Masters Degrees (Rtpi)

The MSc in Urban Planning: Developing and Transitional Regions is concerned with the theory and practice of urban planning in societies undergoing rapid economic, social, technological, environmental and spatial change.

The emphasis of the course is on institutional aspects of planning and management interventions in the urban sector and the scope of various policy instruments and planning modes to manage the emerging spatial patterns, impacts and processes of urban growth.

The MSc is RICS- and RTPI-accredited.

See the website http://www.brookes.ac.uk/studying-at-brookes/courses/postgraduate/2015/urban-planning-developing-and-transitional-regions/

Why choose this course?

In choosing to study the MSc Urban Planning: Developing and Transitional Regions at Oxford Brookes, you will:
- Be on a fully accredited RTPI and RICS course which is viewed as the first choice for urban and development planning training by a range of employers throughout the world - especially governments, local authorities, development and planning consultancies.

- Join and engage with scholars and tutors from diverse intellectual and global backgrounds.

- As well as being one of the world's most famous centres for learning, Oxford is a city with a great urban heritage and is within easy reach of London and other urban centres. Its excellent transport links make it a convenient place to take up a day release part- time course.

- Engage with and benefit from teaching staff who are active in research and practice; drawn primarily from the Department of Planning but with some contributions from the wider university community. Visiting speakers from business and industry, local government, and consultancies and research bodies also provide a major contribution to the teaching programme.

- Benefit from the success of our courses in delivering highly skilled professionals. Our graduates get employment in the private and public sector, international development institutions, NGOs, research institutions and consultancy.

- Study in our brand new £132 million redevelopment of Headington campus, ultra modern spaces and facilities in Abercrombie building and John Henry Brookes building; access to top of the range studios, IT suites and computer programs, library and 24/7 online databases.

Professional accreditation

The MSc Urban Planning: Developing and Transitional Regions is fully accredited by:
- the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
- the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This means that on successful completion of the MSc, graduates can register for - the Assessment of Professional Competence procedures of RICS and RTPI and work towards becoming full members.

Teaching and learning

Learning methods include lectures, directed reading, workshops, seminars, and practical and project work. Some modules include site visits and fieldwork, which provide you with direct experience of practical and current issues.

Teaching is organised on a module-credit basis, each module involving approximately 200 hours of student input and approximately 36 hours of staff contact, normally delivered through three-hour teaching blocks over a 12-week period.

Each course module is assessed individually, generally on the quality of written or design work, and to some extent on verbal presentations. Assessment methods may include essays, seminar papers, formal written examinations, in-class tests, project work, design and verbal presentations, workshops, simulations and practical exercises.

Field trips

Field trips include an international field trip to Europe in the Autumn plus a range of national and local site and institutional visits especially to London throughout the academic year.

Careers

Not only is the MSc Urban Planning: Developing and Transitional Regions a RICS and RTPI professionally recognised qualification, it is also widely regarded as providing the transferable skills, critical knowledge and understanding necessary in many fields of work in the built and natural environment. Today our alumni can be found in senior positions in some of the largest international planning and environmental consultancies, in government agencies, in large NGOs and campaigning organisations across the globe.

The long-standing reputation of the Department of Planning in producing highly skilled, enthusiastic and very capable professional planners aids the employability of our graduates. We are the first port of call for many employers when they are seeking new graduate planners.

Free language courses for students - the Open Module

Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Please note that the free language courses are not available if you are:
- studying at a Brookes partner college
- studying on any of our teacher education courses or postgraduate education courses.

Research highlights

With more than 600 students engaging a wide range of research topics in our undergraduate, postgraduate and research degree programmes, including master's by research, the department is widely recognised as a leading educator in environment, design and development subjects. With a complement of over 60 teaching, administrative, technical and research staff, the department performs a leading role in research and consultancy, with clients and projects covering subjects from local concerns to multinational organisations, government and industry.

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This new 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.

Degree information

Students are equipped with key quantitative practical skills as 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
-Geographic Information Systems and Science
-Quantitative Methods
-Smart Cities: Context Policy and Government
-Urban Systems Theory
-Spatial Data Capture, Storage and Analysis
-Urban Design: Place-making
-Planning Practice

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.

Careers

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 area 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.

Why study this degree at UCL?

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.

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 newly created Smart London Board at the Greater London Authority to advise the Mayor of London on developments.

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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.

About the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences has a renowned history for international excellence in research and teaching.
Our postgraduate programmes are shaped by research that addresses global grand challenges across the fields of geography, planning, earth sciences, environmental science, occupational health and safety, and environmental and public health. With policy- and practice-focused teaching, all our programmes have high employability outcomes.
We offer excellent facilities for postgraduate study including extensive map and archive facilities, earth imaging laboratory, stable-isotope laboratory (SILLA), environmental library, fully digital drawing office, and state-of-the-art laboratories for environmental chemistry, sedimentology, ecology, groundwater and palaeobiology. Our diverse range of programmes will provide you with a thorough understanding of the discipline, high-quality training and skills development, and access to our expert staff and extensive facilities.
Our graduates go on to forge careers in areas that matter – from environmental consultancies and the hydrocarbon industries, to urban planning, policy roles in NGOs and government regulatory services – and make a real contribution to global challenges. Many graduates also go on to study for PhDs.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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Urban and rural planning plays an important role in society, and affects the way we all live. Its main concern is with managing acceptable and sustainable environmental change in a constantly changing world, and being at the forefront of shaping that world for future generations.

