This guide will guide you to some high-quality resources with content related to urbanism and the problems of cities.

Librarians can help you:

Focus a Topic  -  Consult your textbook, your assignment guidelines, or your professor for appropriate topics.  Our "Developing a Research Topic" tutorial may be of interest to you.

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The UN estimates that by 2030, more than two-thirds of the total world population will live in urban areas. Most of this increase will take place in the megacities and newly emerging urban regions of what used to be called the developing world.

Urban studies is an expansive multidisciplinary field that addresses people's environment -- how and where they live as well how their government deals with the social, economic, and political issues related to urban affairs and urban studies on a local, regional and national level. It includes urban anthropology, urban economics, urban geography, urban history, urban politics, urban psychology, and urban sociology. 

Undergraduate classes are offered through multiple departments.  Urban Studies majors specialize in one of 4 areas:   

• Community Organization - which focuses on the non-profit sector or neighborhood grass root level to address social issues such as poverty, education and housing. You may also wish to consult the Nonprofit Libguide.
• Comparative International Urbanism - which  focuses on urban issues in a broader global or regional, geographic context. You may also wish to consult the International Urbanism Libguide.
•  Urban Policy and Administration - which focuses on policy development as it pertains to urban issues in politics and the public sector.  You may also wish to consult the Public Affairs  Libguide.
  
• Urban Planning - which focuses on  the use, design and allocation of space in the urban environment.

Master students generally take classes offered by the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA)  home to the University's Center for Metropolitan Studies,

Use PittCat when searching for a specific title. Below are some Library of Congress Subject headings that can be used in PittCat or as keywords when searching.

Examples of subject headings:    

Cities and towns              City planning                   Globalization                   Inner cities

Land use, Urban             Metropolitan areas        Regional planning          Small cities

Sociology, Urban             Sustainable development       Sustainable urban development

Urban economics           Urban policy                   Urban renewal                Urbanization

The following are in The GRID's Top 20 Most Popular Urban Planning Web Sites:

The following sites are University related and offer many helpful links and resources (like job news) for students:

Use these quick links to access lists of related databases, the listing of e-journals, or to access library services from off-campus.