This programme is unique in its focus on the core challenges facing our increasingly 'smart' cities, from their operational functions and planning through to management and control. The programme reflects the changes that technology is making to the operation of, and our understanding of, the city, and gives students the technical and theoretical skills needed to make a difference to the planning of the cities of today and tomorrow.
Students are equipped with key quantitative practical skills including mathematical and statistical modelling, computer programming, spatial analysis and cartographic visualisation.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of seven core modules (120 credits), and a dissertation/report (60 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma, seven core modules (120 credits) is offered.
Core modules
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000-12,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The technical aspects of the programme will be delivered through traditional workshops, lectures and practicals, but we will seek to incorporate novel assessment methods such as blog posts, and shared outputs such as visualisations/maps and web apps. Assessment is through a variety of written coursework assignments and final dissertation, presentation of researched material and practical investigations, and participation in dedicated skills modules.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Smart Cities and Urban Analytics (RTPI Pathway) MSc
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
This programme gives students the skills and knowledge base to embark on a professional or academic path through the highly interdisciplinary field of spatial science.
Employability
Students will graduate with an extremely broad range of new transferable practical skills including computer programming, database management, (big) data mining and web visualisation, along with an understanding of mathematical and statistical analysis methods, geographic information science, spatial analysis and urban modelling. All of these skills are developed in parallel with a wider appreciation of the problems and challenges facing planners in contemporary cities and how the latest data and analysis methods can help address them. This degree will lead to full RTPI accreditation for students already holding an RTPI accredited Bachelor's degree from UCL or another accredited planning school, leading to a career in the UK planning system.
The UCL Barlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA) is one of the leading research centres in the science of cities, generating new knowledge and insights for use in city planning, policy and design, and drawing on the latest geospatial methods and ideas in computer-based visualisation and modelling.
Smart cities is a key area of future innovation and investment in the UK, and Smart Cities and Urban Analytics is currently the only UK-based Master's programme available in this area.
Companies such as Intel, ARUP and Cisco all have strategies around smart city development, creating a demand for skilled personnel. CASA has well-established links with these companies and the Head of Department sits on the Smart London Board at the Greater London Authority to advise the Mayor of London on developments.
Fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), this programme is designed to develop students as reflective practitioners in the planning profession and related disciplines in the built environment, and can be studied either full- or part-time.
The use of land and space is a hotly contested issue of fundamental importance to creating healthy communities and maintaining a good quality of life for local residents. Planners play a critical role in mediating between competing interests and building the foundations for equitable growth, sustainable environments and livable communities.
Fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), this programme is designed to develop students as reflective practitioners in the planning profession and related disciplines in the built environment, and can be studied either full-or part-time. It is ideal for those who wish to gain a professional qualification that will enable them to pursue and build a career in spatial planning and related areas of regeneration, economic development, housing and transport.
The structure enables students to combine the core modules and material in spatial planning with a specialist focus in fields such as urban regeneration, community based planning, economic development and urban resilience.
As a Birmingham postgraduate student you are part of an academic community and will learn from both academics and place-based specialist practitioners. From the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner, and we want you to be challenged and to think for yourself.
As a student you will be exposed to a variety of learning and teaching methods including lectures, small group teaching sessions, seminars, student-led workshops and tutorials. The teaching emphasis is on participative approaches to learning that enable students to reflect critically on important current debates in the practice and principles of spatial planning in diverse urban regions. To provide a “real world” feel for the programme there are a number of planning practitioners who directly input into the programme and we make good use of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands as part of our overall “learning laboratory”.
Studying with us you will enjoy a favourable staff–student ratio and full tutorial support. The department is centrally located on the campus close to the library, and provides access to photocopying and computer facilities. You will have access to a comprehensive support system throughout your time at Birmingham that will assist and encourage you, including personal tutors and welfare tutors who can help with both academic and welfare issues.
As well as having access to professional journals and magazines within the department, students can also use the University’s main library and the increasingly large variety of learning materials and library research services (eg, e-journals and WebCT) via the internet.
This programme is ideal for those who wish to gain a professional qualification that will enable them to pursue and build a career in spatial planning and related areas of regeneration, economic development, housing and transport.
Our Urban Planning MSc provides a core introduction to planning issues, professional and theoretical debates and their application to live cases and places.
Urban Planning is the understanding of the place making processes that underpins places, society and the environment. It is also interdisciplinary, with professionals having an understanding across a range of topics. You'll gain an understanding of the fundamentals required for a successful career in planning or the wider built environment professions.
The Urban Planning MSc is seeking accreditation from the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). The Development pathway is also seeking accreditation from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and will offer a RICS-accredited route to gain Chartered Surveyors status.
