Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Urban Technology

Urban Technology is an emerging field at the intersection of technology, urbanism, and design. This is where apps, devices, and organizations are created with the aim of making cities better for all people. 

The Bachelor of Science in Urban Technology at the University of Michigan is a first-of-its-kind degree in this dynamic field. Through the program’s unique winter-start structure, you will begin classes at U-M’s Ann Arbor campus during winter term, and you also will participate in spring intensives hosted in centers of urban innovation, including the City of Detroit.

Electric scooters that let you zip around town; software that enables new sharing of places like houses and workspaces; embedded sensors that make sure water is clean and bridges are safe. Imagining those concepts and growing those ideas is what urban technology is all about. At Taubman College, you will learn how to design and create technology with an entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to creating a positive social impact. 

Follow Program Director Bryan Boyer's blog to learn more

World-Renowned

The University of Michigan is globally recognized as one of the world’s most prominent public universities.
QS World University Rankings 2020-2021

Leaders and Best

The University of Michigan has more than 100 programs ranked in the top 10, so you will learn from the best.

Inaugural Class

Purpose-driven program that combines technology, urbanism, and design as a way to shape future cities and urban services.

After graduating with a degree in urban technology you may go on to work in areas such as mobility, information technology, innovation, digital equity, economic development in places like:

• City Government or Metropolitan Authority
• Technology Companies
• Business Improvement Districts
• Non profits and philanthropic foundations
• Community-based organizations
• Starting your own company or organization

Because of our hands-on approach, you’ll gain skills that can be applied in a variety of different roles:
 

• Interaction / User Experience Designer
• Service designer
• Game Designer
• Analyst or researcher
• Entrepreneur
• Product/Program Manager

Elective spring term travel offers you the chance to visit global centers of urban technology like New York, San Francisco, and Shanghai. We will visit alumni and partners in industry to see how they’re reimagining city life, and learn from companies working on smart cities, the Internet of Things, new mobility, and other areas of urban technology.

Hit the ground running

You’ll start learning about urban technology during your first semester on campus. There will also be room to explore your passions through elective coursework in areas like climate change, housing, and mobility.

Learn more in the Requirements section below.

• Transit & Mobility: Taxis like Uber and Lyft or scooters like Bird and Jump are introducing new ways to move. How will electric-powered mobility, sharing, and autonomous vehicles change the way we move?
• Housing: Homes are increasingly equipped with digital interfaces like Nest and shared in new ways through short-term rentals. What new ways of life will this enable? Will ideas of home and community evolve in the 21st century? Can society do a better job of providing housing for everyone?
• Logistics: Robotic deliveries and automated warehouses are changing how we get everything from pants to prescriptions. How will we interact with robots on our city streets and how will that change the way we live?

• Public Health: From new takes on health insurance to clinics and medical devices, the importance of rapid response to health needs is a constant opportunity. How will we bridge between deep medical knowledge and everyday life to create public health solutions that are natural and widely adopted?
• Energy: Renewable power like solar and wind promise to remake the electrical grid and how you interact with it in coming years. What new forms of community can you imagine when you're no longer reliant on a power grid and other national infrastructure?
• Social Justice: Use your understanding of technological systems and data to work on one of the most pressing challenges of today’s digital economy: advocating for the protection of civil rights, personal privacy, fair labor relationships, and other important issues.