Individualized Study

Plan
6 June 2021

Justin Tran

Community, Environment, and Planning

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Table of Contents

 Letter of Introduction – 2
 Course Worksheet – 3
 Autumn 2019 – 4
 Winter 2020 – 5
 Spring 2020 – 7
 Autumn 2020 – 8
 Winter 2021 – 10
 Spring 2021 – 11
 Internship Plan – 12
 Extracurricular Plan – 13
 Senior Project Plan – 14
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Letter of Introduction

I came to the University of Washington partly because it was an expectation of my family

and partly because I enjoyed learning. Education has always been valued in my family and it is a
value that I share. I like to explore and learn about new things, the monotony of long breaks are
often when life is the most boring for me. Entering college, I had no clear goal of where I wanted
to go or what I wanted to study. My first year of college, I took a variety of classes across a
variety of subjects. Few were eye catching, many just flew by and I quickly forgot the subject
matter. An architecture course I took was one of the classes that hooked me, got me curious, and
kept me engaged during and after the class. This led to my discovery of the College of Built
Environments and the different programs it had to offer.
Being a smaller college at the University of Washington, the College of Built
Environments had some programs I had not heard of before. The department that immediately
caught my eye and pulled me from my initial interest of architecture was Urban Design and
Planning. The focus on the broader topic of planning and the ideas and policies that shaped the
growth of buildings and cities spoke to me more than the idea of specifics of buildings and the
technical makeup of buildings. Urban design and planning is a study area that checks the boxes
of what I like and one that had many course descriptions sound genuinely interesting to me. To
my dismay, it was a masters only program. The undergraduate program in the department was
Community, Environment, and Planning (CEP), so I decided to apply for it. It was not an easy
process, but I got in.
After going through the program, now in the final weeks of my senior year, the program
was a departure from what I expected, but a welcome one. The core courses I took in my first
year varied, from student led discussion classes to my idea of a more traditional planning course.
I feel like the subject matter of the core courses will be important to future planning work. The
methods courses, also a big part of CEP, were where I got some of the more technical and hard
skills, while governance, also an integral part of CEP, built upon my individual responsibilities
and my teamwork skills.
All the courses I have taken so far are all very important to my education and for my
future goals in the urban design and planning field. The Individual Study Plan (ISP) is a record
of the courses I have taken and plan to take. It holds me accountable for what I am studying and
why.
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Autumn 2019

CEP 301 The Idea of Community (5) I&S

“Theories of community and communal rights and responsibilities. Experience building a
learning community within major. Explores struggles for community in every sector of life.”

Reading a variety of texts that show depictions of different types of communities allows me to
understand what a community needs and how to go about making that community possible.

GEOG 465 GIS Database and Programming (5) I&S

“Explores GIS database models, database development, and database management systems used
in GIS. Uses programming languages most applicable to GIS database work, particularly
related to extending current commercial GIS such as ArcGIS.”

This is a continuation of GEOG 360 and for the minor. Geographic information systems are
commonly used in a lot of work today and especially in urban planning. This class seems to go in
more depth compared to 360 and will provide me skills that are used in future classes and in real
world situations.

URBDP 405 The Urban Form (3) VLPA

“Elements, patterns, and evolution of urban form. The forces that shaped cities in history.
Contemporary trends. Methods of urban morphological analysis as related to urban design and
planning practices.”

Surveys forces and trends that shaped cities in the past and how modern cities have built upon
older theories and models to make a more livable city. By learning about the Urban Form as well
as urban design and planning practices, I will be more prepared in the future as an urban planner
when it comes to dealing with the evolving landscape of cities.

CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1, max. 6)

“Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning
through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers
and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups.”

I started governance in the Headlights committee and plan to stay in it for the rest of my time
here. The idea of headlights (long term planning and visioning) speaks strongly to me and will be
a place where I can make a change.
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Winter 2020

CEP 302 Environmental Response (5) I&S/NW

“Explores issues of environmental crisis and societal responses. Readings and reflective
analysis from broad selection of authoritative sources to develop grounded perspective in
ecological literacy and consciousness. Concurrently, experiential education in challenges and
practical responses to building sustainable society through participation in community-based
environmental effort.”

