Welcome to Urban Studies & Design
Student Internships Available
Student Intern needed to research the reality of the SoMa neighborhood’s population through census tract surveys; and
Student Intern needed to perform research on the current status and effectiveness of Little Rock’s design overlay districts as a zoning tool, and also other topics.
Please contact George Wittenberg (ghwittenberg@ualr.edu) or Kim Simmons (kxsimmons@ualr.edu) as soon as possible at 501-324-9255.
Urban Studies is an academic field that examines how urban areas work, how they are planned and designed, how cities contribute to civilization, and how people, government and institutions serve or detract from the goals/possibilities of high population densities. Urban issues which the program studies include urban democracy and citizen participation, local government structure, metropolitan planning, land use and economic development policy, intergovernmental relationships, urban demographics and population movement, urban and social history, geography and spatial form, and physical design.
The Urban Studies minor at UALR is designed to develop the critical thinking skills of students, preparing them for the workplace and graduate school. The minor encourages student internships and service learning opportunities as ways to immediately apply academic learning and critical thinking skills and to gain the practical experience and necessary contacts for the workplace.
The Urban Studies minor is joined to an Urban Design mission that works directly on projects in the areas of community development, small town assistance, and downtown and neighborhood planning. Students are encouraged to participate in these various design projects, incorporating their critical faculties and substantive learning.