URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING (URP)

1. Brief History of the Programme
The Department of Urban and Regional Planning of the Enugu StateUniversity of Science and Technology (ESUT), Enugu was founded in 1985 as part of the then Anambra State University of Technology (ASUTECH). At its inception it was known as the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Geography and Meteorology and ran two separate academic programmes for Urban and Regional Planning and Geography/Meteorology.

In 1990 the National Universities Commission (NUC) Accreditation Panel, which visited the Department, demanded the excision of Geography and Meteorology Department from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Subsequently, the NITP/TOPREC and NUC Accreditation visitation panels recommended the conversion of the degree awarded by the Department of Urban and Regional Planning from the Bachelors of Technology (B.Tech) to Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning (B.URP) programme. The Industrial Attachment is restricted to firms of registered Town Planners and Departments of Urban and Regional Planning in private and public organizations, as well as organizations that produce Master plan, Landscape Plan, Land use Plans and Local Planning Authorities.

In 1998, the NITP/TOPREC Accreditation Panel accredited theDepartment for a full period of five (5) years with effect from August 1995.NITP/TOPREC Accreditation Panel visited the Department again in 2004 and accredited the Department for a full period of five (5) years.The Department of Urban and Regional Planning ESUT is equipped to produce innovative and responsive Town Planners who are capable of meeting the expectations and challenges of the profession.

The successive Heads of Department from inception to date are as stated below:
1. Arc. N. M David
2. Dr. A. E. Kalu (late)
3. Prof. L. N. Muoghalu
4. Prof. I. Chidi Ugwu
5. Dr. George N. Monye (1995 – 1998) (Late)
6. Prof. Arthur Essaghah (1998 – 2002)
7. Dr. B. O. Uwadiegwu (2002 – 2005)
8. Prof. O. C. Agukoronye (2005 – 2007) (Late)
9. Prof. Arthur Essaghah (2007 – 2011)
10. Dr. E. A. Iyi (2011 - 2015)
11. Dr. Mrs. Lucy N. Ugwu (2015 – 2020)
12. Dr. E. A. Iyi (2020 to Date).


2. PHILOSOPHY OF THE PROGRAMME
Urban and Regional Planning (URP) is a multi-disciplinary field concerned with the process and techniques of deriving and managing rural, urban and regional land uses and associated developmental challenges. As a process, it involves the analyses and synthesis of existing economic, social and physical challenges before formulating, implementing and co-ordinating strategies to achieve set goals and objectives for a sustainable environment for human habitation. The Departmental of Urban and Regional Planning programme at ESUT is, therefore, designed to provide a rational, practicable, coherent and comprehensive approach to the pursuit of economic, social and physical development in human settlements in a way that minimizes contradictions and duplications, while enhancing co-operation amongst all stakeholders in the development process. This is why the programme is made sufficiently broad-based to incorporate much of the social science - oriented urban and regional planning theory and methodology to equip students with strong analytical and administrative techniques to evaluate and resolve problems of growth, conflict and change ever present in the human environment.

3. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The general goal of the programme is to expose students to social,economic, political and environmental concerns of human settlements and equip them with analytical and administrative techniques to evaluate and resolve the problems of growth and development. They are also encouraged to be competent in generalist and specialist skills. In specific terms the goal(s) of the undergraduate course of study are:
a. To provide broad education and training which will assist in developing the students’ intellectual and professional capabilities to high standard.
b. To produce sound generalist and professional planners who can operate effectively in the field of urban and regional planning and related activities; and
c. To relate knowledge and skills with immediate community problems.

The objectives to achieve the above stated goals include:
i. To develop students understanding of urban and regional planning by the study of theories, methods and techniques for planning, designing, and managing land use activities and environment.
ii. To assist the students to acquire constructive development understanding of the social, economic, technological and legislative frameworks of society within the "Physical" and "other" planning processes (social-economic) in operation and the potential capacities of the framework for more coherent and relevant collaborative policyformulation and implementation.
iii. To tailor students project and assignments to problems of concern to the immediate environment
iv. To provide students with varied practical experience of realistic...

