Rural Planning And Development - Shared Programs

University School of Rural Planning and Development

Graduate co-ordinator - Harry Cummings (108 Johnston Hall, Ext. 3637) (E-mail: hcumming@rpd.uoguelph.ca)
Graduate secretary - Sally Stoddart (124 Johnston Hall, Ext. 6780)
(E-mail: stoddar@rpd.uoguelph.ca)

Participating Departments/School Include:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Business
Graduate co-ordinator - Alfons Weersink (326 MacLachlan, Ext. 2766)
Department of Geography
Graduate co-ordinator - Barry Smit (126 Hutt, Ext. 3279)
School of Landscape Architecture
Graduate co-ordinator - Robert D. Brown (113 Landscape Architecture, Ext. 3619)
Department of Land Resource Science
Graduate co-ordinator - Ward Chesworth (007 Richards, Ext. 2457)
Department of Political Studies
Graduate co-ordinator - Richard Phidd (632 MacKinnon, Ext. 3341)
Department of Rural Extension Studies
Graduate co-ordinator - Jana Janakiram (222 MacLachlan, Ext. 2241)

Students may undertake a shared program between the University School of Rural Planning and Development and other departments and schools on campus. MA and MSc programs are offered in Canadian and international fields of study.    Students in a shared program are registered in a co-operating school or department through which their degrees (an MA or MSc) are offered. They are also enrolled in the University School of Rural Planning and Development. A portion of the advising and courseware is undertaken within the university school.
   The shared program alternative is a collaborative undertaking   often pursued at the initiative of another academic unit. Shared programs with the university school are typically based in several academic units across campus including the Departments of Agricultural Economics and Business, Consumer Studies, Environmental Biology, Family Studies, Geography, Land Resource Science, Political Studies, Rural Extension Studies, and Sociology and Anthropology and the School of Landscape Architecture. Students should note that a shared program is NOT an accredited planning program.

Degree Requirements
   All students enrolled in a shared program with a Canadian focus are normally required to complete a set of four courses from the university school core and the Canadian planning and development core, unless otherwise indicated. These are: 1) Planning and Development Theory, 2) Rural Planning Methods, and 3) Rural Public Administration, and 4) Rural Planning Synthesis.
   Students enrolled in a shared program with an international focus are required to complete four-course requirements. These are: 1) Rural Planning and Development Theory, 2) International Rural Development Planning: Principles and Practices, 3) Synthesis: Seminar in Integrated Rural Development Planning, and 4) a university school course relevant to the student's particular area of interest, unless otherwise indicated.
   In all cases, expertise in research methods will be required in the form of a graduate-level research methods course either from the University School of Rural Planning and Development, or the co-operating department, as appropriate.
   Additional coursework, major research paper or thesis, and internship requirements will be determined by the co-operating department and the student's advisory committee. Either MA or    MSc degrees are possible through shared program arrangements, depending upon the degree offerings of the co-operating unit.

Departmental/University School Requirements
   Some of the academic units involved in shared programs have established program content and requirements that must be met in addition to the university school's requirements. Other academic units will determine their requirements on a case-by-case basis for a student who expresses an interest in a shared program with that unit.

Agricultural Economics and Business (MSc)
   Students wishing to pursue this option will typically have a degree in economics or agricultural economics and an interest in broadening their education to include an understanding of social, economic and biophysical phenomena. Students maintain their focus on agricultural economics as a discipline.
   Students in the shared program address the general issues of planning and rural development in a North American or international context while maintaining their links with one of the major areas of focus in agricultural economics and business. Students are enrolled in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Business and are also admitted to the University School of Rural Planning and Development. The MSc degree granted is in agricultural economics and business and indicates a focus on rural planning and development issues.
   The shared MSc program will be completed with a thesis and a minimum of seven courses or a major paper and a minimum of nine courses. In either case, the student's program includes a required set of three courses from the university school, one course from the Department of Economics, and a research methods course from either the Department of Agricultural Economics and Business or the university school.
   The course requirements are as follows: Advanced Microeconomics, 3603710 ; Planning and Development Theory, 9506240; Rural Planning Methods, 9506280, or International Rural Development Planning: Principles and Practices, 9506030; Rural Planning Synthesis, 9506300, or Synthesis: Seminar in Integrated Rural Development Planning, 9506400; plus either Philosophy and Methods in Rural Planning and Development Research, 9506170, or The Methodology of Economics, 0206100. The student may choose from a list of electives to complete the course requirements. The student must include at least three courses in economics or agricultural economics in their program.
   The student's advisory committee will include at least one member from each department. The committee must approve the program of courses and the thesis or major-paper research topic.