Looking at urban planning through an environmental lens, how the environment reacts to human
change as well as how societies/communities responds to environmental change. In a world
where climate change is a threat to humanity, this class will teach me knowledge and methods
that will let me better consider environmental factors in my future work.

INFO 350 Information Ethics and Policy (5) I&S

“Introduction to relational database management systems, focused on relational theory and the
application of conceptual, logical, and physical database modeling. Key topics include the
relational model, SQL, entity-relationship modeling, three-tier architectures, implementation of
database applications, and related topics in information systems.”

A class concerning issues about ethics and how it relates to technology. Since I am interested in
GIS classes and urban geographies, technology plays an important role in these topics. Knowing
how to navigate issues surrounding such topics will be very important for me in the future. Also
fulfills minor/methods.

INFO 330 Databases and Data Modeling (5) QSR

“Provides a framework for analyzing the ethical, legal, economic, and socio-political issues
surrounding information, information technologies, and the information industries. Explores
policy and ethical issues of information access and control including; intellectual property, file
sharing, free speech, privacy, and national security.”

There is overlap between topics covered in this class and GEOG 465, so it is beneficial to take
both of them. Increased knowledge of databases and how data modeling will allow me to
perform GIS skills and other technical skills in a more competent manner.

URBDP 480 Planning as a Profession (1)

“Provides students interested in the planning profession an opportunity to understand the
different pathways and career choices within the profession. Introduces students to guest
professionals in various planning careers and highlight key issues, skills used, and tips to
entering the field. Focuses on professional practice rather than analytical methods or theory.”
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A series of guest lectures that showed me what professionals with many years of experience (30+
in some cases) do. A range of speakers, from nonprofits to government to private sector to
international, spoke about what they do under the broad umbrella of urban design and planning.

CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1, max. 6)

“Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning
through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers
and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups.”

I started governance in the Headlights committee and plan to stay in it for the rest of my time
here. The idea of headlights (long term planning and visioning) speaks strongly to me and will be
a place where I can make a change.

Spring 2020
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CEP 303 Social Structures and Processes (5) I&S

“Investigates use of formal and informal social structures and processes within context of
community and environment. Looks at patterns and institutions of social organization and
relationships among different sectors. Issues of interrelatedness, citizenship, knowledge, and
communication.”

Looking at how social structures are organized and how they interact with the environment. This
will help me understand the needs of social groups within a community and how interactions
with the environment are shaped by different social statuses. This class was cut short due to
extraordinary circumstances, but I learned some valuable lessons on placemaking, community
building, and community interaction.

CEP 473 Digital Design Practicum (5) I&S/VLPA

“Uses digital technologies for mapping, drafting, modeling, and communication. Includes real-
world case study projects that focus on urban design and planning issues.”

Covered a variety of topics from Adobe products (Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.) to Sketchup to
infographic making. There were real world examples shown in class that I was able to mimic. I
learned a good foundation for a variety of software that I feel comfortable listing on a resume
and being able to learn more if necessary.

CEP 498 Special Topics (1-9, max. 15) I&S

“Systematic study of specialized subject matter.”

A studio planning practicum, I got to work in a small group over the course of the quarter with a
real-world business client and apply everything I have learned so far in a real-world case. I used
skills I learned before (GIS, Photoshop, community building and interaction, etc.) to do a case
study of the I-5 Lid project in the U-District and present it to a group of professionals.

CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1, max. 6)

“Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning
through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers
and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups.”

I started governance in the Headlights committee and plan to stay in it for the rest of my time
here. The idea of headlights (long term planning and visioning) speaks strongly to me and will be
a place where I can make a change.

Autumn 2020
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CEP 460 Planning in Context (5) I&S

“Examines theory against backdrop of practice for broad historical understanding of social,
political, environmental planning. Critique from viewpoints, e.g., planning history, ethics,
ecofeminism, environmental justice, class and capitalism, planning and global economy.
Develop personalized history reflecting individual experience, professional experience, and
philosophical heritage of planning profession”

So far, this course is like CEP 498 from Spring 2020. I am in a team working with a real-world
client to solve issues related to urban planning. Currently, I am dealing with the Racial Equity
Lab in Seattle and working on a Cultural Space Indicator, something that will help make Seattle
a more equitable and inclusive place for communities that are often a second thought.

