I. Program Overview

Established in 2001 with enrollment commencing in 2002, the Urban and Rural Planning program achieved disciplinary milestones, including authorizing a Master’s program in Urban Planning and Design (2004) and first-level discipline master’s programs in Urban and Rural Planning and Architecture (2011). Recognized as a Key Construction Program at Northeast Forestry University (2016) and accredited as a Provincial First-Class Undergraduate Program in Heilongjiang Province (2022), this five-year program awards a Bachelor of Engineering degree. Over two decades, it has developed a distinctive focus on cold-region urban and rural development, leveraging the university’s strengths in ecological planning and multiscale spatial design to address national demands for planning professionals.

II. Educational Objectives

The program cultivates interdisciplinary professionals equipped to meet China’s urbanization challenges. Graduates possess robust theoretical knowledge and practical skills in urban-rural planning and design underpinned by global perspectives, social responsibility, and innovative thinking. Emphasizing sustainable development, cultural heritage preservation, and engineering ethics, alumni excel in roles spanning planning institutes, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and real estate sectors, engaging in design, management, education, and research.

III. Core Curriculum

• Foundational Courses: Introduction to Planning, Fundamentals of Plastic Arts, Design Basics, History of Chinese and Global Architecture

• Professional Courses: Principles of Urban and Rural Planning, Ecological and Environmental Planning, GIS Applications, History of Urban Development, Infrastructure Planning, Urban Transportation, Urban Design Theory, Socio-Spatial Surveys, Planning Management and Regulations, Regulatory Detailed Planning, Constructive Detailed Planning, Rural Settlement Planning, and Comprehensive Urban Planning

• Practical Training: Architectural Site Studies, Sketching Practicum, Building Construction Internship, Surveying Practicum, Socio-Spatial Survey Fieldwork, Rural Planning Research, Comprehensive Planning Research, Professional Planning Internship, Graduation Project

IV. Distinctive Strengths

1. The program’s curriculum centers on a design-focused pedagogical framework, guiding students through a five-year progression from architectural design to neighborhood planning, specialized spatial design, and ultimately, city-scale master planning. This structure ensures strong hands-on capabilities and broad career adaptability. Faculty members actively engage in industry practice, enriching teaching with real-world insights.

2. A dual-qualified faculty of 20 members prioritizes experiential learning, including one professor, seven associate professors, four National Class-1 Registered Architects, and five Certified Planners. The ninth semester’s Professional Planning Internship immerses students in design firms, integrating theory with practice.

3. The program boasts a consistently high postgraduate enrollment rate, exceeding 40% in recent years and peaking at 66%. Graduates advance to top-tier institutions such as the Harbin Institute of Technology, Southeast University, Tianjin University, and international universities, with growing numbers pursuing overseas studies. This academic excellence reflects widespread recognition of student caliber.