Key benefits

This course is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), the UK's leading planning body and the largest planning institute in Europe. Taken with a minimum of two years' relevant experience and the RTPI's Assessment of Professional Competence, it provides the basis for election to RTPI membership, and the title 'Chartered Town Planner'.

Course detail

The MSc Urban and Rural Planning is led by UWE Bristol and delivered by a group of four UK planning Schools and the Open University. The four planning schools are:

• Department of Geography and Environmental Management, UWE
• Faculty of Arts, Environment and Technology, Leeds Beckett University
• Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences, London South Bank University
• School of the Environment, Dundee University

This course has the full support of the Open University, which provides a series of options for a 30-credit specialism in the final year of study.

We welcome applications from graduates with a relevant undergraduate degree, students with a degree in an unrelated area and non-graduates. Please see entry criteria for full details.

Completing the course successfully leads to the RTPI-recognised MSc in Urban and Rural Planning, awarded by UWE. Completing a structured programme of planning experience followed by RTPI's Assessment of Professional Competence leads to full RTPI membership.

Modules

• Context and law
• Local planning Strategic planning
• Urban and sustainable design principles
• International planning
• Implementation and management
• Research techniques
• Integrated planning project
• Open University specialism option module
• Dissertation

Format

As you learn, you not only study, but also receive vital professional experience logged by the RTPI towards your accreditation. This course presents a unique approach to professional planning education through the flexibility of how and when you study, and at what pace. You will receive web-based study support and guidance throughout.

Course materials, announcements, messages and links to other published resources are available online at our virtual learning platforms, Blackboard and Piazza so you'll need internet access to study the course. When you enrol, you receive your username and password.

It's not possible to cover everything you need to learn online, so there is some additional reading. In each of your three years of study there's an optional field trip that provides valuable opportunities for networking, group work, face-to-face learning and practical work, and provides an opportunity to meet your teaching team.

Placements

We encourage volunteer work during your studies, support students who wish to take gap years in employment, and work with consultants and expert speakers to give industry insights throughout the course.

Assessment

Assessment is through a variety of coursework and the dissertation.

Careers / Further study

The course leads to practice as a Chartered Urban and Rural Planner. It also provides a broader environmental education for graduates from other disciplines. Studying the Open University specialism can help you progress towards a variety of Master's-level qualifications. Career options include joining planning companies or consultancies, working for local government, charities, housing companies or house builders or you could take a role with a pressure group or in economic regeneration, conservation or heritage, or even go into property development yourself.

How to apply

Information on applications can be found at the following link: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/study/applyingtouwebristol/postgraduateapplications.aspx

Funding

- New Postgraduate Master's loans for 2016/17 academic year –

The government are introducing a master’s loan scheme, whereby master’s students under 60 can access a loan of up to £10,000 as a contribution towards the cost of their study. This is part of the government’s long-term commitment to enhance support for postgraduate study.

Scholarships and other sources of funding are also available.

More information can be found here: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/students/feesandfunding/fundingandscholarships/postgraduatefunding.aspx

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Focus on the interactions between society, economy, space and land use. Explore how opportunities, tensions and conflicts are managed by planners in the public interest.

We explore the role of planning as a set of regulatory mechanisms but more importantly as a means of identifying opportunities and assisting developers (be they in the private, public or not-for-profit sectors).

We have been running professionally accredited planning education courses at LSBU successfully for over 40 years (50 in 2018).

This MA is aimed at graduates from a variety of disciplines who are looking to pursue a worthwhile and challenging course that can lead to an exciting and stable career in spatial planning and related fields.

The qualification is fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute, which means you can become a licentiate member on graduation. With two years' relevant work experience (in some cases one year) you can apply to take the RTPI Assessment of Professional Competence and become a full member. Students will get free RTPI membership and RTPI bursaries (subject to availability).

The qualification includes a compulsory one week residential European field study visit. In recent years students have visited Barcelona. Venice or Dortmund. For all new entrants, field study visit fees are included in the tuition fees. Our one-day and week-long residential visits include presentations and Q&A with practitioners in London, the UK and beyond.

The course director Dr Michael Leary-Owhin is the co-editor (with Dr John McCarthy) of a major internationally-orientated book 'The Routledge Companion to Urban Regeneration' (2013).

6 reasons to study here...

1. Located in the heart of central London: We use our distinctive location to investigate the societal challenges and opportunities facing planning in the 21st century.
2. Taught by experienced academics and practitioners: Taught by staff with track records in research and relevant publications. Guest and visiting lecturers from professional practice supplement teaching throughout the course.
3. Site visits and live projects: One day and half-day site visits to exciting live projects - the practical focus is complimented by theoretical understanding.
4. Residential field study visit: Opportunity to participate in residential field study trips and site visits in Europe – at no additional charge to you.
5. Set the direction: Choice of specialism module provides flexibility and depth to explore issues relating to a particular aspect of planning 6. National and international perspective: Be part of an academic community dedicated to social justice and global responsibility - with inspiring schedule of guest speakers, events, volunteering opportunities and exchange of ideas.

