Program Overview

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About this course

The MCD Urban Design and Planning is one of our postgraduate programmes accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and it supports students in developing the knowledge and skills needed to become professionals operating in the fields of urban design and planning.

Introduction

The programme aims to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of urban design and planning, providing them with a solid foundation in the principles and practices of planning and designing urban spaces. Students will explore the social, economic, and environmental challenges that cities face today and learn how to address these challenges through the development of sustainable and innovative design and planning strategies at various spatial scales.

The programme is offered in both full time and part time, and all modules are mandatory.

In this course, you'll gain insights into the social, economic, and environmental challenges that urban planners and designers face in designing cities that are functional, liveable, and sustainable. You'll also become familiar with various planning and urban design tools and methods that are used to address these challenges, and learn how they can be applied to specific contexts.

By the end of the course, you will be able to analyse urban contexts, develop urban design proposals, and evaluate the social, economic, and environmental impacts of projects at different scales. Whether you aspire to become an urban designer, planner, or researcher, this course will provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in your future endeavours.

Who is this course for?

This MCD is suitable for students from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds, including urban planning, architecture and related disciplines.

What you'll learn

• A critical appreciation of challenges facing contemporary cities in terms of the need to reconcile economic growth and development with protecting and enhancing the environment.
• The capacity to plan and design environments at a variety of spatial scales in a sustainable, healthy and socially equitable way.
• A range of analytical skills and techniques that are designed to develop appropriate and implementable solutions to a range of complex problems.
• The opportunity to apply gained knowledge, skills and understanding to the achievement of feasible solutions to real-life problems.
• An ability to appreciate the need to adopt strong professional values and ethics, recognising the diversity of interests that planning and urban design serve.

Accreditation

This MCD taught programme is fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute.

Course content

Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.

Semester 1

In your first semester, you will be introduced to the challenges and forces that shape the built environment and the role played by design professionals.

You will develop an understanding of the conflicts facing planners and urban designers in trying to deliver sustainable development, learn methods and techniques for analysing spatial planning and design issues, and the perspectives and theories that are relevant to the understanding of the role and purposes of planning and urban design.

You will attend lectures, seminars and take part in tutorials and field work to help you to build an understanding of planning and urban design principles and the field.

Modules

• SPATIAL PLANNING CHALLENGES (ENVS411) - 15 credits
• THEORY, POWER AND ETHICS (ENVS432) - 15 credits
• TRENDS, OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS (ENVS469) - 15 credits
• URBAN DESIGN: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE (ENVS420) - 15 credits

Semester 2

In your second semester, you will further develop the skills required to excel in the field of urban design and planning.

You will understand more about the challenges that are faced by planners and urban designers when working towards meaningful change and get hands-on with project work that will allow you to apply concepts you have learned in a practical context – working with your peers and clients within the local community.

You will also explore important planning and urban design issues in other places as the programme includes a residential field class. Recently, the field class has visited Glasgow, Lille, Copenhagen and Malmö. The cost of travel and accommodation is covered by the University, but students will need to pay for visas and meals as well as any other personal expenses.

Modules

• IMPLEMENTING AND MANAGING CHANGE (ENVS459) - 15 credits
• SPATIAL PLANNING AND DESIGN PROJECT (ENVS467) - 30 credits
• URBAN DESIGN STUDIO (ENVS463) - 15 credits

Final Project

For your final research project, you will undertake a research focused on urban design. Using all of the skills, knowledge and understanding you have gained throughout the programme, you will identify a research topic, manage your research process and draw policy and design conclusions from your findings.

Lectures and seminars will support your academic writing and primary research skills – and you will have support from your tutor on developing your research outline into a full-scale research project.

Modules

• DISSERTATION MCD/MA/MSC PLANNING (ENVS491) - 60 credits

Teaching and assessment

You'll learn through a combination of teaching, learning and assessment methods in line with the varied nature of the programme.

You'll attend lectures, seminars and tutorials and take part in practical sessions, such as project work and field visits. You are encouraged to take a proactive approach to your learning.

