, PAPP, PLAN) used for credit toward an undergraduate degree offered by the college. A grade of C or higher must also be earned in all required Math and other Science courses (PHYS, GEOL). Grades of P are not acceptable for classes in which a grade of C or higher is required.

Repetition of Courses: Two attempts to achieve a satisfactory grade are permitted for each required UDES course. Beyond that number of attempts, the student is denied access to the course in question, or to the sequence of courses for which it is requisite. Enrollment in the course for the time sufficient to receive a grade, including the grade W, is considered an attempt.

Transfer of Credit: The extent of credit toward degree requirements for academic work done elsewhere will be determined by the representatives of the appropriate program. Students applying to transfer credits from studio courses taken elsewhere must present examples of that work for evaluation.

Student Projects: The College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs reserves the right to retain, copyright, use, exhibit, reproduce, and publish any work submitted for course credit. The student is encouraged to develop a portfolio of all work accomplished in advanced courses for future professional and academic uses.

Competence in ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Students obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainable Urban Design demonstrate oral proficiency by taking and passing UDES 2441, UDES 2442, UDES 3551, UDES 3552, UDES 4551, and UDES 4552.

Competence in Computer Use

Students obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design can demonstrate computer proficiency by:

  • Taking and passing ENGL 1301 or ENGL 1302 at UT Arlington in a computer classroom environment.

  • Passing the University computer literacy examination

Suggested Course Sequence

First Year
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHours
UNIV 1131 or 11011ENGL 13023
ARCH 13013LARC 43003
ENGL 13013MATH 13033
MATH 13013UDES 23033
POLS 23123UDES 24414
UDES 13013 
 16 16
Second Year
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHours
GEOL 1330 (or BIOL 1334 or ENVR 1301 or GEOL 1301 or GEOL 1340 or GEOL 1360)23HIST 13023
GLOBAL 23013PHYS 1351 (or BIOL 1334 or ENVR 1301 or GEOL 1301 or GEOL 1340 or GEOL 1360)23
HIST 13013POLS 23113
PLAN 43563UDES 35515
UDES 24424SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES ELECTIVE3
 16 17
Third Year
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHours
LARC 43243PAPP 43073
PLAN 43203PLAN 43573
UDES 35525UDES 33043
APPROVED SUD ELECTIVE3UDES 45515
 14 14
Fourth Year
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHours
LARC 43263UDES 44044
UDES 45525APPROVED SUD ELECTIVE3
APPROVED SUD ELECTIVE3APPROVED SUD ELECTIVE3
APPROVED SUD ELECTIVE3APPROVED SUD ELECTIVE3
 14 13
Total Hours: 120

