URB STD 250-001
Exploring the Urban Environment
Instructor: Sana Avar (sanaavar@uwm.edu)
This course is a General Education course designed for first year students. There are no
prerequisites or prior knowledge of the field of urban studies needed. This course also
fulfills a requirement in the urban studies major and certificate program.
This course explores urban existence from a worldwide point of view, considering the ways
in which physical space, social interaction, economic organization, and environmental
conditions shape city life every day. We will consider how cities function and develop in
different parts of the world by examining and comparing such areas of inquiry as urban
expansion, sustainability, and quality of life in a range of cultural and geographical
contexts. We will also consider how different global structures and activities at global
scales may impact city life in Milwaukee such as economic activity, as well as how broader
global natural processes like climate change can impact urban resilience and design.
URB STD 360-201
Perspectives on the Urban Scene: Green Cities: UrbanAgri, Sustain. & Envir Justice
Instructor: Maria Rose Francis (franci54@uwm.edu)
This course explores the complex intersections of environmental justice, urban agriculture, and
sustainability within both local and global urban contexts. As cities grow, the strain on resources, social
equity, and environmental health intensifies. This course critically examines these issues through the lens of
environmental justice movements, urban agriculture initiatives, global sustainability policies, green
infrastructure, and smart city technologies.
Students will engage with diverse case studies from cities worldwide, highlighting both the successes
and challenges of urban sustainability efforts. By examining international frameworks, policies, and
grassroots activism, students will explore how different regions address environmental justice and urban
resilience, focusing particularly on the role of marginalized communities across different socio-political
contexts in shaping these processes.
The course encourages students to critically assess how global policies, governance structures, and
technological innovations interact within urban settings to either exacerbate or alleviate issues of inequality,
environmental degradation, and social exclusion. Through comparative case studies, active debates,
international policy analysis, video projects, and interactive digital humanities tools, students will develop a
globally informed understanding of urban strategies, ranging from tactical urbanism to international smart
city initiatives.
This course will emphasize civic engagement, ethical reasoning, and real-world applications of
sustainability principles, preparing students to critically analyze and contribute to global urban innovation
and sustainable development efforts
URB STD 450-001
Urban Growth and Development: A Global View
Instructor: Jamie Harris (jmh@uwm.edu)
URB STD 600-001
Capstone Seminar in Urban Studies
Instructor: Jamie Harris (jmh@uwm.edu)