BS in community and environmental planning
Shape sustainable communities and design better futures with Rowan University’s environmental planning degree program.
Why choose Rowan’s community and environmental planning program?
Think about the characteristics that define a town or city: where parks are located, how traffic flows or when neighborhoods grow.
Community and environmental planners are the professionals who guide those decisions, ensuring that spaces serve both people and the environment. Their work touches everything from housing and transportation to sustainability and public welfare. Rowan University’s Bachelor of Science (BS) in community and environmental planning degree program allows you to play a role in that process.
Throughout the program, you’ll study how land use, transportation systems, conservation and urban design come together to create communities that are sustainable and livable. From the start, the major introduces you to the history and practice of planning, while showcasing how today’s planners address environmental and social challenges through hands-on experiences in the field.
Key considerations
Quick Facts
Months To Complete
Credits
Application Deadlines
Fall Entry Term
Spring Entry Term
Summer Entry Term
Studying community and environmental planning at Rowan
What You’ll Learn
Community and environmental planning is about understanding how decisions shape daily life, from where housing is built to how green space is protected. In our 120-credit bachelor’s degree program, you’ll explore how to make those decisions and the principles that impact how communities function. Core courses cover the essentials of planning, while electives let you learn more about areas that interest you—like sustainability or environmental studies.
Classes in theory and ethics prepare you to understand the “why” behind planning, and methods classes teach you to analyze data, map resources and engage with stakeholders in the New Jersey region and beyond. Studio and field experiences then bring everything together, challenging you to tackle real issues in conservation, transportation, urban growth and land use. It’s a curriculum that shows you not just how communities are built but also how thoughtful planning can make them stronger and more sustainable.
Community and environmental planning key courses
- Environmental/Sustainable Planning
- Land Use and Conservation
- Metropolitan/Regional Planning
- New Jersey Applied Planning Practice
- Planning History, Theory and Ethics
- Urban Geography
Note: The course information above is not official and is subject to change. For an official list of available courses, please review the Rowan University Academic Catalog.
How You'll Learn
Admission Requirements
Review the application steps below to begin your journey toward a career in community and environmental planning.
- First-year application through one of three platforms:
- Application fee of $65
- Official high school transcript(s)
- Letter(s) of recommendation/teacher evaluations
- Personal essay
After completing your application, a representative from Rowan’s Office of Admissions will confirm your application status and notify you of any missing information. There may be additional actions or materials required for admission to the program.
Note: Rowan University is test-optional. You may submit your SAT or ACT scores, but you won’t be penalized if you choose not to.
Need assistance with your application? Our Office of Admissions team is here to support you—email admissions@rowan.edu to reach out.
Tuition and Aid
Our commitment to affordability means you’ll receive a high-quality education at a competitive cost. Scholarships and financial aid are also available to help make your degree even more accessible.
Review tuition and financial aid information.
I organized a pop-up night garden for my Sensing Sustainable Cities class, while studying foot traffic through the lot before and during the event.
Rashaun B. Middlesex County, NJ
It’s very rewarding to incorporate what you’ve learned in the classroom, apply it to a real world setting and use that to help people.
Devon M. Somerset County, NJ
As I’ve gone through Rowan’s CEP program I’ve learned just about everything I needed to know about planning and applied that to my internship for the past four years.
Nicholas C. Gloucester County, NJ
Careers and outcomes
Upcoming virtual information sessions and events
Building a better community
From the blog
My Favorite Class: Field Methods, Environmental Science [VIDEO]
My Favorite Class: Oceans [VIDEO]
Environmental Science, a Multi-Disciplinary Approach [VIDEO]
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