Modules

Year 1:

Planning history and theory
Planning law and practice
Sustainable places (with EU field study visit)
Development and regeneration
Urban design - the heart of planning
Dissertation (For MA award)

One specialist module from:

Urban design project (urban design specialism)
Regeneration strategies and projects (urban regeneration specialism)
Environment and resource management (environmental policy specialism)
Global planning challenges (international planning specialism)

Part-time mode is taught one-day-per-week, with one or two modules being taught in each semester; plus the dissertation being completed by the end of January in the third year.

Assessment

Modules are assessed by a range of coursework including: essays, professional reports, design and practice based projects seen exams, presentations and a dissertation.

Professional links

The MA is fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute. This means that after graduation you can become licentiate members of the RTPI. With two years relevant work experience (in some cases one year) graduates can apply to take the RTPI Assessment of Professional Competence exam and become full members of the RTPI.

We have extensive links with planning and private sectors with visiting speakers delivering presentations at LSBU and during field study visits and project visits. Practitioners also provide valuable inputs through a short lecture series.

Employability

Currently there is a national shortage of qualified town and environmental planners in the UK so the demand for our postgraduate courses is particularly high.

Employment prospects are excellent especially in London and the South East of England. Successful planning students may find jobs in central government, local government, non-governmental organisations, housing associations and quangos. Given our extensive links with public, private and voluntary sector employers we often find that employers often approach us first seeking suitably qualified and motivated applicants.

A significant proportion of our graduates are employed by public sector bodies and private consultancies in planning, property, utilities companies, the transport sector, and in the property sections of large PLCs, such as the major retailers.

LSBU Employability Services

LSBU is committed to supporting you develop your employability and succeed in getting a job after you have graduated. Your qualification will certainly help, but in a competitive market you also need to work on your employability, and on your career search. Our Employability Service will support you in developing your skills, finding a job, interview techniques, work experience or an internship, and will help you assess what you need to do to get the job you want at the end of your course. LSBU offers a comprehensive Employability Service, with a range of initiatives to complement your studies, including:

• Direct engagement from employers who come in to interview and talk to students
• Job Shop and on-campus recruitment agencies to help your job search
• Mentoring and work shadowing schemes.

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The MSc in Environmental Assessment and Management (EAM) examines the principles, procedures and methods of EAM against the background of current UK, European and international environmental policy.

The course covers the complementary roles of natural resource management and planning within core areas of EAM such as Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), as well as new and evolving fields such as mitigation banking, climate change adaptation, environmental inequality, ecosystem services, and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and sustainability appraisal.

The course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). On completing the course, students are ideally placed to undertake the exams for the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) Associate Membership.

Accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)

See the website http://www.brookes.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/environmental-assessment-and-management/

Why choose this course?

- Staff that teach on the MSc have published widely, including authoring the leading textbooks in Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment

- Our teaching is always informed by the latest developments in theory and in practice. The teaching team regularly undertake related applied research and consultancy work with respected environmental consultancies such as ERM, WSP, and Land Use Consultants, as well as the European Union, UK public sector bodies and NGOs.

- The course has excellent links with the professional practitioner community. Our contacts from industry provide valuable inputs via guest lecture sessions that serve to bring real-world experience to the programme, in addition to providing the opportunity for you to meet with potential employers.

- Potential employers are familiar with the programme content and delivery and regularly approach the course team in search of our graduates

- There are regular opportunities to gain real world experience, ranging from dissertation research placements with the RSPB, TVERC and consultancies, and applied coursework with Grundon, to voluntary work with the Environmental Information Exchange.

- Excellent feedback from employers, "Both our environmental and planning teams have recruited graduates from the Oxford Brookes MSc courses. We find that the graduates from these courses have a wide range of interests and are well rounded candidates in terms of their environmental and planning knowledge." - URS

Professional accreditation

The MSc in Environmental Assessment and Management is fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This means that on graduation, students can progress to complete the Assessment of Professional Competence programme of RICS in order to become full members.

The course is also accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a specialist Master's programme. Students who wish to progress to Chartered Membership of the RTPI with the MSc EAM must also complete an accredited PG Diploma qualification in spatial planning - please refer to http://www.rtpi.org.uk for further information regarding accreditation.

Teaching and learning

The teaching and learning methods used in the programme reflect the wide variety of topics and techniques associated with EAM. Lectures provide the essential background and knowledge base for each module and workshops, seminars and project work provide opportunities for analysis and synthesis of this information.

The programme will also offer site visits, where appropriate, to provide direct experience of the important issues in environmental assessment and management.

A wide range of staff are involved in teaching on the programme. Most are from the Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment and the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences.

Our contacts from industry provide valuable inputs via guest lecture sessions including speakers from the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Management, regulatory bodies such as the Environment Agency and the Planning Inspectorate, and leading environmental consultancies such as ERM, URS, WSP and PBA.

These sessions serve to bring real-world experience to the programme, in addition to providing the opportunity for students to meet with potential employers.

A variety of materials and resources, including student experience, is used to provide a varied educational experience and a teaching and learning environment appropriate for graduate students.

The early parts of the programme focus on the background to EAM, particularly on establishing a solid grounding in planning, resource management, and principles of EAM.

Over time, increasing emphasis is placed on the skills required for environmental impact assessment and environmental management, culminating in the preparation of a major environmental impact statement (EIS) project.

