Program Overview

Urban and Regional Planning MA

Overview

The Urban and Regional Planning MA will give you the skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary to practise professionally as a spatial planner in a variety of private, public, and third sector/community contexts. Building on the University of Westminster's experience of delivering postgraduate courses in town planning for more than 80 years, it examines planning across diverse contexts and scales, but focuses in particular on planning in, and for, towns, cities, and urban regions in the UK.

Course Structure

For the award of the MA, students need to pass modules totalling 180 credits. MA students take all core modules and choose one specialist option module.

Core Modules

• Planning Theory and Practice 1: Key historical and contemporary debates in planning. Role of planning in land and property markets. Principles of UK planning system. Place Shaping & Policy integration. Making a Planning Decision. Study skills (referencing, essay planning, critical analysis). (20 credits)
• Planning Theory and Practice 2: Governance; Community engagement; Social exclusion and diversity; Planning theory; Planning at different geographic scales; Planning for economic growth and for housing. (20 credits)
• Planning Field Trip: A project-based module organised around a field week located in a European city with strong historic and cultural context. (20 credits)
• Making and Managing Places: Introduction to urban design issues and techniques; principles of property development including financial appraisal; projects involving area, market and site appraisal and development of design proposal in the context of local planning guideline. (40 credits)
• Sustainable Cities and Neighbourhoods: An introduction to the concepts and ideas of sustainability in urban development. Key debates on planning sustainable cities and neighbourhoods. Contemporary issues surrounding the theory and practice of sustainable development. Interdisciplinary and disciplinary discussions on the practice and implementation of sustainable development in planning and design. Development of key study and professional skills (e.g. critical thinking and analysis, site analysis, sustainability appraisal, teamwork, as well as written and visual presentation skills). (20 credits)
• Planning Research: Methods and Skills: This module introduces students to methods and methodologies specific to urban, spatial, design and planning research, and professional practice. Planning skills and principles of conducting research are introduced and explained, and the module will allow students to begin developing their own research proposal for their dissertation/major project. The module will also allow students to critically examine the ways in which knowledge of the built environment, and of the impacts of planning practice and policy, is generated, in the wider context of sustainable development. (20 credits)
• Dissertation / Policy Implementation Project & Colloquium: The module requires students to identify a topic which explores aspects of both their specialist option and their earlier core modules for detailed investigation and evaluation. Offers the possibility to research in-depth a spatial planning or related topic through primary or desk-based research. The Dissertation should be 12,000 words in length. Students may alternatively undertake a policy implementation project on a similar topic producing a written report of a similar length together with a statement reflecting on the research process. (40 credits)
• Reflective Practice for Spatial Planning (PG Certificate in Spatial Planning only): This module is intended for students seeking RTPI membership (Royal Town Planning Institute) who do not hold a recognised degree in planning but do hold a degree recognised as a ‘specialist degree’ by the RTPI. The module enables students to reflect upon their own educational and practice experience, relate these to the RTPI entrance requirements; identify any deficiencies in their competencies together with a strategy to meet any such deficiency and vehicle to demonstrate these to the RTPI. (10 credits)

