Program Overview

Master of Science in Urban Planning

The Master of Science in Urban Planning is a two-year full-time international postgraduate programme that provides a comprehensive professional training in the theories, methods and practice of urban and regional planning. An important distinguishing feature of this program is the emphasis on the planning and management of sustainable cities and regions. It also offers an extensive coverage of contemporary urban and regional development issues with a strong focus on Hong Kong, China and the Asia-Pacific region. The Department is a Full Member of the Asian Planning Schools Association (APSA) which in turn is a member of the Global Planning Education Association Network (GPEAN).

Programme Streams

The programme will offer two streams, Urban Planning stream (UP) and subject to the University’s approval, an additional stream called Urban and Regional Planning (URP).

Urban Planning Stream (UP)

Salient features of the UP stream are:

• Integrating theory and application;
• Supporting action-oriented and problem-based learning;
• Learning from the world’s best practices, with special focus on Hong Kong and China;
• Nurturing integrative efforts and partnership for sustainable development;
• Providing planning solutions through solid investigation and critical analysis; and
• Cultivating interdisciplinary, visionary and critical thinking for better place making.

Urban and Regional Planning Stream (URP)

Under the URP stream, students will develop foundational knowledge of cities and regions, master practical planning skills, and gain hands-on experience through studio-based and practice-oriented courses where students and teachers together work on real-world planning issues at the local and regional levels, with a strong focus on Hong Kong, the Great Bay Area, and China. The salient features of this stream include:

• Placing emphasis on a regional approach or perspective with various urban issues, e.g., environmental protection, watershed governance, and cross-border businesses and exchanges;
• Utilising Hong Kong, the Great Bay Area, and China as living laboratories for students to learn about interactions among cities, regions, and countries;
• Nurturing future generations of planners with systematic and solid knowledge and skills concerning regions and their planning and decision-making;
• Attracting and cultivating non-local students who would/could confidently work effectively both inside and outside Hong Kong after graduation.
• Undertaking fieldtrips to leading “Bay Areas” in the world and learning from experience there.

Professional Accreditation

This programme will equip students with the knowledge and skills to enter various fields of the profession, such as:

• Urban planner and manager in the public and private sectors;
• Professional staff in land development and management, transport, or utilities companies;
• Social and community planner in NGOs;
• Educator and researcher in urban planning and development issues; and
• Policy analyst and solution provider in sustainable urban Development

Our programme is accredited by both local and international professional institutions.

Upon completion of the programme, graduates of the programme (UP stream) with two years of relevant experiences are eligible for membership of the Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP) (subject to final approval for URP stream).

Graduates of the programme (both streams) are eligible for membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) of the United Kingdom, enabling them to become Registered Professional Planner (RPP) in Hong Kong.

Graduates of the programme (both streams) specializing in transport planning are also eligible to become a Chartered Member (CMILT) of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) International.