You will plan and organise your studies both on an individual basis and working in groups, take an active role in seminars, class discussions, library and IT studies and make practice contacts and site visits associated with coursework submissions.

You will be assessed through a combination of coursework, such as essays, reports, seminar presentations, examinations and project work. Essays, reports, seminars and discussion papers enable you to explore particular components of the course in-depth and present coherent arguments using a range of writing styles, suitable for different audiences.

Seminar presentations provide opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate your ability in presenting and defending your arguments. Group projects enable you to demonstrate, through verbal presentations, written reports and and design work, your ability to work as part of a team to resolve large and complex problems. Examinations test knowledge, understanding and critical reflection on a range of materials covered in a module.

You will also take part in a final research project focused on urban design. You will work independently to develop and demonstrate research skills and apply knowledge to a specific research problem. You will be specifically assessed on your initial presentation, your research outline, and your dissertation.

Your experience

The Department of Geography and Planning is home to the world's first planning school. We are a centre of excellence for innovative and influential research and scholarship and are a leading provider of high-quality professional education. We have excellent academic staff who are actively engaged with research and professional practice. This is reflected in the fact we edit two international journals: Town Planning Review and Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management.

Careers and employability

Graduates of this MCD programme have excellent job prospects in the field of urban design and planning and beyond.

There are significant career opportunities in the fields of urban design and planning. Students completing the programme will be able to take up jobs in a wide range of fields; they could work in local authorities, the private and voluntary sectors, as well as architectural offices working on place-making and master planning. Students can also go on to take higher degrees or work as research assistants in academic institutions.

The programme is professionally accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). As such, students develop core skills that will help them gain Chartered Planner status through an engagement with modules that have been developed to meet professional Learning Outcomes established by the RTPI.

Employability is embedded throughout the programme. Through working on real-life projects, collaborating in group work, presenting to professionals, and engaging with a variety of coursework, students will develop a set of skills that will be attractive to employers in the urban design and planning sectors, and will also transfer to other sectors. These include teamwork, the capacity to collect, analyse and synthesise information, presentation skills and digital fluency, as well as critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Fees and funding

Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.

Tuition fees

• UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland):
  • Full-time place, per year - £12,500
  • Part-time place, per year - £6,250
• International fees:
  • Full-time place, per year - £28,000
  • Part-time place, per year - £14,000

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support.

Additional costs

We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.

Scholarships and bursaries

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries that could help pay your tuition and living expenses.

Entry requirements

The qualifications and exam results you'll need to apply for this course.

• Postgraduate entry requirements: We accept a 2:2 honours degree from a UK university, or an equivalent academic qualification from a similar non-UK institution. This degree can be in any relevant subject discipline. Non-graduates with very extensive professional experience and/or other prior qualifications may also be considered. Relevant work experience is not an entry requirement, but prospective students are encouraged to gain some familiarity with the work of planning professionals prior to joining the programme.
• International qualifications: Applications from international students are welcome. International qualifications will be evaluated in line with the National Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) guidelines.
• English language qualifications: All applicants must have reached a minimum required standard of English language and are required to provide evidence of this. Qualifications accepted by the University include:
  • IELTS: 6.5 overall, with no component below 6.0
  • TOEFL iBT: 88 overall, with minimum scores of listening 19, writing 19, reading 19 and speaking 20
  • Duolingo English Test: 125 overall, with writing not less than 125, speaking and reading not less than 115, and listening not below 110
  • Pearson PTE Academic: 61 overall, with no component below 59
  • LanguageCert Academic: 70 overall, with no skill below 65
  • PSI Skills for English: B2 Pass with Merit in all bands
  • INDIA Standard XII: National Curriculum (CBSE/ISC) - 75% and above in English. Accepted State Boards - 80% and above in English
  • WAEC: C6 or above

If you don't meet our English language requirements, we can use your most recent IELTS score, or the equivalent score in selected other English language tests, to determine the length of Pre-sessional English course you require.