Competence in Oral Presentations

Requirements for a Bachelor of Science Degree in sustainable urban Design

Student Success
UNIV 1131STUDENT SUCCESS1
or UNIV 1101 CAREER PREPARATION AND STUDENT SUCCESS
Sustainable Urban Design
UDES 1301INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE URBAN DESIGN3
UDES 2303HISTORY OF URBAN DESIGN, FORM, AND INFRASTRUCTURE3
UDES 2441URBAN DIAGRAMMING AND COMMUNICATION I4
UDES 2442URBAN DIAGRAMMING AND COMMUNICATION II4
UDES 3551URBAN DESIGN STUDIO I: URBAN RESILIENCY5
UDES 3552URBAN DESIGN STUDIO II: MOBILITY5
UDES 4404URBAN SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT CAPSTONE4
UDES 4551URBAN DESIGN STUDIO III: CLIMATE CHANGE5
UDES 4552URBAN DESIGN STUDIO IV: ADVANCED SUSTAINABLE URBAN DESIGN5
Architecture
ARCH 1301INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN3
Landscape Architecture
LARC 4300INTRODUCTION TO LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE3
LARC 4324ENVIRONMENTAL ART AND DATA VISUALIZATION3
LARC 4326DESIGN AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR3
Planning
PLAN 4320SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES3
PLAN 4356INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS3
PLAN 4357INTERMEDIATE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS3
Public Affairs
PAPP 4307URBAN GEOGRAPHY3
Communications
ENGL 1301RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I3
ENGL 1302RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II3
Political Science
POLS 2311GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES3
POLS 2312STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT3
History
HIST 1301HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO 18653
HIST 1302HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, 1865 TO PRESENT3
Mathematics
MATH 1301CONTEMPORARY MATHEMATICS3
MATH 1303TRIGONOMETRY3
Life and Physical Science Core Curriculum (choose 2) 2
BIOL 1334BIOLOGY FOR NON-SCIENCE MAJORS: LIFE ON EARTH3
ENVR 1301INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE3
GEOL 1330GLOBAL WARMING3
GEOL 1301EARTH SYSTEMS3
GEOL 1340WEATHER AND CLIMATE3
GEOL 1360GEOLOGIC HAZARDS3
PHYS 1351ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT3
Language, Philosophy & Culture
GLOBAL 2301INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL ISSUES3
Social & Behavioral Science Core Curriculum3
Designated courses in social or cultural anthropology, archaeology, social/political/cultural geography, economics, sociology, classical studies, or linguistics ( https://catalog.uta.edu/academicregulations/degreerequirements/generalcorerequirements/ )
Prescribed Electives18
Select 6 from the list below.
PLEASE NOTE: Some of the approved prescribed elective classes have required prerequisites. Students will need to meet prerequisite requirements to take the classes.
Contact arch.advising@uta.edu for possible permission for CAPPA classes (ARCH, ESST, INTD, LARC, PAPP, and PLAN). 1
For classes outside of CAPPA, please contact the appropriate department for possible permission.
Architecture
ARCH 3361ARCHITECTURE AND ENVIRONMENT 13
ARCH 3364SITE DESIGN 13
ARCH 4308HISTORY OF URBAN FORM 13
ARCH 4314HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION 13
ARCH 4332ENERGY USE AND CONSERVATION IN ARCHITECTURE 13
ARCH 4360POLITICS AND PRACTICE OF PRESERVATION 13
Landscape Architecture
LARC 4301SITE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES3
LARC 4327REGIONALISM, CREATIVITY, AND DESIGN3
LARC 4330PLANT IDENTIFICATION AND ECOLOGY3
Interior Design
INTD 4314HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION 13
Planning
ESST 2300INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL & SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES3
PLAN 3301THE METROPLEX3
PLAN 4305FOUNDATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY3
PLAN 4327GREEN CITIES AND TRANSPORTATION3
Business
MANA 1301BUSINESS IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT3
Engineering
CE 2300INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING3
CM 2331CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS3
Liberal Arts
ART 3357SUSTAINABLE DESIGN3
DS 3355UNIVERSAL DESIGN & ACCESSIBILITY IN THE PERFORMING ARTS3
HIST 3327CITIES AND SUBURBS IN THE UNITED STATES3
HIST 3336ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES3
HIST 3348HISTORY OF THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH METROPLEX3
THEA 3355UNIVERSAL DESIGN & ACCESSIBILITY IN THE PERFORMING ARTS3
Science 2
BIOL 1334BIOLOGY FOR NON-SCIENCE MAJORS: LIFE ON EARTH3
GEOG 3380THE SPATIAL HUMANITIES3
GEOL 1301EARTH SYSTEMS3
Social Work
AAST 3353SOCIAL CLIMATE OF CITIES3
Total Hours114

At least 36 hours must be 3000/4000 level.

*

Plan requirements/classes are subject to change. As needed, students may be changed into the most current plan. Any changes will not impact the student's graduation timeline.

1

Must be fully declared into the SUD major studies program for enrollment consideration into upper-level ARCH and INTD classes.

2

Courses on elective list taken as Life and Physical Science requirements cannot count for both. Classes can only be used to fulfill one requirement.

STUDIO CULTURE POLICY

LAPTOP POLICY

Courses

UDES 1301. INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE URBAN DESIGN. 3 Hours.

This course is an introduction to sustainable urban design and its principles through the lenses of the college's four disciplines: landscape architecture, architecture, planning and public affairs. How these disciplines interface with environmental, economic, socio-cultural and design sustainability is the focus of the course, culminating with an exploration of urban ecology.

UDES 2303. HISTORY OF URBAN DESIGN, FORM, AND INFRASTRUCTURE. 3 Hours.

This course examines the history of urban design, form and infrastructure in a variety of cities, providing students with an understanding of how decisions about design, form and infrastructure impact the lives of inhabitants. Prerequisite: Restricted to Sustainable Urban Design-intended students.

UDES 2441. URBAN DIAGRAMMING AND COMMUNICATION I. 4 Hours.

This course establishes a framework for understanding how design is used to create sustainable urban communities. An interdisciplinary course, its focus is upon heightening student awareness of the built environment by investigative sketching and measuring, as well as by digital means. This process of documenting encompasses the human uses of objects and systems that comprise an urban community: buildings, public spaces, landscape, transportation systems, waterways, and other infrastructure. Issues of social and economic equity are introduced, as well as the roles that human interaction and participation play in successful design strategies. Prerequisite: Restricted to Sustainable Urban Design-intended students.

