The Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program provides high quality, affordable and convenient learning in community development, cultural planning, economic development, planning law, professional practice, and urban design.

We offer more than 25 Deep Learning courses between now and June 2011. The next courses, beginning November 3 are:

*Affordable Housing Strategies (November 3 to December 18): Participants will learn about effective and innovative approaches to making quality housing accessible to more people. This course can best benefit those in community development and housing fields.

*Business Development for Planners (November 3 to December 18): This course is for anyone who wants to bring in and retain more clients or get more contracts or grants. This course can best benefit professionals in the private and nonprofit sectors.

*Introduction to Urban Planning (November 3 to December 18): A good introductory course for anyone who wants to help improve communities, but hasn't been trained in planning. Architects, engineers and other s who work to strengthen and revitalize communities can benefit.

*Site Planning Analysis (November 3 to December 18): Course participants will learn to evaluate sites for different kinds of development, and learn how to assess the various factors that determine whether a proposed development "will work" in a site. No drawing or design skills are needed. Anyone in community development, economic development or real estate can benefit from this course.

All courses except Introduction to Urban Planning are eligible for 14 AICP CM credits each. All courses count for 20 hours toward a Bloustein Professional Certificate.

Our practical courses are taught by seasoned practitioners and give you the chance to share ideas with professionals from around the United States. Take a course or two to help improve your work, or earn a Bloustein Professional Certificate to enhance your career.

BOCEP Deep Learning courses are instructor-led and designed for busy professionals who want to be knowledgeable in a subject and learn best by sharing ideas with other smart professionals. While most BOCEP learners are urban planners, anyone interested in making places better is welcome to participate.

There are no required meetings, though all participants are welcome to join in class videoconferences. Unlike workshops that try to cram information in one or two days, BOCEP Deep Learning courses are 5.5 weeks. That gives you time to learn, practice your skills and share insights with your classmates. There are several ways to learn in a class: Through readings assigned by the instructor, instructor-guided conversations in discussion boards among class members; and in some classes, quizzes to test your knowledge. In the Deep Learning studio courses, learners work on real projects for real clients.

Each course costs $295, and a limited number of scholarships of up to $145 are available. Planetizen readers can get $50 off any course. Use promotion code BGBBS.
If you pursue a Bloustein Professional Certificate, there is an additional $50 fee per course. (With that fee, you get free access to monthly leadership development sessions.) For more on how to get scholarships, please subscribe to the weekly PDI online newsletter.

The Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program is produced by the Professional Development Institute of Rutgers University's Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Bloustein is one of the top schools of planning in the United States.

For more information, please visit http://www.policy.rutgers.edu/pdi or contact Program Manager Swena Gulati at [email protected] or 732-932-3822, x636.