Grad School Specialization

[noreaster]

I am currently looking at grad school programs for planning. I am interested in both land use/environmental planning and housing & community development. It is my thought that each specialization has quite different implications in terms of skill development and possible career paths. I have two basic questions:

1. Is mobility between these two fields of planning relatively possible or do you get pigeon-holed into a specialization?
2. Which specialization would provide the most opportunity for acquiring a job post grad school?

Thank you for any help.

[Blide]

I don't think specializations are all that important. If anything, they indicate your preference, not what you're equipped to handle. You should get a diverse enough range of course work in graduate school that you'll be able to draw upon it for any entry level position, no matter your chosen specialization. Of course, you'll have an easier time doing that within in your specialization. As for which is most marketable, I'd say land use planning just because that's what most planners ultimately end up doing.

Personally I'd pick the specialization that interests you most. I wouldn't focus on something you dislike in graduate school just because of its perceived job prospects since it'll make school that much harder. Most people end up working in something that's different from their specialization anyway. Like myself, I work in transportation despite having only limited course work in it.