Welcome to the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs (CAPPA). We are at an exciting moment as we continue to re-imagine the built environment, the design of buildings, their interiors, and landscapes, planning for the future while addressing sustainability and public policy. We are also excited about UTA West, UTA’s shared dream for westward expansion and eager to make contributions. As an interdisciplinary college, CAPPA brings together the disciplines of Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Planning, Public Administration, and Public Policy to impact the communities in which we live. We encourage our students to learn from various fields as we tackle complex built environment problems with new perspectives shared through partnerships across campus, other universities, industry partners, architecture design & planning firms, nonprofits, and community partners.

CAPPA is rising as faculty engage with physical and social issues. Our diverse faculty and staff, and a growing undergraduate and graduate student body represent our regional, national and global reach. Our commitment to the well-being and sustainability of our environment through research and design is evident as we launched two degrees in high-demand fields: Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Urban Design and Master of Science in Sustainable Building Technology a few years ago.

We are committed to actively educating our students using the latest knowledge, technology and practices as we prepare future leaders to navigate through this fast-changing world. We seek to inspire, motivate, and educate students to pursue excellence in academic scholarship, design practice, creative thinking and critical reflection.

Established in 2015, CAPPA is now 10 years in the books. We will be celebrating as we enter the academic year of 2025-26. We welcome you to join us for such celebration. And please reach out to us for any inquiries about CAPPA.


ABOUT DEAN MING-HAN LI, PH.D

Dr. Ming-Han Li is a distinguished academic leader for the built environment, particularly in landscape architecture and urban planning. Dr. Li previously served as the Director at the Michigan State University School of Planning, Design, and Construction. He led the school’s four disciplines: construction management, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban and regional planning. He also enhanced the Ph.D. program in planning, design, and construction and the National Charrette Institute. His expertise covers stormwater management, transportation environment, erosion control and green infrastructure. Dr. Li has a strong research and practical background. He has received recognition for his contributions to landscape architecture education, named a fellow with the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture in 2017, and with the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2019, and was a member of the landscape and environmental design committee of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies. Dr. Li was named the 2017 top 25 “Most Admired Educators” by DesignIntelligence. His accomplishments have made him an outstanding alumnus by the College of Architecture at Texas A&M in 2023 and by the Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering at National Taiwan University in 2024. Dr. Li’s unique strength is his interdisciplinary, professional background. He is a certified planner, professional engineer, and professional landscape architect, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering (National Taiwan University) and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering (The University of Texas at Austin), both Master of Landscape Architecture and Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Sciences from Texas A&M University.

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