UDES 2442. URBAN DIAGRAMMING AND COMMUNICATION II. 4 Hours.

This course continues developing students' abilities to visually document urban environments in relation to urban ecologies, while beginning to investigate how designs are created to address the range of scales and ecological impact in a city, from the individual site to a neighborhood. This course focuses upon the impact of infrastructure upon a city's human and ecological systems, encompassing the plant and animal species that are part of urban environments. Prerequisite: C or better in UDES 2441. Restricted to Sustainable Urban Design-intended students.

UDES 3304. DIGITAL METHODS IN SUSTAINABLE URBAN DESIGN. 3 Hours.

This course introduces students to the use of digital tools with a focus on their applications in sustainable urban design. The course will cover a wide spectrum of digital art methodologies: image creation and manipulation; simple animation and sound design; static and moving images; digital fabrication outputs; utilizing both pixel and vector-based applications. Prerequisite: C or better in UDES 3552 and LARC 4324. Restricted to Sustainable Urban Design majors. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 and a minimum major course GPA of 2.8.

UDES 3551. URBAN DESIGN STUDIO I: URBAN RESILIENCY. 5 Hours.

This studio focuses upon the planning and design for disaster recovery and the impact upon infrastructure caused by natural events such as earthquakes, flooding and tornadoes. The studio explores the latest and most reliable recovery strategies for rebuilding and repairing a city's human and ecological systems. Students document streets, waterways, transportation and landscape, examining issues of congestion, pollution, storm water management, and transportation access. Group design projects are based on both the scale of neighborhoods and regions. Prerequisite: C or better in UDES 2442. Restricted to Sustainable Urban Design majors. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 and a minimum major course GPA of 2.8.

UDES 3552. URBAN DESIGN STUDIO II: MOBILITY. 5 Hours.

This studio examines the major shifts in the organization and spatial allocation of cities that are transforming urban mobility infrastructures, from light rail to pedestrian zones to cyclist lanes. The interface of transportation, public open spaces, buildings and landscape architecture is explored as well as issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. A series of group design projects at the neighborhood scale continues the refinement of students' graphic and written skills. Prerequisite: C or better in UDES 1301, UDES 3551. Restricted to Sustainable Urban Design majors. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 and a minimum major course GPA of 2.8.

UDES 4391. CONFERENCE COURSE. 3 Hours.

Independent study guided by an instructor on a regular basis. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Permission of the department.

UDES 4395. TOPICS IN SUSTAINABLE URBAN DESIGN. 3 Hours.

Studio and lecture courses to explore and present selected topics in architecture and design. May be repeated for credit as topics change. Prerequisite: Permission of the department.

UDES 4404. URBAN SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT CAPSTONE. 4 Hours.

In the Capstone Course, students will culminate their learning by completing a sustainability project at the Institute for Sustainability and Global Impact (ISGI) at UT Arlington under the supervision of the Chief Sustainability Officer. Student capstone projects will address pressing issues concerning sustainable urban communities. Students may collaborate and work on a project for an external organization, or work on sustainability programs and projects at UT Arlington. Potential capstone sites will range from local non-profits and government agencies to faculty research projects and private sector initiatives. The Capstone Course is a one-semester project. Prerequisite: C or better in UDES 3552. Restricted to Sustainable Urban Design majors. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 and a minimum major course GPA of 2.8.

UDES 4551. URBAN DESIGN STUDIO III: CLIMATE CHANGE. 5 Hours.

This studio examines specific climate change issues as selected by the instructor. The studio is a recognition of an evolving set of data with shifting timelines and levels of impact for evaluating the ecological impact of climate change, upon the built environment. One of the areas of study will include sea-level rising and its global impact upon coastal cities. The students will engage in problem solving, using contemporary design and planning strategies on a regional scale. Prerequisite: C or better in UDES 3552. Restricted to Sustainable Urban Design majors. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 and a minimum major course GPA of 2.8.

UDES 4552. URBAN DESIGN STUDIO IV: ADVANCED SUSTAINABLE URBAN DESIGN. 5 Hours.

This studio examines the roles that smart city technologies play in sustainable urban design. The group design projects in the Urban Resiliency and Urban Mobility studios are reassessed, and the course culminates with individual design projects based upon new locations. Prerequisite: C or better in UDES 4551. Restricted to Sustainable Urban Design majors. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 and a minimum major course GPA of 2.8.