Program Overview

Urban Planning BA Honours

The Urban Planning BA Honours degree at Newcastle University allows students to explore the forces that shape cities and neighborhoods and help lead the debate about their future. This accredited degree combines the latest research with practical planning knowledge, concepts, and skills.

Course Overview

• The programme is vocationally oriented and reflects the needs of the planning profession.
• It brings together key skills such as site analysis, digital planning, mapping, and research skills with critical reflections on urban planning, live project work, and field trips.
• Students will develop the skills needed to contribute critically to professional and academic debates on the future of place.

Quality and Ranking

• 10th in the UK – The Complete University Guide 2026 (Town and Country Planning, Landscape category)
• Global Top 140 University – QS World University Rankings 2026
• 65% increase in research power since 2014 – Research Excellence Framework 2021
• 42% of research is classified as 4* world-leading research – Research Excellence Framework 2021
• 15th in the UK – Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 (Town and Country Planning and Landscape category)
• Top 25 in the UK and Top 100 in the world for sustainable development – Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024
• Global Top 160 University - Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025

Professional Accreditation and Recognition

• The degree is partially accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a spatial qualification.
• This means it satisfies the standards set by the planning profession.
• BA Urban Planning and MPlan students are able to opt-in to free student membership of the RTPI at the start of their degree.

Modules and Learning

Stage 1

• Compulsory Modules:
  • Planning Processes
  • Design Awareness and Communication
  • Economics of Development I
  • Environment and Sustainability
  • Social Worlds
  • Understanding Place: Methods and Perspectives
  • Shaping Towns and Cities
  • Planning for a Better World
• Teaching Time: 42%
• Independent Study: 58%
• Assessment Methods:
  • Written Exams: 17%
  • Practical Exams: 9%
  • Coursework: 74%

Stage 2

• Compulsory Modules:
  • Researching Local Economies
  • Research Skills
• Optional Modules:
  • Participation: Theories & Practice
  • Houses and Homes
  • Design & Neighbourhood
  • Understanding Cities
  • Digital Civics
  • Urban Infrastructures: A Lens on the City
  • Global Course on Institutional Design for Spatial Planning
  • Study Abroad for Stage 2
  • Researching Local Economies (Placement)
• Teaching Time: 21%
• Independent Study: 79%
• Assessment Methods:
  • Coursework: 100%

Stage 3

• Compulsory Modules:
  • Strategies into Action: Planning
  • Development Management
  • Planning Theory and Politics
  • Dissertation
• Optional Modules:
  • Chinese Cultural History and Urban Development
  • Disasters, Monsters and Mess
  • Strategies Into Action: Urban Design
• Teaching Time: 20%
• Independent Study: 80%
• Assessment Methods:
  • Written Exams: 10%
  • Practical Exams: 8%
  • Coursework: 82%

Opportunities

• Study abroad option in Stage 2
• Professional accreditation and recognition
• Field trips and projects to experience first-hand examples of planning in the region and further afield
• Strong European links through the Association of European Schools of Planning
• International field trip in Stage 2

Facilities and Environment

• Based in the Henry Daysh Building with access to a dedicated planning studio with computing facilities and social space
• Part of the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape with world-renowned expertise in urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design

Your Future

• Graduates go on to prosper in the job market, both regionally and nationally
• Many graduates pursue accredited Chartered Town Planner status
• Others have gone on to become teachers, accountants, lawyers, lecturers, graduate trainees, business managers, and officers in the armed forces
• The degree satisfies the core spatial planning requirements for RTPI membership but not the specialist teaching requirements to achieve Chartered Town Planner status directly

Entry Requirements

• A-Level: ABB
• International Baccalaureate: A minimum of 32 points with three subjects at Higher level grade 5 or above
• Other UK and the Republic of Ireland qualifications: Select your qualification to view specific requirements
• English Language requirements: IELTS, TOEFL, Pearsons, Duolingo English Test, or other qualifications
• Entrance courses (INTO): International Pathway courses are available for international students

Tuition Fees and Scholarships

• Home students: Tuition fees for academic year 2026 have not yet been confirmed
• International students: £26,750 for the first year
• Scholarships: Available for UK, EU, and international students
• Year abroad and additional costs: Fees are reduced for the year abroad, and some degrees involve additional costs not covered by tuition fees

Open Days and Events

• UK open days: Opportunities to meet the university and explore the campus
• Worldwide events: The university regularly travels overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle
• Online events: Virtual open days and other online events are available

How to Apply

• Apply through UCAS: Use the online application system managed by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service
• Apply through an agent: International students can apply through an agent
• Enquiry form: Fill in the online form for more information
• Receive regular updates: Sign up for email updates and extra information about the university

Get in Touch

• By phone: Call the university on +44 (0) and press option 1
• Live chat: Use the NCL chatbot for answers and directions to someone who can help
• Online: Fill in the enquiry form for more information
• Social Media: Follow the university on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, WeChat, and Twitter

You May Be Interested In

• Planning, Master of
• Geography and Urban Planning, BA Honours
• Architecture and Urban Planning, BA Honours

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• Telephone: +44 (0)

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