UHI Graduate Certificate Program

The Urban Humanities offers an innovative cross-disciplinary curriculum that bridges design, urban studies, and the humanities, leading to a Graduate Certificate in Urban Humanities to complement your primary degree program. Students explore research methodologies for critical urban analysis and representational techniques that foreground new forms and models of inquiry for imagining the city.

Deadline to apply extended to Fri, Jun 16!

The program begins with the required Urban Humanities Summer Institute from September 11 to September 18, followed by a theory seminar in the Fall, a methods workshop and a funded field studio trip to Tijuana in the Winter, and culminates with a Spring capstone research project selected from those offered by UH mentor faculty. The UH program’s core research agenda is spatial justice with all its ramifications in contexts that range from gentrification and environmental impact to public arts and open spaces. Through innovative methods workshops, students will be prepared for the advanced, multidisciplinary capstones that involve deep collaborations with faculty, community, and peers. Capstones will encompass a range of topics and geographies, undertaken by small groups with mentors from across the UCLA faculty. 

Applications is live and will stay open until Friday, Jun 16th.

Curriculum:

The curriculum is composed of two 4-unit courses, two 2-unit courses, and two elective courses for a total of 20 units.

Required Courses:

 

  1. Summer: Summer Institute on Core Methods in Urban Humanities (2 units) (The Summer Institute is a 7-day course from September 11 to September 18)

  2. Fall: Urban Humanities Theory Seminar: Critical Spatial Practice (4 units)

  3. Winter: Methods Workshop and Tijuana Field Studio Trip (2 units) (Tijuana trip dates TBD)

  4. Spring: A research-based Capstone Project (4 units)

  5. Two 4-unit elective courses from the pre-approved list of courses related to urbanism in Los Angeles, and/or critical spatial practices. Courses pre-approved as electives are viewable on the UHI website. Students may petition for any course that is potentially applicable as an elective course by submitting a request to Gus Wendel at gus.wendel@aud.ucla.edu that includes a syllabus for the course.

Admission Requirements:

The Urban Humanities Graduate Certificate is open to all graduate students across campus, either currently enrolled or newly matriculating in a master's or doctorate program. Students formally apply to the certificate program by submitting a simple online application that includes:

  • Statement of interest in the Urban Humanities Graduate Certificate (300-600 words);

  • A resume or curriculum vitae;

  • A digital copy of academic transcripts for all post-secondary schools attended (unofficial transcript is sufficient);

  • Simple application form, available for download here.

All materials should be packaged as a single PDF and submitted via email to gus.wendel@aud.ucla.edu with the subject line “UHI 2023-24 Application” by Jun 16, 2023. Inquiries about the application and admission process may be submitted to Gus Wendel, Associate Director, at gus.wendel@aud.ucla.edu.