The course is suitable:
The course has five specialist pathways to suit your individual needs, background and career aspirations.
Accreditation:
This course is fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). The RTPI (a professional body for planners) is the UK's leading planning body for spatial, sustainable and inclusive planning. It is the largest planning institute in Europe with over 23,000 members
The Development pathway is also seeking accreditation from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and will offer a RICS-accredited route to gain Chartered Surveyors status. You can apply for RICS student membership through the RICS website.
Allows students with a specialised Masters degree in planning to top up their planning knowledge and gain professional membership of the RTPI.
This part-time course is designed to provide the planning skills and knowledge necessary to supplement appropriate specialist Master’s degrees in order to satisfy the requirements of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
If you have completed a specialised Master’s degree in planning, this will allow you to ‘top up’ your planning knowledge with the spatial planning component of an RTPI-accredited education, making you eligible (after two years of planning practice) for professional membership of the RTPI.
It is specifically for those who have not already taken a 'conversion' Master’s degree to gain access to the UK planning profession.
Distinctive features
This part-time programme is available to study across either one or two days a week, allowing you to work almost full-time, but still gain a qualification that can provide access to the UK planning profession.
You will be taught alongside others doing a professional 'conversion' degree and special assistance is provided to help you manage your work.
The programme consists of 90 credits, gained by completing four twenty credit modules and one ten credit module. All modules are compulsory.The course can be completed in eight months with five modules, consisting of 90 credits in all, spread over two semesters, or over three years taking one module per year, one day a week, or an intermediate combination.
Completing this course satisfies the initial professional educational requirements of the Royal Town Planning Institute and opens the door to being considered for all mainstream planning posts in the public and private sector in the UK (at an appropriate level depending upon experience).
The demand for trained practitioners in environmental assessment at both the project level (environmental impact assessment (EIA)) and the strategic level (strategic environmental assessment (SEA)), and related environmental management fields continues to grow. To meet this demand, the MSc programme in Environmental Impact Assessment and Management provides an opportunity for specialist study in this area. It will provide you with a thorough, stimulating and practical post-graduate education in EIA and related areas.
You will gain:
We give you a sound knowledge of the process of EIA and related areas, including planning for environmental change and environmental law, before building upon this with more teaching on the appraisal of projects and auditing. You therefore gain a thorough grounding in environmental assessment procedures and practice, and an introduction to the rapidly growing environmental management field.
We will train you in EIA project management skills that involve the co-ordination of technical specialists, decision-makers and consultees. You will acquire appropriate analytical and communication skills, and flexibility of approach - thus graduating with expertise highly valued by employers.
The MA EIAM is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) under their Environment Specialism. It is also accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a specialist Masters programme.
Informal enquiries prior to applications are welcomed. Please contact: Dr Carys Jones (Programme Director). Tel: +44(0)161 275 6255, email: [email protected] .
The course aims to provide you with an understanding of theories and techniques in environmental assessment and management, in parallel with developing skills in analytical decision-making, design and project management.
The course consists of six core course units, plus one optional course unit which can be chosen from a selection of modules taught within the School of Environment, Education and Development or other related schools across the University. You also undertake a dissertation in an area of your choice to develop your analytical and research skills; engagement with case studies and practice are encouraged as part of data collection.
Part-time Study
Part-time students complete the full-time programme over 27 months. The part-time route is not on a day-release basis and there are no evening or weekend course units available. Therefore if you are considering taking a programme on a part-time basis, you should discuss the requirements with the Programme Director first and check the timetable to ensure that you can attend the compulsory classes. You should also seek approval from your employer to have the relevant time off. Timetabling information is normally available from late August from the Programme Administrator and you will have the opportunity to discuss course unit choices during induction week with the Programme Director.
We assess you through the submission of essays, reports and other work (e.g. workshop assignments), both individually and in groups. Some optional course units may involve examinations.
The taught part of the course (120 credits), is assessed by continuous assessment and formal examinations. Continuous assessment includes essays, reports, posters, oral presentations, and a major project.
A 15,000-word dissertation is prepared on an approved topic, which is discussed and chosen at the beginning of the second semester and a suitable supervisor allocated. Initial work focuses upon an overview of he chosen topic, a literature review and the design of the methodology to be adopted. During the latter part of Semester 2 and the summer vacation, you undertake the necessary research and analysis, culminating in the writing of your dissertation.
Graduates of this specialist course are fully equipped to seek employment in environmental consultancies, local authorities, utilities, environmental agencies and environmental non-governmental organisations in both the developed and developing world. We encourage you to interact with potential employers during the course, particularly when undertaking the dissertation.
