There are 6 points of ability structure listed in Guiding Discipline Standard for Urban and Rural Planning Undergraduates in China’s Institutes of Higher Education, which is the goal of the development of urban and rural planning discipline in the future. Relevant courses are needed to support the knowledge acquisition of the ability structure. As the main course of urban and rural planning, the design courses are connected in series to develop students’ ability structure. Based on the 6 points of ability structure, we analyzed the existing problems of the traditional teaching and discussed the teaching reform of design courses from aspects of curriculum system perfection, courses connection, teaching methods and cultivation mechanism innovation.