The meaning of characteristic application-oriented talents of urban planning (CAOTUP) is discussed, and the teaching purpose of urban planning theory course is analyzed. The teaching content reforms enhanced practice and advanced knowledge in this course is researched. Two new methods, planning project experiencing and combination of writing on blackboard with multimedia showing, are introduced in this paper. The importance of case teaching method and project comment is emphasized. Practice teaching result shows that the students, through the reform of urban planning theory course, can improve their theory knowledge learning efficiency and engineering practice ability, so good cultivation foundation of CAOTUP is established.