Dr. Jennifer Wolch

Professor

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Biography

Jennifer Wolch is a Distinguished Professor Emerita in City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley. A noted urban geographer and planner, she has held administrative roles including Chair of the USC Department of Geography and Dean of Graduate Programs at USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. From 2009 to 2019, Wolch served as the William W. Wurster Dean of the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley. Her research has predominantly focused on urban homelessness, the delivery of affordable housing and human services to marginalized populations, and the dynamics of urban sprawl. She has been an early investigator in the field of animal-society relations in urban contexts, researching attitudes towards animals and strategies for human-animal coexistence. Recently, her work has analyzed the connections between urban form and public health, particularly in relation to environmental justice and access to urban parks. Wolch is a co-director of the UC Berkeley Global Urban Humanities Initiative and has received numerous fellowships and honors throughout her career, including awards from the Guggenheim Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. She has authored or co-authored seven books and 148 academic articles and book chapters, contributing significantly to her fields of study.

Research Interests

Courses

ED 4C Future Ecologies ED 198 Leadership in Sustainable Environmental Design

Requirements for University of California, Berkeley

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
GRE Subject
Overall Score
Required:500
Overall
Required:500
TOEFL
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent Preparation comparable to undergraduate major at Berkeley in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics 2 full years lower-division work (Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Multivariable Calculus) 8 one-semester upper-division courses (Real Analysis, Complex Analysis, Abstract Algebra, Linear Algebra)
Application Checklist
  • Graduate Application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Personal History Statement
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Unofficial Transcripts
  • C.V./Resume
  • Course and Textbook List
Specialization Notes

The Mathematics Subject GRE is required for the Fall 2026 admissions cycle. General GRE is optional.