Post-Degree @ Ryerson Urban Planning?

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Jul 6th, 2015 5:18 pm

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Jul 2nd, 2015 1:35 pm

FalseCreek [OP]: Newbie; Jul 1, 2015; 4 posts; Kamloops, BC

Jul 2nd, 2015 1:35 pm

Post-Degree @ Ryerson Urban Planning?

Hi all,

I have a few questions regarding the Ryerson Urban and Regional Planning Post-Baccalaureate Program and Masters programs. I'd appreciate any help/advice given!

I have a Geography - environmental specialty from Simon Fraser University (Vancouver) and an Urban Studies Certificate. I just completed a GIS Advanced Diploma at BCIT. Now i'm finishing up a practicum for the GIS ADP at a regional district government as a GIS technician. I've been applying to jobs for about a month and a half for GIS tech positions and i'm starting to get antsy with the lack of response/rejection.

I have always wanted to go into urban planning before GIS, but chose GIS because it seemed more practical on the west coast (lack of urban planning undergraduate degrees). OK, so my question is really, should I pursue the Ryerson Post-Baccalaureate degree for Urban/Regional Planning, or try for a Masters? The problem with the masters route is that I am unsure of what my GPA is for the last two years of Uni. I manually calculated it and it does not reach 3.0 so I wouldn't be able to go into any masters program (i screwed up the first two years). If I do the post-degree program would it benefit the job search? I know some places require masters and some places don't. But it seems having a masters looks better overall?

Any help is greatly appreciated

4 replies

Jul 3rd, 2015 1:55 am

Respects: Jr. Member; Aug 7, 2011; 139 posts; 48 upvotes; Toronto

Jul 3rd, 2015 1:55 am

FalseCreek wrote: ↑Hi all,

I have a few questions regarding the Ryerson Urban and Regional Planning Post-Baccalaureate Program and Masters programs. I'd appreciate any help/advice given!

I have a Geography - environmental specialty from Simon Fraser University (Vancouver) and an Urban Studies Certificate. I just completed a GIS Advanced Diploma at BCIT. Now i'm finishing up a practicum for the GIS ADP at a regional district government as a GIS technician. I've been applying to jobs for about a month and a half for GIS tech positions and i'm starting to get antsy with the lack of response/rejection.

I have always wanted to go into urban planning before GIS, but chose GIS because it seemed more practical on the west coast (lack of urban planning undergraduate degrees). OK, so my question is really, should I pursue the Ryerson Post-Baccalaureate degree for Urban/Regional Planning, or try for a Masters? The problem with the masters route is that I am unsure of what my GPA is for the last two years of Uni. I manually calculated it and it does not reach 3.0 so I wouldn't be able to go into any masters program (i screwed up the first two years). If I do the post-degree program would it benefit the job search? I know some places require masters and some places don't. But it seems having a masters looks better overall?

Any help is greatly appreciated

This is another case of, I can't find a job so I'm going to get more education instead and hope that the problem fixes itself by the time I'm done. Urban planning is a very saturated field which is why you aren't getting calls back. But why are you giving up after only a month? Just sounds lazy to me.

GIS and other technical areas are the most employable areas in urban and regional planning. Doing a masters won't help since you already did GIS. Maybe a masters in some technical area like information systems, but not urban planning. I have friends who graduated from that program and couldn't find jobs, but they didn't have the GIS qualifications that you do.

In conclusion, continue searching for a job. Doing a masters in urban planning wont help you.

+3

Jul 3rd, 2015 1:29 pm

FalseCreek [OP]: Newbie; Jul 1, 2015; 4 posts; Kamloops, BC

Jul 3rd, 2015 1:29 pm

Thanks for the response !

I don't have an urban planning degree so I do not apply for urban planning jobs so of course I would not get calls back.

I'm in GIS but want to do urban planning eventually and I think it would complement each other very well. I suppose I just wanted to know if the degree is better or the masters given my situation. But I think I have figured out the answer. Thanks.

Jul 3rd, 2015 10:33 pm

imflying12: Deal Addict; Aug 9, 2011; 2031 posts; 396 upvotes; GTA

Jul 3rd, 2015 10:33 pm

FalseCreek wrote: ↑Thanks for the response !

I don't have an urban planning degree so I do not apply for urban planning jobs so of course I would not get calls back.

I'm in GIS but want to do urban planning eventually and I think it would complement each other very well. I suppose I just wanted to know if the degree is better or the masters given my situation. But I think I have figured out the answer. Thanks.

you're digging yourself a bigger hole by doing a masters. time is money, keep looking ~

Jul 6th, 2015 5:18 pm

xblackrainbow: Deal Addict; Jul 7, 2013; 1425 posts; 1280 upvotes; North York

Jul 6th, 2015 5:18 pm

I work at a consulting company with departments such as urban development, transport and municipal.

In my opinion I don't think going to more school will help... It really comes down to your experience. There might be a surplus of urban planning students because I assume they want a career inside a comfortable office where they can design stuff for cities.

However, a lot of the technical stuff required for anything transportation and planning base requires and respects field experience. Most of the stuff I apply to work does not come from school but rather patterns and specifications I learned from previous work on site.

Gis is good to learn... But I also recommend learning microstation and autocad at a fully functional work level. Not just drawing a line. These skills really help you put your foot into doors as these are very practical from an employers standpoint when they hire entry level positions.

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