Urban Planning MSc

The planning of the built environment is becoming more driven by economic rationales. This pathway will equip you with the knowledge and skills to critically engage with these. You'll be introduced to a variety of practical and theoretical skills. These provide a solid basis to build your career as an urban planner or surveyor.

Career pathways may include working for both public and private sectors or non-governmental organisations, such as:

• the Homes and Communities Agency
• social enterprises interested in development
• housebuilders and developers
• local authorities
• transport agencies

This pathway explores some of the most critical urbanisation challenges facing cities worldwide and examines the diverse strategies being developed in response. While urban areas contribute significantly to global environmental and social impacts, they also serve as key sites for innovation and experimentation in sustainable development.

The module integrates a variety of teaching methods, combining theoretical foundations with practical applications. A distinctive feature is the transnational component, which involves collaboration with planning staff and students from other countries, fostering a global perspective on urban issues.

You will gain an understanding of:

• common urbanisation challenges across different contexts
• frameworks for urban sustainability
• the role of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in urban planning
• innovative policy responses and planning practices

This pathway develops your knowledge of approaches to regeneration in Europe and North America. It covers different policy approaches, their potential and their actual impact on place, society and the environment.

You'll learn:

• theories of regeneration practice
• alternative regeneration policy approaches (regional, urban and rural)
• the historical origins and changing political and cultural contexts that have shaped urban policy
• the potential and limitations of urban policy

Teaching focuses on designing and delivering regeneration projects as well as developing a critical understanding of context.

Green Infrastructure (GI) is the development of solutions to address the increasing human impact on the environment. In an urbanising world, natural systems are under increasing pressure. GI development and landscape planning are important tools to respond to these pressures. These tools can enhance, restore or create landscapes with spaces and linkages for both human and natural systems.

This specialism offers a mix of teaching styles to develop a creative strategic approach to GI and landscape planning. Through real-world examples and the guidance of professionals, you'll gain an understanding of:

• the legal framework of GI
• engagement with local communities
• your own interests within the specialism

If you’re studying an accredited degree and thinking about working in Europe after you graduate, the best place to find current information is the UK Government’s guidance on recognition of UK professional qualifications in EU member states. This official resource explains whether your profession is regulated in another country, what steps you need to take, and which organisation you should contact. 

The module information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions.

Optional modules availability

Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

We deliver knowledge and skills through a series of lecture-based modules in semester one and two. We also deliver teaching through:

• workshops
• seminars
• tutorials
• optional international field trips (depending on the module) may be limited due to current international travel restrictions

A member of planning staff will mentor you through your individual dissertation research study.

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Computer assessment
• Dissertation
• Essay
• Professional skills assessments
• Practical lab report
• Report
• Reflective log
• Research proposal
• Research paper

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:

• academic staff
• personal tutors and research supervisors
• our University Student Services Team
• student representatives
• peers

You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff, who will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.

Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:

• module handbooks
• course materials
• groups
• course announcements and notifications
• written feedback

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database. 

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information. 

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.