Approximately two-thirds of the core-module element of the programme is devoted to environmental assessment, and one-third to environmental management. However, additional training in environmental management can be obtained by the selection of appropriate options.

Advice will be given at Induction on making appropriate choices in relation to students’ interests and intended career paths. The dissertation gives students the opportunity to explore a subject related to EAM in depth, and to integrate the various elements of the programme.

How this course helps you develop

The course develops the skills and knowledge that are in demand in practice and it has an impressive employment record. Potential employers are familiar with the programme content and delivery and regularly approach the course team in search of our graduates.

Careers

The course has been running for 25 years and has an extensive network of nearly 500 alumni, some of whom have achieved partner- and technical director-level appointments in leading consultancies such as ERM, EDP, WSP Environment & Energy, Hyder Consulting, and URS, while others have secured high-level environmental positions within organisations such as the European Commission and the World Bank.

Career destinations include:
- Environmental consultancy, including leading IEMA EIA Quality Mark companies such as ERM, AMEC, Environ UK, Nicholas Pearson Associates, Parsons Brinkerhoff, Pegasus Planning, AECOM, RPS Group, Savills, and Waterman, among many others.

- Environmental managers and EIA / SEA officers with regulatory bodies such as the Environment Agency and SEPA, local authorities, and government departments both in the UK and internationally.

- Officers with non-statutory bodies and non-governmental agencies in Europe and overseas.
A number of graduates have progressed to undertake research degrees (PhD).

Free language courses for students - the Open Module

Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Please note that the free language courses are not available if you are:
- studying at a Brookes partner college
- studying on any of our teacher education courses or postgraduate education courses.

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Our International Spatial Planning MSc is an exciting and demanding course that is ideal if you want to work in spatial planning from an international perspective. It helps you translate academic and professional knowledge, understanding and skills in urban planning into a context suitable for a globalised economy and rapidly urbanising world.

The course seeks to engage you in the theoretical and practical context of planning in a broad range of countries. It helps prepare you for work as urban planning and development professional around the world.

For students from countries experiencing rapid economic development and urbanisation (with the physical and social challenges these produce), the course bridges the gap between the focused field of urban planning and the broader field of international development. It offers you the opportunity to relate the core learning directly to your own country's context, which is of particular value to international students.

Delivery

The course is full time and based at the central Newcastle campus. It consists of a range of compulsory modules designed to meet the professional requirements of the RTPI. Knowledge and skills are developed through a series of lecture-based modules and a dissertation.

The learning environment is informal and friendly and the approach to teaching offers a mix of theoretical and practical modules. We place strong emphasis on team and individual project work, allowing you to put your learning into practice. An optional field trip to a country in Asia, Africa or Latin America provides valuable practical project experience. The field trip is not included in the cost of the programme and costs around £900-1000 for two weeks.

To support international students to make the transition to UK higher education, a strong element of tutorial and seminar teaching runs throughout the programme.

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). It is a combined qualification which allows graduates to progress towards Chartered Membership of the RTPI.

This is a professional accreditation that allows membership to Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). Becoming a member of the RTPI will enhance your career whether you are a student just starting out on your professional journey or an experienced planner at the peak of your career.

Facilities

The School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape has excellent studio teaching facilities and our research suite provides designated space and equipment for each postgraduate researcher. Our facilities include:
-Studios
-Exhibition spaces
-Print room
-Seminar rooms
-IT suites

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Our Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) accredited course will provide you with comprehensive training and practical experience for a rewarding career in urban and suburban planning.

How do you balance progress with sustainability or the needs of the many with the interests of the few? These questions are ever more significant in the UK, yet qualified planners are in short supply.

Study with us and you’ll gain the all-round professional skills required to shape policy and strategy, plan sustainably, negotiate or manage the planning process, and balance competing priorities.

We explore the practical, from the technical and environmental aspects of construction to the many legal, political, social, aesthetic and economic issues you’ll consider, and reconcile, as a planner.

The MSc Town Planning is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute and provides 2 years free student membership of the institute alongside a route to full Chartered status of the Institute attainable 2 years after graduation. This paves your way to a successful career in Town Planning.

Course content focuses on the evolving planning system, the sustainability agenda, skills for planning practice, and the role of planners in the development of space and place. The eastern region offers a fascinating laboratory for new approaches to planning, including sustainable communities, environmental challenges, new house-building provision and proximity to mainland Europe. The exploration and examination of these contemporary issues will help to develop not only your professional knowledge, but also your ability to analyse complex issues, make sound judgements, solve problems and communicate and act autonomously.

Full-time - January start, 15 months. September start, 12 months.
Part-time - January start, 33 months. September start, 28 months.

See the website http://www.anglia.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/town-planning

This course will:
• equip you for employment through a rigorous course of study
• provide you with a qualification which meets the requirements of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)
• enable you to become a reflective town and country planning practitioner
• provide you with a supportive study environment.

It is professionally accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and provides you with the knowledge and skills needed for professional practice in town and country planning. Once you have successfully completed the course and undertaken two years' practical work experience in planning, you will be eligible to apply for membership of the RTPI, which is highly regarded, both in Britain and overseas.