Geography (MA or MSc)
   The department offers the opportunity to combine work in the Department of Geography with programs in rural planning, rural development, or resource development in the University School of Rural Planning and Development (USRPD). Within this shared program both MA and MSc degrees are available depending upon the student's area of emphasis in geography.
   Course requirements for shared Geography/USRPD programs are as follows. Both thesis and non-thesis options are available. Students selecting the thesis option are expected to complete an acceptable thesis, the appropriate four core courses from USRPD, the Research Methods course offered by the Department of Geography, and two other geography courses (1.0 credits) approved by the student's advisory committee. Students selecting the non-thesis option are expected to complete the appropriate four 'core' courses in USRPD, the Research Methods course and Research Project course in Department of Geography, and three other courses (1.5 credits) from the department approved by the student's advisory committee.

Land Resource Science (MSc)
   Enrolment in the resource development emphasis of the University School of Rural Planning and Development enables students to register in the Department of Land Resource Science and complete a shared MSc program between these two units. The prime interest of students choosing this option usually involves biophysical aspects of resources management and land-use planning. Considerable flexibility is thus provided; students are advised to contact the department to discuss individual programs.

Landscape Architecture (MSc)
   This program is shared with the University School of Rural Planning and Development. It is designed for students who have a strong interest in landscape planning with an orientation to bio-physical processes and their application for land-use planning at regional and local scales.
   Admission to the shared MSc program is not restricted to holders of the BLA degree. Strongly motivated graduates of honours programs in a variety of disciplines may be admissible under the normal Faculty of Graduate Studies admission requirements. Well prepared applicants will have studied as broadly as possible in their undergraduate programs.
   The degree is part of a shared program wherein the student will be registered in the School of Landscape Architecture and enroled in the University School of Rural Planning and Development and take four core courses drawn from each school. In all cases, expertise in research methods will be required in the form of a graduate-level research methods course either from the School of Landscape Architecture or the University School of Rural Planning and Development. Additional coursework, major research paper or thesis, and internship requirements will be determined by the School of Landscape Architecture and the student's advisory committee.
   The minimum core courses leading to an MSc in the shared program are: Graduate Seminar, 5906370; Integrative Environmental Planning and Design, 5906470; Rural Planning Methods, 9506280; Planning and Development Theory, 9506240; and either Research Methods, 5906610, or Philosophy and Methods in Rural Planning and Development Research, 9506170. The typical sequence would be:
   F1:    9506240, 5906470 + electives
   W1:    9506280, 5906610 or 9506170 + electives
   F2:    electives
   W2:    5906370

   It is expected that students will take elective courses towards a focus or expertise in their chosen area of study and that this might involve up to four or five additional courses. The selection of these courses should be completed in consultation with the student's advisory committee.

Rural Extension Studies (MSc)
   The Department of Rural Extension Studies offers a shared program with the University School of Rural Planning and Development. The option is available to students with either a Canadian or international focus. The options differ by USRPD core course requirements. The MSc degree granted is granted from the Department of Rural Extension Studies but will indicate a focus on rural planning and development issues. The shared program will include:
Three core courses from the Department of Rural Extension Studies
  1. 3806070 Foundations of Rural Extension
  2. 3806230 Program Planning and Evaluation in Rural Extension
  3. 3806060 Adult Learning and Development
Three core courses from the University School of Rural Planning and Development
  1. 9506240 Planning and Development Theory
  2. 9506280 Rural Planning Methods
    or
    9506030 International Rural Development Planning: Principles and Practices
  3. 9506300 Rural Planning Synthesis
    or
    9506400 Synthesis: Seminar in Integrated Rural Development Planning
ALL students in the shared program take a Research Methods course from either department/school:

   Both thesis and major-paper options are offered. The thesis option requires an additional three elective courses. The major-paper option requires five additional electives, the majority of which must be taken from the Department of Rural Extension Studies.
   Students in the shared program will have a research adviser from each department/school.

Other Departments/Schools
   Students registered in other departments or schools may participate in the shared programs as appropriate to their interests and career plans. Students should consult with the graduate co-ordinator in their academic unit to determine whether a program of study toward a MSc or MA degree can be undertaken.

U of G | E-mail us | Graduate Studies