Program Overview

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Transforming City Regions M.Sc.

Overview

The Transforming City Regions (TCR) master's program is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the European dimensions of spatial development. It was developed in response to the environmental, social, technological, and economic challenges faced by European cities and regions. The program takes a technology-supported, solution-oriented approach, enabling students to identify societal needs, develop an understanding of economic aspects, and contribute to solving these challenges. The language of instruction is English.

TCR is one of several new master's programs at RWTH Aachen University that aim to provide answers to the future challenges of European cities and regions. Thanks to its project-oriented approach, the program not only provides a comprehensive understanding of the field but also enables students to apply various tools and methods to shape urban and regional transformation processes. A unique feature of the program is its interdisciplinary approach, which is pursued in close exchange with the traditionally well-represented engineering disciplines at RWTH.

The program has a strong European focus, which is reflected in its content, structure, and the profile of its teachers and students. This also applies to the approach and methodology of the master's program. Additional value is provided by the close cooperation with European universities, institutions, organizations, and companies. The European reference is thus reflected at all levels of the program.

The program focuses on:

• Urban and regional development dynamics in the European context, taught under the guidance of European experts in the fields of urban planning and regional, spatial, and strategic planning.

The program is aimed at graduates of bachelor's programs in fields such as urban design, urban planning, urban studies, regional planning, landscape architecture, architecture, transportation planning, environmental engineering, urban geography, urban ecology, or urban governance.

Program Structure

Transforming City Regions is a four-semester program. The first three semesters follow the same structural pattern: students acquire half of the credit points in integrated projects that address complex urban and urban planning problems, with the perspective expanding from the city and region to the European level.

The other half of the credit points are acquired in compulsory modules, optional courses, and a research module, an excursion, an external course, and two spontaneously organized courses. In the fourth semester, students write their master's thesis.

The European focus is reflected on three different levels:

• Involvement of teachers from all over Europe
• Cooperation with European institutions, organizations, and industry companies
• European case studies in integrated projects

During the course of study, the following components must be completed:

• 8 compulsory modules
• 3 integrated projects
• 2-3 elective courses
• 1 research module
• 1 module consisting of a compulsory excursion and two spontaneously organized elective courses
• 1 external course

The compulsory courses can last one or two semesters. Alternatively, they are offered in the form of block courses within a few weeks. This makes it possible to distribute the 30 hours of attendance over 3 to 8 block sessions (instead of 2 hours per week over the 15-week semester).

Detailed information on the course of study can be found on the website of the Chair and Institute for Urban Planning and Design and the website of the Transforming City Regions program.

Admission Requirements

• Successfully completed bachelor's degree with at least 30 credit points acquired in modules with a spatial reference, such as urban planning, urban development, urban studies, regional planning, landscape architecture, architecture, transportation planning, environmental engineering, urban geography, urban ecology, or urban governance.
• Portfolio: A selection of creative work as proof that you are able to understand and design spatial contexts of human action as well as spatial, particularly urban, structures.
• English language skills

Career Prospects

Due to the interdisciplinary approach and the European focus of the program, graduates are well-prepared for careers in:

• Private industry: development and urban planning agencies, investment banks, and companies, institutions, and research institutes in the fields of technical infrastructure, territorial analysis, and structural funds.
• Public authorities and institutions at local, regional, national, and international levels.
• Civil society organizations that cover a broad spectrum of urban topics.

The contents and qualification objectives and the modules of the program do not take into account the requirements of the professional chambers for urban planners and the European and international training guidelines. Therefore, the chance of being entered in the list of urban planners of the architects' chambers is not guaranteed.

Module Handbook and Examination Regulations

The module handbook presents all modules of the program and thus provides a comprehensive insight into its contents.

Examination regulations, on the other hand, regulate the study goals, study requirements, course of study, and examinations in a legally binding manner.

Regulations that generally apply to all bachelor's and master's programs, as well as information on the proof of language skills required in some cases, can be found in the General Examination Regulations of RWTH. These regulations are taken up and formulated in more detail for each individual program in a subject-specific examination regulation and applied to the specific subject content.

If two examination regulations exist for a program during a transition period, the current version automatically applies to first-year students.

Faculty

The Master's program Transforming City Regions is offered by the Faculty of Architecture.

Study Advice

• Advice and offers for school students and prospective students
• Study advice for students
• Subject-specific study advice
• Student representatives (student council)
• Overview: Advice and help at RWTH

Formalities

• Legally binding information on starting studies in the first semester (pdf: 832kb)
• Legally binding information on starting studies in higher semesters (pdf: 268kb)

Information Before Starting Studies

• Pre-courses
• Introductory events

International Prospective Students

• International prospective students