Your organisation can be confident that you have followed a course of study which is recognised by the RTPI for equipping students with the range of specialist professional and generic skills required to work in this challenging, creative and fast-changing profession.
On successful completion of this course you will be able to:
• understand the different historical, legal, economic, social, political, conceptual and environmental contexts that affect planning activity
• debate underlying current developments in Town Planning
• appreciate the interrelationship between theory and practice in planning decisions
• demonstrate a specialised study area of planning: urban design, housing or environmental planning
• effectively utilise systematic, creative and flexible skills to carry out the totality of planning activity
• collect, critically evaluate and communicate information from a variety of planning resource materials
• demonstrate initiative and originality in developing responses to spatial planning needs
• work effectively both in a group and individually, demonstrating self-direction and autonomy in planning and implementing tasks at professional and postgraduate level.

Core modules

Planning: Principles and Concepts
Plan making and Policy
Planning Implementation
Planning and Society
Site Studies and Urban Design
Sustainability and Environmental Management
Research Design and Methodology
Major Project/Dissertation for MSc Built Environment

Optional modules

Housing and Planning
Project Management Techniques
Facilities Management of Heritage Buildings

Links with industry and professional recognition

This course is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute.

Associated careers

This course is designed for those who wish to follow a career in spatial planning or an associated discipline.

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This one-year full-time and two-year part-time MSc programme is the benchmark qualification for those wishing to enter the planning profession and is fully accredited by both the RTPI and RICS.

It takes a broad approach to the “traditional” field of city and regional or town and country planning. You will learn to integrate concerns across the board, including those of economy, climate change, and social need.

The emphasis is on developing a broad and flexible level of knowledge and understanding, enabling you to adapt to developing pressures during your career.

The course combines core planning education with the development of expertise in specialist areas. Our links with practitioners in both the private and public sectors ensures that the course remains at the cutting edge of practice.

The MSc provides full Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) accreditation. The PGDip must be combined with a specialist MSc dissertation for this full accreditation.

See the website http://www.brookes.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/spatial-planning/

Why choose this course?

- It is viewed as the first choice for planning training by a range of employers including local authorities, the Environment Agency and major planning consultancies.

- Frequent guest lectures from industry leaders give you the chance to make important contacts for your future career.

- Learn more about current developments from professionals and academics through our Planning seminar series.

- The department is based in the modern and well equipped Abercrombie building, part of an award-winning recent redevelopment of the campus.

- Access to top-of-the-range facilities including studios, IT suites and computer programs, as well as three libraries and 24/7 online databases which contain all the academic material you require to be successful in their postgraduate studies.

- Study in the world-famous student city of Oxford, a particularly fascinating place for those interested in cities, transport and sustainability.

Professional accreditation

The MSc in Spatial Planning is fully accredited by both the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This means that on graduation you can complete the Assessment of Professional Competence programmes of these professional bodies and become a full member.

In order to attain full accreditation for both the RTPI and RICS, graduates must combine the Postgraduate Diploma in Spatial Planning with one of our specialist master's programmes. These include: an MSc in Environmental Assessment and Management, an MSc in Historic Conservation, an MSc in Urban Planning: Developing and Transitional Regions, or the MA in Urban Design.

Teaching and learning

Learning methods include lectures, directed reading, workshops, seminars, and practical and project work. Some modules include site visits and fieldwork.

Teaching is organised on a module-credit basis, involving approximately 200 hours of personal study and approximately 36 hours of staff contact, normally delivered through three-hour teaching blocks over a 12-week period.

Approach to assessment

Each course module is assessed individually, generally on the quality of written or design work, and to some extent on verbal presentations. Assessment methods may include essays, seminar papers, formal written examinations, in-class tests, project work, design and verbal presentations, workshops, simulations and practical exercises.

Field trips

The MSc in Spatial Planning includes a compulsory overseas field trip that is part of the two semester 1 core modules. The field trip is designed to provide students with practical examples and experience of planning in another European country.

The trip usually takes place in mid-November and normally includes three to four nights away from the UK. In the past, this field trip has been to Barcelona, Amsterdam and Lyon. The teaching staff are constantly reviewing new destinations that can best contribute to students' overall planning education.

Other half or full-day field trips often form part of the individual programmes of specialist modules.

Attendance pattern

Teaching is organised on a module-credit basis. Each module involves approximately 200 hours of personal study and approximately 36 hours of staff contact, normally delivered through three-hour teaching blocks over a 12-week period.

In recent years, teaching has been largely concentrated on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with two modules taught on each day. Generally the first year of the part time course takes place on Thursdays, and the second year on Tuesdays, whilst the full time course has teaching on both these days.

How this course helps you develop

Our courses make much use of invited lectures from planning practice, allowing students to get a feel for the world of current nature of the planning and development industry. In addition the wide spread of backgrounds and current work positions among students on our courses gives access to much valuable experience within each planning cohort.

Careers

Not only is the MSc in Spatial Planning seen as the benchmark qualification for professional planners, it is also widely recognised as providing the transferable skills and critical knowledge necessary in many fields of work in the built and natural environment.

Local government is just one of very many career opportunities available to MSc in Spatial Planning graduates.

Today our alumni can be found in senior positions in some of the largest international planning and environmental consultancies, in government agencies, in large NGOs and campaigning organisations. They can also be found in similar positions in organisations across the globe.

Free language courses for students - the Open Module

Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Please note that the free language courses are not available if you are:
- studying at a Brookes partner college
- studying on any of our teacher education courses or postgraduate education courses.

