Navigating the World of Urban Planner Internships: A Comprehensive Guide

An internship is frequently the first practical experience in the field that a prospective urban planner will have. A successful internship will provide the planning student with valuable and practical knowledge and insight as they continue on their educational and professional pathway. This guide aims to help you recognize the benefits of an internship in urban planning, what will be expected of you, how to find urban planning internships, and how to make the most of them. Urban planning internships are the perfect way to gain valuable experience that will help you land your first "real" job within the field.

Why Pursue an Urban Planning Internship?

With a heavy course load and other responsibilities, it might be tempting to forgo an urban planning internship. However, there are many reasons why an internship can be beneficial. When you graduate from college and are searching for your first permanent position, you might be discouraged to discover that most employers want their job candidates to have experience. Those who have internship experience are more marketable as they go about their job search, as they have additional practical experience in the planning profession that many of their competitors don’t have. Yes, internships can be time-consuming. However, the time that you spend working within an urban planning internship can offer you benefits that will help to jump-start your urban planning career and will last for the rest of your professional career.

Understanding the Role of a Planning Intern

The American Planning Association (APA) has created a sample Planning Intern Job Description. Before accepting any type of internship, make sure that you know what your employer expects of you and what you will receive in return. The three most common types of work experience for internships are internships, cooperative education positions, and externships.

Types of Urban Planning Internships

Internships: These generally refer to a work assignment lasting for just one school term, with a single employer. This term may be a semester, a summer, or even a full-school year. An internship in urban planning can be full-time, part-time, paid, or unpaid.
Cooperative Experiences (Co-ops): These typically refer to a work assignment with a single employer that lasts for more than one term. Mostly, you will work in an urban planning position for three school terms, then go to school for three terms. If you participate in a co-op, you will take five years to finish a bachelor’s degree instead of the usual four. Co-ops are most often full-time paid positions.

Read also: Comprehensive Overview: UCLA Urban Planning Program
Externships: Also known as job shadowing positions. In this type of work experience, you would shadow an experienced individual within the field of urban planning. Externships may last from a few days to a few months and are not as well-defined as co-ops or internships. They may be paid or unpaid as well.

Paid vs. Unpaid Internships

Paid and unpaid internships exist in urban planning. Fortunately, paid internships are more common than unpaid internships. Paid internships will give you a monthly salary or stipend, as well as housing and travel reimbursements if you qualify and if they are offered. The majority (50 to 70 percent) of internships are now paid. Interestingly enough, a study done by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that students who had a paid internship were more likely to receive a job offer after graduation than those who participated in an unpaid internship.

Unfortunately, there are still unpaid urban planning internships offered (43 percent of all internships are now unpaid). Some unpaid internships do offer college credit in lieu of money as payment. While they can be a great way to gain experience in the field, it can be hard to live without earning some sort of salary.

In 2019, 66 percent of college graduates who had completed paid internships got at least one job offer. Only 43 percent of college graduates who completed unpaid internships received job offers, by way of comparison. It seems that employers tend to value paid internships over unpaid internships when examining resumes of job candidates.

Finding the Right Urban Planning Internship

The best way to find an internship in urban planning is through your college or university’s career counseling center. Counselors there should have a vast network of contacts whom they can put you in touch with to find the best urban planning intern opportunities in your area. They can also help to tailor these urban planning internship opportunities to your level of experience and skill and assist you in creating a resume and cover letter that you must use when applying for internships.

You can still search for urban planning internships on your own. Remember that internships might not be listed as such. Instead, they might be listed as temporary, part-time, or contract positions.

