Free Urban Studies Courses
Free urban studies courses are available at these universities listed below. These courses offer free online materials that can be accessed and/or downloaded from each school's website.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT offers plenty of choices for courses in urban studies. Topics include dispute resolution, computers in public management, and more.
- Spatial Database Management and Advanced Geographic Information Systems
- A Workshop on Geographic Information Systems
- Gateway: Planning Action
- Special Studies in Urban Studies and Planning: Economic Development Planning Skills
- Workshop on Deliberative Democracy and Dispute Resolution
- Introduction to Computers in Public Management II
- Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Planning in Developing Countries
- Disaster, Vulnerability and Resilience
- Foshan China Workshop
- Reflective Practice: An Approach for Expanding Your Learning Frontiers
- Resolving Public Disputes
- City Visions: Past and Future
- Planning Economics
- Microeconomics
- Planning, Communications and Digital Media
Tufts University
Tufts University offers students the chance to examine various opposing analytical frameworks, models and theories for policy-making with its theories of public policy course. The intro to geographic information systems (GIS) course focuses on GIS use in urban environments.
- Theories of Public Policy
- Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Urban and Environmental Analysis
Open University
Open University offers a public policy course for master's-level students that focuses on the public policy-action relationship and its modeling. The course teaches students about different models - political, cultural, organic and mechanical.
John Hopkins University
John Hopkins makes available a Bloomberg Leadership Series lecture. Video of Dr. Fineberg's lecture on his personal insights and experiences that have helped him in leadership roles and in formulating policy recommendations is online for free.
Free Online Urban Studies Courses At a Glance
| Course & School | Program Level | Format | Assignments | Quizzes & Exams | Downloadable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spatial Database Management and Advanced Geographic Information Systems course from MIT | Graduate | Texts/lecture notes/labs/projects | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| A Workshop on Geographic Information Systems course from MIT | Graduate | Texts/lecture notes/labs/projects | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gateway: Planning Action course from MIT | Graduate | Texts/external reading resources/lecture notes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Special Studies in Urban Studies and Planning: Economic Development Planning Skills course from MIT | Graduate | Texts/lecture notes/projects | Yes | No | Yes |
| Workshop on Deliberative Democracy and Dispute Resolution course from MIT | Graduate | Texts/lecture notes/video lectures | Yes | No | Yes |
| Introduction to Computers in Public Management II course from MIT | Graduate | Lecture notes/labs/study materials/texts | Yes | No | Yes |
| Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Planning in Developing Countries course from MIT | Graduate | Texts/lecture notes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Disaster, Vulnerability and Resilience course from MIT | Graduate | Texts/lecture notes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Foshan China Workshop course from MIT | Graduate | Lecture notes/projects | No | No | Yes |
| Reflective Practice: An Approach for Expanding Your Learning Frontiers course from MIT | Graduate | Texts/lecture notes/video lectures | Yes | No | Yes |
| Resolving Public Disputes course from MIT | Undergraduate | Text/lecture notes | Yes | No | Yes |
| City Visions: Past and Future course from MIT | Graduate | Texts/video lectures | Yes | No | Yes |
| Planning Economics course from MIT | Graduate | Textbooks | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microeconomics course from MIT | Graduate | Textbooks/ texts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Planning, Communications and Digital Media course from MIT | Graduate | Texts/lecture notes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Theories of Public Policy course from Tufts University | Graduate | Texts/lectures | Yes | Yes | No |
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Urban and Environmental Analysis course from Tufts University | Graduate | Texts/lectures/labs/projects | Yes | No | No |
| The Public Policy - Action Relationship course from Open University | Advanced | Text | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| The Art of Science Advice to Policy Makers: Lessons from the U.S. National Academies course from John Hopkins University | Undergraduate | Audio/video lecture | No | No | Yes |
