Urban and Regional Development - MSc

This MSc provides the opportunity to understand socio-economic change in different towns, cities, regions and city-regions globally.

Overview

The MSc Urban and Regional Development course is designed for those who want to understand more about spatial development theory and practice and help meet the policy challenge.

The course will provide you with the opportunity to understand socio-economic change in towns, cities, regions and city-regions; issues that are of increasing significance globally. There is a focus on developing knowledge of the key theoretical tools to understand the nature and source of this socio-economic change and its uneven impact on different social groups and different places around the world.

Drawing on leading-edge theoretical debates about uneven spatial development, you will develop the key skills required to shape local and regional development in the worlds of policy and practice. These skills include data analysis and research skills, problem-solving skills through project-based teamwork, and skills in engaging and working across different sectors and organisations, including public, private and third sector organisations. The course also enables you to focus in more depth on understanding the specific challenges of uneven development at particular spatial scales - from the broader regional and city-regional scale to the more localised community and neighbourhood scale.

The course also addresses the public policy agenda to enable you to understand, research and apply your knowledge and skills to the practical challenge of designing strategies to help cities and regions to become more innovative and resilient places in which to live and work.

Distinctive features

• You will study the theory, policy and practice of urban and regional development in South Wales, which has the longest experience of regional policy development in the world.
• This MSc is recognised by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a 'specialist' masters, allowing those who have completed a three year RTPI recognised undergraduate spatial planning degree to complete the RTPI's educational requirements for membership.
• Accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), allowing completion of the educational requirement for RICS membership.

Learning and assessment

How will I be taught?

An array of teaching and learning styles are used throughout this programme.

You will attend lectures, participate in seminars and discussions, and attend field study visits. Most of the taught modules in the programme are compulsory, though there is some scope for choice in the second semester at Cardiff University.

You should attend all timetabled sessions of the programme – lectures, seminars and presentations – but are also expected to engage in independent study of at least 20 hours per week.

How will I be supported?

You will be allocated a personal tutor at the start of the course. You will retain this tutor throughout the two years.

All modules make extensive use of Learning Central, our Virtual Learning Environment, where you will find your course materials.

You will be given the chance to reflect on your abilities and performance through the Personal Development Planning module, available on Learning Central, through the Professional Development module that forms an integral part of the third semester experience, and through personal tutor meetings.

Resources and facilities

• Access to a dedicated PC laboratory with high quality peripherals including: network account laser printing, large format colour printing, A4 colour printing
• GIS facilities/workstation/access to Edina digimap digital mapping facility
• Two dedicated computer technicians
• A 30-PC open-access laboratory in the Glamorgan Building
• An excellent library containing more than 12000 specialised books, 280 journal titles and stock expenditure of over £100,000 per year
• Access to dyslexia resource facilities
• Support for students working/assessed through the medium of Welsh
• Professional skills delivery during the induction week to provide students with training on computer use; presentation skills etc.

Career prospects

The course offers the knowledge and expertise to enable you to work within a large number of urban and regional development-related careers. These can range from research, policy development and implementation, planning roles within the public and private sectors to agencies and businesses involved in new and re-development projects.

The course is suitable for both UK and international students.

Visit the Urban and Regional Development - MSc page on the Cardiff University website for more details!