The MSc EIAM is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) under their Environment Specialism. It is also accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a specialist Masters degree and can therefore lead to full RTPI accreditation for students with an undergraduate degree in town planning that is partially recognised by the RTPI.
Each year we focus our EIA graduate recruitment on the MSc in EIA & Management at the University of Manchester; these students have all the relevant skills for the job and are able to be integrated into projects straightaway. Richard Kevan, Associate Director, Wardell Armstrong LLP
This MA course will give you the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary to practise professionally as a spatial planner. It is designed to meet the growing employer needs for staff who can investigate changes in the natural and built environments, manage the challenges of climate change through sustainable development, and debate and critically reflect upon the knowledge and values underpinning current approaches to land use development. Completion of the MA course is the first step to become a full member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
The course will support your personal and professional development. You will be able to work in the interdisciplinary and cross-sector environment of urban and regional development, in a variety of private, public and community contexts, and apply your knowledge to practise in specialist areas of planning. The course builds on the University's experience of delivering postgraduate courses in town planning for more than 60 years.
The course explores the current context and content of spatial planning. It does so from a UK and European perspective, and also investigates underlying theoretical debates.
If you want to gain a greater understanding of spatial planning, but do not want to study for a full Masters course, we also offer an Urban and Regional Planning Postgraduate Diploma and an Urban and Regional Planning Postgraduate Certificate. Scroll to the bottom of this page to find out more about these courses.
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.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core modules
Optional modules
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.
Visiting lectures are given by a wide range of external practitioners. The teaching team has extensive links with planning institutions including the RTPI and the Town and Country Planning Association. The course includes part-time students working in planning-related positions in private and public sectors.
Most of the students on the course are already in planning or planning-related posts. Full-time students graduating from the course as qualified planners will normally be offered planning positions in the public or private sector on graduation.
Examples of companies that have recruited our graduates include:
With specialisms in economic development, coastal regeneration and climate change, our Town Planning Masters programme will provide you with the understanding, skills and experience to practise as a professional town and country planner or surveyor.
You will be equipped to critically evaluate how urban development is regulated to bring about the best social, economic and environmental outcomes through an exploration of the issues which affect the built environment.
This course is fully accredited by both the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Our delivery is made richer as a result of our direct engagement with the RTPI and the RICS, along with the Town and Country Planning Association and the Royal Geographic Society, as well as agencies, local authorities, the UK government and EU advisory bodies.
This courses mixes theory and practice so that you'll learn to think and act both locally and globally and how to apply your knowledge in the real world.
The programme promotes critical thinking, community engagement, partnership building and leadership. It is unique for its outstanding location by the sea, the nearby South Downs National Park and a 180-degree catchment area. Each year, we run an optional but recommended international study visit. In the past, this has been to the Netherlands or France.
Architecture, building and planning is in the top disciplines for student employment according to the UK Higher Education Statistics Agency, HESA 2015–2016.
In order to meet the high professional standards required by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), students are required to complete four core modules as part of the course and have the opportunity for specialist study in allied areas.
Course delivery is divided into three parts:
(i) A taught portion requiring attendance at the university for lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, laboratory classes, individual supervision sessions and team working.
(ii) An individual research programme (the masters project) where you will broaden your learning and develop research skills directed at critical appraisal, examine innovative solutions to the problem at hand, and are taught to produce and defend a written thesis on a selected town planning topic with a university-based supervisor.
(iii) An individual professional learning log using an industry-based mentor.
Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through our applicant portal.
All students will study four core modules and select three option modules. These will allow you to specialise in the areas of the course that interest you the most.
Core modules
Options include
The programme is for:
Due to the professional nature of this course, overseas students who have already completed a postgraduate qualification can still register for this course and apply for a Tier 4 visa.
This course is an accessible and flexible route to the skills needed to work in future spatial planning environment - in the areas of planning policy, research and analysis and strategy formulation in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
The course equips graduates with the skills to manage change, think spatially, understand planning policy and law, work in partnership with others, and to continually address the fundamental principles of sustainability in all aspects of their future careers.
Graduates have successfully taken up key roles in local councils, the private sector, greenspace infrastructure, environmental agencies, harbour regeneration projects, for example at Sky, Natural England, the Environment Agency, Parker Dann, Boyer Planning, Mid Sussex District Council, Brighton and Hove City Council, Horsham District Council, Lichfield Planning, Deloittes and city planning in Luxembourg.
Our course is praised by current and former students, the RTPI Partnership Board and our external examiners for our blend of theory and practice, and use of external professional speakers.
