Urban planning has evolved from its early roots in physical planning and the good government movement to a broad and integrative profession concerned with the social and physical organization of society at various geographic scales ranging from local neighborhoods to global communities. Attempts to solve urban problems can be wasteful and harmful without a comprehensive understanding of the social, economic, and spatial relationships which shape the well-being of communities, cities, and regions.

The Department of Urban Planning and Engineering at Yonsei University was established in 1993. Since its establishment, the department provides students an opportunity to develop the insights, knowledge, and technical skills needed to deal effectively with the challenges of contemporary urban life. The department is committed to a curriculum that builds on cutting-edge urban planning practice and research in four specialized fields: Urban and Regional Planning, Urban Transportation, Urban Design, and Urban Environment and Information Planning. Our program prepares students with a comprehensive understanding, in both theory and practice, of the multiple forces that shape the well-being of neighborhoods, cities, and entire regions.

The department offers both the undergraduate (Bachelor) and graduate (Master and Ph.D.) degrees. The two-year professional Master's degree program concentrates on a particular area of specializations and professional practices. The Ph.D. program is open to a limited number of qualified students. The Ph.D. program is most appropriate for those who intend to teach, or to do research in a university, in an independent research agency or in large planning organizations.

Since 2006, our department prepared ABEEK (Accredited Board of Engineering Education in Korea) program for in-depth and well-designed curriculum to well-prepare our students in urban planning and engineering areas after graduation.

In responding to the mature and career-oriented student, the department offers courses of instruction that utilize the talents of the full-time academic faculty as well as the expertise of a number of outstanding practicing professionals who bring to the university the insight and background of a sustained record of accomplishment in urban planning and related fields.

The Department of Urban Planning and Engineering’s goal is to educate the future leaders of the planning profession. We expect our graduates to provide both vision and leadership within the profession. Our graduates have, and will continue to participate in the transformation of the planning profession throughout the nation. Urban Planning and Engineering Alumni are in leadership positions in local, state, and national agencies; the private sector and nonprofit organizations.