Research highlights

With more than 600 students engaging a wide range of research topics in our undergraduate, postgraduate and research degree programmes, including Master's by research, the department is widely recognised as a leading educator in environment, design and development subjects.

With a complement of over 60 teaching, administrative, technical and research staff, the department performs a leading role in research and consultancy, with clients and projects covering subjects from local concerns to multinational organisations, government and industry.

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Our Planning for Sustainability and Climate Change MSc prepares planners with specialised knowledge in sustainability and climate change issues. It attracts students primarily from science backgrounds.

The course will provide you with the planning knowledge, understanding and viewpoints required for Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) accreditation, plus a specialised understanding of planning for climate change issues.

Modules taught by the School of Architecture Planning and Landscape are complemented by key areas of law and energy in other schools.

Through the course you:
-Develop a systematic understanding of town planning, enabling you to engage critically with current problems and practices in the discipline
-Use an interdisciplinary approach to understand planning for sustainability, with a focus on planning responses to the issues raised by climate change
-Develop critical understanding of values, ethics and professionalism in planning and skills in making sound judgements when confronted by complex issues

This course offers a career path for students with first degrees in environment or engineering to move into town planning. There is still need in this area, particularly for planners with the knowledge and skills to act on climate change issues.

Our scholarship and relationship to the planning profession mean that the School is seen as a leading provider of planning education.

Delivery

This is a specialised course. All modules are compulsory and designed to meet the professional requirements of the RTPI. Knowledge and skills are developed through a series of modules based primarily on lectures, seminars and workshops.

You will also develop research, evaluation and core planning skills, and gain an understanding of how planners approach the legal and regulatory context and renewable energy issues. Mitigation and adaptation techniques, which are the core skills planners require in this field, will also be developed.

The dissertation will enable you to examine the application and professional practice approaches for planners. You will also be given the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of how academic and professional aspects of planning can respond to climate change.

The approach to teaching offers a mix of theoretical, thematic and practical modules, and a strong emphasis is placed on team and individual project work. The course has close linkages to the School, broader University research activities, and cross-European dimensions of planning practice and research. Sessions include seminars and workshops with visiting practitioners who are expert in various specialised areas. A study visit to another European country forms part of the Spatial Strategies project module.

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). This is a professional accreditation and allows membership to RTPI, which will enhance your career whether you are a student just starting out on your professional journey or an experienced planner at the peak of your career.

Facilities

The School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape has excellent studio teaching facilities and our research suite provides designated space and equipment for each postgraduate researcher. Our facilities include:
-Studios
-Exhibition spaces
-Print room
-Seminar rooms
-IT suites

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The MSc in Environmental Assessment and Management (EAM) examines the principles, procedures and methods of EAM against the background of current UK, European and international environmental policy.

The course covers the complementary roles of natural resource management and planning within core areas of EAM such as Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), as well as new and evolving fields such as mitigation banking, climate change adaptation, environmental inequality, ecosystem services, and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and sustainability appraisal.

The course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). On completing the course, students are ideally placed to undertake the exams for the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) Associate Membership.

Why choose this course?

Staff that teach on the MSc have published widely, including authoring the leading textbooks in Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment . Our teaching is always informed by the latest developments in theory and in practice. The teaching team regularly undertake related applied research and consultancy work with respected environmental consultancies such as ERM, WSP / Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Land Use Consultants, as well as the European Union, UK public sector bodies and NGOs. The course has excellent links with the professional practitioner community. Our contacts from industry provide valuable inputs via guest lecture sessions that serve to bring real-world experience to the programme, in addition to providing the opportunity for you to meet with potential employers.

Potential employers are familiar with the programme content and delivery and regularly approach the course team in search of our graduates. You will have regular opportunities to gain real world experience, ranging from dissertation research with the RSPB, TVERC and consultancies, and applied coursework with Grundon, to voluntary work with the Environmental Information Exchange. Excellent feedback from employers, "Both our environmental and planning teams have recruited graduates from the Oxford Brookes MSc courses. We find that the graduates from these courses have a wide range of interests and are well rounded candidates in terms of their environmental and planning knowledge." - URS

Professional accreditation

The MSc in Environmental Assessment and Management is fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This means that on graduation, students can progress to complete the Assessment of Professional Competence programme of RICS in order to become full members.

The course is also accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a specialist Master's programme. Students who wish to progress to Chartered Membership of the RTPI with the MSc EAM must also complete an accredited PG Diploma qualification in spatial planning - please refer to http://www.rtpi.org.uk for further information regarding accreditation.

This course in detail

The MSc course consists of three core modules, three optional modules and a dissertation (representing 180 level 7 credits). The PGDip consists of three core modules and three options (representing 120 level 7 credits).

Please note: as courses are reviewed regularly, the module list you choose from may vary from that shown here.

The core modules:
-Principles of Environmental Assessment and Management (20 credits)
-Procedures and Methods of EIA (double module, 40 credits)

The dissertation element comprises:
-Research Methods (half module, 10 credits)
-Dissertation (50 credits)

One single module generally involves one taught session per week over the 12 weeks of the semester.

Optional modules provide an opportunity for students to widen or deepen their field of study. There are three types of optional module. Recommended Optional Modules are considered to be particularly relevant to the course and include:
-Ecosystem Degradation and Management
-Environmental Management Systems
-GIS and Environmental Modelling
-Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
-Spatial Planning in Action

Alternative Optional Modules are normally selected from an approved list of courses currently running in the university, including Globalisation, Environment and Development; Environmentally Sustainable Business; and International Transport Planning.

