Every fall semester, the 2nd-year MRP graduate students in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at UMass Amherst undertake a professionally oriented Planning Studio course. Under the guidance of a faculty member, this course allows students to work on real-world planning projects with actual clients. This experience reinforces the student’s education as they apply their knowledge and skill within a community setting and serving a professional client. Communities and/or partner agencies also benefit from student project work at a substantially reduced cost. 
 
UMass has undertaken many such studio projects over recent decades.  Some previous Planning Studio projects in the past two years include:
 
Bicycle and Pedestrian Network Plan (Chicopee, MA)
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/larp_grad_research/51/
 
Turners Falls Canal District Plan (Montague, MA)
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/larp_grad_research/52/
 
Master Plan Implementation Strategies (Pittsfield, MA)
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/larp_grad_research/48/
 
Revitalization of the Lower Worthington Street District (Springfield, MA),
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/larp_grad_research/31/
 
Climate Change Adaptation Chapter (Marshfield, MA)
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/larp_grad_research/23/ 
 
We are issuing this Call for Proposals to seek expressions of interest from local communities, planners, community organizations, institutions, etc., for possible projects to be undertaken by our students. We seek projects where students can apply a range of public planning skills and techniques to make analyses and assessments, including opportunities for public and stakeholder engagement. We generally request a minimal level of financial support from the project sponsor to cover our costs.  The project would run in the Fall semester, from roughly September through early December.  
 
A brief email expressing interest and describing the nature of the proposed project by mid March 15, 2017. 
 
This email should include general information about the proposed project, but need not include detailed costs or scope of work information.  The professor, along with student input, will draft and negotiate more detailed project documents (scope, deliverables, etc.) with the partner during March and April. 

Darrel Ramsey-Musolf
Assistant Professor of Regional Planning UMass Amherst
e: darrel@larp.umass.edu
t:  413 / 545-6619
http://www.umass.edu/larp/people/darrel-ramsey-musolf