B.A. Advising: Independent Study: Student Project Examples

Urban Studies students have worked with diverse local non-profit, governmental, and private agencies, focusing on urban-related problems, issues, or studies. Below is a sampling of recent student projects.

Research and Community Service Projects

• Affordable Housing Policy Research
• Automobile Dependence and Alternatives
• City of Tacoma Economic Development (downtown revitalization and planning)
• Correlation between gentrification in local neighborhoods and gang resurgence
• Economic Development initiatives in Pierce County and South Puget Sound Region
• Environmental Stewardship in urban setting: marine habitat preservation and shoreline cleanup
• Examination of geographical and institutional dimensions of "sister city relationships" in contemporary United States
• Gentrification/upgrading: Identify the preconditions in place before change came about and to compare/contrast those with conditions after change
• Historic Buildings Inventory (CBD and Hilltop areas)
• Literature review of Planning in Indian Country
• Mapping, observing, and analyzing spatial movement patterns of Tacoma's homeless population
• Nativity House - outreach services
• Performance of Critical Areas Ordinance for Pierce County to understand the relationship between rapid urbanization and environmental conservation
• Permitting process for water rights in Gig Harbor to understand the relationship between rapid urbanization and environmental conservation
• Polycentric Urban Regions in relation to Economic Geography
• Pre-Industrial Society: How the character of pre-industrial society relates to urban culture
• Public Space: themes include diversity, social interactions, community gatherings, etc.
• Race and mortgage lending patterns for the Puget Sound area (1998-2000)
• Real Estate Patterns: Spatial variation of trends/patterns in Tacoma
• Regional trail project (Pierce County and City of Sumner)
• Sex Offender Study: Residency with in the city of Tacoma
• Sound Transit - Light Rail/Civil Engineering permitting and transportation policy
• Systematic review of commercial design standards in legal and administrative context
• Transportation Issues
• Urban wastelands - consequences and solutions for urban development

Internships

• City of Tacoma - Parking Study (land use issues related to parking and transportation)
• City of Tacoma - Human Rights & Services (social planning)
• City of Bremerton - Department of Community Development (current planning practices, long range planning, and environmental planning)
• City of Sumner - Regional trail project
• Metropolitan Parks, Tacoma, Point Defiance Zoo - Environmental/animal habitat preservation
• Martin Luther King Housing Development Association - Development Specialist

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