MA or PGDip or PGCert in Urban Design

Program Overview

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Overview

Many of the world’s problems can only be solved by designing better cities. From protecting the green belt to minimising travel times, urban designers have a huge role to play in creating a sustainable future for our communities. Join us at Oxford Brookes to discover how.

You’ll look at design at all levels, from individual building scale to master plans of entire conurbations. You’ll address the whole spectrum of urban environments, from village to megacity, and you’ll test your ideas in a challenging international project anywhere from Manhattan to Mumbai.

We start by looking at housing in the UK. By Semester 2 you could be speaking to a local expert in Dubai, asking how climate change affects people there or analysing population data for Hong Kong, looking for ways to sustainably develop high intensity housing.

Our huge range of topics enable you to develop the skills to tackle urban design challenges worldwide. We can’t promise you’ll solve every challenge but we’ll give you every opportunity to develop your creativity and understand issues from a diverse range of perspectives.

Why Oxford Brookes University?

• Diverse community
• International projects
• The full spectrum of cities
• Work around your schedule
• Career opportunities
• Accreditation(s)

Course Details

Course Structure

The combination of theory and practice on this course will be valuable in a wide range of careers. It is suitable for spatial planners, architecture students, working professionals, even scientists looking at solving environmental issues.

We’ll begin with the theory to give you a solid grounding in the principles of urban design. Topics will include everything from affordable housing to biodiversity.

Later in the course, we’ll begin to look at urban design in challenging contexts. For this, you’ll take part in one of 6 projects around the world. Exploring the unique challenges the city is facing, whether that’s transport infrastructure, flooding, or homelessness, and consulting with local experts while gaining new perspectives from your international peers.

While each project and location is different, there’s one common question you’ll ask: if we increase the population, how do we maintain the quality of living?

Learning and Teaching

We use a range of activities to deliver theoretical and practice-based content:

• Peer-learning through group work and critical assessment of individual projects
• Studio set-up and design based learning to mirror real environments in practice
• Merged theory and practice modules which are applied in Design studio projects
• Problem based learning to gain in depth understanding of urban issues and proposed solutions
• International projects to expose you to different cultures and urban phenomena
• Independent research to develop critical thinking and creative approaches to problem solving; you will focus on a specific area of research interest
• Use of multi-media for developing skills for communicating
• Field trips and site visits to gain a live-in experience and sense of scale for spatial forms.

For full time students, all teaching takes place on two days. This allows the rest of the week for independent studio project development.

Part time attendance is one day per week.

Assessment

Assessment combines group work and individual projects and can include:

• Reports
• Design posters
• Videos
• Oral and visual presentations.

You will engage with studio tutors and professional practitioners when delivering your assessed work. This process allows for professional quality output.

Field Trips

UK Field Studios

London provides a rich field resource for understanding the sense of scale, new interventions and the live-in quality of the public realm. Field studios become teaching references for the design process as well as a means for testing urban theories.

International Field Trip

This is organised yearly to expose you to specific urban qualities such as:

• Housing and social equity
• Regeneration
• Creative cities and economic rise
• Participation
• Planning.

Cities visited have included Amsterdam, Lisbon, Rotterdam.

Study Modules

The programme consists of 4 x 30 credit modules together with research methods and the dissertation or major project. The modules listed below are for the master's award. For the PGDip and PGCert awards your module choices may be different. Please contact us for more details.

Taught Modules

Compulsory Modules

• Contemporary approaches to Urban Design (30 credits)
• Urban Design Masterplan to Public Realm (30 credits)
• International Urban Design Theories for Design and Planning (30 credits)
• Urban Design in Challenging Contexts (30 credits)
• Research methods in Design (10 credits)

Final Project

• Design Dissertation or Major Project (50 credits)

In the dissertation module students develop the ability to conduct either an independent research project/thesis, or a critical evaluation of a proposed scheme related to the urban context (within the realms of design, planning and architecture).

Research

Our teaching staff provide support for student research. They are actively involved in the following areas of research:

• Urban morphology for critical analysis and design
• Digital media and the teaching and learning of urban design
• Place-identity
• Urban Disaster Resilience
• Town Centre Management and Regeneration
• Urban intensification in the developing world
• Urban visions and policy mobility in Africa
• Live projects, urban labs and the enhancement of student learning experiences for UD and planning
• Plot-based urbanism and regeneration
• Landscape urbanism, biodiversity and the extinction of experience.

Careers

Many of our graduates find jobs before the course is over. That’s because they have extremely valuable skills in a growing area and are able to apply their knowledge to projects anywhere in the world.

Past students are working at organisations like:

• Arup
• WSP
• DLA
• EdgeUD
• Allies and Morrisson
• Many UK city councils.

Some students decide to start their own companies, such as EcoResponsive Environments, founded by Oxford Brookes graduates. Others decide to apply their new skills in their current industry or continue their research at PhD level.

Entry Requirements

Specific Entry Requirements

The course is open to applicants who hold a 2.2 undergraduate honours degree (or international equivalent) in a related design & planning discipline.

We will actively consider applications from candidates with lower degrees or an alternative subject, who can provide a suitable portfolio and/or evidence relevant work experience.

Mid-career professional candidates with practice experience are also encouraged to apply.

English Language Requirements

If your first language is not English you will require a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 6.0 in all components.

How to Apply

We advise applying in advance to secure places, and allow sufficient time for applications to be reviewed.

There is no formal application deadline (recruitment closes when teaching capacity is reached).

Applicants should also factor any time needed to meet offer conditions, arrange accommodation, and obtain a UK Student visa (if applicable).

Tuition Fees

2025/26

• Home (UK) full time: £10,800 (Masters); £9,800 (Diploma); £5,400 (Certificate)
• Home (UK) part time: £1,200 per single module
• International full time: £17,950

2026/27

• International full time: £18,500

Questions about Fees?

Contact Student Finance on: +44 (0)1865 484848

Additional Costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Programme Changes

On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our changes to programmes page.