CMP 6060 - Healthy Urban Planning

Have you ever wondered why some places are deemed unhealthy while some others not? What are the drivers behind making our places healthy or unhealthy? This course provides a comprehensive introduction to fundamental concepts, principles, and methods in understanding the health implications of the built environment. Specifically, the course starts with the history of urban planning and public health, and explores how the fields have evolved over time. The course examines multiple pathways linking the built environment to health, and discusses various ways in which urban design and planning can be used to develop our communities to promote health and equity. The course also teaches how we can identify and address existing community health issues using various tools, such as environmental audits, interactive maps, and health impact assessment. By the end of the course, students should have a good grasp of theories, methods, and tools used by urban planning and public health professionals to create and support healthy communities.