
Modern engineers will work hand-in-hand with diverse groups of community members to ensure that the cities we build improve quality of life for all those who reside in them. As such, our view of engineering has to expand to include a combination of equity, sustainability, policy and planning. The CEE Focus in Community Policy and Planning allows you to learn just that, by guiding you through a tailored curriculum and immersive community experiences outside the classroom. You will learn how to enrich the lives and experiences of many residents — from rural regions to megacities.
This undergraduate Focus is built upon a foundation and major in Civil or Environmental Engineering (CEE). Civil and Environmental Engineers shape the world around us, building our habitats and sustaining our natural resources. To complete your Focus, you will also obtain a minor in Urban Studies from the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA), taking 15 credits from a tailored set of courses geared at Community Policy and Planning. By planning ahead and selecting these courses as electives, you can complete your Focus as part of your four-year degree.
The CEE program at U-M is one of the top-ranked in the world, and a Focus on Community Policy and Planning promises immense, rewarding and lucrative career opportunities. Students can participate in a number of experiences outside the classroom, including the Semester in Detroit offered by LSA, which allows you to work directly with community members while completing nearly all the requirements for a minor in Urban Studies in just one semester!
Sign up to join an unprecedented cohort of like-minded students, destined to impact their communities and the world.

Experience: Semester in Detroit
Semester in Detroit transforms U-M students through reciprocal relationships with the people, organizations and neighborhoods of Detroit. By living, learning and working in the city, you’ll engage with community leaders in transformative work – strengthening yourself as well as the wider region.
Sample schedule
See an example four-year plan
Want to learn more?
Contact CEE Associate Professor Branko Kerkez, FocusCEE Advisor for Community
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Additional ways to focus your engineering education
Sign up for FocusCEE
Ready to focus your engineering education? Complete this form to register for the FocusCEE program.