Option Modules

• Land Use Planning and Transport: The module explores changes in land use in relation to changes in city form and function. It focuses on how the changing planning system (including specific funding systems and processes, and the broader planning framework) shapes transport systems and their sustainability. Different views on transport and land use planning are considered, including local authority and developer perspectives. The module incorporates discussion of transport modelling and forecasting, and an introduction to relevant software as it is used within planning and policy-making. The module considers social and environmental trends and constraints as they affect planning for future transport systems. (20 credits)
• Streets, Places and Active Transport: This module focuses on traffic and streets, where traffic refers to a range of urban transport modes. It covers movement and place functions in urban contexts, including tensions within and between each. Students analyse approaches to evaluating urban street environments, particularly focused on walking and cycling. This incorporates comparisons of methodological approaches used within different streetscape contexts and within different countries. (20 credits)
• Environmental Policy, Assessment and Climate Change: This module provides background on environmental policy and climate change. It sets out the theoretical framework to start with, and then the international context for sustainable development, energy efficiency and climate change. It explores implications for the built environment in a range of development contexts, includes analysis of key policy concerns and planning and design responses comparatively across different institutional and cultural contexts. It also reviews techniques for assessing the impacts of development and examines the role that effective environmental strategies and policies in planning and related fields can pursue to reach sustainable development. (20 credits)
• Housing and Urban Regeneration: Housing and economic development; debates about housing supply; the role of public policy including planning in promoting housing development; the development of affordable housing; concentrations of social deprivation and negative neighbourhood effects; strategies for neighbourhood regeneration; governance and capacity building; tackling worklessness; policy evaluation. (20 credits)
• Communities Towards Sustainability – Public Engagement: Following the growing awareness and recognisance of people's voices in shaping their places, the module addresses key issues around public engagement and themes of sustainability applied to the local scale, by looking at challenges addressed by communities and grassroots, from an interdisciplinary perspective. The participants will gain practical skills through the observation and participation to real-life projects, by being taught and working within an interdisciplinary team, composed of various speakers from different fields and professional horizons, the local authorities and the community groups. They will develop a reflective approach on ways to serve the community and enhance social capital and will additionally benefit from an international exposure through an exchange workshop with a European university. Students will gain theoretical knowledge on key ideas related to sustainability, community, participation, social capital and governance, inequalities issues and cultural diversity attached to place-making processes; and develop analytical skills on key historical and contemporary debates about community engagement, community diversity through London's key challenges for sustainability and by learning on international cases. (20 credits)
• Planning for Risk & Resilience: Cities and their populations everywhere are facing a future of growing uncertainty and vulnerability. Planning frameworks and strategies will need to be adaptable to this growing risk. This module looks at spatial planning and urban design for risk management. It addresses reducing vulnerability and building urban resilience as it relates to longer-term climate change and other environmental threats, associated economic and political risks, public health and development needs. The module integrates sustainable development and climate change mitigation and adaptation concerns with disaster planning and urban risk management. (20 credits)
• Modifying Transport Behaviour: Theory, Practice and Politics: This module will provide a compelling insight into the state of the art of modifying behaviour in transport, from well-established interventions (such as speed limits) to relatively new ones (such as personal travel planning). Topics will include: The policy and politics of modifying transport behaviour, how behaviour change fits into the governance of transport, the theoretical basis of transport behaviour change, typology of audiences and interventions, “the four Es”: education, engineering, enforcement and economy, and evaluation – theory and practicalities. (20 credits)
• Conservation and Heritage: An introduction to the historic urban landscapes that form an important part of most towns and cities throughout the world. Theory and conservation practice evaluated in a legislative and case law context. Students will learn the techniques of character appraisal and how they can form a platform for further creative intervention and develop an understanding of the specific legislative constraints relating to heritage assets. (20 credits)
• Emerging Landscapes and Urban Ecologies: This is a theory and case study-based module that critically examines the role of and definition of nature in urban environments. It looks at the role of nature, ecology and landscape as powerful paradigms in cities in the late 20th / early 21st century. Socioenvironmental sustainability, urban ecology, adaptive reuse and the re-emergence of natural landscape features as part of a city’s active green infrastructure are addressed and discussed through relevant literature. International case studies are explored in the context of a growing awareness of the importance of city ecologies for health and wellbeing, sustainability and the future design of cities. (20 credits)
• Place and Experience in Design of Urban Spaces: This is a project-based module that examines the form, use and experience of public space and the notions of perception, identity, diversity, place, place making and place shaping. Projects are used to critically assess the character of urban spaces and propose responsive design interventions. The understanding of the use and experience of these spaces is supported by lectures and selected readings of key thinkers in the field. (20 credits)
• Information Management Applications for Urban Planning: This is a project-based module where students investigate industry-standard software and datasets easily available for analysis and representation of spatial phenomena. Supported by a series of lectures the module has a focus on student led projects developing a critical understanding of how software can enhance practice rather than developing advanced software skills. (20 credits)

Professional Accreditation

The Urban and Regional Planning MA is fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a combined degree programme. On successful completion of the MA course, students can become licentiates of the RTPI. After two years’ experience in practice, they may make a submission for their Assessment of Professional Competence and, if successful, are then entitled to full RTPI membership, leading to better career – and salary – prospects.

Entry Requirements

• A minimum of a lower second class honours degree (2:2). Applicants without the standard entry requirements will be considered if they have membership of an appropriate professional body. Applicants may be required to attend an interview. This course is designed for those students who wish to practice town and country planning in the UK.
• If your first language is not English, you should have an IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.5 in writing and no element below 6.0.
• Applicants are required to submit one academic reference.

Fees and Funding

• UK tuition fee: £1,211 (Price per 20-credit module)
• International tuition fee: £2,000 (Price per 20-credit module)
• Alumni discount: This course is eligible for an alumni discount. Find out if you are eligible and how to apply by visiting our Alumni discounts page.
• Funding: There is a range of funding available that may help you fund your studies, including Student Finance England (SFE).
• Scholarships: The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible postgraduate students.

Careers

Whatever your career plans, or even if you have no plans at present, a degree in planning provides you with particularly good job prospects. Planning is widely considered a highly employable degree due to the mixture of skills and competencies students acquire, offering great career prospects domestically as well as internationally. Students completing the Urban and Regional Planning MA have an excellent record of gaining employment or progressing their careers in planning and related fields, working for local governments, quasi-public and non-profit organisations, as well as private planning consultants.

Industry Links

We maintain a strong network of connections with public, private, and third sector organisations, including the RTPI, giving you the opportunity to participate in live briefs, guest lectures, professional workshops, and networking events.

Course Leader

• Johannes Novy: Senior Lecturer
• Johannes Novy studied urban planning and urban studies in Germany, Italy and the United States and holds a PhD in Urban Planning from Columbia University, New York. His main areas of research and teaching include urban and planning theory, urban (re-)development, urban politics, as well as urban tourism and leisure consumption. Johannes is a founding member of the Berlin-based urbanist collective u-Lab, regularly teaches at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris and is a member of the Curatorial Board of the International Building Exhibition IBA Stuttgart Region 2027.

Research Groups

Our research achieves real-world impact and we are proud to claim a rich and diverse profile of high-quality research and knowledge exchange in a wide range of disciplines.

• Emerging Territories Research Group
• Max Lock Centre
• Place and Experience Research Group

Supporting You

Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.

• Study support – workshops, 1-2-1 support and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills
• Personal tutors – support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential
• Student advice team – provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits and visas
• Extra-curricular activities – volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events and more

Course Location

In the heart of London, our Marylebone Campus is home to the Westminster Business School and our Architecture, Planning and Tourism courses. Specialist workshops, dedicated digital and architecture studios, and our extensive Marylebone Library offer students everything they need for academic success.

Marylebone Campus is opposite Baker Street tube station and within easy walking distance of Regent's Park and Marylebone High Street.