Department of Urban Planning Announces Paid Assistantships for 2024-2025

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Department of Urban Planning is recruiting for several paid graduate assistantships, plus a full-tuition scholarship that is paired with a paid fellowship. All positions are for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Research Assistant (RA)
Two incoming Master of Urban Planning (MUP) students will serve as Research Assistants (RA) to work on research for the Center for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety (CPBS), a US Department of Transportation University Transportation Center.

These RA positions are open to students who are or will be enrolled in the UWM MUP program by Fall 2024. Good candidates will be well-organized, dependable, have good quantitative and analytical skills, and be interested in pedestrian and bicycle transportation. Since the RAs will also be enrolled in the UWM MUP program, they should have a strong interest in urban planning. They should be interested in improving their skills, learning what planners do in practice, working on client projects, and eventually contributing to their community as a professional planner.

The university pays tuition, and RAs are eligible for university-sponsored health insurance and other benefits. The initial RA contract is for 2024-2025 with the possibility for renewal depending on satisfactory performance as a RA in the first year. More details will be provided in the official contract documents.

About CPBS: The Center for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety (CPBS) was announced as a US Department of Transportation University Transportation Center in February 2023. Dr. Robert Schneider, Professor and Co-Chair of Urban Planning, is the Principal Investigator for UWM as a part of the five-university CPBS consortium.

Teaching Assistant (TA)
The department is also hiring an incoming Master of Urban Planning (MUP) student to serve as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for two undergraduate courses: UP 140 (Issues in Contemporary Urban Planning) during the fall semester and UP 141 (Urban Planning Solutions to Contemporary Urban Problems) during the spring semester.

Paid tuition and benefits are available to Teaching Assistants. The initial TA contract is for 2024-2025 with the option for renewal depending on performance.

The position is open to students who are or will be enrolled the UWM MUP program by Fall 2024. Good candidates will be well-organized, dependable, and enthused about interacting with undergraduate students. They should enjoy leading discussions and be willing to help students, and they should have a strong interest in urban planning. They should be interested in improving their skills, learning what planners do in practice, working on client projects, and contributing to their community as a professional.

Welford Sanders Memorial Scholarship + City of Milwaukee Department of City Development Fellowship
The Welford Sanders Memorial Scholarship aims to promote diversity in the UW-Milwaukee Master of Urban Planning (MUP) program. It is offered in connection with a paid fellowship at the City of Milwaukee’s Department of City Development (DCD). This is a full-ride scholarship covering two full years of tuition for a deserving MUP student, and the scholarship recipient will also gain real-world planning experience by working up to 20 hours per week at DCD.

The total value of the scholarship award will depend on the student’s residency status. Two years of tuition for Wisconsin residents is currently worth $24,440, and the value of the scholarship will be higher for out-of-state recipients. Two years of 20 hours per week for the DCD fellowship (2,080 hours at $15.75 per hour) would be a total payment of $32,760.

The hourly payment for work at DCD, which is provided in addition to the scholarship funding, will be administered through Community Design Solutions within the School of Architecture and Urban Planning. These financial commitments to the student assume that the student stays in good standing at UWM and at the City of Milwaukee for the full two years of the scholarship and fellowship.

About Welford Sanders: Welford Sanders served on the faculty of the UW-Milwaukee Department of Urban Planning from 2001 to 2015, and he was instrumental in the development of areas near Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and North Avenue. His commitment to the neighborhood helped support homes, businesses, and jobs. He inspired students to commit to public service and assist communities that had been significantly impacted by segregation and disinvestment.

How to Apply
All incoming MUP students are considered for these opportunities. No additional application is necessary beyond the Graduate Application.

  • Visit https://graduateschool-apply.uwm.edu/. Under “Apply Now,” choose “School of Architecture and Urban Planning,” and apply to “Urban Planning MUP.”
  • Provide your undergraduate transcript(s), reason statement, and 3 letters of recommendation.
  • Priority Deadline: January 15, 2024*

*Applications accepted on rolling basis after priority deadline. It is recommended that you apply by the priority deadline for full consideration of scholarships and other opportunities.

Questions?
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