Independent Study Module involves individual work on an appropriate topic or set of topics, conducted under supervision and with prior approval of the programme leaders. No more than one independent study unit may be included in a programme.

Teaching and learning

The teaching and learning methods used in the programme reflect the wide variety of topics and techniques associated with EAM. Lectures provide the essential background and knowledge base for each module and workshops, seminars and project work provide opportunities for analysis and synthesis of this information.

The programme will also offer site visits (included in course fees), where appropriate, to provide direct experience of the important issues in environmental assessment and management.

A wide range of staff are involved in teaching on the programme. Most are from the Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment and the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences.

Our contacts from industry provide valuable inputs via guest lecture sessions including speakers from the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Management, regulatory bodies such as the Environment Agency and the Planning Inspectorate, and leading environmental consultancies such as ERM, AECOM, WSP / Parsons Brinckerhoff, and PBA.

These sessions serve to bring real-world experience to the programme, in addition to providing the opportunity for students to meet with potential employers.

A variety of materials and resources, including student experience, is used to provide a varied educational experience and a teaching and learning environment appropriate for graduate students.

The early parts of the programme focus on the background to EAM, particularly on establishing a solid grounding in planning, resource management, and principles of EAM.

Over time, increasing emphasis is placed on the skills required for environmental impact assessment and environmental management, culminating in the preparation of a major environmental impact statement (EIS) project.

Approximately two-thirds of the core-module element of the programme is devoted to environmental assessment, and one-third to environmental management. However, additional training in environmental management can be obtained by the selection of appropriate options.

Advice will be given at Induction on making appropriate choices in relation to students’ interests and intended career paths. The dissertation gives students the opportunity to explore a subject related to EAM in depth, and to integrate the various elements of the programme.

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This one-year full-time and two-year part-time MSc programme is the benchmark qualification for those wishing to enter the planning profession and is fully accredited by both the RTPI and RICS.

It takes a broad approach to the “traditional” field of city and regional or town and country planning. You will learn to integrate concerns across the board, including those of economy, climate change, and social need. The emphasis is on developing a broad and flexible level of knowledge and understanding, enabling you to adapt to developing pressures during your career.

The course combines core planning education with the development of expertise in specialist areas. Our links with practitioners in both the private and public sectors ensures that the course remains at the cutting edge of practice.

Why choose this course?

It is viewed as the first choice for planning training by a range of employers including local authorities, the Environment Agency and major planning consultancies. Frequent guest lectures from industry leaders give you the chance to make important contacts for your future career.

Learn more about current developments from professionals and academics through our Planning seminar series. The department is based in the modern and well equipped Abercrombie building, part of an award-winning recent redevelopment of the campus.

Access to top-of-the-range facilities including studios, IT suites and computer programs, as well as three libraries and 24/7 online databases which contain all the academic material you require to be successful in their postgraduate studies. Study in the world-famous student city of Oxford, a particularly fascinating place for those interested in cities, transport and sustainability.

This course in detail

The course is offered at two levels: a master's degree (MSc) and a postgraduate diploma (PGDip).

The MSc course is based on the completion of the following compulsory elements, plus elective specialisations and a 15,000-word master's dissertation.

The PGDip level of the course is based on the completion of the compulsory elements listed above, but replaces the dissertation with a 10,000-word Planning Practice Project. This is a major piece of independent study culminating in the production of a report that analyses the implementation process of a planning policy, a development programme or a major project. The postgraduate diploma can be completed in two semesters full-time or four semesters part-time, and must be combined with an approved specialist planning programme to fulfil the RTPI requirements.

See website for a complete module breakdown: http://www.brookes.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/spatial-planning/

Professional accreditation

The MSc in Spatial Planning is fully accredited by both the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This means that on graduation you can complete the Assessment of Professional Competence programmes of these professional bodies and become a full member.

In order to attain full accreditation for both the RTPI and RICS, graduates must combine the Postgraduate Diploma in Spatial Planning with one of our specialist master's programmes. These include: an MSc in Environmental Assessment and Management, an MSc in Historic Conservation, an MSc in Urban Planning: Developing and Transitional Regions, or the MA in Urban Design.

Careers and professional development

Not only is the MSc in Spatial Planning seen as the benchmark qualification for professional planners, it is also widely recognised as providing the transferable skills and critical knowledge necessary in many fields of work in the built and natural environment.

Local government is just one of very many career opportunities available to MSc in Spatial Planning graduates.

Today our alumni can be found in senior positions in some of the largest international planning and environmental consultancies, in government agencies, in large NGOs and campaigning organisations. They can also be found in similar positions in organisations across the globe.

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The MSc in Urban Planning: Developing and Transitional Regions is concerned with the theory and practice of urban planning in societies undergoing rapid economic, social, technological, environmental and spatial change.

The emphasis of the course is on institutional aspects of planning and management interventions in the urban sector and the scope of various policy instruments and planning modes to manage the emerging spatial patterns, impacts and processes of urban growth.

The MSc is RICS- and RTPI-accredited.

Why choose this course?

