Dr. Sue Peerson

Instructor

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Biography

Sue Peerson is a senior continuing lecturer in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning with over 30 years of planning experience. Her teaching and research blend planning, law, urban design, and landscape architecture, underscoring the integration of physical plans within the political, social, and environmental context. Peerson has worked with large city agencies and has run her own consulting practice. She has received the UC San Diego’s Paul D. Barbara J. Saltman Distinguished Teaching Award and teaches courses including urban design practicum, graphics & visual communication, site analysis, placemaking & public realm, and advanced urban design. Her teaching promotes an inclusive learning environment and engages students in real-world projects. Additionally, she has been recognized as a Changemaker Faculty Fellow and focuses her research on rethinking the role of San Diego alleys in community environmental change, emphasizing their potential to improve public health and create inclusive outdoor spaces. Peerson's professional journey encompasses roles as a city planner and appointed official, and she has been honored as a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

Research Interests

Requirements for University of California, San Diego

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:85
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Duolingo
Overall Score
Required:120
Overall
Required:120
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in physical, biological, or earth sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Differential and integral calculus. One year of calculus-based physics with laboratory. One year of chemistry with laboratory.
Application Checklist
  • Statement of Purpose (max 2 pages)
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Application fee ($135 domestic / $155 international)
Specialization Notes

Administered by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Curricular groups include Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere (COAP), Geosciences (GEO), and Ocean Biosciences (OBP).