Internship Opportunities

Department of Housing and Urban Development Pathways Internship Program: This paid internship program is designed to give students from high school to graduate level opportunities to work in federal government agencies and explore federal careers. Opportunities are listed at USAJOBS. Anyone who is a high school or college student is eligible to apply and may work full- or part-time depending upon the position. These positions may be converted to a permanent government job upon completion if 640 hours of work experience have been completed in the internship program and the degree requirements are met.
Summer Internship Program with the New York City Department of Planning: This 10-week paid internship is available in a variety of locations in the Department of Planning in New York City. It is open to undergraduate and graduate college students looking for urban planning experience.
Baltimore City Department of Planning Sustainability Internship: This part-time, paid internship offers students opportunities to work remotely on the Sustainability STATS Data and Metrics Project during the fall 2020 school term, for 12 to 16 hours a week (totaling 160 hours). Those currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate in urban or environmental planning, public policy, or a related field are invited to apply for this safe, timely internship opportunity.

Urban Planning Internships in Private Industry

Private companies also offer urban planning internship opportunities. Some examples include:

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Snyder & Associates, various locations: This civil engineering, planning, and design firm has twelve offices in five states (Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota) and hires interns in planning, environmental science, and civil engineering on a regular basis. These positions are full-time for 12 weeks, May through August. Resumes are accepted year-round via their online portal.
BuroHappold Engineering, New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA: This engineering firm offers remote urban design and planning visualization internships for urban planning students. The internship is available within the New York City and Los Angeles, CA offices. Apply online and submit a portfolio of your work to be considered for this position.

Urban Planning Internships in Non-Profit Organizations and “Think Tanks”

Internships may also be available in non-profit agencies and “think tanks.” They could include:

Summer Internship at the Urban Institute, Washington, D.C.: You will work in a paid, full-time position in this think tank in our nation’s capital for 10 weeks over the summer, gaining valuable research and public policy experience.
Internship at the Preservation Resource Center, New Orleans, LA: This is ideal for those in planning with an interest in historical preservation and architectural history. It involves working on educational programming for the organization, helping with the Most Endangered Species program, assisting with public inquiries, and more. You must be an undergraduate or graduate urban planning student in order to apply.

International Opportunities

Construction and Urban Planning Internship in Australia: InternNZOZ.com works with companies in New Zealand and Australia to place urban planning students in valuable internships abroad.
Urban Planning Internships in Argentina: World Endeavors places interns in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where they have opportunities to work with businesses or government agencies in urban revitalization, community building, and growth projects.

Examples of Urban Planning Internship Programs

Several cities and organizations offer structured internship programs for aspiring urban planners. Here are a few examples:

City of Raleigh Department of Planning and Development

The Urban Design/Planning Intern will work under the City of Raleigh Department of Planning and Development’s Urban Projects Division in Downtown Raleigh. The Urban Projects is a newer division of the Planning & Development Department, dedicated to catalyzing and accelerating the transition from plan vision to physical reality through internal coordination, external partnerships, and problem-solving. The Urban Design/Planning Intern will assist senior staff at the Urban Projects Division with the development of design and planning-related research, reports, illustrative plans, 3-dimensional analysis and modeling studies, and assist with other related divisional tasks as needed. The intern may also be involved in supporting project assignments associated with planning studies and reports, including area studies, corridor plans, redevelopment plans, and streetscape design as part of the Planning and Development Department team. Through a combination of workshops, mentorship, hands-on projects, and networking opportunities, the intern will develop the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in various roles within the public sector. Students will work closely with experienced municipal government professionals, contribute to important projects, and develop valuable skills in public administration.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Planning and Engineering Internship Program

The SFMTA connects San Franciscans with their communities to enhance the economy, environment, and, ultimately, the quality of life in the city. As an agency within the City and County of San Francisco, the SFMTA is responsible for managing the city’s transportation network. The agency has more than 6,000 employees who are responsible for the management of all ground and some underground transportation in the city. The Planning Level 1 Internship is within the SFMTA Planning and Engineering Internship Program. There are 4 total internship postings: 2 for Planning and 2 for Engineering, each posting with a unique set of multiple positions. Applicants will only be considered for the positions associated with the internship posting(s) they apply for.