CEP 490 Senior Project Prep Seminar I: Research and Project Scoping (1-3)
“Supports the conceptualization and planning of senior project/capstone work. Focuses on
selecting a project, beginning a literature review, finding a mentor, and developing a plan.”

The first in a series of courses planning out a year long senior project. Holds me accountable
with steady progress checkpoints.

CEP 446 Internship (5, max. 10)

“Connects core and individual courses with field work. Group and individual readings develop
understanding of how students' internships and field placements constitute particular element of
community and environmental planning. Explores how what we do for a living is part of our
lives as citizens and public service.”

How to better navigate life post-graduation. Dealing with things like resume writing, cover letter
writing, negotiations, what I am looking for out of work and life, how to better explain what I am
studying, how to explain what I want to do in the future, etc. Internship requirement waived due
to extraordinary circumstances.

URBDP 404 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (3)

“Provides students with introductory practical knowledge of Geographical Information Systems
and Science for current and future coursework in urban planning.”

Takes previous GIS knowledge and applies it to the urban design and planning field. Looks at
different ways how GIS skills and software can be used in a practical setting and what are
common use cases in urban design and planning.

CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1, max. 6)

“Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning
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through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers
and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups.”

I started governance in the Headlights committee and plan to stay in it for the rest of my time
here. The idea of headlights (long term planning and visioning) speaks strongly to me and will be
a place where I can make a change.

Winter 2021

CEP 461 Ethics and Identity (5)

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“Examination of personal, societal, vocational, environmental, planning ethics. Readings and

discourse on ethical foundations for public life. Individual and group readings on values, human
potential. Develops understanding of ecological context, moral responsibility, self-awareness.
Constructs positive, diverse view of humanity, environment regardless of race, gender, ethnicity,
beliefs.”

The human side of planning, how ethics influence society and the surrounding environment. This
will be very useful understanding humanity and the diversity of backgrounds is a useful skill for
anyone, not just through a planning lens. Understanding the human side of things will make life
easier for everyone.

GEOG 458 Digital Geographies (5)

“Explores the use and societal impacts of contemporary digital spatial technologies. Focuses on
internet mapping, handheld geographic technologies, location-based services, spatial
applications of social media, the geoweb, and traditional GIS. Develops hands-on experience
using online digital spatial tools for geovisual representation, and skills for evaluation/critique
of digital data and maps.”

Further building upon all my previous GIS courses, this course seems to explore the evolving
field and how new technologies impact GIS work. GIS is something that I enjoy, is useful in the
real world, and applicable to the rest of my studies. I want to improve my knowledge as much as
I can.

CEP 491 Senior Project Prep Seminar II: Methods and Actualization (1-3)
“Focuses on implementing the senior project/capstone, including revisions and updates as seen
fit.”

The second in a series of courses planning out a year long senior project. Holds me accountable
with steady progress checkpoints. This sounds like it is digging more into the nitty gritty of the
project.

CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1, max. 6)

“Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning
through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers
and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups.”

I started governance in the Headlights committee and plan to stay in it for the rest of my time
here. The idea of headlights (long term planning and visioning) speaks strongly to me and will be
a place where I can make a change.
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Spring 2021

CEP 462 Community and Environment (5) I&S

“Capstone quarter merges core seminars, disciplinary courses in major, community field
experiences for mastery of personal knowledge and skills. Reflection and synthesis of themes in
major; engagement with contemporary issues. Compares theoretical definitions of community
and environment with individual philosophies and knowledge within thoughtful, applied
context.”

Final course in the core CEP. Will hopefully tie everything together and apply all I have learned
so far to current events and issues. Will reflect upon my community and environment and see
how my understanding of it has changed over the past two years.

URBDP 300 Introduction to Urban Planning (5) I&S

“Principles and theories of urban structure and institutions. Concepts and logic of planning as a
community process and a professional activity. Evolution of planning ideas in response to
changing social, economic, and environmental conditions within the American political
framework. Complementary nature of public and private responsibilities. Major procedures used
by planners.”

An overview of urban design and planning. A conceptual framework surrounding urban design
and planning will be helpful in the field. It is not just enough to know about technology, but also
the underlying processes of the field. I hope this class can teach me more about urban design and
planning and some of its intricacies.

CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1, max. 6)

“Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning
through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers
and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups.”

I started governance in the Headlights committee and plan to stay in it for the rest of my time
here. The idea of headlights (long term planning and visioning) speaks strongly to me and will be
a place where I can make a change.

Internship Plan
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As it stands, I currently have no internship lined up. I am in the process of applying for
many internships. My ideal choice would be something local and government based. The Seattle
Department of Transportation or Sound Transit are two companies I would like to intern for. I
am familiar with both companies and I have used both their services for a long time, nearly my
entire life. With a major in Community, Environment, and Planning as well as an intended minor
in Geography, I would like to intern for a position in the field of urban design and planning.
Whether that be a transportation intern, a planning and policy intern, or whatever the title is, I
would be happy to get the opportunity to intern for a role like that.
I believe I have the baseline skills needed to succeed in those positions. I have taken
several courses before that have dealt with GIS products and principals. I am comfortable with
tools like ArcGIS, ArcMap, and ArcMap Online. I am also comfortable with some programming
that can tie into GIS, so SQL and PostgreSQL. I am also in the process of taking classes
revolving around urban planning and the urban form. With a combination of hard skills and soft
skills, I believe I have the skillset to work in the industry and get acclimated to the environment
swiftly.
My goals for any potential internship are to see how the real-world works. Learning
about technical skills and theories is fine and all, but I would like to understand and experience
how those concepts and skills are used in the real world. Perhaps an internship will make me
realize that I do not like what is going on and pivot me towards a new direction. Perhaps it will
reaffirm what I want to do and make me more enthusiastic in my studies going forward. Either
way, I think that an internship has a lot of potential to help me understand what I want out of my
education.

2020 Update:
I have not yet completed an internship. I had one lined up with the Seattle Parks and
Recreation Department for the Summer of 2020, but it was cancelled due to unforeseen
circumstances. Nonetheless, I believe what I had written before still applies to my future goals.

2021 Update:
I completed a small unpaid internship for a company in the area. Much of the work was
office administration skills, so proofreading, editing, data entry, etc. It was remote due to the
COVID-19 pandemic and lasted one quarter. It was not connected much to my academic goals
and I did not have to apply many of the skills I learned in school, but I think it was a useful
experience and helpful in building connections and showing me what some essential tasks for all
office jobs are.

Extracurricular Plan
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Currently, I have no plans for any study abroad programs. The biggest limiting factor for
that is cost, I do not think I have the funds to study abroad. I also do not want to travel and be
doing work. To put it bluntly, if I were to travel, I want all my attention to be on the experience
and not have anything detract from it. For now, I cannot think of any combination of location
and subject matter that would make sense for me to travel abroad for study. There would need to
be a perfect intersection of location and focus to make a study abroad something I consider.
At the time of writing, I am a member of some RSO’s here at the University of
Washington. I do not hold any officer positions in them, but I attend meetings and am happy just
being a member of the community. Outside of the University of Washington, I volunteer semi-
regularly at Van Hanh Temple in South Seattle. It is mostly during holidays and events, but I
lend a hand whenever I can make time for it.
Something that I have done recently is find public meetings/lectures on Zoom and just
drop in to listen. I have been to a few so far and I have attended a variety of different topics. It is
a nice way for me to unwind and hear about unique experiences people have had and have some
conversations with people I would ordinarily never meet.

Senior Project Plan

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At the time of writing, I am in the preliminary stages of my senior project. So far, I am

looking into the evolution of cities, the idea of a megacity, and how the development of such
places and the urban life in general is affecting the rural populace and the towns there. After the
Senior Project Film Festival for the 2019 Class, I watched a few of the senior projects and was
inspired by all their work. I do not know what shape the final product will be, but I am juggling
some ideas right now. One I am interested in is making a documentary in the vein of the Senior
Project Film Festival.

2021 Update
After a couple talks with advisors, I settled upon the idea of interviewing college aged
students that hail from rural backgrounds to better understand their experiences with community
identity, their relations to their hometown, and how all that impacted their adjustment when it
came to moving to Seattle and adjusting to life in the city. More information is in the Senior
Project page