Urban and Regional Planning MA
University of Westminster
Key Information
Select location
Campus location
London, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 year
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
GBP 15,000 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
* international | UK: £9,500
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Introduction
The Urban and Regional Planning MA will give you the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to practise professionally as a spatial planner in a variety of private, public and third sector/ community contexts. Building on the University of Westminster's experience of delivering postgraduate courses in town planning for more than 80 years, it examines planning across diverse contexts and scales but focuses in particular on planning in, and for, towns, cities, and urban regions in the UK. You'll be taught by qualified and dedicated staff who possess vast industry, research and teaching experience, and moreover, you'll benefit from studying in a genuinely interdisciplinary academic environment with excellent industry links in the heart of one of the most vibrant cities in the world.
The course is professionally accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and covers both the ‘spatial’ and ‘specialist’ elements of the RTPI’s requirements for initial planning education. It is designed to accommodate busy schedules and offered for full-time or part-time study at our modern Marylebone campus in central London. The course's main objective is to create critical-minded, well-rounded, and highly employable graduates who can excel in a variety of career environments and possess the skills and competencies necessary for addressing the manifold challenges and opportunities associated with contemporary spatial development and planning.
In addition to the MA qualification, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate options are also available, enabling you to access the course at a point that is relevant to your circumstances, achieve credits and leave at a point that specifically meets your needs.
Please note: this course is designed for those students who wish to practice town and country planning in the UK.
Top reasons to study with us
- You’ll be taught by qualified and dedicated staff who possess vast industry, research and teaching experience, as well as learning from guest speakers from the world of practice.
- You’ll study in a genuinely interdisciplinary academic environment with excellent industry links in the heart of one of the most vibrant cities in the world.
- This course is designed to accommodate busy schedules and is offered for full-time or part-time study.
Why study this course?
- Central London location
You’ll study in a genuinely interdisciplinary academic environment with excellent industry links in the heart of one of the most vibrant cities in the world. - Taught by experts
You’ll be taught by qualified and dedicated staff who possess vast industry, research and teaching experience. - An accredited course
The course is fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a combined degree programme.
Professional accreditation
The Urban and Regional Planning MA is fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a combined degree programme. 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, leading to a better career – and salary – prospects. The Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate on its own do not meet RTPI requirements for Initial Planning Education but can be used as an element for accreditation eligibility. More information on routes to membership can be obtained from the RTPI website.
Career Opportunities
Whatever your career plans, or even if you have no plans at present, a degree in planning provides you with particularly good job prospects. Planning is widely considered a highly employable degree due to the mixture of skills and competencies students acquire, offering great career prospects domestically as well as internationally. Students completing the Urban and Regional Planning MA have an excellent record of gaining employment or progressing their careers in planning and related fields, working for local governments, quasi-public and non-profit organisations, as well as private planning consultants.
- Industry links
We maintain a strong network of connections with public, private, and third sector organisations, including the RTPI, giving you the opportunity to participate in live briefs, guest lectures, professional workshops, and networking events. - Excellent career prospects
Graduates from this course have an excellent record of gaining employment or progressing their careers in planning and related fields, working for local governments, quasi-public and non-profit organizations, as well as private planning consultants. - Employers around the world
The University’s Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.
Industry links
You'll benefit from an inspirational environment with excellent industry links. The School of Architecture and Cities maintains a strong network of connections with relevant public, private, and third sector organisations, including the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), providing you with the opportunity to participate in live briefs and benefit from a vibrant programme of guest lectures, professional workshops and networking events.
Job roles
This course will prepare you for roles such as:
- Community development worker
- Conservation officer
- Economic development officer
- Housing manager/officer
- Planning consultant
- Planning officer
Westminster Employability Award
Employers value graduates who have invested in their personal and professional development – and our Westminster Employability Award gives you the chance to formally document and demonstrate these activities and achievements.
The award is flexible and can be completed in your own time, comprising a set of core and optional extracurricular activities.
Activities might include gaining experience through a part-time job or placement, signing up to a University-run scheme – such as mentoring or teaching in a school – or completing online exercises.
Admissions
Curriculum
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 in this course.
Core modules
- Planning Theory and Practice 1
- Planning Theory and Practice 2
- Planning Field Trip
- Making and Managing Places
- Sustainable Cities and Neighbourhoods
- Planning Research: Methods and Skills
- Dissertation / Policy Implementation Project & Colloquium
- Reflective Practice for Spatial Planning (PG Certificate in Spatial Planning only)
Option modules
- Land Use Planning and Transport
- Streets, Places and Active Transport
- Environmental Policy, Assessment and Climate Change
- Housing and Urban Regeneration
- Communities Towards Sustainability – Public Engagement
- Planning for Risk & Resilience
- Modifying Transport Behaviour: Theory, Practice and Politics
- Conservation and Heritage
- Emerging Landscapes and Urban Ecologies
- Place and Experience in Design of Urban Spaces
- Information Management Applications for Urban Planning
Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students, which cover all or part of your tuition fees.
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English Language Requirements
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