SFMTA Internship Details:

Work Environment: The SFMTA operates in a hybrid and traditional environment, and you may be expected to work onsite in the office up to 5 days per week. In-office workdays are determined by the nature of the work and scheduled by your supervisor. Per the City’s Telecommuting Policy, interns must be based in the Bay Area for the extent of their internship.
Work Schedule: The internship follows a 40-hour work-week, generally between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM, Monday to Friday. Work outside these hours may be required for fieldwork, outreach events, etc. Interns may be eligible for a flexible work schedule, subject to supervisor and division approval. Interns may work up to 1,040 hours in a fiscal year.

SFMTA Divisions and Responsibilities:

Transit Division: Performs a wide range of planning functions in support of San Francisco’s transit system. Key areas include short- and long-range service planning, street design improvements to reduce transit delay, program delivery support, transit business administration, and special events planning. Planning interns within the Transit Division are responsible for assisting with service planning and capital planning projects; supporting project community outreach and engagement; analyzing data; developing maps and graphics and performing spatial analysis.
Finance Division: Planning interns within the Finance Division are responsible for supporting funding applications and advocacy by evaluating funding opportunities, soliciting project proposals from implementing teams across the agency; conducting policy research, data collection and analysis (may involve fieldwork); assisting with policy development and/or report creation; conducting geospatial analyses and generating maps using ArcGIS; and preparing presentations and/or project visuals.
TAMS Sub Division: Planning interns within the TAMS Sub Division are responsible for evaluating different transit, bike, and pedestrian plans for impacts on accessibility; researching and developing best practices related to shared mobility accessibility; assisting in development of programs serving seniors and people with disabilities; tracking data for shuttle, scooter share, and bike share permittees; assisting with stop planning for commuter shuttles; and designing improved taxi stands and signage. Duties can include building or updating public dashboards, combining data from multiple data sources, writing memos, evaluating the impact of program rule changes, conducting surveys and gathering stakeholder input, determining potential impacts to underserved or disadvantaged communities, and improving the range of transportation options available. This Division is also involved in helping standardize or set industry standards on emerging mobility trip and telemetry data, best practices for shared device permittees, and informing legislated changes.

SFMTA Application Requirements:

Use the ‘Easy Apply’ feature at the top of the application page to pre-fill the page. This will also automatically attach your resume to the application.
You must attach the following: Proof of your community college, undergraduate, or graduate school education (Master’s or PhD program). Submission date for college transcripts may be extended if it is impossible to obtain by a specified date. Applicants must submit a signed statement explaining why transcripts cannot be obtained by the filing date. Extension requests will be granted on a case-by-case basis. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview. Depending on the number of applicants, the SFMTA may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates. Applications will be screened for relevant qualifying experience. Additional screening mechanisms may be used to determine candidates' qualifications. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

Long Beach Urban Planning and Design Internship Program

The Long Beach Urban Planning and Design Internship Program is a paid internship that’ll help you build connections and gain real-world experience in urban planning and civic engagement. It’s an eight-month course with a mix of activities, projects, workshops, seminars, guest speakers, and networking events. The focus is on hands-on learning and practical skills, so you’ll get to engage with professionals and build meaningful relationships. Interns will receive an hourly wage. Interns should be available to attend workshops a month and be enrolled in a community college or a four-year university.

Maximizing Your Internship Experience

Preparation and Commitment: Finding an internship requires preparation and commitment, so if you'd like to do an internship, plan to begin your search about two to four months before you hope to be an intern.
Networking: Many students arrange internships independently by contacting organizations where they have an interest in interning.
Utilize Resources: Create your ASU Handshake profile to find opportunities near you! International Students: We highly recommend integrating ASU Handshake into your internship search strategy. Internship listings will indicate if employers are open to hiring students with OPT/CPT. You can also filter Handshake listings by work authorization requirements.
Academic Credit: In order to be registered for URP 4945/6945 Planning Internship, you have to show proof of having an internship related to Urban Planning. The internship requires that you complete at least 160 hours in a local planning agency or firm.

Other Ways to Gain Experience

If you’re not ready for an internship but you would like to gain experience and build up your resume, then consider utilizing volunteering as work experience.

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