Finding the right college degree or seminar program that teaches the desired urban history, urban studies, or an urban-related discipline (such as studies in archaeology, architecture, demography, environment, gender, geography, planning, technologies, and transportation) can be difficult because of the multi- and inter-disciplinary nature of the urban and urban-related fields. The variety and intersection of disciplines in the urban fields complicate attempts to discover and analyze what is available, by whom, where, and its significance or place in academic or professional environments. Nomenclature differences between and within disciplines, adds another challenge to mapping out one's career choices.

There are online tools that assist in framing and discovering program options and H-Urban offers aids to navigating those resources. Usually the process of career selection involves an initial search to narrow choices, followed by further research that reviews accreditations, college guides, school catalogs (the most accurate source of timely details), and direct contact with program leaders. In the diverse urban and urban-related fields, it is more necessary to contact individuals within a particular department for assistance in determining career and program options. It may especially make sense to contact someone whose work has been read, enjoyed and/or found useful.

Some generic online college guides that assist in finding and comparing program features and performance are:

U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges
collegeboard.com College Comparisons
Thompson Peterson's BestCollegePicks

The H-Urban Urban Studies Programs pages contain links to sites that provide lists of universities and/or college programs. Some sites provide in-depth information on institutions and specific programs of study that rival printed college directories. The Descriptions and Comments by faculty members associated with individual programs provide another research resource with personalized information that may not be not readily available elsewhere.

To accomplish an overview of urban history and urban studies educational possibilities, a greater degree of flexibility is needed on where to look and what courses of study or disciplines may need to be combined to meet a final goal. An urban-related degree like "Urban Policy" may be located in academic departments, faculties, or schools labelled Arts and Sciences, Social Sciences, Government, or Business Administration. Urban planning degree programs are found under such disparate departments as: Faculty of Social and Environmental Studies; School of Policy, Planning, and Development; School of Architecture; or College of Physical Sciences, School of Geosciences, Department of Land Economy. Dual degrees, a formalized collaboration between separate colleges, are becoming a more common means of achieving satisfactory training in urban-related topics like law and planning or environment and architectural design.

Finding a distinct major in "Urban History" is especially problematic because it is frequently only a concentration under a formal History degree that may or may not appear on a degree document. Further, related degree majors like "Urban Design", "Urban Affairs", and "Urban Administration" may or may not contain historical perspective or training. The kinds of training and knowledge situated in the degree and program possibilities under the broad category of "Urban Studies" vary considerably and often encompass multiple disciplines.

A search for urban-related educational information therefore requires a wider and more in-depth research effort than most other fields. In this situation, a greater reliance on related professional organizations may be needed to help compare the consequences of entering one program over another.

Accreditation agencies are a key source of information on programs that pass periodic, rigorous reviews to determine adherence to professional standards. Because some online lists of accredited degrees or programs may be dated, it is best to verify information with a particular school and accreditating group before making any final decisions based on accreditation. These are some possible accreditations that may be encountered in an educational search:

^AILA Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (Australia)
^APSA Asian Planning Schools Association (Hong Kong )
^CEBE Centre for Education in the Built Environment (UK)
^CIH Chartered Institute of Housing (UK)
^CILTHK Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (Hong Kong)
^CIP Canadian Institute of Planners (Canada)
^HKIP Hong Kong Institute of Planners (Hong Kong)
^LAAB American Society of Landscape Architects Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (USA)
^NASPAA National Association of Schools of Public Administration and Public Affairs (USA)
^PAB Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) Planning Accreditation Board (USA )
^RAPI Royal Australian Planning Institute (Australia)
^RIBA Royal Institute of British Architects (UK)
^RICS Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (UK)
^RTPI Royal Town Planning Institute (UK)

H-Urban does not attempt to be exhaustively comprehensive in its online Urban Studies Programs links because the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the entries are dependent upon H-Urban users, who are a primary source of suggestions and corrections. Links not included in the H-Urban Urban Studies Programs can be added by posting to the H-Urban discussion list at H-Urban@h-net.msu.edu, where adjustments can also be sent.