Master of Urban Design

The Master of Urban Design (MUD) is a STEM-designated, one-year, post-professional degree, designed in the theory and practice of public-focused interdisciplinary design for cities, towns, neighborhoods, and places. The MUD degree is ideal for working professionals and recent graduates who want to expand their skills, continue their education and add a distinctive practice area to their portfolio. All classes are typically held on a schedule that allows candidates to maintain a part-time work schedule if desired.

Strategically located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, the MUD program draws from the richness of the urban downtown local communities and the interdisciplinary nature of the Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning (ECAP). Students learn to design urban form while innovatively addressing cultural and environmental concerns.  The MUD program offers immersive, hands-on   experiences with each student participating in studio and community-based projects, charrettes, and workshops led by an interdisciplinary team of professional practitioners from top Indianapolis firms and esteemed ECAP faculty.

The MUD graduate degree aims to hone a student’s capabilities in urban planning and design while encouraging development of further specialization. While the majority of our students come from design-based backgrounds such as architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning, due to the complex issues facing our communities and cities, we accept a limited number of students with other educational and professional backgrounds on a case-by-case basis.

MUD students don’t just learn about urban design, they do urban design. Studios and core courses focus on urban design for real-world sites in the Indianapolis area and beyond, often working with practicing professionals. From the urban design analysis studio, to the capstone project, you will become intimately familiar with a site, its stakeholders, its challenges, and opportunities, just as you will as a professional Urban Designer.  

SEE SAMPLE Curriculum (PDF)

Ball State University's Master of Urban Design Program has truly established my love for urban design. Throughout the program, I was exposed to real world urban design problems where I was able to apply my acquired knowledge from the classroom and compose a series of solutions to address the needs of a particular space. By learning to analyze and combine all the interconnected elements such as buildings, streets, public spaces, landscapes, neighborhoods, and all other in-between spaces, I was able to holistically approach each project to create a more human-centered design to which emphasized the well-being of the users within.

—Beck Schultz '21
Master of Urban Design

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