Undergraduate Study

At ESUT you will study morden principles and applications that underpin many important industries with an emphasis on hands-on learning. Our Department provides you with a stimulating and supportive learning environment and the opportunity to develop a wide range of transferable skills.

• Urban and Regional Planning, BSC
  

POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES 1. Introduction
Rapid population growth and the associated rapid rates of city growth coupled with technological changes have generated an increasing demand for planners on all aspects of human endeavours particularly in urban and rural areas of developing countries. The frightening rate of rural-urban migration and the concomitant physical, social, economic and cultural problems resulting from, or precipitated in urban areas calls for urgent need of planners with requisite academic, professional and technical skills and capacities to deal with such situations. On the other hand, the rural areas of Nigeria suffer from declining youth population, skilled manpower, finance, modernization of decaying agricultural production infrastructure and the much needed social amenities to cater for needs of over 70% of the country’s population. These scenarios call for concerted efforts on part of government and universities to initiate new programmes as well as, redesign existing ones to meet the ever changing needs and challenges of sustainable national, physical and socio-economic development. The role of planners in this regard cannot be over-emphasized.

Nigeria is in direct need of planners to help manage urban and rural spaces or areas. At the moment, competent academically and professionally trained planners are indeed only produced in very few Nigerian universities. The shortage of professional planners must be stemmed if chaos is to be mitigated in urban and rural spaces. This is why the department of Urban and Regional Planning Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) has seized the challenge given by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to reform its postgraduate programs to achieve demands for national development and international best practices.

The postgraduate programmes in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning are designed to meet the needs of both full-time and part-time students intending to become effectively involved in socio-economic and physical development planning profession in an ever dynamic environment such as Nigeria. Urban and Regional Planning is eclectic in scope and this is why the programmes are made sufficiently broad-based and flexible to bestride complementary environmental design and planning disciplines. This ensures that whilst meeting the general requirements of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) and the Town Planners Registration Council (TOPREC) on one hand and National Universities Commission (NUC) on the other, the programmes incorporate much of the social science-oriented urban and regional planning theory and methodology that normally lie beyond the scope of a town planning programme(s). To ensure their relevance and sustainability, experienced and competent planning experts, particularly urban and regional planners, both on full-time and part-time employment are made to man these programmes.

These programmes are designed with a view to giving due weight to theory and practice through lectures, seminars, computer applications, studio demonstrations and field investigations. It is recognized that while enough premium should be placed on the practical aspects of the learning process, a rigorous theoretical foundation is very desirable for both studio and fieldwork.
2. Philosophy
The philosophy of the Postgraduate Urban and Regional Planning Programmes in ESUT, is built on intellectual leadership and the preparedness to confront spatial and environmental challenges. Hence each programme focuses on details providing practical training geared towards the effective planning and development of Nigeria cities, towns, villages and their surrounding regions in order to achieve national objectives in planning and development.
3. Programme Goal(s) And Objectives
The goal of the programmes is to produce planners registerable with NITP/TOPREC who are both academicians and core professionals. Against this background, the graduate degree programmes are designed with the goal of increasing the ability of students/participants to prepare regional, urban, town and village development plans by studying current practices and providing techniques for:
1. Analysing and understanding how regions, cities, towns, and villages work and are likely to develop;
2. Assessing the resources and constraints to effective planning and development; and
3. Strengthening institutional capacities for the implementation of regional, urban, town and village development plans.
Against this background, the following objectives predominate:
(a) to develop students’ understanding of URP through the study of theories, methods and techniques for planning, designing and managing land use activities and environment;
(b) to assist the students to acquire constructive understanding of the social, economic, technological and legislative framework of society with the physical, social and economic processes in operation and, the potential capacities of the frameworks to make mor...

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