Master of Resilient Urban Design
WHAT YOU’LL STUDY
The MRUD program seeks to envision not only humane and ennobling places now but to ask “what if” questions about the city and urban system as a whole. Bringing together architecture, landscape architecture, city and regional planning and preservation, the MRUD program leads the way in strategically positioning cities to equitably thrive during growth under climate change.
The Master of Resilient Urban Design (MRUD) is designed to empower you with the knowledge and skills to navigate the ever-changing complexities of rapidly growing metropolitan regions. The program is founded on an issues-based, teamwork model wherein students engage in issues and ask questions based on a design-thinking foundation, enhanced with methodologies and processes from multiple disciplines.
The MRUD program prepares individuals to engage complex cultural, market and government policy forces through sustainable and resilient urban forms. Inclusive of sustainability and cities’ abilities to help sustain diverse environments, cultures and economies locally and globally, resiliency also implies the ability of a community to anticipate and recover from present and future challenges. As such,
POINTS OF PRIDE
• The MRUD program supports opportunities for faculty and students to pioneer research, develop new practices and work closely with professionals to facilitate smart investment in the city.
• Located in Charleston, South Carolina, students work closely with local professionals and organizations as part of their Resilient Urban Design education.
• The MRUD degree integrates and applies research-based and community-based design thinking to tackle the growing need for innovation to manage change in metropolitan regions rather than waiting to react to the urban pressures that are inevitable.
“During my time in MRUD, I was fortunate to receive a broad range of experiences. From designing temporary installations for community gatherings to sitting in on the Joe Riley Mayors’ Design Fellowship, or participating in the Dutch Dialogues; I gained confidence in myself as a leader and designer. MRUD also gave me the opportunity to find employment as a research assistant, as well as intern at a local firm throughout my studies. The relationships I made in and through the program are probably some of my most valued. I made long-lasting friendships, mentorships, and greatly expanded my professional network while in the program. Currently, I work for LS3P in Charleston, SC. I am a member of the in-house research and design cohort, Ignite, as well as our newly established urban design practice. I get to utilize our newest design tools on a daily basis and implement my MRUD education in the real world. Resilience, coastal flooding, and transportation are major conversations happening, so MRUD has positioned me well to participate in an educated, meaningful way..”
Nicholas Bilgri MRUD Alumnus Clemson University
MRUD CURRICULUM
The three-semester MRUD program is conceptually organized in terms of physical scales (from human to neighborhood/corridor to metropolitan/ regional) with themes of ecological balance and social equity running throughout. In addition, the degree emphasizes the four-part City Resilience Framework (Arup 2015) — which includes health and well-being, infrastructure and environment, economy and society, and leadership and strategy — as these factors influence urban design decision-making.
Each of the three required semesters includes a 6-credit urban design studio, a 3-credit urban design seminar and a 3-credit visualization/ communication/implementation practicum course. The combination of design exercises, theory, field studies and engagement with practitioners and communities maintains a fluid dialogue between theoretical knowledge, practice and implementation. In their final term, students will write a white paper that helps them to situate their interests relative to the field. This, in combination with a portfolio, is designed to facilitate students’ transition to employment.
Degree Tracks
The typical course of study for the MRUD program is three semesters for students with an undergraduate, studio-based design degree. Applicants without prior design training and skills will be required to attend and successfully complete a 4-credit Urban Design Foundations course the summer prior to their MRUD course of study. If applicants have completed one semester of M.Arch. or MLA coursework at an accredited institution, that can be substituted for the summer coursework upon approval of the MRUD director.
Dual Degrees
Dual Degrees between MLA-MRUD and M.Arch.MRUD are available to pursue. Students must still apply to both programs during the admissions process. Please consult the directors of both programs to develop your specific track. Students already marticulated in the MLA or M.Arch. programs may still apply to the MRUD program but must complete the official admissions process. Enrollment in a dual-degree track is subject to the approval of the Graduate School.
Master of Resilient Urban Design
Email: mrud@clemson.edu
