Question for urban planners

[Patrick]

Actually, it is.

There seems to be some accreditation level confusion here. The college is accredited as an academic institution, but the Planning program is not accredited by the nationally recognized planning accreditation board. Again, the school may be academically accredited as a college, but the program is not accredited as a degree program in planning. You can still get jobs from such a school, but some people place a premium on accreditation, especially in larger urban areas where there is more competition. To be accredited you need to meet certain statistical guidelines like number and types of courses offered, number of faculty, and number of grads. My school is similarly unaccredited due to a lacking number of faculty.

 

[statler]

Well, I'm confused. Each program needs to be individually accredited independent of the school? How do you find out if the program itself is accredited?

Edit. My bad, you are correct. Huh.

# Is the Metropolitan College MCP Program listed as a non-accredited program with the Association of Collegiate Schools in Planning (ACSP)?

Yes, the MCP program is listed as a non-accredited member of the ACSP as of spring 2008.

# Does the MCP's non-accreditation status have an impact on a student's education?

No. The accreditation process and designation does not stop the faculty and University from providing state-of-the-art course material, nor does it impact who we can recruit to teach. The most direct impact of non-accreditation on MCP students is that they are not eligible for many ACSP discounts and scholarships. Should the University become PAB-accredited, students would be eligible for ACSP student discounts.

# Does non-accreditation impact prospects for employment?

No. Metropolitan College MCP students are competitive in the city planning job market within and outside of Greater Boston. From the City of Boston to the Municipality of Tokyo, Japan, public and private sector employers have hired our students. Many city planning employment opportunities require a certified master?s degree in city planning, which Boston University grants. Many employers do not require students to be certified by the American Institute of City Planners (AICP). If interested in AICP certification, Metropolitan College city planning students are eligible to take the AICP exam.

 

[statler]

No worries. I learned something new. Unfortunately, what I learned was disappointing but I'm glad I know.

 

[Patrick]

From what I have heard accreditation doesn't really matter squat, not like it does in other professional schools. Some places hire planners who only have undergrad degrees as long as they have relevant work experience.