Rural Planning and Development offers two graduate degrees: a Master of Science in Rural Planning and Development (MSc) and Master of Planning (MPlan). Both programs provide the opportunity for graduate study, research and professional development in:

1. Canadian rural planning and development; or
2. International rural planning and development.

Administrative Staff

Director, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development
Sean Kelly (101 Landscape Architecture, Ext. 56870)
sean.kelly@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Coordinator 
Nicolas Brunet (114 Landscape Architecture, Ext. 54414)
nicolas.brunet@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Assistant
Lorena Barker (104 Landscape Architecture, Ext. 56780)
rpd@uoguelph.ca

Graduate Faculty

This list may include Regular Graduate Faculty, Associated Graduate Faculty and/or Graduate Faculty from other universities.

MSc (Planning) Program

Admission Requirements

The program is open to qualified graduates from all disciplines including geography, international development, sociology, agriculture, environmental studies, landscape architecture, economics and planning. Applicants are required to demonstrate their specific interest in the program and relevant work experience in rural planning and development. A four-year honours degree with a B- average is considered the normal basis for admission.

Program Requirements

The MSc (Planning) degree is a professionally accredited (Canadian Institute of Planners) program that requires substantial commitment to professional performance and ethics.

Graduate students in the MSc (Planning) program find employment in rural planning departments, governments, non-governmental organizations, and private consulting firms in Canada and overseas. Graduates are prepared for both local development and planning as well as regional, provincial and national-level research and policy planning in international and Canadian contexts.

The program goal is to ensure that students have the knowledge and skill to conduct interdisciplinary research and, in a professional capacity, guide processes of change in rural planning and development.

Where appropriate, faculty from other academic units participate in an advisory capacity in students' research programs.

Students enrol in one of two study options:

1. thesis or
2. course work or course work and major research paper.

Canadian Rural Planning and Development

This field offers an all course work option; major research paper (MRP) option and a thesis option. All three are aimed at providing substantive professional, contextual and specialized knowledge and skill in the domestic rural planning and development context.

All students enrolled in this field are required to complete a set of core courses that provide a foundation for rural planning and development research and practice in the Canadian context.

Thesis

Students must complete:

In addition the student is required to complete an additional five (5) 0.5 credit elective courses in consultation with their advisory committee.

Course Work and Major Research Paper (MRP)

Students must complete:

In addition the student is required to complete an additional seven (7) 0.5 credit elective courses in consultation with their advisory committee.

Course Work

Students must complete:

In addition the student is required to complete an additional nine (9) 0.5 credit elective courses in consultation with their advisory committee.

Students may develop an area of specialization with their advisory committees through course work, selection of elective courses, and student research leading to the major research paper or thesis. Students are strongly encouraged to arrange their own internship during the summer semester, though this is not a requirement. The program makes available a set of options to assist in developing the area of emphasis.

In the delivery of the Canadian rural planning and development field, the program draws on courses and faculty from other units on campus as well as on the resources of the school. The field of rural planning and development (Canadian) is formally recognized by the Canadian Institute of Planners, and four faculty within the program along with one faculty from other programs within the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development are Registered Professional Planners.

International Rural Development Planning

This field prepares students for research and practice in international rural planning and development. Students may choose the course work option; major research paper (MRP) option or the thesis option.

All students enrolled in this field are required to complete a set of core courses and electives that provide a foundation for international rural planning and development research and practice.

Thesis

Students must complete:

In addition the student is required to completed an additional five (5) 0.5 credit elective courses in consultation with their advisory committee.

Course Work and Major Research Paper (MRP)

Students must complete:

In addition the student is required to complete an additional seven (7) 0.5 credit elective courses in consultation with their advisory committee.

Course Work

Students must complete:

In addition the student is required to complete an additional nine (9) 0.5 credit elective courses in consultation with their advisory committee.

Students may develop an area of specialization with their advisory committees through course work, selection of elective courses, student research. The program makes available a set of options to assist in developing the area of emphasis.

In the delivery of the International rural planning and development field, the program draws on courses and faculty from other units on campus as well as on the resources of the School. The field of rural planning and development (International) is formally recognized by the Canadian Institute of Planners, and four faculty within the program along with one faculty from other programs within the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development are Registered Professional Planners.

MPLAN Program

Admission Requirements

The program is open to either:

1. Qualified graduates from relevant disciplines (minimum B- average) with 2-3 years of relevant experience or permission of the admissions committee. Relevant experience is determined by the admissions committee.
2. Graduates from a related professional program, such as but not limited to, in Planning, Landscape Architecture, Architecture or Engineering (minimum B- average).

All applicants are required to demonstrate their specific interest in the program and their work and educational experience relating to rural planning and development.

Program Requirements

The Master of Planning (MPLAN) degree program is a 3-5 semester program is geared towards more experienced graduates working for an agency or non-governmental organization abroad or in Canada; or for mature Canadian planners working in a municipal planning environment, for other levels of government, in professional consulting, non-governmental organizations or other contexts or for graduates of related professional programs. It is explicitly designed for individuals wishing to upgrade their professional training to the Masters level without necessarily withdrawing from the work force for an extended period of time.

This degree may also be completed at a distance. Please consult with the program’s Graduate Program Coordinator for more details.

The MPlan program requires completion of 4.00 credits, as follows:

• EDRD*6630 Regional Planning

• 3.50 credits, chosen in consultation with the Graduate Program Coordinator. Courses will normally be selected from the Rural Planning and Development course list.

Course selection will emphasize either the International or Canadian field.

Collaborative Specializations

International Development Studies

Rural Planning and Development participates in the International Development Studies (IDS) collaborative specialization. The MSc degree for students in this program will have the specialist designation rural planning and development: international development studies. Please consult the International Development Studies listing for a detailed description of the collaborative specialization including the special additional requirements for each of the participating departments.

One Health

Rural Planning and Development participates in the collaborative specialization in One Health. Master’s and Doctoral students wishing to undertake thesis research or their major research paper/project with an emphasis on one health are eligible to apply to register concurrently in Rural Planning and Development and the collaborative specialization. Students should consult the One Health listing for more information.

Courses

Elective Courses

Students are to select their electives from the following list of RPD and EDRD knowledge and skills courses. This list of electives is modified from time to time by the RPD Graduate Program Committee, and the student should contact the Graduate Program Committee for the current list of available electives. An RPD core course from outside your field can also be taken as an elective. Two electives may be selected from other courses offered within SEDRD (e.g. CDE or LARC) or by other University departments which are not included below.