It is a fully accredited RTPI and RICS course which is viewed as the first choice for urban and development planning training by a range of employers throughout the world - especially governments, local authorities, development and planning consultancies.

Benefit from the success of our courses in delivering highly skilled professionals. Our graduates get employment in the private and public sector, international development institutions, NGOs, research institutions and consultancy. Engage with and benefit from teaching staff who are active in research and practice; drawn primarily from the Department of Planning but with some contributions from the wider university community. In REF 2014 69% of our research was rated as either world leading or internationally excellent.
Visiting speakers from business and industry, local government, and consultancies and research bodies provide a major contribution to the teaching programme.

Study in our newly redeveloped Headington campus, ultra modern spaces and facilities in Abercrombie building and John Henry Brookes building; access to top of the range studios, IT suites and computer programs, library and 24/7 online databases. As well as being one of the world's most famous centres for learning, Oxford is a city with a great urban heritage and is within easy reach of London and other urban centres. Its excellent transport links make it a convenient place to take up a day release part-time course.

Professional accreditation

The MSc Urban Planning: Developing and Transitional Regions is fully accredited by:
-The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
-The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This means that on successful completion of the MSc, graduates can register for the Assessment of Professional Competence procedures of RICS and RTPI and work towards becoming full members.

This course in detail

The course is offered as a master's degree (MSc), a postgraduate diploma (PGDip) or a postgraduate certificate (PGCert).

The MSc course is based on the completion of the following compulsory modules, plus elective specialisations and a 15,000-word master's dissertation.

As courses are reviewed regularly, the module list you choose from may vary from that shown below.

Compulsory element (indicative modules):
-Development and Urbanisation
-Urban Land Policy and Urban Management
-Globalisation: Environment and Development
-Urban Policy in Practice: Programme and Project Implementation
-Research Methods

MSc students are offered choice and flexibility in terms of specialist elective modules, of which two must be chosen from the following indicative list:
-Armed Conflict and International Humanitarianism
-Principles of Environmental Assessment
-Environmental Management Systems
-Designing the City
-World of Refugees
-International Transport Planning
-Strategic Environmental Assessment
-GIS and Environmental Modeling
-Designing the Neighbourhood
-Global Institutions
-Delivering Sustainable Futures
-Destination and Event Development
-Statistical Research Using SPSS
-Independent Study.

Please note that not all electives may be available in any given year.

The PGDip course is based on the completion of the following compulsory modules as in the MSc programme:
-Development and Urbanisation
-Urban Land Policy and Urban Management
-Globalisation: Environment and Development
-Urban Policy in Practice: Programme and Project Implementation.

A similar choice of two elective modules from the same options as the MSc course is required.

The PGCert is based on the completion of the following compulsory modules as in the MSc course:
-Development and Urbanisation
-Urban Land Policy and Urban Management or Independent Study
-Globalisation: Environment and Development or Independent Study

Careers and professional development

Today our alumni can be found in senior positions in some of the largest international planning and environmental consultancies, in government agencies, in large NGOs and campaigning organisations across the globe.

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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.

Structure

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.

Core modules:

Site Planning, Design & Development
Live Project
Planning and Real Estate
Planning: Nature, Purpose and Instruments
The Reflective Practitioner

Teaching

A variety of teaching methods are used. There is an emphasis on interaction between students and teachers.

Assessment

Summative assessment is by coursework. There will be a variety of assessed tasks including reports, presentations, and posters. Most assessed work is individual; some is group work.

Career Prospects

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).

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Our MSc Planning course will provide you with the range of skills necessary for a career in urban or environmental planning. Accredited by the RTPI and RICS, it is aimed at graduates who intend to pursue a career in planning and development, either in the public or private sector.

The course will provide you with the core knowledge, competencies and skills necessary to become a chartered planning and development professional and member of both the RTPI and the RICS. Alongside the core requirements for a planning and development professional, we also offer you the opportunity for specialist study in urban regeneration, urban design, environmental planning, infrastructure, international urban development planning, or property valuation.

You will gain an understanding of the full range of professional skills relevant for practice, as well as the competencies appropriate to your chosen specialism.

Special features

An overseas field visit is an integral part of the programme. The cost of the visit is largely covered by the course fee, but students in recent years have also been asked to contribute around £400 towards the costs of the trip, depending on the venue. Recent locations have included Toronto, Barcelona and Berlin.

Fieldcourses may be scheduled at any point during the twelve-month period of the degree programme and this may include time during University vacations. Successful applicants are expected to be available to attend. Countries to be visited may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice. Planning cannot guarantee that where visas are required for the field course, they will be granted. Planning will ensure that, in the unlikely event this occurs, affected students are not academically disadvantaged.

The programme also includes a module that introduces students to the excitement of working within a professional, 'real world' context on a 'live' consultancy project. Working with industrial partners, students will be asked to complete a piece of work on an area of planning, urban regeneration, or environmental management - depending on their chosen specialism - to a standard that is expected and demanded in the planning, environmental management or development professions. This core module is highly regarded by employers and students alike.

Career opportunities

The course prepares you for employment in professional practice in planning in the UK or overseas, and will provide you with the academic knowledge and professional skills for employment in the private (consultancy, development industry) and public (local authorities, development agencies) sectors.

Accrediting organisations

The course fulfils the criteria for full dual accreditation from both the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Accreditation from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is under the Planning and Development (P&D) specialism.

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